Caicedo’s super strike helps Chelsea earn a European place

Targets from Moises Caicedo and Raheem Sterling secured a 2-1 victory for Chelsea over AFC Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge, making certain the Blues will play European soccer subsequent season.

Chelsea headed into the ultimate match of the marketing campaign on Sunday realizing a win would safe at the very least a UEFA Europa Convention League spot, and Caicedo put them on track for 3 factors within the first half with a surprising long-range end.

Sterling then fired house after the interval to place Mauricio Pochettino’s males firmly into the ascendancy, and although a Benoit Badiashile own-goal gave the Cherries hope, Chelsea noticed out the victory.

The win means the Blues end the marketing campaign in sixth, and if Manchester Metropolis beat Manchester United within the FA Cup closing subsequent weekend, Chelsea will play within the Europa League subsequent season.

How the match unfolded

The hosts began brightly with Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer each going shut early, whereas Antoine Semenyo examined Djordje Petrovic on the different finish with a dipping effort.

Caicedo put Chelsea forward in spectacular style, seizing upon Neto’s unfastened clearance earlier than sending an audacious lob into the again of the web from near the midway line.

Chelsea then made it 2-0 moments into the second half, Sterling driving into the field earlier than firing previous Neto from a decent angle.

That two-goal benefit lasted lower than two minutes, although, as Enes Unal introduced down a cross from the left and lashed goalwards, resulting in Badiashile turning into his personal internet.

Bournemouth pressed for a leveller late on and almost discovered one when Dominic Solanke did not hit the goal in stoppage time, however the hosts held on to substantiate they’re going to be enjoying European soccer in 2024/25.

Chelsea lastly flourishing

It has been one other tumultuous season at Stamford Bridge, and doubts are lingering over whether or not Pochettino shall be in cost come the beginning of subsequent season, however Chelsea’s sturdy kind to finish the season has definitely been spectacular.

Pochettino lastly appears to be getting the perfect out of his proficient, younger squad, with the win over Bournemouth making it 5 straight Premier League victories, the primary time they’ve managed that since 2022 below Thomas Tuchel.

A kind of Blues gamers who has loved their soccer of late is Caicedo, and his objective right here was the right reminder of what a expertise he’s.

His first-half strike was the furthest scored in a Premier League fixture since Wayne Rooney for Everton in November 2017 (57.7 yards v West Ham).

Iraola impresses in first season

Bournemouth might have completed the season with three straight defeats, however the Cherries have nonetheless completed twelfth in Andoni Iraola’s first season since becoming a member of from Rayo Vallecano.

It seemed like Iraola’s time in cost at Vitality Stadium might be transient as Bournemouth did not win any of their first 9 Premier League matches of the season.

But it surely’s been fairly the turnaround from the Cherries, who will finish the season 22 factors above the relegation zone having received 13 Premier League matches, their joint-most in a single marketing campaign, and Bournemouth followers shall be seeking to the longer term with optimism.

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Key information

Mauricio Pochettino received his 150^th match within the Premier League (19 with Southampton, 113 with Spurs and 18 with Chelsea). It’s the seventh quickest {that a} supervisor has reached this milestone within the competitors (294 matches).

Chelsea have scored 77 objectives within the Premier League this season, their third-most throughout a single marketing campaign within the competitors, behind solely 2009/10 (103) and 2016/17 (85) – each title-winning seasons.

Moises Caicedo scored his first objective within the Premier League for Chelsea, whereas it was his first within the competitors since netting towards Leicester for Brighton in September 2022.

Regardless of dropping three consecutive Premier League matches for the primary time since October 2023, Bournemouth completed in 12^th place on 48 factors, their finest factors tally in a high flight marketing campaign. In the meantime, solely in 2016/17 have the Cherries ever completed increased within the competitors (9^th).