AFC Bournemouth strengthened their UEFA Europa League campaign with a commanding 3-0 victory over AC Milan on Thursday, October 22, capitalising on goalkeeper Mike Maignan’s first-half dismissal to secure a third consecutive win in their debut European season.
Justin Kluivert and Marcus Tavernier scored first-half penalties before substitute Amine Adli sealed the result with a stunning free-kick in the 84th minute at the Vitality Stadium.
The victory moved Bournemouth to nine points from three matches in the league phase, placing them third in the 36-team standings after Matchday Three.
The result was significant for Bournemouth, who are competing in European football for the first time in the club’s history.
Facing a team with Milan’s pedigree offered the English side an opportunity to measure their progress against one of Europe’s most decorated clubs, with the Italian giants having won the European Cup and UEFA Champions League seven times.
Bournemouth entered the fixture with six points after opening their campaign with a 2-1 away victory over Real Sociedad before beating Sturm Graz 3-0 at home. Milan, meanwhile, were seeking to build momentum after losing their opening match against Benfica before responding with a victory over Salzburg.
The hosts made an immediate impact, with Kluivert opening the scoring from the penalty spot in the eighth minute after a VAR review identified a handball by Milan defender Koni De Winter.
De Winter had extended his arm as he attempted to deal with Evanilson’s header, prompting referee Vasilios Fotias to review the incident before awarding the spot-kick. Kluivert calmly sent Maignan the wrong way to give Bournemouth the advantage.
Bournemouth continued to threaten as Ryan Christie and Evanilson tested Milan’s defence, while James Hill forced the visitors into further defensive work with a deflected effort that was pushed behind for a corner.
Milan’s task became significantly harder when Maignan was sent off for pushing Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams in the face during a corner situation. The dismissal followed a VAR review, leaving the visitors to continue with 10 players.
The incident also resulted in a second penalty for Bournemouth, which Tavernier converted in the 32nd minute. The midfielder sent replacement goalkeeper Lorenzo Torriani the wrong way, giving the hosts a two-goal cushion before half-time.
Milan attempted to reorganise after the break, but Bournemouth continued to create opportunities and maintained pressure on the visitors’ defence.
Rayan came close with a header that went over the crossbar, while Christie threatened with an effort that narrowly missed the target as Bournemouth searched for a third goal.
Adli eventually delivered the decisive moment six minutes before full-time, curling a powerful free-kick from approximately 25 yards beyond Torriani to complete the 3-0 victory.
The result extended Bournemouth’s winning run in the competition and reinforced their position among the early leaders of the league phase.
Their opening victories over Real Sociedad and Sturm Graz had already demonstrated their ability to compete in Europe but defeating Milan added a significant result against an opponent with a far greater history in continental competition.
Bournemouth’s next Europa League assignment is an away fixture against Sparta Prague on November 5, when they will seek to extend their perfect start to four matches. Milan will host Ferencváros on the same date as they attempt to recover from the defeat.
For Bournemouth, Thursday’s result was more than another three points. It was a landmark European victory that strengthened their qualification prospects and offered further evidence of their ability to compete on the continental stage.
