Bournemouth 2 WBA 2: Ajayi benched; Billing picks up from where he left off last season

Published: August 06, 2021

Bournemouth and West Brom shared the spoils with a 2-2 draw in their Championship opener at the Vitality Stadium on Friday night.

Baggies' Super Eagles defender Semi Ajayi who has kept his number 6 jersey for this season watched proceedings from the bench for the entirety of the game, with manager Valerien Ismael opting for Cedric Kipre, Kyle Bartley and Dara O'Shea in defence.

As for Bournemouth, both Philip Billing and Dominic Solanke went the full ninety, but there was no place in the squad for in-demand winger Arnaut Danjuma.

The Cherries twice held one-goal leads in the first and second half but the visitors tied it up.

Emiliano Marcondes opened the scoring in the 12th minute but Dara O'Shea headed in at the back post to bring the game back to parity in the 33rd minute.

Seven minutes into the second half, Billing made no mistake when Jaidon Anthony's shot was parried into his path, only for Callum Robinson to rifle the ball into the net for 2-2 in the 67th minute.

A tough tackling holding midfielder, Billing has added goals to his game, mustering eight goals in 34 league games last term, and has picked up from where he left off last season with two goals in his first two games of 2021-2022.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : wba.co.uk

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