Bournemouth 3-0 Sturm Graz: Europa League report by Layth Yousif at the Vitality Stadium
Goals from Evanilson, Rayan and late Rodriguez penalty seal deserved victory to mark Bournemouth’s first ever European home game on a joyous evening for the Cherries
Seventeen short years ago Bournemouth sat at the bottom of the football league, but, as the stadium announcer said moments before kick-off at a fevered Dean Court: “Today we are living the impossible dream.”
On Thursday evening on the south coast dreams became reality when goals from Evanilson, substitute Rayan and a late penalty from Alvaro Rodriguez sealed a deserved victory to mark the club’s first ever home European match.
There was a buoyant atmosphere before kick off against the Austrians, underlining the excitement generated in the ground before Marco Rose’s side’s Europa League home debut, as Bournemouth fans vigorously waved the red and white flags provided by the club on every seat. As the excitement built, we saw what surely was the Cherries’ first ever continental style pre-match Tifo. It read: “Minus 17 to European Dreams” a reference to the fact that less than two decades ago Bournemouth sat at the bottom of the Football League. Fast forward to 2026 and the South Coast side were hosting their first ever European home game.
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As the pre-match festivities ramped up amid fireworks, the strains of Dire Straits Money For Nothing, selected as one of the songs to be blasted out in a bid to ramp up the adrenaline – as well as the decibels still further – rang out, as the atmosphere reached fever pitch, amid the relentlessly fluttering red, white and black flags.
Earlier, around 150 police officers and a number of riot vans were deployed in Bournemouth town centre, primarily to escort the 500 or so visitors from Austria to the stadium. This included a secondment from Gwent Police to support their Dorset colleagues.
Along the seaside town’s main thoroughfare the boisterous group from Graz marched past, complete with drum, many clad in all black. Overheard was an elderly woman, who said to her friend in indignation as they waited for a bus: “They’re even marching in the street Edith.”
Following a bustling if goalless opening half hour, punctuated by lively bursts along the right flank from the eye-catching 20-year-old former Liverpool winger, Ben Gannon-Doak, the experienced Marcus Tavernier struck a beautifully weighted left foot shot that clipped the Graz post, with keeper Danil Khudyakov floundering.
As the first half edged towards the interval French referee Jerome Brisard booked Graz No26 Belmin Beganovic for diving in the box, as the home crowd chorused: “You are embarrassing,” at such chicanery.
However, just as we appeared set to reach the break goalless – despite the home side having 66% of the ball, with 10 shots in total after the opening 45 minutes, Evanilson grabbed the Cherries first ever home European goal. The Brazilian striker’s header from Adam Smith’s cross looping over Khudyakov to nestle in at the far post two minutes before the break, as the stadium erupted with joy.
It was to be seven minutes after the restart that the visitors posted their first shot, when Graz’s Simon Seidl blasted his effort narrowly wide of Cherries former Chelsea keeper Dorde Petrovic’s far post. Ten minutes later Jurgen Heil’s superbly executed strike crashed against the post, that saw Petrovic block Jakub Hodl’s follow-up, as the visitors attempted to regain parity.
With Rose’s side weathering the Sturm storm, the flags came out once again when Cherries substitute Rayan doubled the lead on 76 minutes as the home fans savoured their big night. And why not, many present could still recall when they hit rock bottom back in 1999. As the clock ticked down there was even time for the fit again Justin Kluivert to test Graz’s 22-year-old keeper Khudyakov with a stinging shot that the Russian turned away. That was before referee Brisard awarded a penalty after No4 handled in the box, to see Rodriguez fire into the net to make it 3-0 in injury time to cap a joyous evening for Bournemouth.
