Bournemouth coach Andoni Iraola was disappointed that his side could only manage a draw against West Ham, although substitute Enes Unal equalized with a stunning free-kick in the 90th minute.
Lucas Paqueta gave West Ham the lead from the penalty spot with three minutes left, but Unal equalized with a great free-kick to secure a share of the points.
The Cherries had a respectable 29 shots on target – a total they have only surpassed once in the Premier League – but struggled to finish in open play.
“I don’t think it’s a good result for us even if we scored the goal in the end,” Iraola said.
“We were better in the second half. I didn’t like the first half. We really wanted to win, but then the penalty came and we had to get the point. I don’t think this is a good point for us.
“I found the punishment harsh”
Henry reacts to Bournemouth’s late draw against West Ham 👇 pic.twitter.com/smPcZaoYfF
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 16, 2024
“The game was very slow for us in the first half. We weren’t brave enough to really put them under pressure. We improved in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to win.”
West Ham United coach Julen Lopetegui praised his team’s resilience.
Spaniard Lopetegui has been under pressure after West Ham’s poor start to the season but will be pleased with the attitude of his players in a game where they were the second best players for long periods.
“I think it’s a shame. “We thought we would win in a difficult stadium,” Lopetegui told Sky Sports.
“It was very close. We were better in the first half and they were one step ahead in the second half. We suffered a little but were able to overcome that and score a goal.
“It was an incredible goal from Unal. After they scored a goal, they applied a lot of pressure. We showed good behavior in the final moments. We did really well.
“More than the point is the behavior of the players. It was very good,” he added.
The draw puts West Ham seven points clear of the relegation zone. Sixth-placed Bournemouth have no such worries having accumulated more points (25) at this point in the season than in any of their other Premier League seasons.
