Andoni Iraola has heaped praises on Bournemouth after they sealed a hard-fought 2-1 win at Newcastle United in Saturday’s Premier League encounter.
The Cherries extended their unbeaten run to 13 games in the league and moved level on points with sixth-placed Chelsea, while denting their hosts European aspirations.
Iraola, who already announced he would be leaving the club at the end of the season, expressed satisfaction with his side’s performance in the clash.
“I think we played really well, especially first half. The second half it was expected that they had a reaction and they pushed us. At 1-1 the momentum of the game changed but we showed composure and we deserved this”, Iraola said.
“This is a very difficult place to come as an away team and you have to be ready to match the intensity. This is a team that is very good on transition, they are so fast in the last line that you can lose those races. But overall we have defended very well.”
Bournemouth had recorded a stunning 2-1 win over Arsenal in their previous outing and the win over Newcastle now leaves them dreaming of European qualification with only a few games left this season.
Marcus Tavernier opened the scoring in the first half, before Will Osula equalized for the home side after the hour mark, with the goal surviving a VAR check for offside.
Then, Adrien Truffert snatched a late winner for the visitors, extending their unbeaten run in this fixture to eight matches across all competitions.
“I think we are in a great place, great run of results. We are arriving to the important part of the season. We have our chances”, Iraola added.
“It is difficult because we have teams ahead of us but we have five games to try to catch these teams, to try to continue playing well and keep this unbeaten run going as long as we can. Because these players have shown they are not taking days off.”
Bournemouth will now head to their next match against Leeds United, hoping for a win to keep their European dreams alive.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
