Marcus Tavernier’s early deflected finish earned Bournemouth a 1-0 Premier League win over 10-man Wolves at Vitality Stadium.
The winger fired home a fourth-minute effort via a substantial touch off Wanderers defender Emmanuel Agbadou as the Cherries bounced back from last week’s 4-2 loss to Liverpool.
Wolves were unable to prevent a second successive defeat this term after captain Toti Gomes was sent off in the 49th minute for pushing Bournemouth striker Evanilson in the back as he raced through on goal.
Andoni Iraola’s hosts had plenty of chances to make the result more comfortable but were forced to endure a nervy ending.
Antoine Semenyo, who suffered racial abuse before scoring twice at Anfield, hit the crossbar minutes after assisting Tavernier’s opener and threatened again in the second period, while Tyler Adams brought a fine save out of Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa.
Bournemouth boss Iraola named new signings Ben Gannon-Doak and Amine Adli on the bench as he stuck with the starting XI which began the campaign against the champions, while Wolves gave a full debut to Colombia winger Jhon Arias in place of Andre following a 4-0 thrashing at home to Manchester City.
Marshall Munetsi wasted a golden early chance for the visitors before the home team edged ahead in fortuitous fashion.
After Cherries midfielder Adams dispossessed Jean-Ricner Bellegarde deep inside opposition territory, Tavernier received the ball from Semenyo before firing a low, left-footed shot which caught Agbadou’s left calf and flew into the net via the underside off the crossbar.
Wolves’ bar was rattled again five minutes later when Semenyo somehow failed to convert from inside the six-yard box following David Brooks’ inswinging cross from the right
With the two teams having conceded eight goals combined on the opening weekend, this was another open affair.
Jorgen Strand Larsen’s header from Ki-Jana Hoever’s centre forced a diving save out of Bournemouth keeper Djordje Petrovic as Wolves chased an equaliser.
Arias flashed a powerful half-volley into the side netting within a minute of the restart before the away side were left facing an uphill task after skipper Toti was dismissed following his desperation to deny the clean-through Evanilson.
Semenyo later fired off target when well placed before Adams’ shot from range was acrobatically tipped over by Sa.
Morocco winger Adli – a midweek arrival in a £25million deal from Bayer Leverkusen – was brought on for his Bournemouth debut in the 66th minute to try and put the result beyond doubt.
Depleted Wolves rarely looked like conceding again and were given six minutes of added time to chase an unlikely equaliser before Bournemouth hung on to kickstart their season.
