Tarkowski's stoppage-time header rescues a point for Everton at Bournemouth

Bournemouth had the win all but sealed until stoppage time turned on them. James Tarkowski popped up in the box to poke home a corner and make it 1-1 in the 90th minute, a last-gasp equalizer that spared Everton from leaving the Vitality Stadium empty-handed. The Premier League clash ended in a share of the points that will sting the home side and come as a relief to the visitors.

The first half produced more chances than goals. Everton started the brighter of the two sides, with Iliman Ndiaye, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry all testing Djordje Petrovic, but it was Bournemouth who struck first on the counter. In the 40th minute, Alex Scott slotted a low finish inside the near post after a pass from Evanilson on a quick break that caught the visiting defense out of position. That 1-0 scoreline held until halftime.

The second half turned scrappier, with fouls piling up on both sides and several yellow cards shown, Marcus Tavernier and James Garner for Bournemouth and Everton respectively, along with Alex Scott and Adam Smith in the first half. Evanilson had three chances to extend the lead between the 78th and 79th minutes but could not beat Jordan Pickford. Everton, who had grown into the game as it went on, found their reward just as time was running out: in the 90th minute, off a corner, Tarkowski struck a right-footed finish to secure the final equalizer.

By the numbers

Bournemouth controlled possession and generated more overall attacking volume, though Everton were sharper in front of goal.

Based on our post-match xG estimate calculated from the shots taken in the game, Bournemouth generated 3.42 expected goals to Everton's 1.61, a gap that reflects the home side's territorial dominance but one that never showed up on the final scoreline.

Before kickoff, our projections had given Bournemouth a 44% chance of winning, with a 29% chance of a draw and a 27% chance of an Everton win, with expected goals of 1.47 for the home side and 1.11 for the visitors. The final result, a draw with a total goal count close to what was projected, doesn't entirely contradict that forecast, though the way the match played out, with Bournemouth deserving far more on the xG numbers, leaves the sense that the scoreline undersold the home side's performance.

What the point means

With this draw, Everton move to 4 points from two matches played, with a record of one win and one draw, sitting in third place. Bournemouth, on the other hand, are left with just 1 point after two rounds, with a draw and a loss on their record, down in twelfth place. The gap between the two sides in the table stands at 3 points. For the south coast club, Tarkowski's stoppage-time goal stings all the more after controlling so much of the match; for Everton, snatching a point in added time is a testament to the persistence they showed despite not being the sharper side for large stretches of the game.