DAILY MAIL 🔵 Bournemouth 5-1 West Brom: Dango Ouattara double helps Bournemouth down Baggies as Cherries advance to FA Cup fourth round
- Dango Ouattara netted twice to help Bournemouth beat West Brom 5-1 at home
- The Cherries enjoyed a goal-fest in front of their home crowd at the Vitality
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Brilliant Bournemouth came from behind to brush West Brom aside and take their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
The in-form Cherries extended their unbeaten run to nine games and nobody will fancy drawing Andoni Iraola’s side at the next stage.
A brace from Dango Ouattara and goals from Justin Kluivert, Antoine Semenyo and Daniel Jebbison made Caleb Taylor’s opener academic.
transfer window might be more about Bournemouth keeping their overachieving squad together rather than adding it but, with injuries to Evanilson and Enes Unal, Iraola is in need of attacking reinforcement.
Against West Brom he made six changes, with Justin Kluivert tasked with leading the line and young debutant Ben Winterburn playing just behind him.
The Baggies are rumoured to be close to appointing Raphael Wicky as the man to replace Carlos Corberan who departed for Valencia last month.
Their caretaker coaching contingent, led by Chris Brunt, made seven changes to the side who had drawn at Swansea.
It had been a ponderous start from both sides before a moment of FA Cup magic from 21 year-old centre back Caleb Taylor, who scored his first ever goal for the Baggies, lit up this tie.
Taylor was only recalled from loan at Wycombe last week but he seized on a loose ball to head the Championship side in front after Grady Diangana had first headed John Swift’s free-kick against the crossbar.
Bournemouth were shaken and immediately sought a response. They came close when Justin Kluivert curled a shot just the wrong side of the far post.
But Bournemouth were only behind for 13 minutes. Kluivert did equalise when David Brooks’ low cross evaded everyone to allow the Dutchman to creep in at the far post a score into the roof of the net.
The home side were in full control at the break. This went in front with Kluivert, this time, the architect, cutting in off the left wing and slipping a pass into Dango Ouattara to score from a tight angle.
Then on the stroke of half-time, Ouattara added his second, Bournemouth’s third after a strong run and pass from Brooks left him with only Joe Wildsmith to beat.
Iraola brought on the influential Antoine Semenyo at half time and he scored with almost his first touch, rifling Brooks’ pass into the roof of the net, to take the game beyond West Brom.
With seconds remaining, substitute Daniel Jebbison scored his first goal for Bournemouth, latching onto Semenyo’s pass and scoring via a touch off Wildsmith.