Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace; Premier League
Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace. Premier League.
Vitality StadiumAttendance11,122.
Bournemouth 3
- J Lerma (10th minute own goal)
- E Kroupi (32nd minute pen)
- R SimplÃcio Rocha (77th minute)
Crystal Palace 0
Bournemouth 3-0 Crystal Palace: Cherries move into European places as dominant win extends unbeaten streak to 15 games
Report and free match highlights as Bournemouth beat Crystal Palace 3-0 at the Vitality Stadium; Jefferson Lerma scored an own goal against his former side before Eli Junior Kroupi netted a controversial penalty and Rayan added a third; Cherries move into the top six with three games left
Sunday 3 May 2026 16:58, UK
Bournemouth moved one step closer to securing European football for the first time in their history after climbing into sixth with a 3-0 win against Crystal Palace at home.
The Cherries were handed the perfect start when their former player Jefferson Lerma guided Evanilson's header over the line in the 10th minute before Eli Junior Kroupi got the chance to double their advantage with a controversial penalty just after the half-hour mark.
Dean Henderson was deemed to have caught Marcos Senesi in the box - despite minimal contact - after clawing to retrieve the ball he had dropped while claiming a corner.
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"He drops the ball. But he doesn't put an arm out or anything [to trip Senesi]," Glenn Murray said on Sky Sports. "I think this is extremely soft."
VAR confirmed the on-field call before Kroupi rifled his spot-kick into the bottom-left corner, moving the 19-year-old striker level with Robbie Fowler and Robbie Keane for most goals scored in their debut season in the top flight as a teenager (12).
Palace boss Oliver Glasner made five changes to the team that beat Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 in the first leg of their Conference League semi-final three days prior but quickly called upon the services of Tyrick Mitchell, Adam Wharton and Ismalia Sarr at the break in search of a response.
The changes improved Palace, with Sarr striking the post late on and impressing throughout, but a third from Rayan for the home side sealed all three points with 12 minutes to go.
The Cherries now extend their unbeaten run to 15 games in the Premier League - the longest streak across Europe's top five leagues - and hold a one-point advantage on Brentford in seventh with three games to go.
Meanwhile, full focus for Palace turns to the second leg of their semi-final against Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday as Glasner looks to add to his trophy collection before departing at the end of his contract this summer.
Iraola: We dominated Palace
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola speaking to Sky Sports:
"We dominated the game, especially the first half. Even in the second half, they made some subs and put good players in but we controlled the second half.
"I am really pleased. The players have shown today that they want to get something.
"The players have always found ways to win the game and take something [during 15-game run]. We want to go all the way; we are in a good spot.
"We have experience from the past. They know we need another effort and not give anything to the opposition. In key areas of the season, we are improving.
"We are in a great place but we are still not there. Let's try to grab this opportunity and play in Europe next season."
Glasner: The tank was empty for us
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner speaking to Sky Sports:
"Today the tank was empty. Players tried and the second half was much better, it was a game on the same level.
"The first half was too much. We couldn't get the turnaround, but the players tried.
"The easy mistakes we made, it is not to blame anybody. The second half was better.
"The message was that in the first half, it was not us. We had to show in the second half that we can do better. We went more direct and had our chances.
"Overall today, the concentration was not on a Premier League level. They were just much better than we were today.
"Today, there were just too many mistakes. We have to accept it. Now it is [about recovering and preparing for Thursday. It is the biggest match in the club's history."
Europe on the minds of both teams made for a predictable result
Sky Sports' Patrick Rowe:
Today's result at the Vitality Stadium was one that both sets of fans and any neutral could have spotted from a mile off.
Bournemouth had everything to play for. Extending their unbeaten streak to 15 games with a seventh win in that run has put securing European football for the first time in their history in the Cherries' hands.
Meanwhile, with Palace languishing in 14th, their priorities for the remainder of the season lie in the Conference League. Oliver Glasner has added the FA Cup and Community Shield to the trophy cabinet at Selhurst Park and silverware in Europe would be the perfect parting gift before he leaves this summer.
"The tank was empty," was how Glasner described it and that was the case from minute one. Three days after securing a 3-1 win in Poland to put them in control against Shakhtar Donetsk, with one eye also on Thursday's second leg, five changes were made and a disjointed and tepid showing unfolded as a result.
Bournemouth dominated their opponents and secured three crucial points. As for Palace, it is not a defeat the coaching staff nor fans will read into.
