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Unal scored the equalised against West Ham.
Andy SimsSaturday 22 November 2025 18:30 GMT
Enes Unal earned Bournemouth a point (Adam Davy/PA). (PA Wire)
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Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola paid tribute to Enes Unal after the Turkish forward bounced back from his injury nightmare by snatching a point against West Ham.
Unal was making only his second substitute appearance since recovering from a second ACL injury he suffered in January.
A minute after coming on, the 28-year-old lashed in Bournemouth’s equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw.
“Everyone is so happy and so pleased when these things happen,” said Cherries boss Iraola.
“Ten months fighting almost alone, with the physios, but you have been through difficult moments with a small pain, with the knee swelling and you start and then you have to stop.
“Also, as it’s a second ACL in the same knee, it’s a process he knows very well.
“Everyone was so happy for him because if we can put him close to the box Enes a great finisher.
“Also he had a chance to score a third one. He didn’t score, but we are very happy because in a moment where we’ve lost important offensive players, to recover Enes is good.”
West Ham led 2-0 through a first-half Callum Wilson brace on his first appearance at Bournemouth since he left to join Newcastle in 2020.
Bournemouth were thrown a lifeline when Max Kilman slid in and scooped the ball away from Evanilson with his arm.
Iraola insisted after the Hammers defender should have been sent off but had to be content with a penalty which Marcus Tavernier converted.
Unal then equalised with a superb turn and shot before Tavernier lifted a glorious chance to win it over the crossbar at the death.
“I think we’ve been much better than West Ham,” added Iraola. “I think even in the first half we conceded two goals, but we were not worse than West Ham.
“Now because you’re losing 2-0 they will say, ‘No, first half is for West Ham’. No, first half we’ve been better than West Ham, but we conceded two goals that we shouldn’t have conceded.
“But in the second half we’ve been miles better than West Ham and we had so many chances that for us it’s a bad point.”
For West Ham it is now three matches without defeat and an escape from the relegation zone, but a first away win under boss Nuno Espirito Santo eluded them again.
“We managed to achieve a barrier at the London Stadium, we achieved a win. Now let’s try to improve our away form,” he said.
“Today was a good chance. You can look, OK, it slipped away from our hands. But I’m positive because the effort of the players was there.
“We were punished the same way we punished Bournemouth, they punished us. And it’s very tough.”
