Chelsea have recorded a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge to secure sixth place in the Premier League table.
Moises Caicedo scored an incredible 50-yard strike from the halfway line to put Chelsea ahead, before Raheem Sterling doubled their lead shortly after half time.
An own goal from Benoit Badiashile immediately halved Bournemouth's deficit, but Chelsea were able to successfully navigate the remainder of the contest to post a fifth victory in succession.
The win for Mauricio Pochettino's side is also enough for Europa League qualification, providing Manchester City win the FA Cup, with the triumphs for Newcastle United and Manchester United elsewhere proving inconsequential.
Caicedo ends 47-game wait with wonder goal
Chelsea started on the front foot with Nicolas Jackson being denied from an acute angle and Cole Palmer firing wide from inside the penalty area after good work from Raheem Sterling, but Antoine Semenyo should have done better for Bournemouth at the other end, instead volleying straight at Djordje Petrovic.
Before the quarter-hour mark, Sterling felt that he should have earned a penalty for the Blues having seemingly been upended by Semenyo, only for the referee and VAR to opt against awarding a spot kick.
Although Chelsea remained in the ascendancy, no-one could have predicted how they would take the lead as Caicedo incredibly scored his first-ever Chelsea goal from the halfway line.
Neto had come out of his goal to deny Sterling and subsequently made a challenge on Gallagher, only for the ball to ricochet into the path of Caicedo who took a touch before perfectly flighting the ball over the Bournemouth defence and into the far corner.
What a goal from Caicedo for Chelsea!! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/QUcN7ARqjj
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 19, 2024
There was an open feel to the game, which had far less riding on it for Bournemouth than it did Chelsea, but the home side failed to make the most of numerous openings and Bournemouth went closest through a long-range Marcus Tavernier strike that was well kept out by Petrovic.
Chaotic start to second half
After the restart, Bournemouth wasted no time going on the offensive with Enes Unal diverting the ball wide at the far post having gotten in behind Trevoh Chalobah.
A minute later, they were made to pay as Sterling doubled Chelsea's lead. The England international took the direct route down the left, going down the outside of the defender before firing into the net via the legs of Neto.
There was a scenario where the game could have gotten away from the visitors, yet they halved the deficit within 28 seconds. Unal's shot at the back post was heading wide of the far post, only for Badiashile to stick out a leg and divert the ball into the roof of the net.
Bournemouth would begin to have more of the game as Andoni Iraola introduced Dominic Solanke from the substitutes' bench, while Caicedo's game came to a premature end through injury and needing to be replaced by Lesley Ugochukwu, who was making his first appearance in 2024.
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As the game ticked into the final quarter, Christopher Nkunku sent a header marginally off target, but Bournemouth went even closer to an equaliser, dispossessing Marc Cucurella and Solanke being teed up to fire a low strike from a narrow angle marginally wide of the far post.
Chelsea went up the other end, Jackson teeing up Nkunku who fired too close to Neto from 12 yards, yet Bournemouth continued to offer a threat with Dango Ouattara forcing Petrovic to parry his 20-yard strike behind for a corner.
The nerves remained for Chelsea as seven minutes of stoppage time were indicated, and after Gallagher saw a shot tipped over by Neto, Bournemouth broke from the resulting corner and somehow failed to equalise, Gallagher getting back to make a last-ditch challenge before Solanke blazed over from six yards out.
If reports are to be believed, that could be Gallagher's last act in a Chelsea shirt, but this win for Pochettino makes it far more likely that the Argentine will be retained in the dugout for 2024-25.
Darren Plant
