AFC Bournemouth salvaged a hard-fought 2-2 draw against West Ham United at the London Stadium on Saturday, with Brazilian striker Evanilson stealing the spotlight by netting twice in a spirited performance. Despite throwing away a first-half lead, Bournemouth fought back late in the game to avoid defeat and keep their European hopes alive albeit faintly.

The match was an open, end-to-end affair, and it was the Cherries who struck first. In the 38th minute, Antoine Semenyo burst into the box and fired a low shot that forced a sharp save from West Ham’s Alphonse Areola. The ball rebounded into the path of Evanilson, who calmly slotted it into the net to give Bournemouth a 1-0 lead and mark his first goal of the afternoon.

After the break, West Ham responded with renewed urgency and turned the game on its head with two quickfire goals. German forward Niclas Füllkrug came off the bench and made an instant impact, rising highest to nod in James Ward-Prowse’s precise corner in the 61st minute. The equalizer ignited the home crowd, and just seven minutes later, West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen made it 2-1. A clever cross from Mohammed Kudus found Bowen unmarked at the far post, and he made no mistake with a powerful header.

For a moment, it looked like David Moyes’ side were heading for a crucial win to further distance themselves from the relegation zone. But Bournemouth had other plans.

In the 79th minute, teenage centre-back Dean Huijsen rose to meet a lofted delivery and sent a powerful header across the face of goal. Evanilson, perfectly positioned, pounced with a poacher’s instinct and tapped home to level the score at 2-2 and complete his brace.

The result means Bournemouth extend their winless streak to six matches, a run that is beginning to weigh heavily on their ambitions for European football next season. Still, the draw lifts them into ninth place in the Premier League table and shows continued attacking promise under manager Andoni Iraola.

West Ham, meanwhile, will feel disappointed not to have held on after their quick double. While they move up to 15th in the standings, questions remain about their defensive resilience and ability to close out matches.

Looking ahead, West Ham face a tough trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool on April 13, while Bournemouth return home to host Fulham on April 14 both fixtures with serious implications at either end of the table.

In a game full of attacking flair and shifting momentum, it was Evanilson’s clinical finishing that stood out. His two goals not only rescued a point for Bournemouth but also underlined his growing importance to the south coast side’s ambitions.