Bournemouth of England striker, Arnaut Danjuma Groeneveld justified his emergence as the English Championship club’s player of the year with a well taken goal on Saturday, but his fifth minute effort could not save his side from losing to Brentford Town.
Megasportsaena.com reports that the defeat saw Danjuma and his pals, including the Nigerian-born pair of Dominic Solanke and Philip Anyanwu Billing, stutter in their aspirations for promotion back to the English Premier League.
While Danjuma’s side slumped in defeat, Brentford moved into the play-off final by stomping from behind to beat The Cherries’ 10-man squad 3-1 in a thrilling second leg at Brentford Community Stadium.
With five minutes on the clock, Bournemouth took the lead and doubled their aggregate advantage, the hosts only had themselves to blame, as the backline piled forward to attack a Bryan Mbeumo corner.
That left Danjuma free to charge forward on the counter and the former Club Brugge of Belgium Duch-youth international escaped the clutches of Mathias Jensen and roll the ball into the net beyond the reach of Brentford’s goalkeeper, David Raya.
Trailing 1-0 on aggregate after Monday’s first leg at the Vitality Stadium, the Bees suffered an early blow when Arnaut Danjuma rolled home in the fifth minute but pulled level when Ivan Toney converted from the spot 11 minutes later after Lloyd Kelly’s handball.
Before the game could get away from Brentford, they pulled level as Toney tucked away his cool trademark penalty after Emiliano Marcondes’ cross had struck the outstretched arm of Cherries defender Kelly. An altercation between the striker and Begovic then brought bookings for the pair.
The Cherries were reduced to 10 men when former Bees defender, Chris Mepham was sent off after he pulled Bryan Mbeumo to the deck in the 28th minute, before Vitaly Janelt added a spectacular second for the hosts five minutes after the break.
Thomas Frank’s team spurned two glorious chances to capitalise as Toney misjudged a Sergi Canos cross from two yards out, before Henrik Dalsgaard’s header was hooked off the line by substitute Diego Rico, but five minutes after the break, Janelt seized on a poor clearance to curl a beautiful effort into the top left corner.
While it was one-way traffic for the Bees thereafter, the openings they created seldom hurt their opponents. Toney sent a volley flying into the West Stand and then sent a header a way off target, while Marcondes stung Begovic’s palms with a curling effort from 20 yards.
But with less than 10 minutes to play, Forss connected with a square ball and sent a shot looping over Begovic and into the back of the net to ensure the Bees reached the Championship play-off final for a second season running.
Brentford’s comeback was completed with nine minutes left to play, when substitute Marcus Forss’ beat goalkeeper, Asmir Begovic with a predatory finish inside the six-yard box to send the Bees to Wembley, where they will face either Swansea or Barnsley next Saturday at 3pm.
Danjuma and his pals at Bournemouth will remain in the division for the 2021/22 season, which begins on Saturday, August 7, while Brentford progress to the Championship play-off final, which takes place at Wembley on Saturday, May 29 at 3pm.
