Kluivert and Rayan fire Bournemouth to 2-1 win over Real Sociedad in European debut

AFC Bournemouth turned their first ever European appearance into a night to treasure with a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad at Anoeta. Justin Kluivert scored the club's first continental goal in 127 years after just ten minutes, and Rayan doubled the lead before the first quarter of an hour had elapsed. Sergio Gómez pulled a goal back in the second half and put the English side under heavy pressure, but goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic produced two remarkable saves in the dying minutes to seal a result with extra meaning for Andoni Iraola, the manager whose own career began in the same Basque city.

• Justin Kluivert scored Bournemouth's first European goal after 10 minutes and 43 seconds of play.
• Rayan made it 2-0 in the 20th minute with a header from a superb Alex Scott pass.
• Sergio Gómez pulled one back in the 57th minute with a curling cross that sneaked in at the far post.
• Djordje Petrovic rescued Bournemouth with two brilliant late saves from Orri Óskarsson.
• Bournemouth ended a run of four games this season in which they had thrown away leads.

A European debut announced with fireworks across the bay

A tradition from Real Sociedad's old Atotxa ground lives on at Anoeta: a single rocket is fired for every away goal and two for each home strike, so those out at sea know the score. At 21.41 on Thursday night, Juan Iturralde ran into the street to announce what had just happened: Kluivert had beaten the Real Sociedad goalkeeper and Bournemouth had opened their European account. Iturralde repeated the ritual twice more, once for the second English goal and again for Sergio Gómez's reply, on a night when around 2,000 Bournemouth fans sang nonstop in the north-east corner of the stadium.

Kluivert and Rayan punish a Real Sociedad side overrun early on

Bournemouth needed barely ten minutes to celebrate their first continental goal. Evanilson started the move with a lovely shift of the body to receive and release Adrien Truffert, whose curled cross dropped behind the defensive line and left Kluivert with a simple finish. The away supporters celebrated twice: first in real time and then again after the VAR confirmed the goal was legal. Barely nine minutes later, Rayan headed the second from a long, looping pass by Alex Scott that fell perfectly into his path. Only the post, from an Evanilson header, and a last-ditch clearance by Óskarsson prevented an even bigger lead before the break.

Scott, the quiet conductor of Bournemouth's first-half storm

Amid the speed and intensity of those around him, particularly Marcus Tavernier, Alex Scott played with a calmness out of keeping with a European debutant. His pass for the second goal was a piece of precision: a gentle turn of the ankle that delivered a long, curling ball as if by hand for Rayan's header. Real Sociedad simply could not keep up with the rhythm set by Iraola's side, who were equally dangerous from set pieces, creating three clear chances from dead balls in the opening period.

Sergio Gómez drags Real Sociedad back into the contest before Petrovic digs in

Half-time transformed the match. Ander Barrenetxea sparked the home response with an early dart forward and the volume inside Anoeta rose. Petrovic made an excellent save from Beñat Turrientes in the 56th minute, but could do nothing a minute later when Sergio Gómez's curling cross bent all the way through and nestled in the far corner. The goal changed everything: Real Sociedad pushed Bournemouth back and created clear openings. Gonçalo Guedes saw Petrovic push his effort past the post, and Mikel Oyarzabal clipped a delicate shot onto the top of the crossbar during a spell of relentless home pressure.

Petrovic ends Bournemouth's habit of throwing away leads

The ghost of squandered advantages hung over Anoeta throughout the second half. Bournemouth had already let leads slip this season against Manchester City, Everton, Newcastle and Brentford, and in San Sebastián the script appeared to be repeating itself. Luka Sucic fired wide in the 81st minute, and moments later Sergio Gómez put Orri Óskarsson through for what should have been the equaliser. Petrovic produced the first of his two miracle stops. The Serbian goalkeeper repeated the feat in the final minute to deny the Iceland striker from five yards, sealing a victory that finally showed Bournemouth can defend a lead when it matters most in Europe.

Frequently asked questions about Bournemouth's European debut