Bryan Mbeumo’s stoppage-time goal secured a thoroughly deserved point for Brentford at home to Bournemouth, in the process extending the Bees’ unbeaten run to eight games in all competitions.
It looked like Thomas Frank’s side would be made to rue a host of missed chances, three of which came back off the post, as goals late in both halves from Dominic Solanke and David Brooks turned the game on its head following Mathias Jensen’s early opener.
However, just as time looked to be running out, Mbeumo beat Marcos Senesi to the ball on the edge of the centre circle, bore down on goal, and calmly slotted past Neto to preserve Brentford’s unbeaten start to the campaign.
Jensen’s free-kick gets Brentford off to a flyer
The opening 45 minutes were played at breakneck speed.
With both sides pressing high, there was space in midfield for those brave in possession, and that made for a hugely entertaining spectacle.
Once they had managed to break through the press, both sides looked to get the ball forward quickly, without necessarily being direct.
Bournemouth used the physicality of Dominic Solanke as their main outlet while the pace of Kevin Schade and Mbeumo, and the link-up play of Wissa, was the Bees' route up the pitch.
And it was Schade’s pace that led to Brentford’s seventh-minute opener. Jensen’s cross was fumbled by Neto and the Bournemouth keeper charged out of his area to retrieve the situation but was beaten to the ball by Schade by the left byline.
Having brought Schade down, he then failed to cover his near post, allowing Jensen to whip a free-kick over the line from a tight angle.
There was initial confusion as the referee’s watch didn’t go off to signal a goal. However, he was quickly informed by VAR and the fourth official that the ball had crossed the line and Brentford led.
Bournemouth responded strongly to going behind. The returning Ben Mee, playing his first Premier League game of the season following injury, brought Solanke’s weaving cross-field run to an end with a well-timed block challenge.
Mark Flekken sprawled at the feet of Ryan Christie to prevent him bundling over the line and Rico Henry made a pair of blocks in quick succession from long-range efforts.
Flekken’s impact wasn’t limited to his work defensively; he was also a key factor in playing through Bournemouth’s high press, adding an extra option when Brentford were in possession.
The Bees’ patience to beat the press came close to bearing fruit midway through the half when Christian Norgaard drifted into a pocket of space in the middle and clipped a ball forward for Schade to run on to through the middle. The German forward got there ahead of Illia Zabarnyi but was denied a second goal in as many Premier League games by the foot of Neto which diverted his low effort onto the post.
Christie pulled a low drive across the face of goal and wide from the edge of the box and Pinnock made a crucial block to deny Solanke but the away side’s endeavour did eventually pay off.
It was a fine solo goal from Solanke who collected Senesi’s ball down the left channel, backed Mee into the box, and then whipped a finish past Flekken at his near post.
Parity should only have been temporary for the home side as Ethan Pinnock met Jensen’s free-kick unmarked from 10 yards but he sent his header over the bar.
Aaron Hickey’s deflected effort caused little alarm for Neto, with an enthralling half’s final action seeing Flekken make an excellent recovery save to deny Antoine Semenyo after his half-hearted punch had landed at the feet of the Bournemouth forward eight yards out.
Mbeumo’s late goal rescues a point as Bees rue missed chances
Such was the intensity of the first half, one wondered if the second period would be a tighter affair. It was not.
The Bees should have retaken the lead seconds after the restart. Henry’s good work down the left deserved to be rewarded with a goal but Mbeumo sent his shot from eight yards curling wide with only Neto to beat.
Vitaly Janelt nodded Schade’s cross straight at the Bournemouth stopper and Norgaard flicked a near-post header over – Flekken turning behind Christie’s near-post effort and Philip Billing shooting over for the away side – before the Cherries survived by the width of the post for a second time.
Wissa turned the ball around the corner on the halfway line for Henry to burst onto and begin his run to goal. The ball was returned to the striker just outside the box for him to take it round Senesi easily and then fire low and hard past Neto but not quite inside the right-hand upright.
As the half went progressed, and roared on by the home faithful, Bournemouth’s goal came under more sustained pressure.
Henry drilled a loose ball wide, Mbeumo’s flashed centre narrowly evaded Wissa and Keane Lewis-Potter in the middle, while Norgaard and Frank Onyeka both drew regulation saves out of Neto.
There was nothing Neto could do the next time the Bees attacked, however, as again the post came to their aid – Lewis-Potter arrived at the back post to divert home Onyeka’s fizzed cross but it came off the winger at an angle, went across the face of goal, and out to safety off the far upright.
Those missed opportunities were made to look even more costly when Bournemouth grabbed a second goal on the counter 13 minutes from time. Henry looked like he’d dealt with the danger, beating Marcus Tavernier in a footrace down the left, but his under-hit backpass was turned across goal for Brooks to tap home from close range.
Bournemouth soaked up wave upon wave of late Bees pressure with relative ease. Kristoffer Ajer turned an Mbeumo cross into Neto’s arms and debutant Michael Olakigbe had a shot blocked as the clock ticked over 90 with the away side still in front.
However, the Bees would not be denied. Mbeumo won his battle with Senesi to collect Nathan Collins’ clipped ball and found himself with nobody between him and the goal. He drove from the edge of the centre circle to the penalty spot and then casually rolled low to Neto’s right and home.
Brentford rushed to collect the ball, sensing there could even be a late winner, but despite spending the remaining minutes of stoppage time camped in Bournemouth’s half, the Bees were forced to settle for a point.
Brentford: Flekken; Hickey (Olakigbe 82), Mee (Collins 81), Pinnock, Mee, Henry; Norgaard, Janelt (Onyeka 71), Jensen (Ajer 81); Mbeumo, Schade (Lewis-Potter 71), Wissa
Subs not used: Strakosha, Ghoddos, Roerslev, Yarmoliuk
AFC Bournemouth: Neto; Aarons, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Cook; Billing, Christie (Mepham 87), Semenyo (Brooks 60); Solanke, Kluivert (Tavernier 71)
Subs not used: Radu, Rothwell, Smith, Moore, Traore, Kilkenny
Attendance: 16,973
Frank thrilled with 'never-say-die attitude'
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank was delighted with his side's 'never-say-die attitude' after their late equaliser at Gtech Community Stadium.
Since the start of the 2021/22 season, only Brighton (13) and Man City (13) have scored more goals in the 90th minute or after than the Bees (12), and Frank insisted that is down to the character of his squad.
"For the neutral, it was unbelievably entertaining,” said Frank.
“Of course, I was a little bit irritated that we didn’t get three points but, putting that aside quickly, I want to focus on a very good performance.
“The character, wow. The never-say-die attitude. The Gtech, when they're rocking and bouncing, is fantastic."
Mbeumo: In football there are many emotions
Bryan Mbeumo spoke about the importance of resilience following Brentford’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.
The forward had his head in his hands shortly after the half-time break having missed a golden opportunity to put the Bees in front, but he showed maturity and resilience to put that moment behind him and produce in stoppage-time when his side needed him most.
“I tried to stay focused, especially when I had in my mind that I’d missed an open goal earlier,” said Mbeumo when asked to retrace his steps.
“I tried to do what I do in training - it’s something I try to improve every day.
“Obviously in football, there are a lot of emotions. Maybe a few years ago I would have missed the last one, because of the previous one. I’ve tried to step up.”