Kroupi scores to enhance Bournemouth's push for Europe in victory against Palace

Bournemouth, brimming with self-assurance, unsurprisingly launched into a strong opening, seizing the advantage after merely 10 minutes.

A fine corner delivered by Alex Scott found Evanilsons glancing header, which previous Bournemouth midfielder Jefferson Lerma unintentionally directed just over his own goalline, granting the home team an initial edge.

Andoni Iraolas team nearly doubled their lead shortly after, when a mistake by Daichi Kamada gifted Evanilson a prime chance, yet the Brazilian forward fired high over the crossbar despite having an open goal.

The Cherries kept the pressure on the away sides backline and squandered yet another clear opportunity to score a second within the first 20 minutes, as Rayan directed a header astray from a promising spot in the penalty area.

Dean Henderson was quickly forced into a key save to stop Marcus Tavernier, before tension built near the 30-minute mark, with the keeper ruled to have tripped Marcos Senesi, leading to a penalty award.

Eli Junior Kroupi took on the penalty duty, coolly deceiving Henderson to increase Bournemouths lead and claim his 12th Premier League strike of the season, tying the record for most goals by a teenager in their first top-flight year.

Palace managed zero efforts on goal before halftime, and although they broke that drought right at the start of the second period, it was evident the home side remained dominant.

Within the opening 15 minutes of the second half, Rayan nodded a near-post header just above the bar, while a crucial intervention by replacement Tyrick Mitchell stopped Kroupi from netting a second.

The game was effectively decided at the 77-minute stage, when a precise pass from David Brooks reached Rayan, who compensated for his prior misses by slotting home neatly into the bottom corner, securing Bournemouths third in front of delighted supporters.

The Cherries now boast a run of 15 unbeaten league matches and sit sixth in the standings, facing an away fixture at Fulham next.

Palace slip to 15th position and turn focus to their UEFA Conference League semi-final return leg hosting Shakhtar Donetsk.