- Black Stars forward Antoine Semenyo missed a golden opportunity to add to his Premier League goal tally on Sunday, November 9
- The 25-year-old failed to convert from the penalty spot as AFC Bournemouth suffered a heavy defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park
- Semenyo will now shift his focus to international duty, where Ghana faces Japan and South Korea in the 2025 Kirin Challenge Cup
- Sports journalist Stephen Zando has backed Antoine to rediscover his red-hot form after his rare miss
Antoine Semenyo had an afternoon to forget at Villa Park as Bournemouth suffered a bruising 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa in the Premier League.
The Ghanaian forward, who had been in fine form this season, missed a crucial penalty that could have sparked a comeback for the Cherries.
Source: Getty Images
Semenyo misses penalty as Bournemouth suffer big loss
Bournemouth went into the break two goals down after first-half strikes from Emiliano Buendia and Amadou Onana left Andoni Iraola’s men chasing the game.
Determined to respond, the visitors showed more intent after the restart, with the manager’s tactical tweaks giving them a better foothold.
Then came their moment, a lifeline via the penalty spot. Semenyo stepped up confidently, hoping to halve the deficit and inspire a turnaround.
But Villa’s goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, guessed right and palmed away his effort to keep the score intact.
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It was a rare sight for the 25-year-old, who had previously been flawless from 12 yards.
According to Transfermarkt, this was his first penalty miss, having earlier converted against Everton in the FA Cup and Brighton in the league.
Martinez, recently stripped of his vice-captaincy, stood tall to deny him this time.
The miss proved costly. Villa capitalised on Bournemouth’s growing frustration, with Ross Barkley and Donyell Malen adding two more goals to seal an emphatic victory for Unai Emery’s side, as cited by the BBC.
Semenyo turns focus to Black Stars
Despite his struggles, Semenyo kept working hard throughout the game. He ended with a Sofascore rating of 5.6, registering 35 touches and winning six duels, though he lost possession 12 times and failed to complete a dribble.
With the international break approaching, the forward will have to wait for another chance to make amends in the league.
Source: Getty Images
He is expected to feature for the Black Stars in the upcoming Kirin Challenge Cup, where Ghana face Japan on November 14 at the Toyota Stadium before meeting South Korea in Seoul four days later.
Bournemouth’s next league test will be against an in-form West Ham United, who have picked up consecutive wins under new manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
Semenyo backed to rediscover form
Reflecting on Semenyo’s penalty heartbreak, Stephen Zando of Luv FM told YEN.com.gh:
“No player wants to miss from the spot, and for Semenyo, who has been Bournemouth’s talisman this season, it is the more disappointing.
“Nonetheless, knowing Semenyo’s mental toughness, I expect him to get back to the striker that was firing at all cylinders at the start of the season.”
For Semenyo, this miss will sting, but with his resilience and confidence, a quick response may just be around the corner.
Semenyo reaches 100 appearances for Bournemouth
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Antoine Semenyo reached a major career milestone, making his 100th appearance for Bournemouth.
The Black Stars forward achieved the feat last Saturday in their 3-1 loss to Manchester City.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Source: Yen.com.gh
