Bournemouth Edge Everton in Thrilling Premier League Summer Series Opener
The Premier League Summer Series 2025 officially kicked off in style as Bournemouth narrowly edged past Everton 1-0 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. And honestly, for a pre-season match, this one had some real intensity and flashes of Premier League-level football. While it’s all about fitness and experimentation in these warm-up games, this encounter showed both clubs are taking this U.S. tour seriously.
The only goal of the night came in the 55th minute, and it was a beauty. Bournemouth’s Philip Billing and Hamed Traore pulled off a quick one-two just outside the box. Billing took the return pass, stepped up, and curled an absolute stunner into the top corner past Everton’s keeper Jordan Pickford. You couldn’t script it better — Billing’s strike was powerful, precise, and impossible to stop.
Before that moment, the first half had been evenly contested. Everton had their chances — Beto forced a corner from Petrovic and Carlos Alcaraz tested the Bournemouth keeper with a curling shot that required a sharp save. On the other end, Bournemouth looked slick in possession, with Hamed Traore causing trouble early on and Adrien Truffert pushing forward from left-back.
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Both sides made minimal changes at halftime, which is a bit unusual for preseason, but it kept the flow of the game intact. Bournemouth eventually brought on Billing and Neto, and it clearly paid off with that decisive goal.
There were bright spots for Everton, despite the loss. Dwight McNeil looked lively and created good moments down the left. Iliman Ndiaye also showed some flair and energy. However, defensively, they were a bit makeshift — with Tarkowski, Branthwaite, and Keane all absent, the back line looked less settled. Jake O’Brien, typically a full-back, had to anchor the center.
On Bournemouth’s side, it’s clear Andoni Iraola is trying to build on last season’s ninth-place finish. They played with confidence and balance, and even though American star Tyler Adams wasn’t in the squad — rested after the Gold Cup — the Cherries still looked sharp. Djordje Petrovic made some solid saves, and players like Traore and Brooks showed they’re ready to step up this season.
So, while it’s only the beginning of the Summer Series and just one of three games for each side, this match set the tone. Bournemouth start strong with three points on the board, and if they keep this level up, they might just go on to win the mini-tournament. Everton, on the other hand, will be looking to bounce back quickly in their next game.
All in all, it was a fun, competitive match — and with the rest of the series still ahead in Chicago and Atlanta, there’s plenty more drama to come.
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