THE Cherries were beaten in their final pre-season friendly of the summer as Mainz ran out 2-1 winners at the Mewa Arena.
The sides went into the break on level terms, after Evanilson cancelled out Sheraldo Becker’s opener, with both goals coming from good balls up from the back from Mainz keeper Robin Zentner and Cherries centre back Antonio Silva.
The home side then retook the lead with 12 minutes to play through William Böving, as he drilled into the bottom corner, and that would prove to be the winning goal.
Bournemouth end what has overall been a successful pre-season campaign in defeat, ahead of next weekend’s opening Premier League fixture at Manchester City.
The Cherries made a strong start, with their press bringing its rewards. Alex Toth had an effort that was blocked at the top of the box, before Evanilson couldn’t quite connect on an effort from inside the area.
Marcus Tavernier powered a shot wide from the left and Rayan had a shot diverted behind for a corner as Lewis Cook won the ball high and Justin Kluivert fed the young Brazilian.
Evanilson flicked the resulting corner towards goal and it was well blocked behind, but it was the home side who took the lead in the 14th minute.
The goal came from a Cherries corner as keeper Robin Zentner caught the ball in and hurled a brilliant throw for Becker to run onto, he beat Adam Smith in a footrace and finished well beyond Djordje Petrovic.
The Serbian then saved well from a Nadiem Amiri effort from outside the box that was aimed at the bottom corner.
The hosts threatened from a corner as Jae-Sung Lee was found free at the back post and he had two attempts, one with his head and one shot, that went just wide.
Bournemouth continued to press. Cook fired over the bar, Rayan headed just wide and the Brazilian struck the upright as he passed the ball past Zentner, with the keeper well out of his goal and the ball hit the post and bounced clear.
The Cherries were rewarded for their efforts as they drew level four minutes before the break.
The equaliser came from a superb ball up from the back from Antonio Silva, as Evanilson raced onto his perfectly weighted pass and delicately finished over keeper Zentner.
Bafode Diakite was introduced in place of James Hill for the second half, as Mainz made a quick start to the half.
There were loud shouts for a penalty as a Lee effort hit Cook but referee Timo Gerach waved it away, before a Phillip Tietz shot was blocked behind.
The header from the resulting corner went just wide, before Bournemouth weren’t able to make the most of a good four-on-four attack and the eventual Tavernier shot was comfortably saved by Zentner.
Kluivert went close to a sensational solo goal, as he flicked the ball past his marker on halfway and charged towards the box, made space for the shot, but he dragged it just wide.
Amiri shot well over the bar from range, before Petrovic made a good save from close range after a bit of a scramble, but the flag went up for offside anyway.
Daniel Jebbison and Ben Gannon-Doak replaced Brazilian duo Evanilson and Rayan with just under 20 minutes to play.
Ransford Königsdörffer went close as his effort was deflected just wide.
The Cherries weren’t able to successfully get the ball clear from the resulting corner, and Böving powered the ball into the bottom corner from the top of the box to give Mainz the lead with 12 minutes left to play.
Charlie Stevens came on for Silva, before Gannon-Doak headed wide from a Tavernier cross in a great chance with four minutes to play.
Königsdörffer shot into the side netting in the final minute of the 90 as the Cherries were beaten for the first time under new boss Marco Rose and ended their pre-season campaign in defeat.
AFC Bournemouth: 1, D. Petrovic; 3, A. Truffert; 14, A. Silva (Stevens 82’ (booked, 88’)); 5, J. Hill (Diakite 46’); 15, A. Smith; 4, L. Cook (booked, 60’); 27, A. Toth; 16, M. Tavernier; 19, J. Kluivert (Rees-Dottin 88’); 37, Rayan (Gannon-Doak 72’); 9, Evanilson (Jebbison 72’).
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