Bournemouth celebrate first European home night with 3-0 win over Sturm Graz
Bournemouth marked the first European home game in their 127-year history with a 3-0 win over Sturm Graz in the Europa League at Vitality Stadium on 15 October.
It was a night for the history books. The Europa League is Europe's second-tier club competition, sitting below the Champions League. Bournemouth are in it for the first time, and they made home advantage count BBC Sport.
Evanilson wrote his name into club lore. Late in the first half, he headed in a cross from Adam Smith to score Bournemouth's first European goal on home soil BBC Sport. Alvaro Rodriguez added the third to seal a comfortable evening Sky Sports.
Smith was the perfect man for the assist. He captained the side on the night, more than a decade after first joining on loan from Tottenham in 2011 BBC Sport. He made the move permanent in 2014 and has now passed 430 appearances for the club.
The result kept up a flawless European start. Bournemouth had already won 2-1 at Real Sociedad before hosting Sturm Graz. That makes them only the second English side to win their opening two games in a major European competition since Bolton did it in the UEFA Cup 21 years ago BBC Sport. The win also maintained Marco Rose's perfect start in charge ESPN.
For a club founded in 1899, the journey matters. Bournemouth were relegated from League One after going into administration and taking a 10-point deduction. Then managed by Eddie Howe, they accepted a further 17-point deduction to play in League Two in 2008-09. They finished 21st that season to stay up, climbed all the way to earn a first promotion to the Premier League in 2015, and now find themselves in Europe BBC Sport.
This campaign is being played under the league phase format, a single large table where every result decides who reaches the knockout rounds. UEFA listed Bournemouth against Sturm Graz as part of that 2026-27 schedule, with the home debut staged on 15 October 2026 UEFA.
Domestic form has been bumpier. Bournemouth lost 5-1 at Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on 10 October, with Jordan Henderson scoring after just 68 seconds. Europe has offered a reset. Next up in the league phase is Sparta Praha away on 22 October, while AC Milan are due to visit Dorset later in the competition.
What makes this stand out is the speed of the rise and the names still linking it together. Smith was there for the climb. He was there to lift the team for its first night under the lights at home in Europe. And now he has the assist to show for it.
