It was the sort of result that makes you sit up, even in the heat of an Austrian pre-season. AFC Bournemouth trailed early but fought back to beat FC St Pauli 4-1 at Saalfelden Arena, their first friendly under new head coach Marco Rose.
The goals came from four different men: William, Ben Doak, Jebbison and Bafode Diakite. That spread of scorers tells its own story about attacking options and depth, the kind of thing you hope to see when you're building for a Premier League campaign that starts on 21 August.
According to the Bournemouth Echo, the Cherries came from behind to secure the victory in their first pre-season match of the summer in Austria. There's something quietly satisfying about watching a side absorb a blow and then produce a response. I remember plenty of those moments from my own playing days, when the first goal against you could either deflate or galvanise. This group chose the latter.
The match formed part of Bournemouth's structured training camp in Austria, the ideal environment for sharpening fitness and cohesion before the real business begins. Competitive friendlies like this beat running round the training ground any day. They test decision-making under fatigue, something that separates decent squads from genuine contenders.
Rose will have taken plenty from the display. A comeback win against Bundesliga opposition suggests the attacking patterns are already taking shape. No single player stole the show. Instead it was a collective effort, the type that builds confidence without breeding complacency.
