Bournemouth beat AC Milan 3-0 to match Sunderland's European feat
Two penalties and an Amine Adli free kick gave Bournemouth a third straight Europa League victory, matching an English milestone last achieved in 1973.
Bournemouth defeated AC Milan 3-0 at the Vitality Stadium on October 22, 2026, becoming the first English club in 53 years to open its debut campaign in a major European competition with three wins. The Europa League result followed victories over Real Sociedad and Sturm Graz.
Justin Kluivert converted a penalty in the seventh minute following a handball by Koni De Winter. Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan was later sent off for pushing Tyler Adams in the face after a corner, with Marcus Tavernier scoring the resulting penalty. Substitute Amine Adli completed the scoring with an 84th-minute free kick.
Sunderland achieved the same winning start in 1973, beating Vasas twice in the Cup Winners' Cup before defeating Sporting Lisbon 2-1 at home. They then lost the return leg 2-0. Bournemouth's next European fixture is away to Sparta Prague on November 5.
Bournemouth manager Marco Rose praised his players' performance, saying they had applied pressure before the dismissal and maintained control afterward. He also stressed the importance of remaining humble during a long season.
The victory was Bournemouth's third consecutive home win without conceding. Their next Premier League match is against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
