AFC Bournemouth boosted their European ambitions with a 1-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage, where both teams finished with 10 men.

The two sides were a player light for the entire second half, after Ryan Christie and Joachim Andersen saw straight red cards for reckless lunges.

Christie’s challenge on Timothy Castagne from behind eventually led to his dismissal after intervention from VAR, before Andersen also saw red after diving in on Adrien Truffert.

Bournemouth scored what proved to be the winner eight minutes into the second half, with Rayan’s deflected long-range effort tightening their grip on sixth place.

Andoni Iraola’s side remain two points clear of seventh-place Brighton & Hove Albion, on 55 points, with two games remaining, while Fulham stay 11th on 48 points.

How the match unfolded

The first clear chance came on 29 minutes when a neat move saw Samuel Chukwueze play in Castagne, whose inviting cross was headed wide by Rodrigo Muniz.

Bournemouth were reduced to 10 men in the 41st minute when Christie’s initial yellow card for a rash challenge on Castagne was upgraded to a red following a VAR review.

Fulham almost capitalised on their numerical advantage. Andersen’s looping header clipped the top of the crossbar and Sasa Lukic stung Djorde Petrovic’s palms from distance, before the Fulham defender was given his marching orders after a VAR review for a two-footed tackle on Truffert.

The Cherries made a purposeful start to the second half as Junior Kroupi’s curling effort rattled the crossbar before they went in front on 53 minutes, with Rayan’s 25-yard drive beating Bernd Leno via a slight deflection off Calvin Bassey.

Fulham almost snatched a dramatic equaliser in second-half stoppage time when Josh King’s fierce drive crashed off the underside of the crossbar and out, but the Cottagers’ own European dream is now all but over.