Tyler Adams shines in first full 90-minute appearance in over a year

Adams came through unscathed, and was one of the best players on the pitch as the Cherries claimed a win

Sometimes in life, it’s the simple things that are truly worth savoring.

Take for example Tyler Adams, who played a full 90 minutes for Bournemouth in a 2-1 win over Everton on Saturday.

The U.S. men’s national team midfielder getting through one entire game of soccer without issue — or even playing well, as Adams did — is normally not a story.

However, for Adams it was the latest step in an encouraging return from an injury nightmare. The 25-year-old had not come through a 90-minute stint in over a year, with his last such full shift coming all the way back on March 11, 2023 with Leeds.

Adams suffered a hamstring injury in training the following week, eventually undergoing surgery on the problem. Adams would change clubs in the summer, moving from Leeds to Bournemouth, but a September debut off the bench for the Cherries effectively set him back to square one after a recurrence of the same issue.

The USMNT star made his second return on March 13, coming off the bench in a 4-3 Bournemouth win over Luton Town, and Gregg Berhalter took the gamble of calling Adams up for the Concacaf Nations League finals.

While Berhalter drew criticism for that choice from Adams’ former coach Jesse Marsch, it’s safe to say things worked out. The headline item is a spectacular goal against Mexico, but the USMNT stint also served to accelerate Adams’ return to full match fitness in a way that training with Bournemouth wouldn’t have allowed.

That set the stage for a classic Adams showing at the Vitality Stadium, in which the New York native was all over the pitch.

Data from Sofascore bolsters the case that Adams wasn’t just back on the field, but truly looked like his old self. He won seven of eight ground duels on the day, and his four interceptions led all players from both teams.

Adams also posted four successful tackles (joint-best, alongside Everton’s Ben Godfrey), and attempted more passes (46) than any other Bournemouth player.

In other words, Adams isn’t just back. He’s back.

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