Antoine Semenyo struck a stunning late winner in what is likely his final game for Bournemouth as they beat Tottenham Hotspur in dramatic fashion at Vitality Stadium.
With the game poised at 2-2, Semenyo, who is expected to join Manchester City this week, fired home from outside the box to beat Djordje Petrovic and end the Cherries’ 11-game winless run in style.
Mathys Tel had struck inside five minutes to give Spurs the perfect start.
Picking up a backheel pass from the returning Xavi Simons near the left touchline, the French winger drove past James Hill into the box and neatly finished low past Petrovic into the bottom corner to make it 1-0.
But their lead only lasted 17 minutes as Evanilson headed home from a Marcus Tavernier cross to lift the mood at the Vitality.
Bournemouth turned the game on its head when Tavernier was afforded space again on the right to cross and Marcos Senesi cut the ball back for Eli Junior Kroupi to score his seventh goal of the season in the 36th minute.
Second-half substitute Richarlison saw his header strike the woodwork following a corner, before referee Darren England pointed to the penalty spot after Micky van de Ven’s marauding run from his own half.
However, the decision was overturned after a video assistant referee (VAR) intervention, with Hill’s contact on the Spurs centre-back deemed not enough to warrant a spot-kick.
The visitors then found the leveller in the 78th minute when Senesi’s defensive header from a corner fell to Palhinha to produce a stunning overhead kick past Petrovic.
But Semenyo had the final say in his farewell game with an emotional winner in the 95th minute.
Bournemouth have 27 points after 21 games following their sixth Premier League win of the season and are only one point behind Spurs.
Moments after scoring the dramatic winner, Semenyo was substituted and absorbed the standing ovation from the Bournemouth fans as he slowly walked back to the dugout – perhaps for the last time.
The Ghana winger lingered on the pitch after the final whistle, acknowledging the applause rolling down from the stands as he bid farewell to the club he joined three years ago.
He is expected to complete his move to Manchester City before Saturday after Pep Guardiola’s side agreed to meet his £65m release clause.
If that is the case, what a parting gift it was from Semenyo, who stole the headlines with the brilliant winner on his 26th birthday.
He had received the loudest cheers from the crowd when his name was read out by the stadium announcer before the start, but the winger was passive for much of the contest.
His biggest contribution in the first half was perhaps not getting a touch on Tavernier’s cross which could have ruled out Bournemouth’s second goal for offside – but Semenyo stepped up when he was needed yet again.
With Bournemouth searching for a winner in the stoppage time, David Brooks was forced to retreat from a busy Spurs box but Semenyo found a way through.
Receiving a pass from Brooks, he curled his shot from the edge of the box past a diving Petrovic as the Bournemouth faithful sang his name one last time.
It was his 10th goal for the club this season, showing he is a player on the rise after building on a 2024-25 campaign in which he contributed 11 goals and six assists.
He departs having with 32 goals and 13 assists from 110 appearances, since joining from Bristol City for more than £10m in 2023.
Wednesday night was further proof why Manchester City fans would enjoy having the attacker in their squad for years to come.
Tottenham supporters applauded their team at half-time against Sunderland at the weekend before booing them off after dropping more points.
It perfectly summed up Thomas Frank’s tenure at Spurs since replacing Ange Postecoglou in the summer.
The Dane’s stint in north London has been characterised by a lack of consistency, with Spurs showing flashes of brilliance but only to be overshadowed by their overall struggles – particularly in the final third.
Frank briefly saw some of the pressure ease when Tel scored early, but Spurs soon slipped back into a familiar pattern as they surrendered their advantage with the kind of fragility that has defined his time in charge.
Their defending was largely non-existent for the home side’s two first-half goals with Tavernier making full use of the space afforded to him on the right.
They thought they could escape the south coast with a point when Palhinha scored, while Petrovic’s brilliant fingertip save denied them the lead when Van de Ven planted a header on target with seven minutes left.
But in the end they were once again made to pay for their lack of cutting edge – registering just four shots on target in 16 attempts.
Spurs, who were without the injured Mohammed Kudus here, look like a squad in desperate need of investment – but with the manager usually the first to be sacrificed, Frank will surely feel the heat.
Bournemouth will face Newcastle away in the FA Cup third round on Saturday, 10 January (15:00 GMT), then make the trip to Brighton in the Premier League on Monday, 19 January (20:00).
Tottenham will host in-form Aston Villa in their FA Cup opener on Saturday, 10 January (17:45), before returning to league action with another home fixture against West Ham the following Saturday, 17 January (15:00).
