Bournemouth delivered a cinematic conclusion to Antoine Semenyo's Cherries career as the winger's stoppage-time strike secured a dramatic 3-2 Premier League victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Vitality Stadium.
The match marked Semenyo's likely final appearance before joining Manchester City, with manager Andoni Iraola confirming post-match: "It looks like it, yes. I don't want to lose him, but I think these were his last moments with us." Teammate Marcus Tavernier added: "That's how it happens in the movies - no-one deserves it more."
Rollercoaster Encounter
Tottenham initially seized control through Mathys Tel's deflected 5th-minute opener - their first open-play goal in six matches. However, Bournemouth responded forcefully before halftime with Evanilson's header (22') and Eli Kroupi Junior's close-range finish (36'), both created by Tavernier's pinpoint crosses.
Spurs thought they'd earned a second-half penalty when Micky van de Ven went down, but VAR overturned the decision. The visitors eventually equalized through Joao Palhinha's spectacular 78th-minute bicycle kick, only for Semenyo to break Tottenham hearts with virtually the last kick of the game.
Growing Pressure on Frank
The defeat extends Tottenham's dismal run to just two wins in their last 12 league matches, with manager Thomas Frank facing mounting criticism. Spurs have now suffered 30 losses since the 2024/25 season began - only Wolverhampton Wanderers have fared worse.
Post-match tensions flared as Van de Ven and Palhinha confronted frustrated away supporters. The Portuguese midfielder later explained: "We understand their frustrations. We're all fighting for the same thing - victories we believe we've deserved recently."
This result compounds Tottenham's south coast misery, recalling last season's defeat at Bournemouth that saw former manager Ange Postecoglou face fan backlash.
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