Antoine Semenyo produced a moment of magic on his birthday, firing home a spectacular 90th-minute winner as Bournemouth defeated Tottenham 3-2 at the Vitality Stadium on Wednesday evening.
The Ghanaian winger's thunderous strike from outside the penalty area proved to be his farewell gift to the Cherries, with the 26-year-old set to complete a £65million transfer to Manchester City on Thursday.
Questions had been raised about the wisdom of fielding Semenyo given that a serious injury could have scuppered the lucrative deal.
Yet the forward silenced any doubts by delivering when it mattered most, walking off to rapturous applause from the home supporters.
Antoine Semenyo scored a last-gasp winner for Bournemouth as he prepares to move to Manchester City
|REUTERS
Spurs had made a bright start to proceedings, with Mathys Tel opening the scoring after just five minutes.
The young Frenchman latched onto a clever backheel from Xavi Simons, cutting inside before his deflected effort nestled into the far corner.
Bournemouth responded emphatically before the interval, however.
Evanilson restored parity with a superb headed finish, demonstrating the aerial prowess that has made him such a threat.
The hosts then took the lead through Eli Junior Kroupi, who converted after Marcos Senesi squared the ball following a missed connection from Semenyo.
Joao Palhinha's acrobatic bicycle kick hauled Tottenham level at 2-2, setting the stage for late drama.
Semenyo's decisive intervention came in the fifth minute of added time, as he unleashed a precise effort that found the far corner and left Guglielmo Vicario with no chance.
Thomas Frank is under serious pressure at Tottenham
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The goal brought an end to Bournemouth's wretched sequence of eleven matches without victory, a run that had left Andoni Iraola's side in desperate need of three points.
For Tottenham, it represented yet another frustrating outcome under Thomas Frank, with the north London club having believed they had salvaged a draw through Palhinha's spectacular equaliser.
Semenyo departed the pitch to a hero's standing ovation, making way for Veljko Milosavljevic in the final moments.
Antoine Semenyo might have played his last game for Bournemouth
|REUTERS
Semenyo's departure marks a remarkable return on investment for Bournemouth, who acquired him from Bristol City for a mere £10million three years ago.
During his time on the south coast, the winger amassed an impressive 31 goals across 109 appearances, establishing himself as one of the Premier League's most exciting attacking talents.
His performances attracted interest from several clubs during the January window, with Tottenham among those reportedly rebuffed by the player this month.
Antoine Semenyo with a fine strike ✨ pic.twitter.com/GzTVg5DeAQ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 7, 2026
The £65million fee represents a significant profit for the Cherries and underscores Semenyo's development since arriving from the Championship in 2023.