Bournemouth secured a deserved 1-0 win over ignominious Tottenham at the Vitality Stadium.
Dean Huijsen’s 17th-minute header was enough to separate the teams, with the Cherries creating plenty of chances to extend their lead.
For Spurs, it was another night to forget as they looked to break down a disciplined Bournemouth defence.
The game began with Tottenham dominating possession in typical Ange Postecoglou fashion, but failed to convert their early territorial advantage into meaningful chances.
Their best chance in the opening exchanges fell to former Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke, who fired a shot over the bar after Huizen misjudged a long ball.
Moments later, Bournemouth punished Spurs for their wastefulness.
Full time in Bournemouth. pic.twitter.com/pFrpQz0mAS
— Tottenham (@SpursOfficial) December 5, 2024
A well-taken corner from Marcus Tavernier found Huijsen at the back post and the defender made amends for his earlier mistake, heading powerfully past Fraser Forster to give the home side the lead.
The goal marked a turning point as Bournemouth began to gain confidence while Tottenham looked listless and frustrated.
The Cherries could have doubled their advantage before half-time.
Tavernier saw a close-range header brilliantly saved by Forster and a goal was also ruled out for offside.
At the other end, Spurs’ attack lacked creativity, with Dejan Kulusevski their only bright spark.
James Maddison’s curling effort went close but Kepa Arrizabalaga was largely untroubled in the Bournemouth goal in the first half.
Tottenham introduced Heung-Min Son after the break, hoping to create some urgency, and they thought they had leveled when Son found the net.
Just some loose kids got three points 😇 pic.twitter.com/dzZRg2x0Xn
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) December 5, 2024
However, the offside flag was immediately raised and VAR confirmed the decision.
Despite increased possession, Spurs struggled to create clear-cut chances, with their last ball often letting them down.
Bournemouth continued to threaten on the counter-attack, with Dango Ouattara wasting several glorious chances to put the game to bed.
Evanilsson also had a goal ruled out for offside after a shot fell kindly on him, but VAR stepped in to deny the Brazilian.
As the clock ticked into extra time, Tottenham looked resigned to defeat.
The extra six minutes did little for them, with Bournemouth’s defense holding firm to secure a valuable three points.
The Cherries now leapfrog Spurs in the top half of the table.
Postecoglou’s side have lost six of their 14 games so far this season, the same as Everton, Brentford and Crystal Palace.
