Woeful Spurs beaten at home by superb Cherries

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (Picture: Charlie Stong)

Tottenham Hotspur 0

AFC Bournemouth 1 (Evanilson 5)

Tottenham Hotspur suffered their first defeat of the season as AFC Bournemouth produced a superb performance to win 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

And in truth, had the Cherries departed with a 4-0 victory, it would scarcely have flattered them.

Bournemouth flew out of the traps and were ahead inside five minutes. Marcos Senesi found Evanilson in space inside the area, and the Brazilian’s shot deflected off Cristian Romero, looping over the stranded Guglielmo Vicario.

Moments later, Evanilson almost doubled the lead, dragging a shot just wide as Spurs reeled.

The visitors’ intensity and pressing unsettled Thomas Frank's side, who simply could not cope in the opening exchanges.

Antoine Semenyo squandered a glorious chance after 11 minutes, heading over from David Brooks’ inch-perfect cross when he should have scored. Brooks himself forced Guglielmo Vicario into a smart save from a free-kick, before heading over from the subsequent corner.

Marcus Tavernier was next to threaten, his effort blocked by Djed Spence, as frustration began to mount among the home crowd.

Spurs’ only notable moment of promise before the interval came on 37 minutes, when Spence’s cross was comfortably cleared. Bournemouth, meanwhile, continued to create openings, Evanilson again heading just wide. Somehow it remained only 1-0 at the break.

The second half began in similar fashion. Semenyo stung Vicario’s palms, before Brooks struck the bar after Evanilson’s initial shot had been parried. The Welshman was soon testing Vicario again with another low strike, while Tavernier side-footed into the side-netting when well placed.

Spurs finally fashioned a chance of their own when substitute Lucas Bergvall forced Dorde Petrovic into a routine stop. But Bournemouth quickly responded, Tyler Adams denied at close range by Vicario.

Frank introduced Wilson Odobert in search of inspiration, but the Frenchman blazed Tottenham’s best opportunity over the bar on 79 minutes. That summed up a frustrating afternoon for the hosts, whose attack never found its rhythm.

By contrast, Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth were vibrant, disciplined and dominant from start to finish. Their only regret was not making the scoreline reflect their superiority.

Still, a single strike from Evanilson was enough to inflict Spurs’ first setback of the campaign – and send the travelling Cherries back to the South Coast dreaming of much more to come.

Teams: Spurs: Vicario, Palhinha (Bergvall 54), Richarlison, Romero, Kudus, Johnson (Odobert 54), Porro (Udogie 71), Spence, Sarr (Tel 76), Bentancur, Van de Ven.

Bournemouth: Petrovic, Truffert, Senesi, Brooks (Adli 64), Scott (Christie 63), Evanilson (Kroupi 81), Adams, Smith (Hill 26), Tavernier (Kluivert 81), Diakite, Semenyo.Referee: Simon Hooper.