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