Tottenham comfortably defeat Bournemouth with a 3-1 victory, but Pape Matar Sarr faces the possibility of an injury ahead of the AFCON tournament after being substituted.
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 31: Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-Min celebrates scoring his side’s second goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and AFC Bournemouth at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 31, 2023 in London, England.
Pape Matar Sarr experienced a rollercoaster ride in the Premier League as Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham ended the year on a high note with a clinical 3-1 victory over a wasteful Bournemouth. After suffering a 4-2 defeat at Brighton just a few days ago, Sarr opened the scoring for Tottenham with a powerful strike from the edge of the area in the ninth minute. Bournemouth’s goalkeeper Neto’s mistake gifted Tottenham the opportunity to take the lead. However, Sarr’s joy was short-lived as he was forced off the pitch with a suspected hamstring injury in the 31st minute, leaving him in tears.
Sarr now faces a race against time to recover for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 13 in Ivory Coast. Despite Bournemouth looking promising throughout the match, they failed to find an equalizer and paid the price for their wastefulness. Son Heung-Min (71′) and Richarlison (81′) sealed the victory for Tottenham with clinical finishes. Bournemouth’s substitute Alex Scott managed to score a late consolation goal in the 84th minute, but it was not enough to salvage a result for his team.
Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth saw their seven-match unbeaten run come to an end in the rainy London conditions. They currently sit in 12th place in the table with 25 points from 19 games. On the other hand, Tottenham’s goal-scoring streak in the league continues, as they have now scored in 32 consecutive matches for the first time since 1962. They finish the year in fifth place, three points behind leaders Liverpool and Aston Villa.
Here are the match highlights:
8′ – GLORIOUS CHANCE FOR SOLANKE: Dominic Solanke rises above Ben Davies but heads the ball just wide of the post from a fantastic cross by Dango Ouattara. A missed opportunity for Bournemouth to take the lead.
9′ – GOAL FOR SPURS! (SARR): Pape Sarr produces a lovely finish from the edge of the box after Bournemouth’s defensive error. Giovani Lo Celso intercepts the ball and provides a great pass for Sarr. Tottenham takes a 1-0 lead.
45+3′ – VITAL BLOCK BY DAVIES: Ben Davies manages to block Solanke’s shot, preventing Bournemouth from equalizing just before halftime. The ball hits the top of the bar and stays out. Luis Sinisterra was the provider for Bournemouth.
52′ – GLORIOUS CHANCE FOR SPURS: Tottenham launches a rapid counter-attack, with Son Heung-Min playing a perfectly weighted pass for Richarlison. However, Richarlison slips the shot wide, missing a golden opportunity to make it 2-0 for Spurs.
60′ – SPURS CUT OPEN AGAIN: Bournemouth’s Anthony Christie finds James Tavernier, whose cross across the face of the goal is knocked wide by Solanke under pressure. Another chance to level the score goes begging for Bournemouth.
71′ – GOAL FOR SPURS! (SON): Son Heung-Min receives a brilliant pass from Giovani Lo Celso and smashes the ball into the net with a powerful strike off the post. Tottenham now leads 2-0.
80′ – GOAL FOR SPURS (RICHARLISON): Tottenham produces a fantastic move, resulting in Richarlison scoring his fifth goal in five matches by tapping in a cross from Jaden Johnson. The match seems to be sealed for Tottenham.
84′ – GOAL FOR BOURNEMOUTH! (SCOTT): Alex Scott finishes neatly into the corner of the net after receiving a cutback from James Tavernier. Bournemouth pulls one back, making it 3-1.
88′ – HOW DID THAT STAY OUT? Bryan Gil almost makes it 4-1 for Tottenham with a header that hits the crossbar from close range. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg provided a delightful cross, but Gil couldn’t convert. Royal receives a yellow card for a late foul.