Antoine Semenyo Delivers Fairytale Ending At Bournemouth With Stoppage-time Winner

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Antoine Semenyo marked what is expected to be his last AFC Bournemouth appearance with a dramatic winner against Tottenham Hotspur, sealing a 3-2 victory in the 95th minute and ending an 11-match run without a win, on the same night Semenyo celebrated a 26th birthday and a likely move to Manchester City.

The decisive strike arrived at 94:40, making it Bournemouth’s second-latest Premier League winning goal, behind Luis Sinisterra’s effort against Everton in August 2024, timed at 95:37, and it turned a match at the Vitality Stadium that appeared to be finishing level at 2-2 into a late home success.

Semenyo’s stoppage-time finish also added to a growing personal record in the Premier League, moving Semenyo to 40 direct goal involvements for Bournemouth, with 30 goals and 10 assists, placing Semenyo joint-fourth alongside Dominic Solanke in the club’s top-flight contribution list, behind Josh King, Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser.

Andoni Iraola spoke across BBC Radio 5 Live and Match of the Day and praised Semenyo’s display and development under Iraola, while also acknowledging that a transfer worth around 65m to Manchester City now appears close for the winger, who could soon link up with Pep Guardiola’s squad.

Iraola said: "Its a fairytale ending."

"Football sometimes gives you something back if youre really committed. Hes one of the best players Ive ever coached. He has been, if not the best, one of the best I have coached. He has improved every single season. He has scored 10 goals in half a season and he's not even a number nine. It is not just the numbers but a lot of thingsthe physicality, the balls in the air and the defensive things. He will be a big miss. To play the way he did, with the commitment to help in whatever way until the last second... I think football has been fair and given him a lovely moment. We needed this one, we have been very close in the last few games. Football can not every time go to the other side and today was the perfect moment, also for Antoine."

Iraola highlighted Semenyo’s physical qualities, aerial strength and defensive effort as crucial to Bournemouth’s style, stressing that Semenyo will be difficult to replace, while Bournemouth’s players and staff also recognised that the late goal arrived at an important stage, after several recent matches had ended without reward.

If Semenyo completes the expected transfer to Manchester City in the coming days, the forward could feature for Guardiola’s team against Exeter City in the FA Cup this weekend, offering a possible fast introduction to a new club soon after deciding Bournemouth’s contest with Tottenham.