Maybe Ange Postecoglou’s luck is on the turn because Tottenham emerged with a point from a game they really should have lost.
Some credit is due for the spirit of the fightback but Bournemouth were two goals up and Spurs were sliding to another defeat when Pape Matar Sarr pulled them back into it with a mishit cross which slithered in off the post.
The equaliser was a penalty in the 84th minute, won and scored by Heung-min Son, who could not wait to fall over when Kepa Arrizabalaga’s came sliding out of his goal.
It was a poor decision by the Bournemouth goalkeeper, a misjudgment to think he might beat Son to a pass by James Maddison, and it cost his team victory.
For Spurs, a point does little to boost their position in the Premier League. They have taken only six points form their last 10 games at home but after the disappointment of defeat in Europe, it offers a little hope of an upturn with key players returning.
Spurs made an awful start and were fortunate not to be a goal down after 18 seconds. Cristian Romero, under no pressure, side-footed a pass to Evanilson, who was clean through on goal but unable to produce a finish with enough punch to beat Guglielmo Vicario.
Romero was one of six changes made by Postecoglou to the team which lost to AZ in Alkmaar on Thursday, captain on the day and his name drew the biggest cheer when the teams were announced before kick-off.
But the Argentina centre half started very much like someone with only 15 minutes of competitive football in the last four months as he tried to pass the ball out of defence. He rolled Yves Bissouma into trouble, deep in midfield. Bissouma’s poor touch didn’t help, and Ryan Christie pounced to win the ball and release Patrick Kluivert.
For the second time in the first four minutes, Vicario was faced with a one-on-one. This time he saved with his legs and was back up on his feet to keep out a header from Tavernier when Bournemouth flung over another cross.
Romero and Bissouma were not the only players in white guilty of mistakes in possession, but they suffered amid a whirlwind opening by the visitors.
Without a game in midweek, Iraola’s team were sharper, bristling with energy and aggression, content to let Spurs have the ball and spring traps.
Tottenham survived the early pressure and grew into the game but the more they ventured forward the more vulnerable the were to Bournemouth’s blistering counterattack.
The opening goal came when Milos Kerkez intercepted a careless pass by Pedro Porro and sprang out of defence.
Kerkez carried the ball at speed across the halfway line and delivered a spectacular cross on the run from wide on the left, which caused chaos in the Spurs defence.
It swerved and dipped, could not be reached by Kevin Danso, who tried to head clear, and seemed to entrance Djed Spence, who lost his man, Tavernier, who slid in at the back post to convert on the half volley.
At half-time, Spurs were booed down the tunnel where Postecoglou made two changes, sending on Son and Lucas Bergvall.
Immediately, the home team had more fizz going forward but remained fragile at the back.
Justin Kluivert found the net at the end of another sweeping counterattack only to find the goal ruled out for offside against Antoine Semenyo as the move progressed.
Son saw a trademark swerving low shot deflected onto a post before Bournemouth’s second, scored by Evanilson with a neat dink over Vicario’s dive after another strong run down the left by Kerkez and a disguised pass from Kluivert.
Bergvall also thumped a low shot into a post form 25 yards and Sarr reduced the deficit with what appeared to be a mishit cross from the right which drifted over Kepa Arrizabalaga and into the net off the far post.
There was some irony to the fact the goal had eventually come from someone not trying to score but at least Spurs were back in the contest, and it could have swung either way in a frantic period.
Evanilson almost punished Vicario for a poor touch and Kluivert hit a post but it was Son who snatched a point from the spot.
