BOURNEMOUTH, England (AP) — Substitute Rodrigo Bentancur scored deep in stoppage time for Tottenham to complete a comeback from two goals down and beat Bournemouth 3-2 in the English Premier League on Saturday, halting a two-game losing run.
Kieffer Moore’s double put Bournemouth into a two-goal lead.
Ryan Sessegnon started the comeback in the 57th minute and Ben Davies leveled following a corner. Another set-piece saw Tottenham clinch the win late when Bentancur volleyed home.
The win kept Tottenham in third spot in the league and lift its confidence ahead of a midweek trip to Marseille, where a point will send Spurs through to the last 16 of the Champions League.
Conte made six changes with the Champions League game in mind with Eric Dier rested for the first time this season and Bentancur also on the bench.
It seemed to have backfired as Bournemouth took the lead in the 22nd.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg gave the ball away and the Cherries produced a rapid counterattack with Dominic Solanke putting Marcus Tavernier away down the right. He managed to suck Davinson Sanchez out of position, which left Moore free to curl home first time for his second goal of the season.
Conte reacted by introducing Lucas Moura after the break and switching to his favoured 3-4-3 system, but Bournemouth doubled its lead five minutes into the second half.
Ex-Tottenham defender Adam Smith produced a loop cross from the right and Moore stooped low to head home off the crossbar after he beat Emerson to the ball.
But the Spurs comeback started when Hojbjerg produced a superb defense-splitting pass for Sessegnon, who ran away from Tavernier and burst into the area before his low effort went in off the post to reduce the deficit.
Sessegnon was set to come off before his goal but stayed on the pitch. Sanchez and Yves Bissouma were hauled off for Dier and Bentancur.
Ivan Perisic, who had been stripped to come on before Sessegnon’s strike, was introduced for Emerson soon after and made an impact with 17 minutes left at Vitality Stadium.
Perisic produced a superb corner to the back post where Davies headed home after Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers failed to claim the cross.
Spurs immediately pushed for a winner and Son Heung-min was thwarted by Travers. From Tottenham’s 19th corner of the match, Son’s cross was blocked and fell perfectly for Bentancur, who volleyed home from eight yards.
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