Sport

Tottenham fight back from two goals down to salvage point against Bournemouth

Round-up: Marc Cucurella thunderbolt proves enough as Chelsea defeat lowly Leicester

Son Heung-Min scores Tottenham Hotspur's second goal from the penalty spot during the Premier League match against Bournemouth at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images
Son Heung-Min scores Tottenham Hotspur's second goal from the penalty spot during the Premier League match against Bournemouth at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images
Sun Mar 09 2025 - 16:36
Tottenham Hotspur 2 [Sarr 67, Son Heung-min 84 pen] Bournemouth 2 [Tavernier 42, Evanilson 65]

Son Heung-min’s 84th-minute penalty rescued a point for Tottenham from two goals down in an entertaining 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou was in desperate need of a lift after Thursday’s flat display in their Europa League defeat at AZ Alkmaar and had Cristian Romero back, but watched the Cherries take control at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Marcus Tavernier’s 42nd-minute goal gave Andoni Iraola’s high-flying side a deserved half-time lead before Evanilson made it 2-0 after 65 minutes.

Micky van de Ven had been introduced for his eagerly-anticipated return by this point and after Pape Sarr reduced the deficit with a cross-cum-shot, two other substitutes combined to earn the hosts a point.

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James Maddison played through Son, who was brought down by Kepa Arrizabalaga and the Tottenham captain picked himself up to deny Bournemouth a victory which would have sent them sixth.

Chelsea 1 [Cucerella 60] Leicester City 0

Chelsea needed a long-range thunderbolt from Marc Cucurella to earn a far from convincing 1-0 win over the Premier League’s second-bottom side Leicester at Stamford Bridge.

Cucurella cracked in a fine strike in the 60th minute after advancing from left back to break Leicester’s resistance, but this was a result far more valuable to Enzo Maresca than was the nature of a turgid, ponderous display, in which there was too little movement and an alarming absence of creativity.

It moved Chelsea above Manchester City back into the top four, but there will be sterner tests in what remains of the race for the Champions League spots than the one provided by Ruud van Nistelrooy’s relegation-bound side.

There were positives for Maresca, aside from the result. Wesley Fofana made his first appearance since getting injured on December 1st and brought the defensive surety that the team have lacked in his absence, whilst a supercharged Enzo Fernandez never stopped running and chasing.

Few others in blue emerged with their reputations enhanced, however, and questions remain over Maresca’s preferred playing style.