Iraola thrilled for Semenyo after ‘fairytale ending’ at Bournemouth

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola described Antoine Semenyo’s final game for the club as a “fairytale ending”, after he scored a stoppage-time winner against Tottenham.

Wednesday’s match at the Vitality Stadium seemed to be heading for a 2-2 draw, but Semenyo, who was celebrating his 26th birthday, lashed home in the 95th minute to secure a 3-2 win and end Bournemouth’s 11-game wait for a victory.

Timed at 94:40, Semenyo scored Bournemouth’s second-latest winning goal in a Premier League match, after Luis Sinisterra versus Everton in August 2024 (95:37).

Semenyo now has 40 direct goal involvements in the Premier League (30 goals, 10 assists), moving him joint-fourth, alongside Dominic Solanke, for the most goal contributions in the competition for Bournemouth, behind Josh King (62), Callum Wilson (53) and Ryan Fraser (42).

With a £65m move to Manchester City seemingly on the horizon for the winger, Iraola was grateful for the time they have spent together.

Across interviews with BBC Radio 5 Live and Match of the Day, Iraola said: “It’s a fairytale ending.

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“Football sometimes gives you something back if you’re really committed. He’s one of the best players I’ve 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 things – the 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.”

Should Semenyo seal his move to City in the coming days, he could make his debut for Pep Guardiola’s team against Exeter City in the FA Cup this weekend.