Everton players collapsed on the turf in disbelief after throwing away a 2-0 lead at Goodison Park to concede three times in the closing minutes.
Sean Dyche’s side looked set for their first win of the season when goals from Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin deservedly put them in cruise control until the 87th minute when Antoine Semenyo struck for the visitors.
The atmosphere on Merseyside turned ugly in an instant and incredibly the Cherries then struck twice in injury-time through Lewis Cook and substitute Luis Sinisterra to complete the most unlikely of comebacks.
It was Bournemouth’s first win of the season and left Everton having started the Premier League season with three consecutive defeats.
Boos rang round Goodison at the final whistle and Everton players looked ashen-faced. After Bournemouth’s last two goals, Vitaliy Mykolenko and others sunk to the floor in anguish.
Luis Sinisterra’s 96th-minute goal secured Bournemouth a breathless victory at Everton
Lewis Cook scored a dramatic leveller as Cherries overturn a two-goal deficit at Goodison Park
It had all seemed so serene for much of a sunny afternoon in which Everton paid tribute to their former No 9 Kevin Campbell who passed away in June aged 54.
The current wearer of the famous shirt, Calvert-Lewin seemed inspired by the applause Super Kev got before kick off and again after nine minutes, and put in a performance the popular Toffees centre forward would have been proud of.
After Bournemouth’s debut goalkeeper Kepa, on loan from Chelsea, had made saves from Iliman Ndiaye and Dwight McNeil, Everton broke the deadlock after 50 minutes with their first league goal of the season.
Calvert-Lewin was the focal point once again with Jack Harrison driving the ball towards him in the box.
The former England player chested down brilliantly and Keane swept the ball home from close range like an accomplished striker, running away with his arms outstretched in celebration.
Michael Keane made the breakthrough before Dominic Calvert-Lewin dinked in the second
Calvert-Lewin was slotted through on goal and applied a neat finish over Kepa Arrizabalaga
It was the defender’s first goal since December and justified Dyche’s decision to put him in the side ahead of new signing Jake O’Brien with Jarrad Branthwaite still out injured.
The defenders’ union almost got another goalscorer as long-serving skipper Seamus Coleman slalomed his way into his penalty area before his final lofted finish was clawed away by Kepa – leaving the Irishman holding his head in disbelief.
Calvert-Lewin then added a second with a finish Super Kev himself would have liked to score.
McNeil picked out a pass any No 10 would have been proud of and the striker’s run at pace saw him reach the ball first and ignore Kepa coming off his line to prod home and lift the roof off Goodison.
In Merseyside sunshine, it was party time at Goodison and Everton played as close to champagne football as the Gwladys Street End have seen for some time.
Kepa had to make saves from Harrison and Ndiaye to keep the scoreline at two.
Ndiaye was leading them a merry dance down the left and manager Andoni Iraola had made his full compliment of changes by the 77th minute.
Boy, did they work while Dyche’s decision to remove danger-men Ndiaye and Calvert-Lewin backfired.
Semenyo got the nerves jangling two minutes before the end of regulation time when he stretched to convert substitute Dango Ouattara’s low cross.
Calvert-Lewin rose highest and nodded a corner back across goal as the hosts dominated
Semenyo and Keane scrapped as frustration boiled over in the visitors’ camp
Arrizabalaga made his debut for Bournemouth after signing on loan from Chelsea
There were loud groans from the Gwladys Street End when six minutes of injury-time were signalled and their worst fears were recognised.
Everton capitulated in horrible fashion. Cherries skipper Cook was given the freedom of the Blues penalty area to nod them level after 92 minutes from Sinisterra’s centre.
Jordan Pickford then made saves from Marcus Tavernier and Semenyo to try and save his side a point.
But even that hope disappeared after 96 minutes when Justin Kluivert picked out Sinisterra and he headed in to leave Everton with a very nasty taste that will last throughout the international break and possibly beyond.
