Josh King scored a first-half penalty but missed another late on as Bournemouth and Wolves played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
King gave the Cherries a 14th-minute lead from 12 yards after being brought down by Joao Moutinho, but Wolves pulled level with a spot kick of its own in the 83rd minute, Raul Jimenez slotting home.
Referee Roger East then remarkably awarded a third penalty just two minutes later after Ryan Fraser when down softly under Ivan Cavaleiro's challenge as he entered the area, King this time firing wide from 12 yards.
While Eddie Howe's side will be disappointed not to have taken all three points, they have at least ended a run of two defeats, while Wolves remain in eighth after being leapfrogged by Watford on Friday.
Wolves dominated the early exchanges, but it was the hosts who broke the deadlock after 14 minutes.
King was tripped in the area by Joao Moutinho and the Norway international coolly dispatched the spot-kick into Rui Patricio's bottom-left corner for his ninth league goal of the campaign.
Wolves came close through Leander Dendoncker and Willy Boly headers shortly after the restart, while Dominic Solanke squandered a golden opportunity to score his first Bournemouth goal, firing too close to Patricio from an excellent position.
Jordon Ibe crashed against the crossbar before Wolves levelled seven minutes from time, Jimenez stroking home from the spot after Matt Doherty had been bundled over by Adam Smith in the area.
Incredibly, East pointed to the spot again moments later after a far more marginal call. King lacked the composure he had shown in the first half, though, and sent his effort wide.
There was a brief pause in play during stoppage time after the pitch sprinklers inadvertently came on, but it did little to dampen the drama of a pulsating finish on England's south coast.
What does it mean: VAR debate to rage on
If ever there was a game to suggest the introduction of VAR could be beneficial, it was this. Both Bournemouth penalties were generous at best, while perhaps the most blatant offence inside the area – Chris Mepham's handball in the first half – was not given.
King's fine day ends on sour note
The 27-year-old was a handful for the Wolves backline all game. The margins are fine in professional football, though, and instead of celebrating a match-winning performance he will be left to rue a missed penalty that denied his side maximum points.
Solanke fails to impress
The former Liverpool man struggled to make an impact on his full debut. He had a wonderful chance to open his account for his new club in the second period but lacked the composure to beat Patricio – a miss that would come back to haunt his side.
Key Opta Facts
- Bournemouth have never lost a Premier League home game against newly promoted opposition (W7 D3).
- This was the first Premier League game to have three penalties taken since West Ham versus Watford in April 2016.
- Wolves have scored 74 per cent of their Premier League goals in the second half of games this season (26/35), a league-high ratio.
- Wolves have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last nine Premier League away games since a 1-0 win versus Crystal Palace in October.
- Jimenez (10 goals, 5 assists) has had a hand in a higher share of Wolves' 35 Premier League goals this season than any other player (42.9 per cent).
- King is now the outright third top-scoring Norwegian in the Premier League (39 goals), with only Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (91) and Steffen Iversen (40) netting more.
What's next?
Both sides are in midweek Premier League action with Bournemouth travelling to Arsenal on Wednesday and Wolves visiting Huddersfield Town a day earlier.
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