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Mathys Tel scored and conceded a penalty as Tottenham drew 1-1 with Leeds, leaving Spurs just two points above the relegation zone with two games left.
(Credit: AP)
West Ham may have presented Spurs a window of opportunity. But, Tottenham, in classic fashion, made very little of the same.
Spurs were held to a tense 1-1 draw by Leeds United in North London, with Mathys Tel somehow managing to play both hero and villain in the same match.
And yet, despite the chaos, Spurs somehow remain outside the drop zone.
Tel’s Rollercoaster Night
Tottenham’s season has been a disaster at home, and nerves were obvious again inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Leeds threatened first, forcing goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky into an early save from Joe Rodon, while Joao Palhinha wasted a huge chance at the other end.
Then came Tel’s moment.
Five minutes after the restart, the Spurs forward reacted quickest following a Pedro Porro corner, controlling the loose ball before curling an excellent finish beyond Karl Darlow.
Relief lasted barely 20 minutes.
Attempting an overhead clearance inside his own area, Tel instead caught Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu in the head. After a VAR review, referee Jarred Gillett pointed to the spot, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin smashed home the equaliser.
Spurs nearly lost it late on too, only for Kinsky to produce a sensational stoppage-time save to deny Sean Longstaff from point-blank range.
De Zerbi Refuses to Panic
Manager Roberto De Zerbi, appointed in March to rescue Spurs from collapse, insisted belief remains intact.
“We have the quality to make other points and stay up,” De Zerbi said.
“I think we deserve to stay up. We will fight until the end.”
He added, “When you are fighting relegation, you have to fight stronger with the legs than with the head.”
Survival Fight Goes to the Wire
Tottenham’s unbeaten run has now stretched to four matches, but survival is still far from secured.
With just two matches remaining, West Ham United sit 18th, two points behind Tottenham after their defeat to Arsenal on Sunday.
Spurs still face Chelsea and Everton, while West Ham take on Newcastle and Leeds in a dramatic final-week scrap to avoid the final relegation spot.
(with AFP inputs)
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