Wolves 2 Tottenham 1
Gary O’Neil’s side welcomed Tottenham to Molyneux, having suffered a loss at the hands of bottom of the table Sheff Utd last weekend. Ange Postecoglou’s side had their first taste of defeat in the league as they were humbled by Chelsea at home, knocked off the top of the table in the process.
Spurs were without a host of players due to injury and suspension, testing the depth of the squad some had marked as Premier League title contenders. Often pundits are too quick to talk about these things following a decent string of results.
The visitors made a perfect start as Son switched play from left to right with Kulusevski playing a sublime flick into the path of the overlapping Porro. He crossed from the byline for Johnson to slot home at the near post to give Postecoglou’s side an early lead.
Up until this season, memes have often done the rounds about Tottenham’s unique ability to self-destruct like a Kamikaze pilot who had just used his last round of ammunition and their recent game against Chelsea saw that habit sneaking back into their game.
Credit: @SpursOfficial
Wolves struggled to find their feet in this game after the early goal seemingly knocked their confidence but eventually had their first sight of goal when Cunha played the ball into Ait-Nouri but his shot was blocked at the expense of a corner.
Cunha again started to link up play for the hosts and as he fed Lemina in the box, his shot across goal was well saved by Vicario, whose fingertip save tipped it wide of the post. It was the closest Wolves came in a first half of few chances.
The second half saw O’Neil’s side growing in confidence as Toti started to get more involved in the centre of the park and played a neat pass into Ait-Nouri who picked out Cunha on the edge of the box. He tried to aim for the top corner of the Spurs’ goal but his shot was off target.
So far this season Wolves, under their new manager, have played some attractive build-up play but have eventually paid the price for shooting that would look more at home in a stormtrooper outfit than a football kit.
Tottenham had seemed to retreat into their shell after Brennan Johnson’s goal in the third minute of the game and were coming under more intense pressure from the hosts. The North London side have never really looked like a team capable of scoring a single goal and seeing the game out for a one-nil win at the best of times.
As a shot from outside the box was blocked, the ball broke to the dangerous Hwang with only the keeper to beat. Having looked prolific at home this season, everyone was surprised to see him pull his effort wide of the target without troubling Vicario.
Credit: @Wolves
The visitors carved out their first opportunity of the half when Hojbjerg and Kulusevski combined well and the Danish midfielder played a pass in behind the Wolves defence which Johnson hit first time but could not find the target.
Postecoglou’s side came forward with menace once again as Son found Kulusevski, as the winger could not work a sight of goal, he laid it off to Lo Celso on the edge of the box. His shot seemed destined for the top corner but for a smart save by Jose Sa.
Heading into the six minutes of added time, all Tottenham needed to do was to see this game out to claim all three points. A week ago you would have gone all Sandro Tonali and put your money on it but signs of old traits are starting to show in this Spurs side.
Cunha clipped a ball into the box which was superbly controlled by Sarabia which he then volleyed into the back of the net, beating Vicario at his near post with the sheer power of his effort and Molyneux erupted in the 91st minute.
O’Neil celebrated like he had just heard that Bournemouth had got relegated but his side were not done there. Tottenham started to look more nervous than a dinosaur who had just spotted a huge asteroid plummeting to earth in the final stages of this game.
Wolves took a quick free kick on the halfway line, Sarabia got down the right flank and crossed into the box where Lemina slotted past Vicario to give the hosts a late winner in the 97th minute of the game. Very Spursy.
This will be a testing period for this Tottenham squad as they are stretched as a result of all that went on in the game against Chelsea. This result and the three points could act as a springboard to the season for Wolves, they did not give up and played until the final kick of the game.
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