Roberto De Zerbi has just five games to steer Tottenham Hotspur away from a shocking Premier League relegation after his first home match ended in a dramatic 2–2 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Spurs took an early lead through Pedro Porro, but were pegged back just before half-time by a stunning strike from Kaoru Mitoma.
After a tense second half, Xavi Simons restored Tottenham’s advantage in the 77th minute with a brilliant individual effort that sparked wild celebrations at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
With a first league win since December in sight, the home fans dared to believe. But their hopes were shattered deep into stoppage time when Georginio Rutter fired home a late equaliser.
The result leaves Spurs 18th in the table, just one point from safety, with rivals West Ham United and Nottingham Forest still to play in the coming days.
Bright start, painful finish
Tottenham began brightly, buoyed by a passionate home crowd, but nearly fell behind when a defensive error saw the ball ricochet onto the post with Danny Welbeck close by.
Instead, Spurs struck first. Porro capitalised on a cross from Simons, beating goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen to head into an empty net.
The hosts almost doubled their lead moments later when Simons hit the post after a slick attacking move, a miss that proved costly.
Brighton punished that lapse in first-half stoppage time. Pascal Groß delivered a deep cross that found Mitoma unmarked at the back post, and the winger calmly volleyed home to level the score.
Late drama
The second half was finely balanced, with both sides pushing for a winner. Simons looked to have sealed it for Spurs after capitalising on a defensive error, cutting inside and unleashing a powerful strike from the edge of the box.
However, Brighton continued to press and were rewarded in the 95th minute. Defender Jan Paul van Hecke set up Rutter, who smashed home the equaliser to leave Spurs players and fans devastated.
Relegation threat looms
The draw deepens Tottenham’s relegation fears, with the club now facing the prospect of dropping out of the top flight for the first time in decades.
Despite winning the UEFA Europa League last season under Ange Postecoglou, Spurs have endured a turbulent campaign marked by managerial changes and inconsistent form.
Now under De Zerbi, the club faces a daunting run-in, with survival hanging in the balance.
AFP
