Late agony as Seagulls snatch a point

In what was Roberto De Zerbi’s first home game in charge as our Head Coach – coincidentally against his former side – we took a 2-1 lead into the final stages thanks to a truly stunning Xavi Simons curler in the 77th minute and looked to be holding on until Georginio Rutter smashed home from just inside the area to snatch away the win.

Earlier we’d gone ahead when Pedro Porro headed home shortly before the break, only to concede in first-half added time through a wonderful Kaoru Mitoma volley. Both sides had chances throughout a thoroughly entertaining clash but ultimately we had to settle for the single point, although the positives from a good team performance could go a long way to helping us climb up the table.

With the flags waving and the fans in great voice in the lead-up to kick off, we started the game on the front foot and had Brighton pegged back in the early stages. The first moment of note came in the 10th minute when Destiny Udogie went down under the challenge of Yankuba Minteh after a quick free-kick but referee Stuart Attwell waved away our penalty appeals.

We continued to set the tempo and had a couple of opportunities from corners around the 20-minute mark, the first of which was cleared to Xavi on the edge of the area and his low shot took a nick as it deflected just past Bart Verbruggen’s far post. From the next corner, Randal Kolo Muani blazed over the bar.

Slowly though, Brighton grew into the game and Antonin Kinsky did really well to tip away a corner right under his crossbar before we escaped thanks to some incredible defending on 32 minutes. Minteh clipped a ball to the far post which was headed back across goal where Danny Welbeck looked like he was going to tap home but somehow Micky van de Ven got a toe onto the ball to send it against the post, along the goal-line and we cleared the danger. Welbeck then forced Kinsky into a save with a header from a free-kick moments later.

But just as the visitors were having their best spell, we took the lead in the 39th minute. Excellent pressing from Dominic Solanke and Conor Gallagher won us the ball back deep in Brighton territory, Solanke found Xavi who sent over the perfect cross which Pedro Porro headed home from six yards out. And it really should have been 2-0 a couple of minutes later as Solanke broke through, played in Xavi who cut onto his right inside the area, beat Verbruggen but not the post and then the Seagulls keeper made a stunning save to get back onto his feet and tip Pedro Porro’s powerful shot over from the rebound.

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We were so on top at that stage, only to concede a stunning equaliser three minutes into first-half stoppage time as Pascal Gross sent in a deep cross which Mitoma met with the cleanest of volleys into the roof of the net and we went in all square at the interval.

The start of the second period saw the visitors with a couple of chances but blocks from Gallagher and Kevin Danso kept out efforts from Yasin Ayari and Mitoma. It continued to be an end-to-end game, played with real intensity and purpose and with chances at either end. We survived a moment of danger when Welbeck smashed a 20-yard free-kick into the wall before Joao Palhinha’s effort from the edge of the box was saved by the legs of Verbruggen. Then, with 13 minutes remaining, we regained the lead in some style. Lucas Bergvall had only been in the pitch for a matter of seconds when he stole the ball off Jan Paul van Hecke which allowed Solanke to lay off to Xavi and the rest was just pure magic as he cut inside onto his right and hit a beautiful curler in off the far post.

The closing minutes were tense, almost painfully so as we desperately tried to hold onto the three points. Our task wasn’t helped as Xavi picked up a knock after we’d used our five substitutes and was struggling to get around the pitch as Brighton sensed their chance. And unfortunately it came, five minutes into stoppage time when van Hecke got the better of Danso and cut back for Rutter to slam past Kinsky. We still had time for one last chance when Archie Gray found himself with a sight of goal in the final seconds but his right-foot shot was gathered by Verbruggen and we had to settle for a point, although we probably deserved more.

Line-ups

Spurs (4-2-3-1): Kinsky, Pedro Porro, Danso, van de Ven (c), Udogie (Spence 76), Bissouma (Gray 57), Bentancur (Palhinha 67), Kolo Muani (Tel 57), Gallagher (Bergvall 76), Xavi, Solanke. Substitutes (not used): Austin, Dragusin, Maddison, Richarlison.

Brighton & Hove Albion (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen, Wieffer, van Hecke, Boscagli, Kadioglu, Ayari (Kostoulas 82), Gross, Diego Gomez (Mitoma 20, (De Cuyper 75)), Hinshelwood (O'Riley 75), Minteh, Welbeck (c) (Rutter 75). Substitutes (not used): Steele, Julio, Baleba, Veltman.

Match data

Goals: Spurs – Pedro Porro 39, Xavi 76; Brighton – Mitoma 45+3, Rutter 90+5.

Yellow cards: Spurs – Bissouma, Danso, Xavi; Brighton – Wieffer.

Referee: Stuart Attwell.

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Weather: Light cloud, gentle breeze, 16 degrees.

Attendance: 61,167.