EPL: Tottenham’s Champions League Hopes Dented By Brighton Defeat
Brighton halted Tottenham’s charge towards a place in next season’s Champions League as Leandro Trossard struck in the 90th minute to secure a 1-0 win for the visitors on Saturday.
Antonio Conte’s men had won four consecutive games, starting with a 2-0 win at Brighton last month, to turnaround the Italian’s rollercoaster first season in charge.
However, the prolific Harry Kane and Son Heung-min were kept very quiet as the home side struggled to create any clear-cut chances.
Brighton did Tottenham a big favour by ending a seven-game winless run last weekend at Arsenal.
With confidence restored, the Seagulls looked more like their old selves under Graham Potter as they controlled the game and completed a north London double thanks to Trossard’s composed finish in the final minute.
Kane’s most significant contribution came inside his own six-yard box as he blocked Joel Veltman’s effort with the best chance of a first-half only enlivened by controversial refereeing calls.
Both sides were lucky to still have 11 men on the field by the break as Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski escaped with just a yellow card for a swinging elbow on Marc Cucurella.
Cucurella then took revenge with a stamp on Kulusevski’s ankle, while Enock Mwepu twice avoided a potential second yellow card.
Tottenham only marginally improved in the second period as Trossard blocked Son’s effort from close range before Rodrigo Bentancur flashed a follow-up shot wide.
Brighton continued to pose the greater threat with Hugo Lloris tested by a header from Lewis Dunk.
Trossard produced the moment of quality the game had needed for 90 minutes when he sold Eric Dier a dummy to create the space for a prodded finish past Lloris.
Spurs’ best chance of the match came just seconds later when Kane flicked a header into the path of Steven Bergwijn, but the Dutchman scuffed well wide to sum up their day.
AFP