Mathys Tel Hero Double Leaves Tottenham 1-1 With Leeds

Mathys Tel was the hero and the problem in Tottenham’s 1-1 draw with Leeds on Monday night at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He scored a wonder-goal, then conceded the penalty that let Leeds equalise, and Antonin Kinsky had to rescue Spurs with a sensational added-time save.

Tel's sharp swing

Tel’s opener gave Tottenham the lead, but his overhead kick later struck Ethan Ampadu and handed Leeds the penalty they needed to level. That sequence turned a match Spurs had led into one they had to survive at the end.

Leeds arrived having already guaranteed Premier League safety, yet they still contested every loose ball, tackle and throw-in fiercely. Tottenham had to match that edge and still could not keep control once the game became stretched.

Kinsky keeps Tottenham level

Kinsky’s late stop kept the draw intact and stopped Tottenham from ending the night with a defeat. The goalkeeper’s save was the last major intervention in a match shaped by one finish, one error and one intervention at the other end.

Roberto De Zerbi did not hide the flaw in the performance. “We made too many mistakes,” he said after the game, adding: “If we want to win we have to reduce the mistakes, but we knew before this game it will be tough until the end of the season, until the last game.”

Maddison returns for Spurs

James Maddison’s return from a long injury absence gave Tottenham another reason to take stock after the draw. He said: “There have been some dark days in the last year” and added: “It has been a really tough year for me mentally but I’m at the end of the tunnel now so I can kind of look back on that with fondness because I’m as mentally strong as I can be after going through that.”

Spurs stayed two points ahead of West Ham with two games to play, and they still need four points from their final two matches to guarantee safety. Chelsea come next, and Tottenham have won only once in their past 32 attempts at that stadium; Everton follow at a ground where they have not won in 10 league games since early December.