With yet another international break looming, Tottenham Hotspur headed to Elland Road to take on Leeds United, a venue where the home side had not lost a league match in over a year. Spurs would have been hoping this match could be a return to form following the stodgy performances of recent weeks, and though not all questions were answered by the performance, there was enough there to at least silence those asking temporarily.
Thomas Frank made a number of changes following Spurs’ Champions League draw against Bodo/Glimt in midweek: Mathys Tel made a rare start up top for Richarlison; Destiny Udogie and Cristian Romero returned at the back; and Joao Palhinha, Mohammed Kudus, and Xavi Simons also made the XI, at the expense of Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall, and Brennan Johnson. The rotation initially appeared to present itself as a lack of cohesion, with Spurs starting the match a bit off the pace, before things developed into more of an end-to-end affair. Leeds should have opened the scoring: Spurs alum Joe Rodon clattered the far post with a header off a free kick that Guglielmo Vicario misjudged; but instead, Spurs took first advantage, as Mathys Tel drove into the Leeds penalty area after being fed by Kudus and took a speculative shot at goal. The attempt deflected off the leg of Pascal Struijk, which was enough to tip the ball over the outstretched palm of Karl Darlow in goal.
The opportunities for either side didn’t stop there, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin presented with a chance following a Spurs giveaway, and Kudus slicing an opportunity well wide after being teed up by Destiny Udogie. Leeds, however, were the next side to hit the back of the net, as Brenden Aaronson gave himself enough space for a shot following Calvert-Lewin’s knock-down. Aaronson’s effort deflected off Romero’s leg, meaning Vicario could only palm it out into a dangerous area, and Noah Okafor was on hand for a tap-in.
With the score one apiece going into the second half, Spurs began to take more of an ascendancy, albeit with Leeds still offering a threat. Vicario made an excellent kick save on a Calvert-Lewin shot, before Leeds fizzed a cross across the face of Spurs’ goal, in some nervy moments for the Lilywhite defense. Instead of capitulating, though, Spurs struck at the other end. Kudus dribbled at Struijk, before unleashing a strike from the top of the 18-yard area through the legs of the Dutch defender. It took a slight deflection and nestled just inside the right upright.
From there, Thomas Frank opted to shift to defensive mode, bringing in reinforcements via way of the bench. Daniel Farke also pulled from his bench as his side hunted for a goal, but Spurs held firm outside of a couple of half-chances and one very good Vicario save off another Calvert-Lewin shot. After a late flurry of Leeds set pieces, the referee blew the whistle and Spurs took a hard-fought 2-1 win into the break.
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