news.today
Hello · Register today | LoginHello · My Account[—] [34]
Sport

Leeds end Tottenham's winning run with late Okafor goal

Summarised from 6 outlets · 12 reports · Updated 7 Nov, 15:06 · Archive

Noah Okafor scored in the 79th minute to give Leeds a 1-0 victory over Tottenham and end Spurs' four-game winning streak.

Noah Okafor came off the bench to score the winning goal for Leeds United in the 79th minute, securing a 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road. The substitute collected a loose ball inside the area and finished cleanly to break the deadlock in what had been a tightly contested encounter.

Tottenham arrived at Elland Road in strong form, having won their last three Premier League matches against Coventry, Chelsea and Crystal Palace. Manager Roberto De Zerbi's side were seeking a fourth consecutive league victory for the first time in three years. Leeds, meanwhile, were attempting to end a five-game winless run that had seen them collect just two points in their last four matches. Despite their recent struggles, Leeds enjoyed a strong home record, remaining unbeaten at Elland Road in their last eight Premier League games.

The match proved to be a feisty affair, with several controversial moments. In the second half, Jayden Bogle's challenge on Tottenham's Mathys Tel was reviewed by VAR and confirmed as a reckless challenge rather than a sending-off offence. Leeds felt they should have been awarded a penalty earlier in the match when Mateus Fernandes handled the ball, though this was not given by the referee. Bogle's challenge resulted in Tel being forced off injured.

Tottenham dominated much of the play and created chances to break the deadlock. Sean Longstaff came close with a late attempt that was saved by Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky. However, Leeds' defence, marshalled by captain Ethan Ampadu, proved resilient. Gabriel Gudmundsson impressed in the first half before being substituted at half-time. Dominic Calvert-Lewin worked tirelessly in attack and set up a chance for Ao Tanaka, who squandered the opportunity.

With the score remaining level as the match progressed, Farke made his decisive substitution, introducing Okafor alongside Harry Wilson in the 77th minute. The change proved immediately effective as Okafor showed composure to finish just two minutes after entering the pitch. Tottenham pressed for an equaliser in the remaining minutes, with a late header from one of their defenders coming close to finding the target, but Leeds held firm to secure the victory.

The defeat ended Tottenham's brief resurgence and handed the initiative back to Leeds, who moved closer to the top half of the table with the win.

Leeds end Tottenham's winning run with late Okafor goal
Image: The Guardian

Comments (0)

How it is being reported

In this story: Leeds United · Tottenham Hotspur · Noah Okafor · Roberto De Zerbi · Daniel Farke · Jayden Bogle · Mathys Tel · Elland Road

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log