Tottenham Hotspur missed a golden opportunity to create a safe gap with the relegation group after a 1-1 draw against Leeds United at home. In a tense and lack of professional quality at many times, Mathys Tel became a typical image of Spurs' unstable season. From the hero who scored the opening goal, he became a player who made a mistake leading to a penalty that caused his team to drop victory.
Tottenham seemed to be very close to 3 points when Tel launched a beautiful curling shot from outside the penalty area in the 50th minute, sending the ball straight into the top corner of the goal. But in the 69th minute, the young French striker made a disastrous foul when performing a "bicycle kick" and kicked Ethan Ampadu in the face in the penalty area.
After consulting VAR, referee Jarred Gillett awarded Leeds a penalty and Dominic Calvert-Lewin did not miss the opportunity to equalize. However, the drama has not stopped.
In the 14th minute of injury time of the second half, James Maddison - who had just returned after nearly a year of rest due to a cruciate ligament injury - fell in the penalty area after a collision with Lukas Nmecha.
Tottenham players reacted fiercely demanding a penalty, but after reviewing the situation, the refereeing team determined that Nmecha had slightly touched the ball first and only awarded Spurs a corner kick.
The draw result leaves Tottenham only 2 points ahead of West Ham United when the season has two more rounds left. Although Spurs' form has improved since coach Roberto De Zerbi took over the team, home field is still a big nightmare.
Tottenham have only won 12 points at home this season - only more than Burnley - and have not won a Premier League match at home in 2026.
If there is a player who reflects the chaos of Spurs this season most clearly, it is Tel. Under previous coaches, the young French striker was repeatedly removed from the Champions League squad to make way for more experienced players. But amidst the fierce relegation battle, Tel emerged as one of the most dedicated and stable players in the squad.
He is also the only Tottenham player who has not missed any match this season due to injury or illness. However, Tel's genius moment was quickly obscured by an inexperienced mistake that led to Leeds' equalizing goal.
Besides Tel, another person who also left a big mark is Antonin Kinsky. This goalkeeper once went through a difficult period under previous coaches and was even substituted in the middle of the match against Atletico Madrid at the beginning of the season after serious mistakes.
But since being given the opportunity to return due to Guglielmo Vicario's injury, Kinsky gradually proved his value. In the ninth minute of injury time, he made a miraculous save against Sean Longstaff's close-range shot - a situation that could have caused Tottenham to suffer a painful defeat.
Kinsky's flying shot with his right hand hitting the crossbar not only kept one point but could also become a moment to save Spurs' entire season.
Tottenham has not yet escaped danger. But if they ultimately successfully stay in the league, it could be thanks to Kinsky's moment of brilliance in the final minutes of chaos in North London.
