Romero rescues Tottenham with late strike in tense Newcastle draw | OneFootball

Spurs Drama in Newcastle

Tottenham escaped St James’ Park with a point that felt almost improbable, dragged from the brink by the force of their captain. Cristian Romero delivered two decisive moments against Newcastle, capped by a superb 95th-minute overhead kick that silenced the home crowd and eased the pressure on Thomas Frank. It arrived just when Spurs appeared set for a sixth defeat in eight league games.

Romero’s Influence on Tottenham

Frank has been searching for stability, and Romero’s return from suspension offered a jolt of conviction. Spurs had conceded twice inside six minutes against Fulham without him, which underlined the urgency for leadership in Newcastle. He provided exactly that.

The defender first pulled Spurs level after Bruno Guimaraes’ opener, then waited for Newcastle’s lapse from a late corner. When the ball dropped loose, he caught it brilliantly, sending the visiting end into celebrations high in the stands. Few would have predicted that Romero, who scored only once last season, would produce Tottenham’s only two shots on target and convert both.

Even the controversy surrounding Anthony Gordon’s late penalty, which put Newcastle 2-1 up, could not sink Spurs. After referee Tom Bramall viewed the pitchside monitor on VAR’s instruction, he ruled that Rodrigo Bentancur had dragged Dan Burn to the floor. The decision frustrated Spurs, yet it did not define them. 

Newcastle’s Familiar Frustration

For Newcastle this was a painful repeat. Stoppage time has become an unwelcome theme at St James’ Park this season. Liverpool, Arsenal and now Tottenham have all struck late to take points. This match felt like a step towards momentum, a potential third straight league victory, and Eddie Howe’s side had reacted well to Romero cancelling out their opener.

But failure to handle the decisive corner, and the space granted to Romero to shape his overhead finish, cost them again. Howe will rue those final minutes, particularly how the ball drifted past three black and white shirts before finding the net.