Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Fulham: Cottagers stun Spurs with early double | OneFootball

Saturday night’s Premier League clash in North London had been billed as an opportunity for Tottenham Hotspur to steady the ship after a bruising week of defeats to Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.

Instead, they were left reeling as Fulham struck twice inside the opening six minutes, leaving the hosts chasing a game which ultimately ran away from them.

As it happened

The game burst into life almost straight away. Kenny Tete opened the scoring in the fourth minute, his shot deflecting off Micky van de Ven to wrong-foot goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. Barely two minutes later, disaster struck again for Spurs. Vicario rushed out of his box to clear but misjudged his kick, gifting possession to Harry Wilson. From 30 yards, Wilson lofted the ball into the empty net, stunning the 60,000-strong crowd. Spurs were 2-0 down before they had even got into their rhythm.

Spurs had most of the possession but struggled to break down the compact defensive shape of Fulham. The frustration began to build as Van de Ven and Destiny Udogie were booked, a reflection of the home side’s desperation to regain control.

Their goal back finally came just before the hour mark as Mohammed Kudus, lively throughout, lashed a powerful shot into the top corner to make it 2-1. The stadium was delighted, and a comeback looked possible. Spurs pressed with intensity thereafter; Pedro Porro and Kudus combined well on the right flank, but Fulham’s back line held firm.

The game became more aggressive as Spurs chased an equaliser. Raul Jiménez was booked; Radal Kolo Muani and Bernd Leno were both granted yellows in the final minutes, which further heightened tensions. Spurs continued to press but could not fashion an obvious opportunity. Their organisation and game management toward the end were spot on, frustrating Spurs and seeing the game out.

Defensive lapses from Tottenham in the opening minutes proved decisive, as despite controlling possession and mounting a spirited fightback, they were left to rue costly errors.

Fulham, on the other hand, carried out their game plan to perfection: strike early, defend resolutely, and frustrate their rivals. Tete and Wilson’s goals will be remembered as the foundation of a famous away win.

This defeat serves to deepen concerns about Spurs’ defensive organisation and consistency. For Fulham, it was an important win in their battle for mid-table security and a morale-boosting triumph in a London derby.

The line-ups: