Joao Palhinha scored a late equalizer for Tottenham, resulting in a 1-1 draw against Wolves, who secured their first point of the season. After starting the campaign with five consecutive defeats, Vitor Pereira’s team seemed on track for victory after Santiago Bueno’s opening goal from a strong defensive performance.
Spurs struggled to respond after falling behind, appearing unlikely to equalize until Palhinha expertly found the back of the net with a stunning shot in stoppage time. Pereira altered his usual 3-4-2-1 formation, opting for a four-man defense for the first time in the Premier League since his appointment in December. This change proved effective, although a different outcome could have occurred had Mohammed Kudus’ close-range header not been remarkably saved onto the crossbar by Sam Johnstone.
The visitors capitalized when Ladislav Krejci’s attempt was thwarted by Guglielmo Vicario, enabling Bueno to tap in the rebound that deflected off Palhinha. This appeared to be the decisive goal, but Palhinha’s third strike since joining on loan from Bayern Munich ensured that Spurs’ new manager, Thomas Frank, avoided suffering a second home defeat this season.
The result leaves Tottenham with just three wins from their last 17 Premier League home matches since November 2024, impacting their chance to rise to second place with a victory.
Player Ratings
Spurs: Vicario (6), Spence (6), Van de Ven (7), Romero (7), Udogie (7), Palhinha (8), Bentancur (5), Bergvall (6), Xavi (5), Kudus (7), Richarlison (6)
Wolves: Johnstone (7), Doherty (6), Bueno (8), Krejci (8), Andre (8), Joao Gomes (7), Munetsi (7), Arias (6), Hwang (6), Strand Larsen (6)
Player of the Match: Andre
Palhinha: A Draw That Feels Like a Loss
Tottenham’s Palhinha expressed his disappointment: “I am not happy at all. These are matches we should win, especially at home. We played well in the first half but needed to create more chances. Losing 1-0 to teams like this means we need to fight harder on the pitch. It’s disheartening, and this result feels like a loss.”
Pereira: We Deserved to Win
Wolves’ manager Pereira stated: “Congratulations to my players; we deserved the three points, but sometimes football isn’t fair. If we play like we did in the second half, we will earn our points. We were the better side, and now we need to maintain this spirit and improve even more.”
Frank: A Fair Result
Thomas Frank of Tottenham remarked: “We started well in the first half but didn’t capitalize on our chances. After conceding, we lost control, yet we managed to equalize. It’s a fair result, though we played well in the first half. This reinforces how demanding the Premier League can be.”
