Tottenham 1 Leeds United 1: VAR relief and wonder save as safe Whites deliver blow amid fresh injury setbacks — YEP 11/5/26

By Lee Sobot

Leeds United went into Monday night’s clash at fourth-bottom Tottenham already mathematically safe from relegation.

A Leeds United side already mathematically safe from the drop delivered a hammer blow to relegation-battling rivals Tottenham Hotspur as a second half fightback and double VAR joy gave them a 1-1 draw.

Unlike Tottenham, Leeds went into the contest with their Premier League survival already mathematically guaranteed after Arsenal’s 1-0 win at third-bottom West Ham on Sunday.

Boss Daniel Farke, though, had already declared the importance of finishing the season as strongly as possible although news emerged of two new Leeds injuries before kick off with Jayden Bogle and Facundo Buonanotte both missing with hamstring injuries.

Noah Okafor, Gabi Gudmundsson and Ilia Gruev had already been ruled out and Leeds then lost Pascal Struijk to injury in the game itself.

Struijk was forced off after the Whites had fallen behind to a stunning strike from Mathys Tel but the intervention of VAR gave Leeds a penalty for a high boot from Tel on Dominic Calvert-Lewin who rifled home a clinical spot kick to make it 1-1.

A wonder save from Spurs keeper Antonin Kinsky then denied United’s Sean Longstaff deep in in second half stoppage time but even more drama followed as VAR denied Spurs a penalty in the 104th minute after Lukas Nmecha had taken down the returning James Maddison.

The point for Leeds took them back above Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace into 14th place, Spurs squandering the chance to move four points clear of West Ham who are just two points behind them with two games left.

Leeds chance in first minute

Leeds began brightly and created a chance within the first minute as a Dan James cross picked out Struijk who had gone into the box for an Ethan Ampadu long throw but Struijk sent his header well wide.

Spurs were slow to get going although a through ball would have had Richarlison in behind the back line but for a heavy touch from the striker which allowed Joe Rodon the chance to get back and brilliantly usher the ball back to Karl Darlow.

Spurs gradually began to push Leeds back but without creating much and at the other end Tel just got away with an incredibly risky ball across his own area which almost set up James Justin, Kevin Danso just getting ahead of him for a crucial headed clearance.

A lovey Leeds counter led by Ethan Ampadu then won the Whites a corner which led to the best chance of the game so far in the 22nd minute.

Outstanding save to claw the ball off the line

Leeds played the corner short and Brenden Aaronson's delivery found Rodon whose powerful header was somehow clawed away by keeper Kinsky who made an outstanding save to claw the ball off the line beneath his right hand post.

Spurs had offered very little but a mazy run took Tel past several men and into the box, his rising shot blocked by Jaka Bijol and sent behind for corner.

A few moments later, Darlow's attempt to punch clear a long throw fell to Conor Gallagher whose shot hit Ampadu and also went behind for a corner which Leeds survived.

Arguably Tottenham's best chance yet then arrived just after the half hour mark as a Pedro Porro cross teed up Richarlison in the middle of the box but his shot on the turn was partially blocked by Rodon and Darlow saved.

Darlow, though, was then punished for holding on to the ball for too long which led to Spurs being given a corner from which two shots were blocked.

Tottenham's best chance yet then arrived moments later as Ao Tanaka lost the ball in a packed area, Joao Palhinha surging through the box but rifling a shot over the bar.

The Spurs chances were starting to stack up and from yet another corner, Rodrigo Bentancur sent a free header wide.

Leeds had not threatened for a while and Tanaka's attempt to change that with a shot from the edge of the box proved wayward and swerved well wide.

Back up the other end, a foul by Anton Stach on Tel gave Spurs a free-kick to the left of the box but Pedro Porro ambitiously went for goal and whipped his shot well wide.

Judged marginally offside by VAR

But as the half drew to a close, Spurs survived Leeds shouts for a penalty, Aaronson playing in Calvert-Lewin who was brought down by Destiny Udogie but Calvert-Lewin judged marginally offside by VAR.

There were no changes during the break and Tottenham's Richarlison survived a reckless challenge on Jaka Bijol seconds after the restart.

The Spurs forward caught Bijol on the forehead with a trailing elbow as the pair competed for a high ball but no foul was given and VAR did not intervene.

A few minutes later Tottenham were ahead, yet another Spurs corner headed clear by Bijol but only to Tel who took one touch to set himself on the edge of the box before curling home a beauty into the right corner of the net.

Leeds were then dealt another blow as Struijk was forced off injured, the defender having been a doubt for the game with a hip injury and going to ground for treatment having been struggling earlier in the first half.

Should have led to Tottenham doubling their lead

Sebastiaan Bornauw was brought on to replace him and a Bornauw mishap should have led to Tottenham doubling their lead, the Leeds defender losing his footing and skinned by Randal Kolo Muani who squared the ball to Richarlison who blazed a wild effort over from the middle of the box.

Spurs were pushing hard for a second although Leeds looked to respond, the quiet Dan James firing well wide from the edge of the box.

It proved James' last contribution, the winger and also Aaronson taken off just after the hour mark as Willy Gnonto and Nmecha were introduced.

Leeds started to push Spurs back a bit and a poor decision from goalscorer Tel then led to Leeds being awarded a penalty.

Very high boot caught Ampadu

The Spurs star chose to clear a high ball into the Leeds box with an overhead kick with his back to goal and in doing so his very high boot caught Ampadu.

VAR intervened and instructed referee Jarred Gillett to look at his monitor.

Only one outcome looked likely and sure enough Gillet returned to point to the spot, Calvert-Lewin stepping up to take a penalty and rifling a tremendous effort into the left of the net.

Leeds quickly pushed for a winner, the very bright Gnonto slipping in Nmecha who was blocked out by an excellent challenge from Micky van de Ven.

Desperately looking for a way back, Spurs brought on James Maddison who returned from injury for his first appearance this season.

Tottenham’s response was initially limited but the announcement of a baffling 13 minutes of added time not surprisingly put a spring in their step.

An absolute wonder save

Yet Leeds were then denied a second goal by an absolute wonder save from keeper Kinsky who somehow managed to tip a piledriver shot from substitute Sean Longstaff on to the crossbar after a rapid counter down the left.

Leeds then squandered two more chances to bag a winner, Longstaff skewing an attempt across goal at the far post from a cross and Bijol also flashing a shot across the box.

But the drama was still not done and Tottenham looked destined to be awarded a penalty in the 103rd minute as Nmecha took down the quickly effective Maddison down the right side of the box.

VAR looked at the incident as Spurs held their breath but Nmecha had got the slightest touch on the ball, much to Tottenham’s frustration but United’s joy as the hosts had to settle for a point.