- Kane’s belter opens the scoring (22' - WATCH HERE)
- Boly heads home equalizer (73')
- Jimenez wins it (83')
- Spurs’ five-game winning streak ends
- Wolves climb four places to 7th
Tottenham Hotspur coughed up an early lead they absolutely had to hold in order to establish themselves as Premier League title contenders, losing 3-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Wembley on Saturday.
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Tottenham enjoyed absolute control of early proceedings, to the tune of 70 percent of possession in the game’s opening 20 minutes. Wolves kept them at arm’s length, however, allowing little more than speculative efforts from distance.
Christian Eriksen went closest in the 19th minute, when he curl a left-footed strike from the edge of Wolves’ penalty area. The Dane’s deft strike was destined for the upper-90, but Rui Patricio made a stellar save diving to his right.
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The defensive formula remained the same, but the results changed minutes later. Harry Kane caught sight of goal from 20 yards out, creating space with a quick cut in from the right wing. He had ample time to set the ball up for his left foot and unloaded an arrowed blast inside the far post, off the helpless hand of Patricio, to put Spurs on top.
It was Kane’s eighth goal in his last 10 league games and his 13th of the PL season, drawing him level with Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the Golden Boot race.
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Wolves were patient in chasing an equalizer, affording Spurs more than enough of the ball to slowly kill the game off and see out their one-goal lead — until the final 20 minutes of the game.
Wolves midfielder Joao Moutinho entered the game in the 68th minute and provided a measure of stability in possession previously missing. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side suddenly found themselves with plenty of possession and chances.
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It was Moutinho who served up the tantalizing corner kick in the 73rd minute, headed through the outstretched hands of Hugo Lloris by Willy Boly.
Wolves remained the more dangerous side in the ensuing 15 minutes and were justly rewarded for their ambition in the 83rd minute. Raul Jimenez snuck the ball between Toby Alderweireld’s legs and placed it ever so perfectly inside Lloris’ right-hand post.
Wolves take a late lead and look what it means to them and their fans! pic.twitter.com/DaBz0ygEHF
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) December 29, 2018
Spurs’ unraveling was complete just four minutes later, when Helder Costa got in behind the left side of defense and beat Lloris for a third goal in 14 minutes.