SOCCER: Tottenham relegation fears remain after home draw with Leeds

LONDON — Tottenham Hotspur missed a major opportunity to ease their Premier League relegation concerns after a 1-1 draw with Leeds United at home on Monday, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s second-half penalty canceling out a brilliant strike from Mathys Tel.

A victory would have lifted Spurs four points clear of 18th-placed West Ham United with two matches remaining, offering a significant boost in their fight for survival after a difficult campaign.

The hosts looked on course for a crucial win when Mathys Tel produced a moment of quality early in the second half, curling a precise right-footed effort into the top corner to send the home crowd into celebration.

However, the momentum shifted later in the match when Tel was involved in a costly defensive mistake, conceding a penalty that Calvert-Lewin converted emphatically in the 74th minute.

As pressure mounted and Spurs struggled to maintain control, Leeds came close to snatching all three points in stoppage time. Sean Longstaff’s late strike appeared destined for the net before Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky produced a vital save, tipping the ball onto the underside of the crossbar.

The result leaves Spurs in 17th place with 38 points, just above West Ham on 36, as the relegation battle tightens with two games remaining. Their next fixture is a difficult trip to face rivals Chelsea FC on May 19, while West Ham travel to Newcastle United on May 17.

Head coach Roberto De Zerbi said his team paid the price for repeated mistakes in a tense match.

“We made too many mistakes,” De Zerbi said. “I think we deserved to win anyway, but maybe the pressure, the crucial game, the crucial part of the season, we suffered too much. It will be tough until the end, until the last game.”

De Zerbi, who has collected eight points from his first five matches in charge, has improved results away from home, but Spurs continue to struggle at their stadium, where they have won just two of 17 league matches this season.

The opening stages reflected the nerves on both sides. Early defensive uncertainty nearly cost Spurs, while Leeds threatened through set pieces and direct pressure. Tottenham created chances of their own, with Richarlison and João Palhinha both coming close but failing to beat Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow.

Just before halftime, Spurs survived a major scare when Destiny Udogie brought down Calvert-Lewin in the box. A VAR review, however, ruled the forward marginally offside, sparing the hosts from conceding a penalty.

Five minutes after the restart, Tel momentarily lifted the tension inside the stadium with his superb opening goal, controlling a high ball before delivering a composed finish into the top corner.

But his evening turned again in the 74th minute when an attempted clearance resulted in a foul on Ethan Ampadu inside the area. After a VAR check, the referee awarded the penalty, which Calvert-Lewin converted to level the match.

Leeds pushed forward in the closing stages, and Spurs survived only through a crucial late save from Kinsky, who denied Longstaff in stoppage time.

Spurs also appealed for a penalty late on after substitute James Maddison went down under pressure from Lukas Nmecha, but the claims were waved away by the referee.

With tensions rising and the relegation fight narrowing, Tottenham’s season now looks set to go down to the final matches. -Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris/Reuters