LONDON : Tottenham Hotspur F.C. missed a crucial opportunity to move closer to Premier League safety after drawing 1-1 with Leeds United F.C. in north London on Monday.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted a second-half penalty for Leeds after Mathys Tel had given Tottenham the lead with a superb strike.
A victory would have lifted Spurs four points clear of 18th-placed West Ham United F.C. with two matches remaining, but the draw leaves Tottenham 17th on 38 points, just two ahead of the relegation zone after 36 games.
Tottenham looked set for a vital win when Tel curled a brilliant right-footed effort into the top corner five minutes after halftime, sparking celebrations around the stadium.
But the young French forward later conceded the penalty that allowed Calvert-Lewin to equalise in the 74th minute after catching Ethan Ampadu in the head while attempting an overhead clearance.
Leeds nearly snatched victory in stoppage time when Sean Longstaff unleashed a powerful strike that Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky brilliantly tipped onto the underside of the crossbar.
Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi admitted his side struggled with the pressure of the occasion.
“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.”
After enduring a 15-match winless league run earlier in the campaign, Spurs had revived their survival hopes with consecutive away victories under De Zerbi.
West Ham’s defeat to Arsenal F.C. on Sunday had given Tottenham the chance to create breathing room before a difficult trip to rivals Chelsea F.C. on May 19.
The home side began nervously, with Tel nearly gifting Leeds an early chance before defender Kevin Danso cleared the danger and Kinsky produced a sharp save to deny former Spurs defender Joe Rodon.
Tottenham also survived a first-half scare when Destiny Udogie brought down Calvert-Lewin in the box, only for a VAR review to rule the Leeds striker narrowly offside in the build-up.
Spurs will now likely need a positive result against Chelsea or victory over Everton F.C. on the final day to guarantee survival.
