Palhinha at 90+4 saves Spurs—but the missed opportunity lingers

Tottenham were staring at a damaging home defeat until Joao Palhinha hammered in a stoppage-time equaliser for 1-1 against Wolves. Collecting Pape Sarr’s lay-off, the midfielder drilled past Sam Johnstone in the fourth minute of added time, a crescendo that salvaged a point after an unconvincing second half.

A win would have lifted Spurs into second, and their home form remains a concern—just three wins in their last 17 league games since November 2024—so the relief came mixed with regret. The late swing also spared Thomas Frank from a second home loss of the campaign, even as his side wrestled with familiar issues in chance creation and set-piece defending.

On top early, but a blunt edge

Frank was right to say Spurs were “clearly on top” before the break. Destiny Udogie’s overlaps stretched Wolves and the hosts pushed the game into the visitors’ half. Yet Johnstone, preferred to José Sá, was immense: he twice denied Mohammed Kudus and, most notably, fingertipped the forward’s close-range header on to the bar.

Too often, Tottenham’s attacks became predictable, with crosses comfortably cleared. Lucas Bergvall, afforded a clear sight of goal, failed to force a save. Wolves reminded Spurs of the danger at the other end when Matt Doherty, already booked, thumped the bar from a corner in first-half stoppage time.

Set-piece shock and a wobble

Just nine minutes after the restart, Spurs were undone at a corner. Guglielmo Vicario parried Ladislav Krejci’s effort, the ball deflected off Palhinha and fell for Santiago Bueno to bundle in from close range. It was a poor concession that emboldened Wolves.

Frank acknowledged that after the goal Spurs “lost control”. Pereira’s half-time tweak—reverting to a back three/five and unleashing the pace of Jackson Tchatchoua—choked off the flanks, notably blunting Kudus and limiting Udogie’s surge lanes. Xavi Simons was withdrawn, sloppiness crept in, and Vicario had to repel Hugo Bueno as the visitors chased a second.

Sarr’s calm, Palhinha’s hit—and a rueful dressing room

The breakthrough Spurs craved arrived on 90+4. Sarr stayed composed on the edge and squared for Palhinha, who, on loan from Bayern Munich, ripped a low drive into the far corner to finally beat the outstanding Johnstone. It was his third goal since arriving, and it electrified the stadium.

Even so, the goalscorer’s verdict was frank: “It’s a draw that feels like a loss... these are the games we need to win, especially at home.” Frank called the result a “fair reflection,” adding, “we needed something special and we got that.” The points were shared; the standards Spurs are aiming for were not.

What Frank must sharpen

This was a reminder that sterile dominance brings no guarantees. Tottenham’s supply line became predictable, with too many routine crosses, while defensive organisation at set plays again proved costly as they failed to clear a Jhon Arias corner before conceding.

With a Champions League trip to Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday before visiting Leeds, the equaliser preserves momentum and spares a second home defeat. But the opportunity to go second slipped by; turning strong first halves into ruthless wins is the next step.