Spurs’ spirit and late pressure salvage a point after early shock at Brighton

Tottenham battled back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at the Amex, Richarlison igniting the revival before Jan Paul van Hecke diverted a Mohammed Kudus cross into his own net eight minutes from time. Brighton had raced ahead by the 31st minute through Yankuba Minteh and Yasin Ayari despite ceding the ball for long spells.

Thomas Frank’s side dominated the second half but the finishing touch eluded them, with Richarlison and substitute Xavi Simons among those to pass up promising openings. The late leveller ensured a deserved share of the points and maintained the team’s impressive start under their new head coach.

An uncharacteristic wobble from a defence built on control

Spurs arrived with a formidable record under Frank—just one loss this season and only one goal conceded before the trip—yet a high line was caught by Brighton’s first clear thrust. Minteh burst through, rounded Guglielmo Vicario and rolled in the opener.

The second strike compounded the early lapse. Ayari’s powerful drive on 31 minutes beat Vicario despite the keeper getting a hand to it, leaving Tottenham with a two-goal climb.

Richarlison resets the tone before the interval

Spurs’ response was timely. Just before the break, Richarlison stopped a shot by Mohammed Kudus and then tucked away the rebound to halve the deficit and change the complexion of the match.

From there, Tottenham controlled territory and tempo. Yet the familiar frustration of chances not quite falling their way lingered: 11 attempts produced only three on target as several incisive moves stalled at the last.

Kudus the creator as pressure finally tells

The leveller came with eight minutes remaining, reward for sustained pressure. Kudus fizzed a cross into the danger area and Van Hecke, under pressure, turned into his own net.

Spurs pressed for a winner in the closing moments, reflecting the authority they had built, but Brighton clung on. Given the flow of the game, Tottenham left feeling a touch short-changed.

Encouragement and reminders for Frank’s Spurs

The comeback and control underlined the resilience fostered by Frank, even as the opening half-hour exposed rare defensive sloppiness. The trade-off remains a talking point: a tighter defence has coincided with a dip in cutting edge, embodied by the shot profile and missed chances for Richarlison and Simons.

Attention turns quickly to the Carabao Cup, with Doncaster visiting on Wednesday, 24 September (19:45 BST). It offers a platform to sharpen the finishing touch before league duties resume, with the belief intact that performances of this control will soon translate into wins.