Tottenham 3-3 West Ham: Spurs concede three late goals in Bale’s second debut

Tottenham Hotspur came out like a house on fire at home against West Ham on Sunday, scoring three times in the opening 15 minutes. Harry Kane scored a brace and assisted Son Heung-Min for another one, and it sure looked like Spurs were on their way to a dominant win against their London rivals.

But that’s why you play the games to the final whistle. Spurs subbed on Gareth Bale for his second Tottenham debut in the second half, but Spurs fell apart late, conceding three goals after the 82nd minute, a stretch that included an own goal by Davinson Sanchez and capped by a 94th minute screamer by Manuel Lanzini. The final score was a supremely disappointing 3-3 draw.

Bale’s return was supposed to be the story, but he started the match on the bench. Eric Dier and Giovani Lo Celso were both injured, so Toby Alderweireld started in central defense alongside Sanchez. Steven Bergwijn and Moussa Sissoko both came into the side, with Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min again starting up top. Serge Aurier was preferred at right back to Matt Doherty, with Sergio Reguilon on the opposite flank.

Key Moments

First Half

1’ — GOOOOOOALLL SON HEUNG-MIN!! Harry Kane with ANOTHER assist, a long-ball from midfield to find Son who slots it into the far corner! What a start! 1-0 Spurs!

5’ — Free kick from West Ham’s Cresswell is close to an equalizer. It goes just wide, but Hugo also had it well covered.

8’ — GOOOOOALLLL HARRY KANE! What a vintage goal from Harry! He gets the ball at the top of the box, takes a dribble, nutmegs two West Ham players, and fires it low into the near corner. BOOM. 2-0!

16’ — GOOOOALLLLL HARRY KANE AGAIN! Sonny feeds Reguilon on the left side who lofts a cross to the back post. Harry jumps and heads it into the net for his second, Spurs 3rd! AND WE HAVEN’T EVEN SEEN GARETH BALE!

20’ — Yellow card on Michail Antonio after he takes down Sonny. Nobody hurts my beloved Son!

35’ — Nearly four! Sonny goes low for a diving shot that’s smothered by Fabianski. Very close. Good cross from Aurier.

41’ — This is just an absolute bollocking in this first half. Spurs’ players are out there just trying stuff and seeing if it works. Sometimes it doesn’t, but man is it fun to watch.

HALF-TIME: What a half! Two goals and an assist for Kane in the first half and Spurs lead West Ham 3-0 at the interval. And Bale’s still on the bench!

Second Half

No changes for Spurs at the half. Why would there be?

50’ — Very different half from the first half. West Ham has had the majority of the ball and has created a number of chances and half-chances in and around Spurs’ box. Spurs seem content to let them keep the ball, which... weird.

61’ — Kane on the dribble, splits the defense, has options with Son and Bergwijn either side of him, but opts to shoot instead. It’s blocked out for a corner.

71’ — Yellow card for Ogbonna as he fouls Bergwijn from behind.

71’’ — Sub for Spurs... and here he comes! Gareth Bale is coming on for Tottenham! He replaces Bergwijn! (Also Harry Winks is on too I guess, for Tanguy Ndombele)

71’ — Gareth Bale lines up a free kick with his first touch... and it’s easily collected by Fabianski. But bah gawd could you imagine if that went in?

77’ — Yellow card for West Ham’s Soucek for tripping Harry Kane on the sideline.

79’ — Kane off the post and out! Nearly a fourth for Spurs.

80’ — Final sub for Spurs, Sonny is off and Lucas Moura is on.

82’ — Goal to West Ham. Fabian Balbuena heads home a free kick from Aaron Cresswell. 3-1.

85’ — Oh no!! Goal to West Ham, and it’s an own goal, turned in by Davinson Sanchez. 3-2.

90’ — Yellow card for Masuaku for fouling Lucas. Final sub for West Ham as Robert Snodgrass then replaces Masuaku. Squeaky bum time!

91’ — Oh my WORD HOW? Gareth Bale found himself all alone at the spot after dribbling past a defender and somehow managed to fire it wide. Unbelievable.

94’ — NOOOOOO Goal West Ham Lanzini with a 30-yard stunner in the top corner.

FULL TIME. I can’t believe it.

Reactions

• I have no words for what happened in the last eight minutes of the match. I... just... HOW?
• OK, I do have words. Spurs should’ve buried them in the second half but for whatever reason let a (actually pretty good) West Ham team keep the ball for much of the second half. If they play the way they started the first half, this game is out of sight. Instead they concede three late goals.
• Spurs had two great chances to score in the second half, but Kane fired off the post and Bale inexplicably missed from the center of the box with the goal gaping.
• Davinson Sanchez had a horrific match. Got turned around a ton, gave up an own goal. Just a real shocker.
• I don’t want to pile on, but is it a coincidence that Spurs played some of their worst football when the midfield was Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko?
• I’m super mad that I’m writing reactions about how Dr. Tottenham Spursed it up to drop two points instead of talking about how well they played in the first half en route to moving to 2nd in the table.
• Good stuff: Kane was amazing. Sonny was amazing. Ndombele was amazing. How did we draw this match?
• Everyone please go take a long, socially distant walk outside, weather permitting. You’ll feel better. Don’t kick any dogs and don’t yell at strangers.