Tottenham Hotspur vs West Bromwich Albion. Premier League.
Wembley StadiumAttendance65,905.
Saturday 25 November 2017 20:00, UK
Managerless West Brom frustrated Tottenham as they earned a 1-1 draw at Wembley in the Premier League on Saturday.
Salomon Rondon gave West Brom a shock early lead (4), finding the bottom left corner from 10 yards after a swift break.
Spurs got their equaliser in the second half through Harry Kane (74), arriving at the near post to poke home for his ninth goal in nine Premier League games.
The hosts could not find a winner, and the result means they stay in fourth after their third draw in six Premier League games at Wembley, while West Brom stay 17th, a point above the drop zone.
Spurs were slow off the mark as West Brom took an early lead through Rondon in soft fashion. Dele Alli was shoved off the ball by Jake Livermore on halfway, before Rondon shrugged away pressure from Davinson Sanchez to trickle the ball past Hugo Lloris into the bottom left corner.
Half chances fell to Kane and Heung-Min Son late on in the first half, but West Brom stood firm to go in at half-time ahead as Spurs' midweek Champions League trip to Dortmund seemed to be taking its toll.
Matt Phillips struck just wide after break, but the visitors' defence was finally breached with 16 minutes remaining as Kane snuck it at the near post to prod the ball through Ben Foster's legs from Alli's right-wing cross.
Tottenham had most of the ball but failed to create a clear-cut chance after the equaliser, and instead the best opportunity fell to Gary Megson's side.
After the goal, West Brom parked the bus, had a flat back five, and Spurs really struggled. It was only when they started to get the ball out wide and get crosses in that they caused any problems, and that is how the goal came about.
To try and claw back 11 points, to overtake a side of Manchester City's standard is a big ask. I would say they are playing for a top-four place, and should really focus on the Champions League.
Mauricio Pochettino: "Of course we are disappointed. In the way we concede the first goal, and then they had the belief. For us it was difficult, it was a massive impact for us, and difficult to come back to the game.
"In the second half I think we created enough chances to score and win the game, but were unlucky because we didn't have enough time to score the second goal."
Gary Megson: "It's a strange thing to say but it's something for the club to build on, even from this stage.
"I've spoken to Tony [Pulis] a lot of times. I spoke to him today at 2.20pm just to see what he was doing, but in terms of input, if that was the case, Tony could have just stayed and kept the job and carried on!"
This was only Rondon's second goal of the Premier League campaign, but the Venezuelan showed he can be Albion's key man away from home against top-six opposition.
His goal looked messy, but look closer and you'll see everything you want from a striker; strength to shove Davinson Sanchez off the ball, awareness of Hugo Lloris' position, and a slow, trickling, inch-perfect finish into the bottom-left corner.
But the goal aside, Rondon held the ball up well, won fouls as Spurs piled pressure on the visitors, and bullied Sanchez, the defender Mauricio Pochettino said could be one of the world's best defenders in years to come.
Spurs now go to Leicester on Tuesday night before another away trip to Watford on Saturday. West Brom host Newcastle on Tuesday, before a home game with fellow strugglers Crystal Palace on Saturday at The Hawthorns.
