Calvert-Lewin penalty earns Leeds draw at Tottenham
The image of Roberto De Zerbi covering his face with a black hood as he paced the touchline symbolized another night of self-inflicted setbacks for Tottenham Hotspur.
New head coach De Zerbi appeared anguished after Richarlison missed a straightforward opportunity to extend Spurs' lead by firing over the bar while they were ahead thanks to Mathys Tel's spectacular strike.
Although a 2-0 lead would not have guaranteed victory—given Spurs' recent struggles—it might have eased the tension at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Italian coach is quickly learning that no comfort zone exists at Spurs, especially when the chance arises to create a gap between themselves and West Ham United in the Premier League relegation fight.
That proved true as Tel, who had scored the opening goal, turned from hero to culprit with a reckless challenge after 74 minutes, conceding a penalty that allowed Leeds to equalise and deny Spurs two vital points.
Roberto De Zerbi has secured eight points in five games as Tottenham head coach.
Tottenham were held to a draw by Leeds as the relegation battle took another dramatic turn.
Tel had already displayed inconsistency in the first half when, under pressure in his own penalty area, he attempted to alleviate the situation by delivering a precise cross to an advancing Leeds forward. However, Kevin Danso's desperate clearance prevented an embarrassing moment for Spurs.
His most serious error came with a bicycle kick inside his own box that struck Ethan Ampadu's head, leaving the Leeds captain on the ground.
The Video Assistant Referee confirmed the penalty decision, much to the frustration of De Zerbi, who looked skyward as Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted the spot-kick.
After a relatively subdued start to his tenure, which included important away victories at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa, this match saw De Zerbi's intense temperament surface.
He expressed his displeasure by jumping on the spot at slow play during the first half and was reprimanded by referee Jarred Gillett for repeatedly leaving his technical area, eventually receiving a yellow card as tensions escalated during 13 minutes of added time.
De Zerbi's frustration at the final whistle was evident, as the opportunity to extend a four-point lead over West Ham United, who had controversially lost to Arsenal on Sunday, was lost, closing the door on a potentially easier path to Premier League survival with two games remaining.
De Zerbi reflects on pressure and performance
"We didn't play a great game - we played a good game," 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.
"Anyway I am happy because I watched my players with the right spirit, with the right mentality.
"We made too many mistakes. If we want to win we have to reduce the mistakes, but we knew before this game it will be tough until the end of the season, until the last game. It is tough for us and tough for everyone."
On Tel, he added: "He is young and is a talent. I will kiss him and hug him. He doesn't need too many words. He was sorry for the mistake. It can happen to a young player."
De Zerbi also noted: "I think we have to consider the result, but we also have to consider the performance. We played a good game, we are making points - in the last four games we made eight points.
"Congratulations to Leeds. They played a great game. They have to play the last game at West Ham and we've no doubt that they will play the same way."
Goalkeeper Kinski's crucial saves
One player who earned praise from De Zerbi was goalkeeper Antonin Kinski, who continued his recovery from the setback of being substituted after 17 minutes in the Champions League last-16 first leg against Atletico Madrid.
Kinski made two outstanding saves: one from Joe Rodon's header in the first half and another in stoppage time, when he showed remarkable reflexes to divert Sean Longstaff's shot onto the bar, preserving a valuable point for Spurs.
These saves could prove vital in Spurs' bid to remain in the Premier League.
The relegation battle now appears likely to extend to the final game of the season.
If West Ham secures a win at Newcastle United on Saturday, Spurs will find themselves in the bottom three ahead of their next match against Chelsea on 19 May. The Blues would relish the opportunity to deepen Spurs' struggles before their final home game against Everton.
Should the fight go to the last match, Spurs will need to overcome a concerning trend, as their last home Premier League victory was against Brentford in December, with draws against Brighton and Leeds under De Zerbi since then.
In a bid to find a winner, De Zerbi introduced James Maddison for his first appearance since a serious pre-season knee injury. Maddison showed energy and believed he had won a penalty after going down under a challenge from Lukas Nmecha, but the Leeds player had touched the ball first.
De Zerbi's body language clearly conveyed his frustration, sentiments shared by Spurs supporters as the club faces a challenging final stretch in their fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League after a turbulent and chaotic season.
