Spurs battle again to attract thriller at Brentford

Harry Kane and Ivan Toney each scored after a tough few weeks for the pair as Brentford and Tottenham shared the factors in a dramatic 2-2 thriller to welcome again Premier League soccer after the World Cup.

Kane led the Spurs fightback from 2-Zero down in his first match since his World Cup quarter-final penalty miss for England, heading house from shut vary earlier than Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg accomplished the comeback as Antonio Conte’s facet scored twice in six minutes.

Vitaly Janelt had made Spurs pay for one more gradual begin by placing the hosts in entrance on 15 minutes, whereas Toney – taking part in in his first recreation since his FA cost for 262 alleged betting breaches – doubled the Bees’ benefit simply after half-time.

However there was VAR controversy earlier than Brentford’s second purpose as Kane was denied what seemed like a transparent spot kick for a hug by Ben Mee, who had two palms on the Spurs ahead.

A frantic closing 10 minutes noticed Kane hit the bar and Toney miss from six yards out as Premier League soccer reminded followers of its drama and worth simply 90 minutes into its return.

How Spurs produced one other gorgeous comeback

Antonio Conte was with out World Cup finalists Cristian Romero and Hugo Lloris for this Boxing Day conflict, so Japhet Tanganga and Fraser Forster got here into the group for his or her first Premier League minutes since January and Could respectively.

With Spurs coming into the sport having conceded of their final eight aggressive matches, it was no shock to see their makeshift defence battle and begin slowly.

Brentford put the strain on from the off, forcing Forster and Co into wayward passes and whereas Kane had the primary shot of the sport when his free-kick hit the wall, Brentford ultimately made their strain rely after 15 minutes.

Toney flicked on to Mbeumo down the left, and his cross was met by Mathias Jensen’s first-time volley. A deflection off Clement Lenglet meant Forster may solely palm the hassle to the onrushing, unmarked Janelt, who couldn’t miss.

Tottenham abruptly awoke with Heung-Min Son and Dejan Kulusevski testing David Raya’s palms on three separate events, however they had been simple efforts for the Brentford goalkeeper.

On the different finish, Zanka picked up a unfastened ball from a harmful Brentford throw-in however his near-post effort was effectively saved by Forster on the close to put up.

Brentford thought they’d a second purpose when Toney burst via after Bissouma gave away possession within the centre circle and rounded Forster to faucet house. However the Bees striker was rightly flagged for offside.

Tottenham got here out after half-time in a way more constructive temper however a controversial 60 seconds noticed the sport transfer away from them.

Son’s cross was heading in the direction of Kane within the Brentford penalty space and the Spurs striker went down with Mee holding onto him with each palms. Each referee David Coote and VAR waved away Spurs’ complaints, earlier than Brentford went up the opposite finish and doubled their lead.

Eric Dier needlessly conceded a nook with a wild clearance beneath strain from which Norgaard flicked on and Toney was there to faucet house on the close to put up.

It wasn’t lengthy till Spurs halved the deficit, with Lenglet offering an excellent deep cross, which Kane nodded again into the other nook previous the diving Raya to take care of his 100 per cent scoring file on Boxing Day.

And one more Tottenham comeback was full six minutes later as Hojbjerg struck house from the sting of the field to haul Conte’s facet again to parity.

What adopted was a topsy-turvy affair which noticed probabilities go begging and penalty shouts fall on deaf ears. First, Matt Doherty’s tumble within the field beneath Zanka’s problem was waved away, earlier than Mbuemo was booked for a dive while attempting to spherical Forster.

The identical Brentford ahead fired over when discovered by Rico Henry’s cross from 12 yards, whereas Kane failed to attach with a bicycle kick within the six-yard space of the opposite field.

Tottenham substitute Davinson Sanchez noticed a 30-yard volley go straight at Raya, earlier than Kane struck the bar after assembly Ivan Perisic’s cross earlier than Raya.

Toney missed a greater likelihood moments later as Mads Roerslev headed on a deep cross to the ahead standing simply six yards out. The Brentford man obtained to the ball earlier than Forster however solely poke over.

Stoppage time noticed Son take a look at Raya with a low drive, which the Brentford goalkeeper was equal to, however the closing whistle concluded a recreation that no one needed to see finish.

Evaluation: The Premier League is again with a bang

Sky Sports activities soccer journalist Sam Blitz on the Gtech Group Stadium:

The largest reminder of why the Premier League is so fashionable was not the pendulum-swinging motion, the VAR controversy or the non-public narratives that are available video games like these – however the groan from the 4 corners of the bottom at full-time when David Coote introduced issues to an finish.

No person needed this recreation to complete. This was a match the place the hefty quantity of stoppage time that we noticed on the World Cup would have been so welcome.

The 2 males at centre stage earlier than the sport stepped to the fore. Kane and Toney will need to have felt the load of their very completely different latest experiences as they lined up for kick-off. They ended it with an embrace at full-time – each gamers relieved to place the previous couple of weeks behind them.

However the magnificence that comes with the Premier League is that this was all so predictable. The match made sense, when you have a look at latest video games.

Tottenham began the sport slowly, as they at all times do – and got here again to salvage a end result, as they at all times do.

As soon as once more, Brentford made issues tough for a prime six facet at house, underlining their standing as points-getters however a facet who additionally lack consistency towards the edges round them.

Finally, the Premier League is strictly the identical because it was a month in the past when it stopped for the World Cup. If the remainder of the video games in quantity two of this thrilling marketing campaign are simply nearly as good…