Kane header cancelled out as Cottagers claim a point - report and debrief

A fine Harry Kane goal was cancelled out in the second half by Ivan Cavaleiro as we shared the points with Fulham on Wednesday evening.

It was a familiar tale of dropped points from a leading position this season as we looked bright in the first period and spurned a number of opportunities, only to concede with 16 minutes remaining and have to settle for a draw.

It was an entertaining first half with chances for both sides and we opened the scoring in the 25th minute with a goal wonderfully simplistic in its creation, yet delivered with superb technique all round. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg picked up possession 10 yards inside our half and pinged a perfect pass out to the left to Sergio Reguilon, who controlled with one touch and sent over a sublime cross with his second which Kane powered past Alphonse Areola with a diving header.

Further chances came and went, the best falling for us in the 71st minute after a spell of Fulham pressure when Tanguy Ndombele found Heung-Min Son bearing down on the visitors’ goal, he beat Areola but saw his effort bounce back off the post.

It proved to be another costly miss as Fulham levelled three minutes later when substitute Ademola Lookman got to the byline down the Fulham left and, despite being under pressure from Davinson Sanchez, he dug out a cross which Cavaleiro met with a downward header past Hugo Lloris. Both sides pushed for a late winner as the game swung from end-to-end but ultimately it ended 1-1.

Game of two halves

We were quickly into our stride and almost went in front on six minutes when Reguilon connected with Aurier’s cross, the ball bouncing back off Joachim Andersen straight to the Spaniard but he fired over the bar from 12 yards. Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa’s powerful drive was then palmed away by Lloris and at the other end, Son poked goalwards from Aurier’s cross but Areola made a great stop from close range, and then denied him again shortly after with a stunning tip over to keep out the South Korean international’s header.

After Kane’s excellent goal, he almost made it 2-0 but headed over from close range and Fulham went close in the 35th minute when Ruben Loftus-Cheek connected acrobatically with Kenny Tete’s cross but it flew just wide.

The chances kept coming, Kane’s square pass on 39 minutes finding Hojbjerg bursting from midfield but his weak shot from the edge of the area was easy for Areola.

We kept up that momentum after the break and just 30 seconds into the second half, Moussa Sissoko broke away down the right and into the area but was tackled by Tosin Adarabioyo just as he was about to pull the trigger. Harry Winks then saw a 25-yard curler pushed away by Areola.

But Fulham, managed by our former player Scott Parker, must have felt they were still in the game at 1-0 and having seen us spurn all those chances and they grew into the contest, sensing their opportunity. They had a good spell of possession mid-way through the second period but ironically, our best chance followed when Son struck the post. Seizing their chance, Fulham then made us pay in the most severe way with Cavaleiro’s goal and almost went ahead in the 78th minute when Lookman ran at our defence and threaded the ball through to Loftus-Cheek, his effort smothered by the onrushing Lloris. A late rally nearly brought about a winner when Son’s cross was converted by Reguilon but the goal was correctly ruled out as Son was off-side in the build-up… and that was that.

Fixture rescheduled

We should have been playing away at Aston Villa on Wednesday evening, but circumstances brought about by COVID-19 meant a home game with Fulham was scheduled in instead. This game with the Cottagers was due to be played on 30 December but was postponed as Fulham’s squad was affected by the virus. And when Villa were also struck by the same problem last week, our game against them had to be called off – with the Premier League slotting in our home match against Fulham in its place.

Kane’s goal was his 36th in London derbies in the Premier League, with only Thierry Henry netting more (43). Jose Mourinho made 10 changes to the team from the weekend's FA Cup win at non-league Marine, with only Sissoko retaining his place in the starting XI. Our former midfielder Josh Onomah – a product of our Academy – returned to the Cottagers' Premier League squad after injury and came off the bench in stoppage time.

Reaction on Spurs TV

'We couldn't kill the game'

Jose told Spurs TV afterwards: "We had the chances, like we normally have, chances to kill the game in the first half, a big chance to kill the game in the second half and then a mistake and we were punished by that mistake, a goal that is completely avoidable.

"I have to admit in the second half they played more, they were losing and they tried, but even so, Hugo didn’t make a save and we couldn’t kill the game."

Match data

Goals: Spurs – Kane 25; Fulham – Cavaleiro 74.

Yellow cards: Spurs – Hojbjerg; Fulham – Anguissa, Andersen.

Referee: Paul Tierney.

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Weather: Thick cloud, mist, light winds, six degrees.