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LONDON: José Mourinho questioned Tottenham’s mental toughness after a surprising late collapse that saw West Ham rally 3-0 in the final eight minutes to draw 3-3 on Sunday.
Manuel Lanzini’s sensational 94-minute goal in the top corner capped the comeback after a Fabián Balbuena header and Davinson Sánchez’s own goal brought David Moyes’s men back to life.
No team in the history of the Premier League is down 3-0 after the 81st minute.
“This was a game we had in our pocket and we lost two points,” said Mourinho.
“My guys weren’t strong enough to deal with it psychologically in the final seconds.”
The Spurs reached a 3-0 lead in 16 minutes when the combination of free-scorers from Harry Kane and Son Heung-min seemed to move Mourinho’s team toward a victory that would have placed them second in the table.
“We must remember this feeling forever so it never happens again,” Son said.
“It’s so sad that we lost two big points, when as a team we played so well and as a team we dominated and controlled the game, drawing the game feels like we lost.”
The first goal came within the first minute when a sumptuous long pass from Kane behind the West Ham defense caught Son and the South Korean cut in to huddle in the far corner.
The roles were reversed for Kane’s first goal as the England captain performed a dazzling nutmeg skill on his scoreboard before shooting low into the bottom corner.
Along with Gareth Bale, Sergio Reguilon moved from Real Madrid to Tottenham last month and his unbridled runs from the left-back are reminiscent of Bale’s early days at Spurs before the Welshman advanced further on the field.
The Spaniard set up Kane’s second with a precise cross for the forward to head home at the far post.
“Kane was amazing today,” West Ham boss David Moyes said. “He was so good. When you see him up close, he really is a great player. “
Only a good save by Lukasz Fabianski prevented Son from also recording a double in a Spurs first quarter.
Mourinho praised Tottenham president Daniel Levy as a “genius” for the deals he made in the transfer market to give his manager a squad capable of fighting for trophies.
Bale is the new box office addition and received his second Spurs debut as a backup in the second half.
He showed no lack of confidence in launching a free kick on his first touch, but the ball flew straight into Fabianski’s grip.
Kane came within inches of sealing his hattrick with a shot from outside the box that hit the post, but Tottenham’s defensive deficiencies made a comfortable afternoon completely unraveled.
Balbuena’s header from an Aaron Creswell free kick began the collapse before Sanchez turned a dangerous ball through the box into his own net.
Bale should have sealed all three points and a dream debut, but fired a deflected shot with only Fabianski to beat as the game entered injury time.
And that would come back to haunt Mourinho’s men when a Cresswell free kick was only cleared to the edge of the area and Lanzini unleashed an unstoppable shot that passed Hugo Lloris.
“Tonight was a very proud moment to be the manager of the team,” added Moyes, who was returning to the touchline after missing two games due to the coronavirus. “They never gave up, they kept going, it’s a great result.”
One point leaves Tottenham five points behind Everton, who leads the table, in sixth place, while West Ham is one point further behind in eighth. – AFP
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