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Brazen West Brom Claims Crucial Point as Tottenham Stutters

West Bromwich Albion held Tottenham Hotspur to a 1-1 Premier League draw at Wembley Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
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West Bromwich Albion held Tottenham Hotspur to a 1-1 Premier League draw at Wembley Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Salomón Rondón's carefully caressed effort gave the visitors a shock lead within five minutes, stunning the hosts with their incisive breakaway. Spurs kept the pressure up, and finally got their breakthrough in the second half as Harry Kane guided home the equaliser.

West Bromwich Albion stunned Spurs in the fourth minute, opening the scoring to the delight of the travelling support. Jake Livermore dispossessed Dele Alli on the half-way line before feeding a through ball to Rondón. The Venezuelan international then burst passed Davinson Sánchez and saw his delicately placed shot creep passed a flat-floored Hugo Lloris.

The visitors prepared for an onslaught, packing their midfield and defensive lines to thwart Mauricio Pochettino's side's short passing game. Spurs kept the possession, but failed make inroads into the Baggies' stubborn defence. Harry Kane saw a firmly struck shot edge just wide of the post in the 27th minute, as his side were restricted to long-distance pot-shots at goal.

Son Heung-min came close to scoring an equaliser in the 32nd minute, cutting inside and firing a dipping 25-yard effort at Ben Foster, who tipped the ball wide of the post. The home side began to grow in confidence, and their frustrated fans began to provide them increased vocal support.

In the 41st minute Eric Dier came agonising close to helping his side draw level. Kieran Trippier whipped a devilish corner into the penalty area, and Dier rose like a salmon in the air but his header was comfortably caught by Foster. In the 45th minute Son burst down the wing, firing a scross across the goalmouth which a stretching Kane couldn't quite reach.

Spurs game bursting out the traps in the second half, as they looked to overturn the visitors narrow lead. However, it was the Baggies who had the best first chance of the second half in the 56th minute, as Matt Phillips drove inside and saw his curling low shot creep wide of the Lloris' far post.

Alli came agonisingly close to pulling it level in the 69th minute, but couldn't quite get on the end of Kieran Trippier's deflected shot. Spurs finally equalised in the 75th minute, as Kane latched onto Dele Alli's smart pass to clinically stab the ball through Foster's legs from inside the six yard box.

Spurs went for the jugular, pouring forward with rapid attacking play. West Brom were on the ropes, desperately scrambling to hold back the tidal wave of the home side's attacking play. Kane came close to bagging the winner in the 83rd minute, and saw his close-range header somehow go over the bar from five yards out.

The pressure was relentless, as Spurs marauded forwards time and time again. The Baggies held strong, and claimed a well-deserved and precious point. Pochettino will have been hugely frustrated with his side's inability to break down the West From defence, while Baggies manager Gary Megson must be applauded for his side's steely discipline when under pressure.