
Premier League Round: Tottenham squander two-goal lead; Leeds get a decisive win
SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) — Tottenham lost a two-goal lead to third in the Premier League on Saturday as James Ward-Prowse’s stoppage-time penalty drew last-place Southampton 3-3. .
Tottenham led 3-1 after Pedro Porro and Ivan Perisic scored their first goals for the club and Harry Kane scored his 23rd.
Southampton had picked up just two points in their previous five league games but the hosts showed the same fight as they recently bounced back with points from Chelsea and Manchester United to boost their survival hopes.
Ward-Prowse’s late penalty after Pape Sarr fouled Ainsley Maitland-Niles in the area added to second-half tries from Chey Adams and Theo Walcott to earn the Saints a point.
Both teams had to make early substitutions as Tottenham forward Richarlison limped off after five minutes with an injury and Southampton’s Armel Bela-Kochap left in the eighth due to an injury to his right hand.
Jan Bednarek then had to come on in the 34th for Southampton, with Tottenham’s Ben Davies becoming the fourth substitute shortly after.
That forced Maitland-Niles into the unusual role of centre-back, and Tottenham quickly broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage-time.
Son Heung-min spotted Poro in space on the right and fed the ball into the path of the January recruit, who took a touch and fired an effort over the crossbar.
It took Adams just 43 seconds to equalize for Southampton after the half-time break. Romeo Lavia delivered a perfectly weighted ball to Walcott, who slotted past Adams for his 10th goal of the season in all competitions.
Tottenham regained the lead when substitute Dejan Kulasevski floated a ball to the back post. There Kane landed a head kick. When Perisic opened his account for Spurs in the 74th minute with a half-volley beyond Gavin Basunu, it appeared the score was wrapped up for the visitors.
But Walcott reduced the deficit three minutes later through Sekau Mara’s dismissal to set up a dramatic finale.
Former Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster was soon thwarted from close range but the hosts were not to be denied.
Sarr latched on to Maitland-Niles following a corner in the area and Ward-Prowse, who saved his last-ditch effort against Leicester, made no mistake this time and fired into the corner to secure what could have been a decisive point.
Southampton remain in last place but are just two points from safety – and four points below Crystal Palace in 12th.
Leeds 4, Wolverhampton 2
At Wolverhampton, Rasmus Christensen scored seconds after coming on and Leeds withstood a late comeback to beat Wolverhampton 4-2 and move out of the Premier League relegation zone on Saturday.
Christensen’s goal in the 62nd minute extended Leeds’ lead to 3-0 before Wolves got back into the game at Molineux after strikes from Jack Harrison and Luke Ayling.
Christensen had only played for about 30 seconds. Wolves met Harrison’s cross and fired the ball through Jose Sa’s legs.
Jonny’s volley from more than 35 yards – after a header from goalkeeper Ilan Meslier – made it 3-1 in the 65th, before Mathias Cunha scored eight minutes later.
But Wolves lost momentum in the 84th when Jonny was red-carded for a careless challenge on Ealing.
Rodrigo added the visitors’ fourth goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time.
Meslier made several key stops, including his right hand from a charging Raul Jimenez in the 70th.
Harrison’s one-timer in the sixth minute was set up by 19-year-old Wilfred Gnonto, who beat a defender and fired a low shot into the center of the area. Ayling made it 2-0 when he headed in a corner early in the second half.
Aston Villa 3, Bournemouth 0
In Birmingham, Aston Villa enjoyed a third win in four Premier League games as goals from Douglas Luiz, Jacob Ramsey and Emiliano Buendia beat Bournemouth 3-0 at home on Saturday.
Both sets of fans had reason to cheer when Bournemouth midfielder David Brooks came on in the 79th minute for his first appearance since being diagnosed with cancer in October 2021, a moment that drew applause across Villa Park.
Luiz put Villa ahead in the seventh minute before Ramsey and Buendia added more goals in the final 10 minutes.
Bournemouth came close to equalizing on the hour mark when Philip Billings’ free-kick was brilliantly saved by Emiliano Martinez.
Midtable Villa extended their unbeaten run with wins over Everton and Crystal Palace and a draw at West Ham.
After failing to further boost its survival bid after last weekend’s surprise 1-0 win over Liverpool, Bournemouth finished in 19th, a relegation in defence.
Leicester 1, Brentford 1
In London, Leicester halted a five-game losing streak in all competitions as Harvey Barnes’ second-half equalizer drew 1-1 at Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday.
Leicester’s poor run has dragged them into an uphill battle against relegation, with the draw keeping them above the drop zone.
Mathias Jensen put the hosts ahead in the 32nd minute, but Barnes outran the Brentford defence, ran onto the ball through James Maddison and calmly lifted his finish over goalkeeper David Raya.
It denied Brentford manager Thomas Frank a 100th win in charge, but the team at least extended their unbeaten run at home to 10 games.
Under-pressure Foxes manager Brendan Rodgers made a brave call by dropping goalkeeper Danny Ward in favor of Daniel Iverson, but he was still waiting for his first clean sheet since the World Cup break.
Eighth-placed Brentford finished with 10 men after substitute Shandon Baptiste stopped play for a wild lunge at Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.