Tottenham turn it around after dire first half to give Antonio a winning home start
Tottenham (0) 2 Hojbjerg 58, Reguilon 70
Leeds United (1) 1 James 44
Spurs found their mojo after a comatose first-half display to hand Antonio Conte a win in his first home league game in charge.
The Italian probably read the riot act to his new charges at the break, such was the poverty of his team’s display up to that point.
They deservedly trailed to a Dan James goal just before the turn-around, but stormed back to win it with goals from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Sergio Reguilon – the defender’s first of the season.
The typically passionate and emotional boss did not hold back in his first Premier League outing in the home dug out at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He was arm-waving furiously throughout and living every moment, as if a lifelong fan.
It was all so different from the withdrawn, sullen and motionless demeanour of Nuno Espirito Santo, whose inability to rouse this Spurs team led to his exit.
Leeds have had a troubled start to the season but they looked full of confidence at the outset – hogging the ball and shaving a post when Stuart Dallas’ raking low effort flew just wide.
But it still needed a fine block from England midfielder Kalvin Phillips to deny Harry Kane a simple chance following a fine dash and slipped pass from Son.
The game was proving to be a slow-burner, in need of a spark and Adam Forshaw almost provided it with a fizzer from distance which had Hugo Lloris grasping thin air as it arrowed just wide of the target.
A minute before the break and that spark finally did arrive as Jack Harrison got the better of Emerson Royal and curled in a perfect ball to the far-post for former Man United winger James to tap in.
Boos greeted the half-time whistle from home fans frustrated by the impoverished nature of the home side’s attacking efforts.
They were desperate for a moment to themselves and after a half-time rollicking from Conte – in all probability – they came out looking a lot more purposeful.
Soon, Kane was working his way into a shooting position and Ilan Meslier had to react well to block at his near post.
Then Son turned smartly onto a Lucas Moura pass to sweep a low shot which bounced off defender Diego Llorente and onto the underside of the crossbar.
Tails up and the goal they had threatened arrived when Hojbjerg was on hand to clip a left foot shot past Meslier’s left hand- the result of Lucas Moura recycling a cross with a ball back from the dead-ball line.
And moments later, Reguilon was on hand to poke home the rebound after an Eric Dier free-kick from the D had rebounded off a post via the head of Pascal Struijk in the defensive wall.
Spurs got very lucky when Kane’s arm stopped a goal bound strike from Joe Gelhardt inside the area. A VAR check ruled the offence had been entirely accidental, with the England striker standing right next to the Leeds striker and having no chance of avoiding the ball hit at him.
It was all smiles after that though.
Spurs: (3-4-2-1) Lloris – Tanganga (Sanchez 68), Dier, Davies – Emerson Royal, Hojbjerg, Winks, Reguilon (Sessegnon 79) – Lucas Moura (Alli 88), Son – Kane. Subs not used: Gollini, Doherty, Gil, Rodon, Bergwijn, Ndombele
Leeds: (4-1-4-1) Meslier – Dallas, Llorente, Cooper, Struijk – Phillips – James, Forshaw (Roberts 72), Klich (Firpo 59), Harrison – Gelhardt (McKinstry 87). Subs not used: Klaesson, Firpo, Cresswell, Drameh, Greenwood, McCarron, Jenkins
Attendance: 58,989
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