Tottenham 1 Fulham 1: Kane nets another London derby goal but Cavaleiro’s bullet header earns well-deserved draw
TOTTENHAM missed the chance to jump up to third in the Premier League after being held at home to Fulham.
Jose Mourinho’s men had appeared to be in cruise control after Harry Kane’s diving header gave them a first-half lead.
Alphonso Areola was kept busy in the Fulham goal throughout as Spurs pressed forward for a second.
But the Cottagers stunned the hosts and snatched a crucial point as Cavaleiro rose highest to nod home Ademola Lookman’s pinpoint cross.
Tottenham started the hastily-rearranged game – described as ‘scandalous’ by Scott Parker – well, and deservedly took the lead as their constant pressure took its toll on Fulham.
Kane eventually broke the deadlock after 25 minutes as he timed a diving header perfectly to convert Sergio Reguilon’s teasing cross.
Spurs pressed on to find a game-clinching second, with Son Heung-min even hitting the post after the break.
But Fulham also looked as though they had a goal in them, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Kenny Tete both going close.
And eventually 18th-placed Fulham snatched a goal as Cavaleiro leapt the highest to head home Lookman’s tantalising cross with just 15 minutes to go.
And Spurs were dealt a sucker punch in stoppage time when they had what would have been a last-gasp winner ruled out.
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Reguilon had turned home a Son cross, only for the assistant referee to raise his flag for offside on the South Korean.
After the game, Mourinho bemoaned his side’s inability to kill off the game and Areola’s impressive game between the sticks.
He told BBC Sport: “In the first half Areola made some impossible saves, couple of others in a second, too.
“We have to kill a game and we didn’t – but you have to keep a clean sheet, not make mistakes, so it was a very avoidable goal.
“The markers are there, there wasn’t even an advantage in terms of numbers.
“They were intelligent enough to understand the way they play, they change, they become more defensive and they are getting results.”
Mourinho continued: “I thought they were a bit lucky but they were good.
“We have bad results and we should – and we could have – avoided these results.”
The draw leaves Tottenham in sixth place, six points adrift of league-leading Manchester United having themselves recently topped the standings only for a shock dip in form to send them shooting down the table.
Fulham stay 18th and two points off Brighton – who earlier lost 1-0 to Manchester City thanks to a Phil Foden strike.
The Cottagers do have two games in hand on the Seagulls, though, in their bid for survival.
Tottenham next face Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Sunday.
Fulham – now unbeaten in their last six – host West London rivals Chelsea earlier in this weekend’s action, on Saturday.