Tottenham Topple City in Thrilling 2-1 Victory at North London
Tottenham Hotspur pulled off a thrilling 2-1 win over Manchester City in an electrifying cup match, with first-half goals from Timo Werner and Pape Matar Sarr giving Ange Postecoglou’s side a memorable victory. This time, Spurs fans were all-in, fully supporting their team’s triumph over the reigning champions.
Just six months ago, a bizarre faction of Spurs supporters found satisfaction in a City victory, hoping it would foil Arsenal’s title chances. The betrayal had left Postecoglou furious, calling it his “worst experience as a manager.” But tonight, there was no question of loyalty as the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium roared in support of their team.
Despite the loss of defensive anchor Micky Van de Ven to an unfortunate hamstring injury, Spurs’ aggressive, high-energy play kept City on edge. Their relentless press saw Werner open the scoring with a brilliant first-time finish off a deft pass from Dejan Kulusevski just six minutes in. The strike marked Werner’s first goal of the season and only his third in 26 appearances, a moment that had the home fans on their feet.
But the drama wasn’t just on the pitch. Sky Sports pushed fans’ patience by scheduling the game at an unusually late 8:15 p.m. kickoff, compounded by traffic chaos when the M25 was partially closed, creating a scramble for thousands trying to make it to the stadium.
Pep Guardiola, looking to rotate his lineup, made six changes. But the risk showed early on as City’s chemistry was tested, and they struggled to keep up with Spurs’ early momentum. A creative short corner set-piece saw Sarr launch a precision strike from 25 yards, threading his shot past Stefan Ortega to make it 2-0. Ortega, one of the finest backup keepers in the league, could only watch as Sarr’s effort curved into the net with pinpoint accuracy.
City did show flashes of their title-winning form. Phil Foden volleyed over from close range, squandering a big chance to get his team back in it. Finally, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Savinho provided a moment of brilliance, setting up Matheus Nunes for a clinical finish to cut Tottenham’s lead to 2-1 right before the half.
However, City’s hopes took another hit when Savinho, who had been a constant threat down the right, was forced off with an ankle injury. Werner nearly closed the game with a stunning solo run but fired just wide after dashing half the length of the pitch, while Ortega made two quick saves to deny both Brennan Johnson and Kulusevski.
In the end, it was a night to remember for Tottenham and a showcase of the grit and resilience that Postecoglou has instilled in his squad.
