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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Jonathan Veal

Steven Bergwijn scores twice in injury time as Tottenham turnaround stuns Leicester

Action Images via Reuters

Steven Bergwijn scored two stoppage-time goals as Tottenham pulled off a dramatic 3-2 win over Leicester at the King Power Stadium.

Spurs were heading for defeat as they trailed 2-1 after 90 minutes, with Patson Daka and James Maddison putting the Foxes on course for the three points in their first Premier League match of 2022.

But the Dutch substitute had other ideas as he netted twice in 79 seconds deep into time added on to claim the victory which moved Spurs up to fifth in the table and firmly in the top-four race.

It was probably what they deserved as they dominated most of the game, but only had Harry Kane’s first-half effort to show for it, with the striker bagging his 18th goal in 17 games against the Foxes.

The manner of the loss was cruel on the hosts as they were seconds from winning their first league outing since downing Liverpool 1-0 on December 28 due to a number of postponements, but Spurs will not care.

The result was a big tonic for their top-four chances as they moved a point behind West Ham with three games in hand, leaving Antonio Conte unbeaten in nine league fixtures.

Given Leicester’s inactivity there was little surprise that Spurs began on top and they fashioned enough chances in the opening 20 minutes to be comfortably in front.

Kane showed his intent for the evening, seeing an effort cleared off the line by Luke Thomas after slaloming past Caglar Soyuncu in the penalty area.

The England captain, with Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate in the stands watching, then hit the crossbar with a header from Harry Winks’ corner, while Lucas Moura tested Kasper Schmeichel from the edge of the area and Davinson Sanchez headed a fine chance wide at the far post.

Those misses proved costly as Leicester went ahead with their first chance in the 24th minute.

They broke down the left and Sergio Reguilon’s attempted tackle fell straight into the path of Daka, who slotted home from close range.

To their credit, Spurs responded well and only another brilliant goalline clearance from Marc Albrighton denied Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, with the Leicester midfielder rescuing Schmeichel, who had spilled the ball on the edge of the area.

The Foxes were only going to keep Kane off the scoresheet for so long, though, and the deserved equaliser came in the 38th minute.

Oliver Skipp won the ball back high up the pitch, Winks set Kane free and the rest was a formality as he cut inside and fired into the far corner in style.

He should have been celebrating again two minutes later as Moura sent him clear but he uncharacteristically skied the ball when seemingly primed to score.

Spurs continued to dominate after the break, but could not create the same quality of chances with substitute Matt Doherty placing a shot wide from the edge of the area.

Kane twice blasted over and Japhet Tanganga forced Schmeichel into a flying save from distance and it soon looked like they would be leaving empty handed as Leicester went ahead in the 76th minute.

Maddison and Harvey Barnes, who had just entered the pitch, combined neatly and the latter forced home, via a deflection off Tanganga.

Spurs’ search for a point looked like being fruitless until the fifth minute of time added on as Bergwijn rammed home from close range after Leicester failed to clear Hojbjerg’s ball in.

Just over a minute later Bergwijn was at it again as he was sent through by Kane, rounding Schmeichel and finding the far corner to spark mass scenes of a celebration.

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