Sports

Bergwijn's stoppage-time double snatches stunning Spurs win at Leicester

By Reuters

Tottenham Hotspur's Steven Bergwijn scores their third goal during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur, at King Power Stadium, in Leicester, Britain, on January 19, 2022. Photo: Action Images via Reuters

LEICESTER, JANUARY 19

Steven Bergwijn scored twice in stoppage time as Tottenham Hotspur stunned Leicester City and pulled off a remarkable 3-2 victory in the Premier League on Wednesday.

A 76th-minute goal from James Maddison looked to have secured the three points for Brendan Rodgers' Leicester at the King Power Stadium until a dramatic finale with the Dutch substitute turning the game around.

Bergwijn bagged an equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time after Hojberg floated a ball to Matt Doherty in the box and the Dutchman pounced to fire home the loose ball.

He then astonishingly grabbed the winner after Youri Tielemans gave the ball away and Harry Kane played a superb through ball to the Dutchman who rounded Kasper Schmeichel and superbly slipped the ball inside the far post.

The dramatic win moved Spurs above their North London rivals Arsenal into fifth place on 36 points -- a point behind fourth-placed West Ham United.

'We showed great desire not to lose this game. This is a compliment for my players and team, not for me,' said Spurs manager Antonio Conte, who has yet to lose in the Premier League since taking over, nine games ago, in early November.

His counterpart Brendan Rodgers criticised Tielemans as being 'naive' for his mistake, which led to the last-gasp winner and was crestfallen by the manner of the defeat.

'That was a great opportunity tonight, but you have to see that through. I don't think Tottenham won the game, we presented them the three points. It's bitterly disappointing,' he said.

While Bergwijn was the hero, Kane, who netted Spurs' first goal, also looked close to his best both as a finisher and a creator and the England forward threatened from the outset.

Kane went close twice in the early stages, including a header against the bar in the 19th minute, as Spurs aggressively sought an opener.

But it was Leicester's Zambian forward Patson Daka, standing in for the injured Jamie Vardy, who put them ahead, against the run of play, in the 24th minute with a sliding left-footed finish at the back post after Sergio Reguilon had failed to clear.

Leicester defender Marc Albrighton then did superbly to sprint back and clear a Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg shot off the line as Spurs continued to attack.

The visitors got their eventual reward when they drew level in the 38th minute with a clinical finish from Kane, who beat the offside trap, skipped inside Caglar Soyuncu and drilled a low shot in off the far post.

Kane then wasted a glorious chance, firing high over the bar after being put through on goal by Lucas Moura.

It was a tighter affair after the break but Leicester got in front in the 76th minute when substitute Harvey Barnes found Maddison whose low shot struck the outstretched leg of Japhet Tanganga and flew in via the post.

That looked to be enough until substitute Bergwijn levelled before sparking wild celebrations with the winner in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

'What a rollercoaster of emotions that was,' said Kane.

'Overall we deserved the victory. We were the better side. Disappointed to go 2-1 down but we were creating the chances. We never gave up and Stevey came on and made the difference. To get two goals like that - these are games you will never forget in a career.'