Tottenham Hotspur finished the match with a come-from-behind 3-1 home win in the fifth round against Brentford. The game started at an intense pace, where the Bees had taken the lead early in the first minute, but they soon lost momentum, and Spurs sealed the win that would prove vital. The result sent Spurs flying into 10th place, while Brentford dropped to 12th in the Premier League table.
Follow Playing for 90 on X (Twitter).
What an exciting start to the match. The scoring started within the first 23 seconds of the match, and there it was: a perfect cross by Lewis-Potter found Mbeumo, who volleyed the ball perfectly into goal. The goalkeeper was left standing, helpless, while doing nothing to be able to stop the neat shot. Tottenham had barely stepped onto the pitch and was already trailing behind.
But instead of folding, there was resolve from Tottenham. In the eighth minute, after a Brentford defensive mistake, Kulusevski stole the ball and forced the first save from goalkeeper Flekken; on the rebound, Dominic Solanke didn't miss his first goal for Tottenham to level the score. It was a moment that turned the course of the game in Tottenham's favor as from that point on, the visitors took complete control.
First-half dominance: turnaround and game control
A goal from the equalizer, and the game was under the full control of Tottenham. Ange Postecoglou's team was commanding the rhythm of the match and took advantage of the defensive mistakes of Brentford to forge ahead. The second goal arrived in the 28th minute during a swift counterattack spearheaded by Son. The South Korean picked Brennan Johnson in a great position, and the No. 22 calmly finished to flip the score.
While Brentford was aggressive in the initial periods of the game, they gradually lost their grip. Tottenham pressed hard, intensely, with and without the ball. The third came before the first-half close, from another lethal counterattack. Son was sharp in his playmaking as usual with a perfect assist to James Maddison, who finished with ease for any chances by Flekken.
Spur would have achieved an even greater lead if it weren't for an inspired outing between the posts from Brentford's keeper, who was instrumental in crucial saves, especially from Johnson and Solanke, keeping Brentford hanging in the match until the final whistle.
Lauds for Maddison, Solanke
The second half was all about game management for Tottenham, controlling their advantage without taking any unnecessary risks. Coach Ange Postecoglou also praised the team, underlining how good the mentality of the players was. "It was fun, it was exciting, it was exactly who we wanted to be," said the coach in his post-match press conference.
Third goalscorer James Maddison was also praised for a good display. "I thought he played really well, just like the whole team. Everyone was focused on dominating the areas of the game we wanted to control," Postecoglou said. The manager spoke more about the importance of midfield to press high-essentially where Brentford tried to begin their fightback in the match.
Another who shone was Dominic Solanke, scoring his first goal for the club. Still working his way into full fitness, Solanke showed intelligence in attack, holding the ball up well at decisive moments of the match. "He was good again, led the line really well, especially in a game where we knew they'd press us aggressively," added the coach.
He couldn't conceal his joy with the reaction of his team immediately after conceding in the first minute. "The boys got right after it, didn't let it affect them. We knew Brentford would be aggressive, and we brought our own energy," he said, and Postecoglou seems to have already won the confidence of the squad with his full-of-bluster style of play.