Tottenham's Champions League chase was refuelled by another late, late show as they beat Luton 2-1 - but they need to solve one big problem if they are to finish in the top five.
2023/2024 Premier League
2-1
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
1' GOAL! Tottenham 0-1 Luton Town (Chong)
14' CLOSE! Werner’s shot wide out
19' CLOSE! Son hits the post
31' Yellow Card! Barkley booked
46' Yellow Card! Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu booked
50' CLOSE! Vicario denies Barkley’s effort
51' OWN GOAL! Tottenham 1-1 Luton Town (Issa Kaboré)
55' Son's shot too straight
61' What a save from Kaminski!
64' SAVE! Fine stop from world-class Vicario
70' CHANCE! Porro's shot over the bar
86' GOAL! Tottenham 2-1 Luton Town (Son)
Match Report
The clock had ticked into the 86th minute when Heung-min Son collected the ball deep in his own half and summoned the energy for another forward run.
Tottenham had hammered away at Luton for most of the second half, having gone behind early in the game and then equalised soon after half time.
Son released Timo Werner and kept on running. Werner found a change of pace and crossed the ball low from the left. Brennan Johnson poked it back and the Spurs captain arrived to find the net with the help of a deflection.
Relief washed around the stadium. Not for the first time this season, Ange Postecoglou’s team made hard work of victory against determined opponents but they refused to give up and their rewards came late in the game.
It is very much the pattern of their season, just as late goals have become a hallmark of Luton’s. Last time out, they salvaged a point against Nottingham Forest.
This time they lost one and Spurs bagged three, an important victory after a 3-0 defeat Fulham that will refuel their chase for the Champions League.
Luton had not made a trip to Tottenham for 33 years but have seldom appeared overawed on their return to the top flight and nor did they here, finding the net within three minutes, with a goal on the break.
It was created by former Spurs winger Andros Townsend, who won the ball deep in his own half and carried it the length of the pitch. Townsend eased past Yves Bissouma and found Ross Barkley up in support.
Barkley showed great composure, resisting the urge to go for goal and instead slid a pass to his left where Chong applied a precision finish, through the legs of Pedro Porro and into the bottom corner, out of reach of Guglielmo Vicario.
Luton boss Rob Edwards punched the air. His team have now scored in 18 successive league games and his game plan, tracking Tottenham’s blur of movement with man-to-man marking, showed early promise.
Luke Berry and Chong did their best to track the Spurs full-backs and they moved inside and out, and centre-half Reece Burke often tracked James Maddison deep into his own half to deny him time on the ball to dictate the tempo.
All of which is easier said than done. There is great attacking quality in Postecoglou’s team, given the freedom to attack and they created two glorious chances before the interval, and really should have equalised.
The first of them fell to Werner, picked out by Dejan Kulusevski. Werner wriggled clear of Issa Kabore but angled his effort wide of the far post, the German erratic as ever in front of goal.
Five minutes later, Son was released and skipped past Luton keeper Thomas Kaminiski only to see his shot strike the inside of one post, flash across the line, hit the other post and bounce out.
Werner fired the rebound back at goal. It was blocked by Kabore and fell to Pape Matar Sarr who took aim and beat Kaminski but Teden Mengi read the danger and was back on the line to clear.
It was a breathless sequence. Luton survived and protected their lead until half time. Spurs trailed at the break as has become a bad habit. In seven home games since the turn of the year, they have not taken a lead into the interval. Some home fans booed their team off.
Postecoglou sent on Johnson, who made a difference, as he did against Crystal Palace in the previous home game. The Wales winger forced an equaliser, making a crisp one-two with Porro and a low cross, turned into his own net by Kabore under pressure at the back post from Werner.
Kaminski made important saves as Luton resisted. First with his legs from Son after another sweeping move down the right and then to keep out a deflected cross from Porro, who then fired another good chance over.
Johnson thought he had scored when he met a cross from Werner. Kaminski blocked and the ball spun across the line. It must have been almost across when Alfie Doughty hooked it clear. Referee Jarred Gillett checked his goal line technology watch.
No goal, but the graphics showed there was only a millimetre or two to spare.
Jordan Clark came closest to restoring Luton’s lead, with a fierce low drive save at full stretch by Vicario but it was Son who settled the game, starting the finishing the move.
His shot beat Kaminiski with the help of a deflection off Daiki Hashioka.
Line-ups
Tottenham XI: Son, Werner, Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario, Bissouma, Romero, Kulusevski, Pedro Porro, Destiny Udogie, Pape Matar Sarr, Radu Drăgușin
Subs: Hojbjerg, Ben Davies, Lo Celso, Bentancur, Richarlison, Austin, Aparecido, Brennan Johnson, Micky van de Ven
Luton Town XI: Townsend, Thomas Kaminski, Luke Berry, Barkley, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Carlton Morris, Reece Burke, Chong, Alfie Doughty, Mengi, Issa Kaboré
Subs: Krul, Cauley Woodrow, James Shea, Jordan Clark, Fred Onyedinma, Daiki Hashioka, Zack Nelson, Axel Piesold, Joe Johnson