Foyth shrugs off slow debut

TOTTENHAM Hotspur defender Juan Foyth had an uncomfortable debut in the Premier League last weekend but his second game in England’s top flight went a whole lot better.

The 20-year-old Argentine centre-back scored a secondhalf goal to earn Spurs a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace that moved them level on points with second-place Chelsea and Liverpool in the standings.

A week ago, Foyth made his first appearance in the EPL and gave away two penalties in a 3-2 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

“What a difference a week makes,” read a tweet from Tottenham after the match. An injury crisis has robbed Tottenham of nine of its 12 World Cup players, with Colombia centre-back Davinson Sanchez, who injured his hamstring in the Champions League midweek, and England right-back Kieran Trippier, who hobbled off injured midway through the first half at Palace.

“This type of game is crucial in the battle for the top four,” Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said.

“This is one of the toughest stadiums to play in. The three points are massive.”

On a rather lacklustre day in the Premier League when only 11 goals were scored in six matches, there were crucial and confidence-boosting second wins of the season for struggling teams Newcastle United and Cardiff City.

Newcastle climbed out of the relegation zone with a 2-1 home defeat of Bournemouth.

On-loan Venezuela striker Salomon Rondon scored twice as the Magpies made it two wins in a row.

Cardiff overcame Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 with the winning goal in the 90th minute from Sol Bamba after an extraordinary goalmouth scramble in which the ball struck the goal frame twice before the defender scored past Australian No.1 Mat Ryan.

Brighton played from the 34th minute with 10 men after Dale Stephens’ red card. Felipe Anderson’s goal earned West Ham a 1-1 draw at Aaron Mooy’s Huddersfield while Jose Holebas equalised with a deflected strike nine minutes from time to earn Watford a 1-1 result at Southampton.