Cavaleiro rises to make his point and frustrate Tottenham
A GAME that Scott Parker is s urely now deli ghted went ahead, and Jose Mourinho must be regretting.
It represented quite a turnaround given the week’s events, if not such a turnaround in the match itself. Fulham may have had to come from behind to claim this 1-1 draw against Tottenham, but they were full value for the point, and probably more.
They were j ust the better side, and look a new team, as Spurs succumbed to what is an all-too-familiar failing. They once again conceded late, having failed to press home. Fulham can really press on from this, especially ahead of games against Chelsea on Saturday and Manchester United on Wednesday.
The games in hand from their recent Covid outbreak — that saw this game rearranged at short notice — mean this point doesn’t lift them out of the bottom three, but they look an increasingly better bet to survive.
Ivan Cavaleiro’s fine headed goal — which matched Harry Kane’s in quality, as it did on the scoreline — prevented the home side from leaping above all of Leicester City, Everton and Manchester City. They stay in sixth.
Just as they did a few weeks ago against Liverpool, meanwhile, Fulham gave a supreme account of themselves against one of the “big six”. They are suddenly very awkward opposition for Frank Lampard on Saturday.
Mourinho meanwhile faces increasingly awkward questions about those late goals, and the manner in which they’re conceded. That is already an issue that has been given a lot of coverage, and shouldn’t obscure praise for Fulham.
Parker’s side once again gave plenty of evidence as to how they’ve evolved. The soft touch of September are now long gone. There is a resilient core to this team, and a bit of spike.
It’s even arguable that they were already the better team until the Kane goal, and Ruben Loftus-cheek was probably the best player on the pitch.
The midfielder was running the game, and making Fulham move impressively. He was naturally at the centre of every attack, putting Bobby Reid through for one effort, before going close himself with an acrobatic volley.
It would have been quite a goal, but also an equaliser because Spurs were already ahead by then thanks to Kane.
And what a goal it was — an under-the-radar contender for goal of the month — a flying diving header powering the ball into the corner past the goalkeeper.
Fulham never went away. They just kept coming. It has been a characteristic of their last few months, and ensured they punished a characteristic of Mourinho’s last few months: giving away goals late in games.
What made it even worse was that the Portuguese couldn’t complain Fulham didn’t deserve it. Spurs had their chances, but Parker’s side had the better of the play.
Fulham scored a classic header-and-cross goal almost as good as Tottenham’s, as substitute Ademola Lookman played in a brilliant ball for Cavaleiro to score a traditional No.9 header.
That was worth the game taking place, but it could now be worth much more to Fulham.
(© The Independent)