LONDON: Brighton & Hove Albion’s Georginio Rutter broke Tottenham Hotspur’s hearts with a stoppage-time equalizer to earn his side a 2-2 draw that left the stunned hosts in the Premier League relegation zone on Saturday.
It had looked as though a clinical strike by the superb Xavi Simons in the 77th minute had secured Tottenham’s first league win in 2026 and first at home for 134 days.
But in a nerve-jangling eight minutes of stoppage time, Tottenham could not keep Brighton out and Rutter swept a shot high into the net past Spurs keeper Antonin Kinsky.
Tottenham, now winless in 15 league matches, are 18th in the table, having played a game more than the two sides directly above them, and are in serious danger of a first relegation from the top flight since 1977. Roberto de Zerbi’s first home game in charge was always going to be a nervy affair, but his side produced a much-improved display.
Pedro Porro lifted the tension when he headed Tottenham into the lead in the 39th minute. But Brighton, who would have gone sixth with a win, levelled in first-half stoppage time thanks to a sublime volley by substitute Kaoru Mitoma.
Tottenham have 31 points from 33 games, with West Ham United on 32 and Nottingham Forest 33.
DAZZLING DISPLAY
The result might not have been what De Zerbi craved against his former club, but the Italian could not have asked much more of his players.
Simons produced a dazzling display and looked close to tears at the end after Rutter denied him being a deserved match-winner.
Tottenham wobbled after a bright start and got a huge let-off when Jack Hinshelwood’s header was touched against his own post by Spurs captain Micky van de Ven.
Just as Brighton appeared to be taking a grip, however, it was Tottenham who went ahead with Simons heavily involved. His dinked cross caught Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen in two minds and Porro nipped in to head home.
De Zerbi celebrated wildly and the tension lifted around the stadium with Simons agonizingly close to making it 2-0 as his side-footed effort struck the woodwork.
Tottenham could not reach the interval in front, though, as Pascal Gross’s deep cross in stoppage time was met by Mitoma who side-footed a volley past Kinsky.
With Tottenham needing three points the anxiety intensified as the game entered its final 20 minutes but there was an explosion of joy when Simons struck.
Substitute Lucas Bergvall stole the ball and when it reached Simons he arrowed a shot in off the far post, before racing to the corner where he was engulfed by his teammates.
Tottenham’s frailties returned, however, and the ball was fed in by Jan Paul van Hecke before Rutter’s shot bulged the net.
