Tottenham Draws 1-1 with Leeds After Tel's Late Penalty Gaffe

Roberto de Zerbi pulled a black hood over his face while pacing the touchline, capturing Tottenham Hotspur's latest night of self-destruction.

The new head coach showed anguish after Richarlison missed an easy chance to make it 2-0, blasting over the bar with Spurs leading Leeds United thanks to Mathys Tel's spectacular strike. A two-goal lead offers no comfort at Spurs, but it might have calmed nerves at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

De Zerbi quickly learned there is no such thing as a comfort zone at the club, especially with a chance to pull ahead of West Ham United in the Premier League relegation battle. Tel shifted from hero to zero in the 74th minute with reckless play that gave away a penalty. Leeds equalized from the spot, costing Spurs two vital points.

Tel had flashed his erratic side earlier in the first half. Caught in a tight spot in his own penalty area, he tried to escape with a cross that found the head of a charging Leeds forward. Kevin Danso cleared it off the line to save him.

That paled next to Tel's bicycle kick in his own box that struck Ethan Ampadu's head, leaving the Leeds captain sprawled. The Video Assistant Referee confirmed the foul, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted the penalty as De Zerbi looked skyward.

After keeping a low profile in early Spurs matches, including away wins at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa, De Zerbi's fiery side emerged fully. He jumped in frustration at his team's slow play in the first half and drew a touchline rebuke from referee Jarred Gillett for straying from his technical area. He picked up a yellow card late as 13 minutes of added time ratcheted up the tension.

De Zerbi appeared deeply frustrated at the final whistle. West Ham's controversial loss to Arsenal on Sunday had opened a path to a four-point lead with two games remaining, but Spurs let it slip.

Speaking to Match of the Day, De Zerbi said the pressure might have affected his players.

"We didn't play a great game - we played a good game," De Zerbi said. "I think we deserved to win anyway but maybe the pressure, the crucial game, the crucial part of the season, we suffered too much. Anyway I am happy because I watched my players with the right spirit, with the right mentality. We made too many mistakes. If we want to win we have to reduce the mistakes, but we knew before this game it will be tough until the end of the season, until the last game. It is tough for us and tough for everyone."

On Tel, he added: "He is young and is a talent. I will kiss him and hug him. He doesn't need too many words. He was sorry for the mistake. It can happen to a young player."

De Zerbi continued: "I think we have to consider the result, but we also have to consider the performance. We played a good game, we are making points - in the last four games we made eight points. Congratulations to Leeds. They played a great game. They have to play the last game at West Ham and we've no doubt that they will play the same way."

Goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky earned praise after two superb saves. He denied Joe Rodon's header in the first half and showed sharp reflexes to tip Sean Longstaff's stoppage-time shot onto the bar, securing the draw.

Those stops could prove decisive in keeping Spurs in the Premier League. The survival fight likely heads to the final matchday.

If West Ham beats Newcastle United on Sunday evening, Spurs drop into the bottom three before facing Chelsea on May 19. Chelsea would relish extending Spurs' misery to a final home game against Everton.

Spurs must reverse a poor home record under De Zerbi. Their last league win at home came against Brentford in December; they have drawn their past two against Brighton and Leeds.

In a bid for a winner, De Zerbi substituted James Maddison for his first action since a serious pre-season knee injury. Maddison looked sharp and went down under a challenge from Lukas Nmecha, but the Leeds player touched the ball first and no penalty came.

De Zerbi's frustration was plain for all Spurs fans to see. Their push to avoid the Championship could stretch to the last day of this chaotic season.