AliousTottenham Hotspur came agonisingly close to claiming their first Premier League win of 2026 in what was their 15th attempt of the year, but a late concentration lapse against Brighton & Hove Albion meant they were once again forced to settle for less than three points.
The Lilywhites led twice at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, beginning with a slick team move finished off when Xavi Simons threaded a delicate chipped pass into the path of Pedro Porro, who calmly converted from close range.
Later in the second half, Simons turned goalscorer himself, restoring Spurs’ advantage after Kaoru Mitoma had brought Brighton level earlier in the contest.
Despite that, Spurs were unable to see out the result. A late mistake from Kevin Danso proved costly, allowing Brighton back into the game. Jan Paul van Hecke capitalised on Danso’s hesitation to release the ball, stealing possession before setting up Georginio Rutter, who finished decisively to make it 2-2.
Wieffer explains Brighton’s approach against Spurs
Looking ahead, Spurs will aim to respond when they face Wolverhampton Wanderers, a side they have historically struggled against. However, Brighton midfielder Mats Wieffer revealed that his team always believed a comeback was possible, sensing weaknesses in Spurs as the match progressed.
Speaking to The Argus, Wieffer said Brighton never lost belief after going behind:
“I think the 2-1 came out of nowhere but we still had the feeling that we could score because they are not in a really good position at the moment, as everybody knows.”
He added that momentum shifted in the closing stages:
“In the last ten minutes you could already see the 2-2 coming. We kept pushing and in the end we got it. We even had chances from a corner to make it 3-2. Whether it was deserved, I’m not sure, but we wanted more.”
Spurs’ late-game mentality questioned
Wieffer also suggested Tottenham’s defensive approach in the final stages helped Brighton apply sustained pressure.
“You could see they started to drop deep. They tried to protect their box so we could play around them. Maybe a lack of confidence, a little bit. We kept pressing and eventually one ball dropped for us and we made it 2-2.”
He admitted Brighton were not fully satisfied despite the comeback:
“Of course, we were disappointed in the dressing room. We had some good moments in the first half and again in the second, but overall it wasn’t exactly how we wanted to play.”
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