Fulham sunk by last-gasp Tottenham winner

 

Fulham 1 Tottenham 2

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Harry Winks scored a last-gasp Tottenham winner to increase Fulham’s relegation worries.

Ryan Babel impressed on his debut for the Whites, who played well and were seconds away from picking up a point in their battle for Premier League survival.

Fernando Llorente’s 17th-minute own goal put Fulham ahead and they were excellent before Dele Alli – who later went off injured – headed in an equaliser early in the second half.

Striker Llorente, playing in the absence of the sidelined Harry Kane, inadvertently nudged Jean Michael Seri’s corner past keeper Hugo Lloris.

Fulham had been on top, with new signing Babel bringing a fine save from Lloris before Dennis Odoi headed wide from the resulting corner.

Spurs responded after the opening goal and Llorente came close to atoning for his mistake when his header from Jan Vertonghen’s cross was well saved by keeper Sergio Rico.

But Fulham – and the excellent Babel in particular – remained a threat and the former Liverpool forward headed over from Cyrus Christie’s cross.

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And Babel was involved again when Fulham had a goal disallowed just before half-time.

He set up Andre Schurrle, whose effort was saved by Lloris. Aleksandar Mitrovic thought he had doubled the lead when he nodded in the loose ball, but the striker was offside.

Fulham, one off the bottom of the table, were cheered off at the interval.

But the defensive shortcomings which have plagued their season were evident again when Spurs scored six minutes after the restart and when Winks netted with seconds remaining.

After Tim Ream failed to clear his lines, Christian Eriksen sent the ball in towards Alli, who nodded past Rico.

Fulham then found themselves under sustained pressure and almost went behind on the hour mark when Danny Rose’s effort struck the bar after taking a deflection off Odoi.

Llorente missed a glorious late chance when he headed wide from Rose’s free-kick.

But Spurs’ persistence was rewarded when Joe Bryan allowed Winks to head in Kevin N’Koudou’s cross at the far post.