Hammers and Spurs keep up poor league form in disappointing draw

Free Malaysia Today

07-05-2025

Wilson Odobert celebrates the opening goal with team mates during the match between West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur. (EPA Images pic)
LONDON : London rivals West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur's disappointing Premier League form continued as they played out a 1-1 draw on Sunday that kept both stuck just above the relegation places.
A much-changed Spurs scored the opener after 15 minutes through Wilson Odobert but the lead lasted only 13 minutes before Jarrod Bowen equalised for the home team.
The draw left Spurs in 16th spot and facing their worst finish since 1977, a single point above the 17th-placed Hammers whose winless run in the league was extended to eight games since the end of February.
Both sides are safe from the threat of relegation, however, with the bottom three finishers already determined.
Tottenham made eight changes from last Thursday's Europa League semi-final first leg win over Bodo/Glimt as they looked to keep key players fresh for the return match in Norway on Thursday.
They took the lead after home defender Max Kilman gave away possession under pressure, allowing Mathys Tel to provide Odobert with an easy finish.
West Ham had a penalty claim in the 20th minute when Aaron Wan-Bissaka's cross struck Spurs defender Ben Davies on the hand but it was turned away after a VAR check, although home fans did not have to wait long for the equaliser.
Eight minutes later, Wan-Bissaka's perfectly weighted pass found Bowen ghosting through the visiting defence to find himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, albeit at a tight angle.
Bowen took his time as he dragged the ball across to his left before finishing it through Vicario's legs for his 10th league goal of the season.
Spurs striker Richarlison was through in similar circumstances at the other end of the London Stadium before halftime but his effort went across the face of goal and away from danger.
Tel's run down the right of the Spurs attack allowed him to get in a shot early in the second half but there was not enough power to test Alphonse Areola in the West Ham goal.
After that, West Ham looked the livelier of the two teams and Vicario made a smart stop to deny Bowen in the last six minutes as he got a headed flick-on to an in-swinging free kick delivered by substitute James Ward-Prowse.
There was another free-kick chance for set piece specialist Ward-Prowse in the last minute of additional time but he sent it narrowly wide.
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou was pleased with a point and avoiding any injury: 'We knew it was going to be a tough game, we made a lot of changes which doesn't help the cohesion and fluency but the lads worked really hard.'