Mohammed Kudus netted his inaugural goal for Tottenham, propelling Spurs to second place in the Premier League by halting Leeds’ impressive unbeaten home streak with a 2-1 victory on Saturday.
The match saw an intense first half, with Mathys Tel opening the scoring for Tottenham before Noah Okafor equalized for Leeds, keeping the contest fiercely competitive.
Just before the hour mark, Kudus struck the decisive goal, showcasing Tottenham’s improved defensive resilience under Thomas Frank’s management, handing Leeds their first league loss at Elland Road in 24 matches.
With this win, Spurs narrow the gap to league leaders Liverpool to a single point, although Arsenal has the opportunity to claim the top spot later in the day when they face West Ham.
Tottenham had recently relied on late comebacks to secure draws against bottom-ranked Wolves and Champions League newcomers Bodo/Glimt, but Frank’s tactical adjustments paid off with a more assertive display.
Frank rotated his squad significantly, making six changes from the team that played in the Arctic Circle midweek, which resulted in a more dynamic and focused Spurs side.
Leeds, on the other hand, will regret missed opportunities that could have preserved their unbeaten home record since their last defeat to Burnley in September 2024.
Early in the game, Joe Rodon nearly gave Leeds the lead, his header from Sean Longstaff’s free-kick striking the post in the seventh minute.
Mathys Tel, who had been omitted from Tottenham’s Champions League roster due to a lack of impact since his permanent transfer from Bayern Munich, seized a rare starting role in a front three and made an immediate impact by scoring his first goal of the season.
Set up by Kudus, Tel’s powerful shot deflected off Pascal Struijk, leaving Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow with no chance.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin squandered a prime opportunity to equalize for Leeds, firing wide, while Kudus missed a similar chance during a swift Spurs counterattack that exposed the home defense.
Despite this, Leeds deservedly remained level at halftime, thanks in part to Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who could only parry Brenden Aaronson’s shot into the path of Okafor, who calmly finished into an open net for his second goal of the season.
Tel nearly doubled his tally with a looping header that struck the crossbar during first-half stoppage time.
The second half maintained the high tempo, with Vicario making a crucial save with his feet to deny Calvert-Lewin.
Kudus then delivered the match-winning moment, driving forward before unleashing a powerful strike that, aided by a deflection off Gabriel Gudmundsson, deceived Darlow and secured the victory.
Last season, Tottenham struggled to maintain leads, dropping more points from winning positions than any other Premier League team, which contributed to their narrow escape from relegation, finishing 17th.
Under Frank’s guidance, Spurs have reversed this trend, remaining undefeated in matches where they have taken the lead this season.
In the dying moments, Spurs faced a late scare when Joel Piroe’s shot forced Vicario into a sharp save low to his left, preserving the win.
This defeat leaves Leeds in 12th place with eight points from their opening seven fixtures.