A stunning stoppage-time overhead kick from captain Cristian Romero secured a dramatic 2-2 draw for Tottenham Hotspur against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park, capping a resilient comeback from the visitors.
The Argentine defender was the hero for Spurs, scoring twice in the final stages to overturn a deficit and deny the hosts a victory that had seemed assured. His first, a powerful header from a Mohammed Kudus cross, canceled out Bruno Guimarães’s opener for Newcastle. Then, deep into added time, Romero executed a spectacular bicycle kick after a corner was only partially cleared, snatching a point from the jaws of defeat.
The match was a tense and often scrappy affair. Newcastle, playing with their characteristic high intensity, took the lead in the second half through their captain Guimarães, who finished smartly after a low cross from Anthony Gordon. The home side then looked to have sealed the win when Gordon converted a penalty following a VAR-awarded foul on Dan Burn.
Tottenham, however, showed significant character to fight back. Under pressure after a difficult recent run of form, manager Thomas Frank praised his team’s mentality. “This is a very difficult place to come,” Frank said post-match. “The performance showed fantastic character and our ability to react to setbacks was great.”
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe expressed frustration at his team’s inability to close out the game. “It’s disappointing,” Howe stated. “It wasn’t us at our best today.”
The result leaves both teams with a share of the points from a pulsating encounter, with Romero’s last-gasp moment of brilliance ensuring Tottenham departed Tyneside with a hard-earned draw.