Tottenham 4-1 West Ham match report: Kulusevski sparks London derby delight

Tottenham Hotspur surged to a 4-1 victory over West Ham United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, overturning an early deficit with three second-half goals in the span of eight minutes.

First Half: Kudus strikes first, Kulusevski levels

Despite Spurs’ early dominance, it was West Ham who struck first. In the 18th minute, Mohammed Kudus netted his second goal of the season, finishing off a smart pull-back from Jarrod Bowen. Bowen’s initial cross was blocked, but he persisted, finding Kudus in space to fire past a helpless Guglielmo Vicario. Tottenham’s Pedro Porro was caught ball-watching, allowing the Ghanaian forward to capitalize.

Tottenham responded with intent, creating a flurry of chances. Brennan Johnson missed a gilt-edged opportunity in the 28th minute, heading over from close range. However, the equaliser finally came in the 36th minute when James Maddison, driving through midfield, played a perfectly weighted pass to Dejan Kulusevski. The Swede cut inside and, with precision, struck a low shot that hit both posts before nestling in the back of the net.

Second Half: Spurs take control with a quickfire triple

Surprisingly, James Maddison, who was Tottenham’s most creative player in the first half, was substituted at halftime. Despite providing an assist for Kulusevski’s equaliser and creating five chances – the most of any player on the pitch – his withdrawal was tactical and not due to injury.

The second half saw Spurs take control almost immediately. In the 52nd minute, Yves Bissouma gave the hosts the lead. Destiny Udogie, playing on the left flank, pulled the ball back from the byline, and Bissouma powered his shot into the net for his second goal of the season.

Just three minutes later, Tottenham extended their advantage in somewhat fortunate fashion. Kulusevski’s cut-back found Son Heung-Min, whose shot was initially saved by Alphonse Areola. However, a mix-up between the West Ham goalkeeper and Jean-Clair Todibo resulted in an own goal, with the ball trickling over the line after a deflection.

Son, returning after a brief injury layoff, soon made it 4-1 with a brilliant solo effort. Receiving a pass from Pape Matar Sarr, Son danced past Todibo with some silky step-overs before firing a low shot past Areola at the near post. This was Son’s third goal in the Premier League this season and his seventh against West Ham in his career.

Kudus sees red late on

West Ham’s afternoon went from bad to worse when Kudus was sent off in the 86th minute following a VAR review. After a confrontation with Micky van de Ven, Kudus raised his hands to both the Dutchman and Sarr, which resulted in a red card. The Hammers finished the match with 10 men and were unable to mount any form of comeback.

Takeaways: Tottenham’s attack shines in the N17 sun

This result highlighted Tottenham’s attacking strength, particularly in the second half. Despite West Ham’s early resistance, Spurs’ high press and quick transitions overwhelmed their London rivals. The inclusion of Kulusevski, Son, and Maddison as the key creative forces proved decisive, while Bissouma’s presence in midfield ensured Spurs controlled the tempo for large parts of the game.

West Ham, meanwhile, struggled to maintain their defensive shape and were undone by Tottenham’s fast-paced attacks. The Hammers’ reliance on counter-attacks paid off initially, but they lacked the composure needed to hold onto their lead and were ultimately punished.

This defeat also means that West Ham are yet to win a match against a top-10 side in 2024, a trend they will be eager to reverse in the coming weeks. For Spurs, this victory marks a strong response to their recent collapse against Brighton and solidifies their push for a top-four finish.

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