Tottenham made life difficult against Tamworth, a team from the National League, English Fifth Division, and needed extra time and more than 100 minutes to beat them and advance to the round (0-3).
In the 101st minute and thanks to an own goal, Tottenham escaped what would have been the big surprise of this round of the FA Cup. Tamworth, with its field of 4,000 spectators and with problems in a goal that had to solving the players themselves with adhesive tape, pushed Ange Postecoglou’s team to the limit.
Not because they saved a lot, since they went out to The Lamb Ground with players like James Maddison, Timo Werner, Brennan Johnson and Pedro Porro (Reguilón made his first start of the season), but because the ‘Spurs’ were unable to score a goal until the extension. Nor did they unduly worry the Tamworth goalkeeper, who beyond avoiding a one-on-one from Werner in the second 45 minutes, had little more work to do.
In fact, Tamworth could have taken it in the 96th minute, on a double occasion in which the lack of generosity and aim condemned the game to extra time in which Postecoglou did not want any more setbacks. He brought two of his best pupils onto the field, Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski, and won the prize on a set piece.
When everyone was waiting for Pedro Porro’s cross, the Spanish full-back filtered the ball to Johnson, who looked for a bitten shot that reached Dominic Solanke in the goalmouth. Between the striker and a defender, they pushed the ball in and there was almost no celebration on the part of the ‘Spurs’. Kulusevski finished the job with a great cross shot and Johnson, with the score 0-3 and Tamworth surrendered.
