Veteran defender Mats Hummels secured a late equalizer for Claudio Ranieri’s Roma, denying Tottenham a win in their Europa League clash.
The 35-year-old German, playing his first European match since the July Champions League final, conceded an early penalty but redeemed himself in stoppage time by tapping in Angelino’s precise cross.
Tottenham had dominated much of the match, starting with Son Heung-min converting the fifth-minute penalty after Hummels fouled Pape Matar Sarr in the box.
Brennan Johnson added a well-taken goal following Dejan Kulusevski’s assist, while defender Evan N’Dicka scored Roma’s first equalizer.
Stephan El Shaarawy’s stunning volley was disallowed by VAR for offside. Spurs had several chances to extend their lead, with Johnson’s shot cleared off the line, Dominic Solanke’s effort saved, and Son missing a rebound after Kulusevski hit the post.
Despite controlling the game, Spurs faced increasing pressure in the second half. Angelino struck the crossbar, and Pedro Porro hit the woodwork with a free-kick. Roma had two more goals ruled out for offside, courtesy of Artem Dovbyk and Manu Kone.
With limited options due to injuries, Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou made four late substitutions—introducing Yves Bissouma, Timo Werner, James Maddison, and Lucas Bergvall—but they couldn’t halt Roma’s momentum.
Tottenham now sit ninth in the Europa League standings, outside the top eight that would avoid a playoff round, with crucial matches against Rangers, Hoffenheim, and Elfsborg ahead.
Roma, on their third manager this season, continue their turbulent campaign under Claudio Ranieri. The 73-year-old former Leicester and Chelsea boss came out of retirement to lead his boyhood club once again.
Forster passes first test despite conceding twice
The story could have centered around stand-in goalkeeper Fraser Forster, who stepped up impressively in light of Guglielmo Vicario’s absence due to an ankle fracture.
The 36-year-old made a stunning 91st-minute save from Gianluca Mancini’s spinning volley, but just 25 seconds later, he was picking the ball out of the net after Roma’s quick restart.
Forster’s performance showed promise: he effectively cleared long balls and demonstrated competence in playing out from the back, albeit under minimal pressure.
He also made six other saves, leaving little blame for either goal conceded—one a powerful header and the other from close range.
A minor concern remains Forster’s distribution, as one misplaced pass highlighted a gap compared to Vicario, who excels in this area and is central to Ange Postecoglou’s tactical approach.
With Vicario sidelined for “months,” this period serves as a critical audition for Forster. His aim will be to convince the club not to seek a replacement in the January transfer window.
Postecoglou praised Forster’s reliability, stating: “He probably thought to himself that’s why he is here—to come in when needed and be dependable.
It helped that he had previous experience with us. It’s always good for him to make big saves to get back into the groove.”
Player of the Match: Dejan Kulusevski