Citizens, Spurs share spoils

London - Tottenham Hotspur came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Manchester City in their Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

Leroy Sané opened the scoring with a close-range finish after being gifted the ball by Hugo Lloris on 49 minutes before Kevin de Bruyne pounced on another mistake by the Spurs goalkeeper, with 54 minutes on the clock.

Deli Alli pulled a goal back four minutes later before second-half substitute Son Heung-min netted a 77th-minute equaliser.

City started brightly with David Silva hitting the side netting from a tight angle early on.

Toby Alderweireld then made a last-ditch tackle to deny Pablo Zabaleta from opening the scoring after he had picked up a De Bruyne pass.

The heel of Alderweireld stopped Nicolás Otamendi’s cross from the left after he had picked up a lofted De Bruyne free-kick.

City continued to dominate and Silva forced a diving save from Lloris, down to his right, before Zabaleta fired a first-time shot from the resultant corner wide of the Spurs’ right-hand upright.

Control the ball

Eric Dier was dispossessed by Sergio Agüero as he attempted to dribble out of defence, but De Bruyne pulled his shot from the right just past the Spurs goal line.

Lloris then made a stop at full stretch from an Aguero header from a De Bruyne chipped pass ahead of another chance from Agüero after being set through on goal by Zabaleta.

Lloris was kept busy as he punched clear a Raheem Sterling strike, after an Otamendi effort from wide right deflected onto the roof of the Spurs net.

City, though, were soon in the lead through Sane, as he latched onto a long ball over the top from De Bruyne, and cooly slotted it into an empty net after the outcoming Lloris’ attempted headed clearance hit the German, allowing him to control the ball before breaking the deadlock.

And City were a further goal ahead when Lloris dropped a hopeful low cross from Sterling from the right, that De Bruyne gratefully slotted home from on the goal line.

Spurs, though, were back in the game when Alli powered home a header from close range from a superb Kyle Walker cross from the right.

Sterling should have wrapped it up for City when he was set through by Aleksandar Kolarov, but he was put off by a push in the back from Walker, with his shot easily save by Lloris.

But Spurs were back in this tie when Son netted from close range after picking up a neat flick from Harry Kane from Christian Eriksen’s cross into the box from the right.

City continued to press, and late substitute Gabriel Jesus wheeled away in celebration after poking the ball home at the back post in the 84th minute, only to see his goal chalked off for offside.

It was a tense finish for Spurs, who just about held on for a vital point, leaving them in second place and City in fifth. –TEAMtalk Media