Dominic Solanke rescues Tottenham against Manchester City
Dominic Solanke salvaged a point for Tottenham with a stunning brace, featuring a spectacular “scorpion kick” equaliser, as the match ended 2-2 against Manchester City, reports BritPanorama.
The striker’s remarkable goal came when he flicked Conor Gallagher’s cross over goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma with his heel, a feat made all the more impressive given the ball was behind him.
This act of spontaneous brilliance contrasted sharply with City’s first-half dominance. Rayan Cherki opened the scoring after breezing through Tottenham’s defence, slotting a low shot past Guglielmo Vicario. Cherki nearly doubled his tally shortly thereafter, but Vicario turned his effort wide.
City capitalised again just before half-time, when a loose clearance from Radu Dragusin fell to Rodri, who assisted Antoine Semenyo for a composed finish, leaving Spurs’ supporters disgruntled as the teams left the pitch. The momentum shifted dramatically in the second half, with Spurs appearing rejuvenated.
Solanke began the comeback, bundling in his first goal shortly after the break despite City protests claiming a foul on Marc Guehi. Reflecting on the dramatic turnaround, Solanke said, “It was a game of two halves. The first was difficult; couldn’t get near them at times, but we’ve seen it a few times this season where the second half is a different story.” He noted the team’s growth in confidence, stating, “In the second half, we were great.”
Despite Tottenham’s resurgence, they remain six points adrift of leaders Arsenal in a tight title race. Solanke acknowledged Spurs must improve their starts, emphasising, “We know we need to start games quicker because the first half wasn’t good enough, but the reaction was great.”
For City, Semenyo expressed disappointment after losing control of the match. “First half we played really well. The mentality was to do the same things again. Second half that didn’t happen and they dominated,” he said, noting the impact of the home crowd on the match’s momentum.
The result extends Tottenham’s unbeaten streak to four matches, while City grapples with the reality of falling six points behind Arsenal as the championship race remains uncertain, “We’ve got more games, there are 14 games to go. We are six points behind; it’s not the end. We have to keep going. Anything can happen.”
This match serves as a reminder of how unpredictability defines football, echoing the old adage that no lead is safe, and every match can pivot on a moment of brilliance. With the pressure mounting and the title race tightening, the stakes are only set to rise in the coming weeks.
