Tottenham have finally done it. Their first league win of the year has arrived, and you could feel the relief at the final whistle.
It took a late moment from João Palhinha, who scored in the 82nd minute, to hand Spurs a 1-0 victory over Wolves at Molineux and bring an end to that long wait.
The game never really settled. Spurs had the ball for spells but didn’t do enough with it, and every missed pass or loose touch just added to the tension. It was one of those nights where confidence looked fragile.
Things got even more difficult when Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons had to go off injured, forcing a reshuffle that didn’t quite help the rhythm.
Still, they stayed in it.
The goal came from a scrappy situation in the box. A set piece caused problems, the ball bounced around, and Palhinha reacted quickest to poke it home. Not a pretty finish, but it was enough.
Even after going ahead, Spurs were not comfortable. Wolves pushed late and asked questions, but Antonin Kinsky came up with a big save to keep the lead intact.
At full time, it ended 1-0. Nothing flashy, just a hard fought win.
The bigger picture has not changed much though. Spurs are still down there and still chasing safety. What this result does is give them a chance.
Now the question is simple. Can they build on this, or is it just a small lift in what has been a difficult run.
