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Opposite fortunes for Hwang, Son as Wolves claw way to 2-2 draw with Spurs

Published: 30 Dec. 2024, 13:45

PAIK JI-HWAN
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Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Hwang Hee-chan shoots during a Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Dec. 29. [AFP/YONHAP]

Wolverhampton Wanderers held Tottenham Hotspur to a 2-2 draw on Sunday, with Hwang Hee-chan’s opening goal followed up with a late effort from Jorgen Strand Larsen — and Spurs captain Son Heung-min missing a penalty.

In the Korean derby at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, where both Hwang and Son started, Hwang struck the ball with a curling shot from a well-worked free-kick in the seventh minute, scoring his second straight goal for Wolves this season for the first time.

Rodrigo Bentancur leveled for Spurs five minutes later, however, heading home from a corner. Spurs found the opportunity to add one more in the 43rd minute after Brennan Johnson was fouled inside Wolves' penalty box, but Son blew it by missing the penalty.

Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min takes a penalty during a Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Dec. 29. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Johnson instead found the back of the net in stoppage time, but Spurs failed to hold their lead through the end as Strand Larsen got on the scoresheet in the 87th minute to seal a 2-2 draw.

Wolves extended their unbeaten streak with Sunday’s result, having secured two wins and one draw since new manager Vitor Pereira took the helm earlier this month.

The club’s recent run contrasts with their start to the 2024-25 season, during which they struggled and hit the relegation zone. Wolves now sit at 17th place on the 20-team league table as of press time Monday.

“This [Tottenham side] is a team who are very intensive, because they press a lot,” Pereira said after the match. “In the first half, we had some problems to control the pressure, but we competed. Then in the second half, I think they dropped the block a little bit and we started to play a bit with the ball and started to create some problems. In the end, one point is not bad.

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Vitor Pereira celebrates during a Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspiur at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Dec. 29. [AFP/YONHAP]

“Every time we have a lot of things to improve. I believe that when we will have time to work on the pitch, it is possible to have more possession and to control the game with the ball — I think this is something that we will increase with the level.”

For Hwang, Sunday’s goal brought his goal contributions this season to two after his long scoring drought ended in a match against Manchester United on Dec. 26.

The Korean forward saw a poor start to the campaign before his first goal as he was stuck on the right flank, where he was able to contribute to attacks merely with crosses rather than cutting inside from the left edge onto his preferred right foot or converting crosses in the penalty box as a No. 9.

Sunday’s goal was proof of how he fits in the squad — in a role where he can demonstrate cohesion and good positioning skills with which he can finish the job himself. He has the second half of the season to bring back his old form that allowed him to finish last season as the team’s top scorer at 12 goals in the league.

Son, meanwhile, would have scored his eighth goal of the season had he not missed the penalty. The Spurs captain has still seen a solid goal contribution run with seven goals and six assists across 22 appearances.

Tottenham failed to jump up the table after Sunday’s draw, sitting in 11th place with one more game played than No. 12 Brentford as of Monday.

“It's a disappointing outcome,” Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou said. “Obviously we went a goal down, but after that I felt we controlled the game. It wasn't easy always to get openings but we did look pretty threatening every time we did get forward. We scored a couple of goals, we obviously missed the penalty and then second half, I just thought we had some really big moments to kill the game off.”

Sunday’s draw comes in the middle of Tottenham’s busy schedule that includes not just Premier League action but also the club’s participation in the Carabao Cup, FA Cup and Europa League.

Spurs have to face Premier League league leaders Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semifinals and face fifth-tier Tamworth in the third round of the FA Cup, before playing two more Europa League league stage games.

Tottenham next face Newcastle United on Saturday, while Wolves return to league action against Nottingham Forest on Jan. 6.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]