Spurs avoid FA Cup disaster with win over 5th-tier Tamworth after ET

Tottenham Hotspur survived two big chances for Tamworth near the end of 90 minutes before eventually beating their fifth-tier opponents in extra time in Sunday's FA Cup third-round meeting.

The hosts finished normal time the stronger of the two teams. However, the superior fitness of their illustrious Premier League visitors seemed to dictate proceedings in the additional 30 minutes, with Spurs scoring three times through a scrappy own goal and finishes from Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson to register a 3-0 win and advance to the fourth round.

FA Cup replays were scrapped ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. In the previous format, Tamworth would be planning for a money-spinning trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham progressed - barely - but the result is another mark against the regime of Ange Postecoglou. Spurs hold a 1-0 advantage over Liverpool before the second leg of their League Cup semifinal tie at Anfield on Feb. 6, but their Premier League performance has fallen far below expectations while they sit in 12th place. Postecoglou's ambitious attacking tactics are regularly criticized for their naivety and lack of variety in their approach to games.

Spurs were very close to falling out of the FA Cup to the non-league team, which would've been one of the biggest upsets in the old competition's history. Tom McGlinchey could've squared the ball to a teammate instead of firing a near-post shot that was blocked in time added to the end of 90 minutes. From the resulting corner, Jordan Cullinane-Liburd was presented with an extremely inviting opening from 12 yards but scuffed his shot toward Antonin Kinsky's goal.

Tottenham then took control in extra time. Nathan Tshikuna bundled the ball into his own net when trying to prevent an easy tap-in for Dominic Solanke, Kulusevski slotted in a tidy far-post shot, and Johnson concluded the scoring when he fired in a loose ball in the 118th minute.

"We have to be proud, that was the scrappiest goal that's ever been scored," Tamworth goalkeeper Jasbir Singh said about Spurs' first goal. "They didn't fancy it as long as the game went on, and had to bring on the big boys (from the substitutes' bench)."