Okafor's 79th-minute goal gives Leeds 1-0 win over Tottenham after Bogle escapes red

Okafor's late winner

Leeds beat Tottenham 1-0 in the early kick-off at Elland Road on 7 November, with substitute Noah Okafor scoring in the 79th minute. The goal ended Spurs' three-game winning run and gave Leeds their first Premier League win in six matches. Harry Wilson, another substitute, played Okafor in, and Okafor finished with a rifled shot past Antonin Kinsky. Before that moment the game had been a scrappy contest of fouls, possible handballs and VAR reviews, short on quality. Leeds had gone five matches without a win, so the result gave manager Daniel Farke a much-needed boost.

Bogle avoids a red card

The main controversy came from Jayden Bogle's challenge on Mathys Tel, which caught the Frenchman on the ankle with his studs. VAR spent over four minutes reviewing whether the challenge was a red card offence, while referee John Brooks had not initially cautioned Bogle. Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi was visibly frustrated when the review kept the on-field decision in place. Bogle played on without a card, and the Premier League Match Centre confirmed the outcome in a statement.

“The referee's call of no red card to Bogle for the challenge on Tel was checked and confirmed by VAR.”

Tony Harrington, the VAR, gave his reasoning in a verdict passed on to Brooks.

“There's a lack of speed going into the challenge and he's stepping into the tackle.”

Tel's exit and Spurs' changes

Tel tried to play through the pain for about five minutes before signalling to the bench that he needed to come off, and Dominic Solanke replaced him in the 43rd minute. Before the injury Tel had been growing into the game, with his direct running pushing Leeds onto the back foot. Solanke had been dropped from the starting line-up for this match after Tottenham's win over Crystal Palace. De Zerbi also turned to his bench in midfield, with Mateus Fernandes replaced just past the hour as the manager looked for more bite. The extent of Tel's setback is not yet known, and the club will wait to assess it.

The second half

Farke started with two strikers for the first time this season, with Lukas Nmecha in the starting XI, and Leeds controlled much of the second half. Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Nico Elvedi went close, while Ao Tanaka scooped over the bar when he should have done better. Antonin Kinsky made a save to deny Sean Longstaff the opener. Tottenham came to life late on, but James Trafford saved a headed effort from Jan Paul van Hecke that would have levelled the match. Melvin Bard also made a big impression for Leeds after half-time.

What comes next

Okafor has had injury problems that limited his match time, and the international break gives him a chance to recover fully. Savio and Mykhailo Mudryk are out until after the international break. Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert are working back from serious knee injuries, with both eyeing returns after the turn of the year. Tel had scored a solo goal in Tottenham's 2-0 win over Chelsea on 24 October, the club's first victory at Stamford Bridge since 2018.