Joao Pedro Strikes At Last As Chelsea Edge Past Spurs

Last Updated:November 02, 2025, 09:13 IST

Joao Pedro ended his Chelsea goal drought with a decisive strike in a 1-0 win over Tottenham at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, lifting Chelsea to fourth in the Premier League.

Joao Pedro

Joao Pedro ended his Chelsea goal drought by securing a 1-0 victory against Tottenham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday. Enzo Maresca’s side took the lead when Joao Pedro scored late in the first half of the London derby.

This marked his first goal in nine games across all competitions, with his last goal dating back to August 30 against Fulham. The 24-year-old Brazilian has scored only three times for Chelsea since his £60 million ($78 million) transfer from Brighton in the close-season.

Chelsea’s third win in their last four Premier League games elevated them to fourth place, just behind third-placed Tottenham on goal difference. Tottenham, on the other hand, have not won a home league match since their victory over Burnley on the opening weekend of the season in August. Their poor home league form in 2025 began under Ange Postecoglou and has continued under the current manager Frank.

Despite losing in the League Cup fourth round at Newcastle midweek, Tottenham have performed better away from home, as evidenced by their 3-0 win at Everton in their previous league match. However, Tottenham fans are increasingly frustrated with Frank’s pragmatic tactics, which contrast sharply with the club’s ‘to dare is to do’ ethos.

The match saw an early setback for Frank when Lucas Bergvall suffered a head injury and was replaced by concussion substitute Xavi Simons. Bergvall seemed to argue with the medical staff to stay on the pitch, but when they refused, he angrily pushed one of them before Frank intervened to calm the situation.

Alejandro Garnacho was Chelsea’s main threat in the first half, testing Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario from distance. Vicario sustained a knee injury midway through the half but continued after treatment and promptly saved a low strike from Joao Pedro, who had latched onto a rebound off Pedro Porro’s clearance.

Joao Pedro, however, found the net in the 34th minute. Moises Caicedo pressured Simons and Micky van de Ven, winning possession and passing to Joao Pedro, who scored from six yards out. Frank was visibly frustrated with Tottenham’s sloppy defending, kicking a water bottle in anger on the touchline.

Joao Pedro nearly scored again when he received a pass from Malo Gusto and unleashed a powerful shot that Vicario tipped over. Rodrigo Bentancur was fortunate to escape with only a booking after a harsh challenge on Reece James was not deemed serious foul play.

Tottenham forced Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez into action just before half-time with a shot from Mohammed Kudus, but Sanchez saved it. Soon after the interval, Enzo Fernandez missed a clear opportunity, heading over from James’ cross despite being unmarked.

Frank’s side repeatedly lost possession easily, frustrating their supporters with their lack of attacking impetus. The fans’ frustration grew as Vicario had to tip over a fierce strike from Pedro Neto, and Tottenham failed to mount a serious threat for a late equaliser.

(With AFP Inputs)

Aakash Biswas

A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had ...Read More

A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had ...

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