'I thought I was safe' Tottenham defender kneels in despair: "Lost the ball, gave away equalizer"... UK media harshly criticizes him as "center of tragedy"

*This content was translated by AI.

It was a defensive disaster that squandered a victory within reach. Tottenham center-back Kevin Danso (28) committed a fatal error just before the final whistle.

On the 19th (Korean time), Tottenham drew 2-2 with Brighton & Hove Albion in a home match in the 33rd round of the 2025-2026 English Premier League (EPL) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, UK.

Having failed to win a single match this season and remaining winless in 15 league games, Tottenham sits in 18th place with 31 points (7 wins, 10 draws, 16 losses). They are one point behind 17th-place West Ham, the relegation safety line, and two points behind 16th-place Nottingham Forest.

Had Tottenham won this match, they could have climbed to 16th place, safely away from relegation. However, Danso's defensive error in the final moments of the game allowed the opponent to score a heartbreaking equalizer.

In the fifth minute of stoppage time, when a Tottenham victory seemed certain, Danso lost concentration inside the penalty box and lost possession to Yannick van Haagen. Van Haagen passed to Jurriën Timber, who was waiting in the center of the box, and Timber scored the equalizer with a precise shot.

Danso, who provided the opportunity for the goal, knelt and stared at the ground, repeatedly blaming himself, while goalkeeper Antonín Kinský came to comfort him.

After the match, the UK's Evening Standard reported that "Danso was at the center of the tragedy. With Tottenham in the lead, Danso made a painful mistake. He lost the ball while guarding it inside the box under pressure from opponents, which ultimately led to Timber's dramatic equalizer."

The Evening Standard gave Danso a rating of 5 points after the match, noting that "Danso, who replaced Cristian Romero and showed a brave attitude with fearless tackles against Danny Welbeck, displayed a stable performance. However, just before Timber's equalizer, he was seen in despair after losing the ball inside his own box."

The report added that "if not for Danso's fatal error, Savio Simons' wonder goal would have remained the winning goal. It was a 95-minute nightmare for both Tottenham and Danso, who desperately needed points to avoid relegation."

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*This content was translated by AI.