Tottenham kicked off the new Premier League season with a hugely frustrating 1-1 draw away against newly-promoted Leicester on Monday night.
Dominant Spurs were absolutely cruising at an initially subdued King Power Stadium and deservedly led at the break through Pedro Porro’s smart effort, but could easily have been three or four goals to the good.
They were made to pay for their profligacy after the break however, with Jamie Vardy - a surprise starter for Leicester after previously being ruled out through injury - equalising firmly against the run of play for the Foxes to claim an unlikely share of the spoils in their first game back in the top-flight after a one-year absence and first under new manager Steve Cooper.
There were worrying scenes late on for Tottenham as Rodrigo Bentancur received oxygen and lengthy treatment on the pitch and was stretchered off after suffering a head injury, but he was able to sit up and was later confirmed by manager Ange Postecoglou as being conscious and talking in the dressing room.
Tottenham were utterly dominant from the outset of the first half as heavy rain fell at the King Power, denied an early goal after Bentancur flicked on James Maddison’s corner and Wilfred Ndidi hooked a last-ditch clearance off the line before Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen then repelled Brennan Johnson’s fierce strike.
New boy Dominic Solanke - making his Tottenham debut after a high-profile £65million move from Bournemouth last week - then stooped to head captain Heung-min Son’s cross into the grateful arms of Hermansen, also testing the Dane with a header from Porro’s delivery after he had been unable to divert a Maddison cross goal-bound.
Solanke had penalty appeals waved away after a risky challenge from Jannik Vestergaard, before Tottenham deservedly did break the deadlock shortly before the half-hour mark.
The excellent Maddison floated in a teasing cross following an incisive move and right-back Porro flicked in cleverly after a brilliant run into the box.
Spurs should have quickly doubled their advantage as Johnson drilled Maddison’s latest delivery across goal and wide at the back post.
Leicester’s only shot of any description in a thoroughly one-sided first half came when debutant Bobby De Cordova-Reid tried to catch Guglielmo Vicario off his line but missed the target by a mile from close to halfway.
Spurs quickly picked up where they left off after the interval, though there were better signs for Leicester as Vardy slipped in De Cordova-Reid, who was denied by a superb block from the fit-again Destiny Udogie before the offside flag was eventually raised.
Solanke and Bentancur both tested Hermansen and Maddison had a shot blocked by Victor Kristiansen, before Leicester levelled out of nowhere after the 37-year-old Vardy was left unmarked to nod in Abdul Fatawu’s cross inside the six-yard box.
Spurs had gone from being totally in control to looking properly rattled at a now bouncing King Power, Udogie lucky not to give away a penalty for clipping Fatawu inside the box before Vardy almost went close again and Ndidi fired into the side netting.
Vicario made a crucial last-ditch stop to prevent Vardy from notching again to put Leicester in front, before the visitors saw Bentancur receive treatment on the pitch for several minutes after a nasty, accidental clash of heads with Fatawu at a Leicester corner led to him landing heavily on the floor.
The medical staff were quickly called on and the Uruguayan was eventually stretchered off to warm applause from around the ground as Postecoglou sent on new arrivals Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall as well as Timo Werner and Dejan Kulusevski in a bid to wrestle back some lost control.
Vardy also engaged in a spot of goading of the Spurs fans as he headed off, pointing to the Premier League badge on his sleeve and making ‘one’ and ‘zero’ gestures with his fingers in a reference to Leicester beating Tottenham to the Premier League title in their fairytale 2015/16 season.
Leicester substitute Kasey McAteer headed over before Bergvall was caught in possession by Stephy Mavididi early in nine minutes of second-half stoppage time, berated by his goalkeeper after Vicario had to get down to push away a dangerous header from Ndidi.
Substitute Richarlison had a huge chance to claim a last-gasp win for Tottenham in the dying seconds, but his header from a Bergvall free-kick was powered well wide.
