Leeds beat Tottenham 1-0 at Elland Road on Saturday, and the goal that settled it came from a substitute who had been on the pitch for barely a minute and a half. Noah Okafor struck in the 79th minute, just 97 seconds after his introduction, to end Leeds’ five-match winless run in the Premier League and bring Tottenham’s three-match winning run to a halt.
Okafor replaced Lukas Nmecha in the 77th minute as part of a double change by Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke, with Harry Wilson coming on for Ao Tanaka at the same time. A throw-in was headed on by Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Wilson controlled the ball and slipped it into Okafor’s path, and the Swiss striker skipped past Rodrigo Bentancur before driving a low finish past Antonin Kinsky into the bottom-left corner.
“All I wanted was to help the team as much as I can,” Okafor told TNT Sports after the game. “So of course I’m happy about the goal but more happy for the three points.”
It was the quickest goal by a substitute in the Premier League so far this season, and the first goal by a Leeds substitute in the league this season. Okafor has now scored eight goals across his last 16 top-flight appearances, after managing only two in his first 21.
Okafor’s 97-second impact as Leeds beat Tottenham 1-0
Leeds had grown into the game by the time Farke turned to his bench, and the home side created the better chances after the break.
Calvert-Lewin went close twice early in the second half. His header was blocked by Solanke, who had come on for the injured Tel, and Nico Elvedi nodded wide on the follow-up. Calvert-Lewin then burst forward again and passed to Tanaka, who skied his shot over the bar.
Kinsky kept Tottenham in the game with a fine stop from Sean Longstaff’s shot. But the pressure told in the 79th minute, and Leeds held on. James Trafford produced a brilliant late save from Jan Paul van Hecke’s header as Spurs pushed for an equaliser that never came.
The win was Leeds’ first since a 4-1 rout of Newcastle almost two months ago, and their first victory over Spurs since May 2021. It lifted them to eighth in the table on 14 points from ten games, two points above Tottenham, who dropped to tenth after chasing a fourth straight league win.
VAR controversy overshadows the first half
The match turned on a contentious incident in the 34th minute. Leeds defender Jayden Bogle caught Tel’s trailing ankle with his studs in an ugly challenge that left the Tottenham winger writhing on the ground.
Referee John Brooks awarded a foul, but after a lengthy VAR check, no further action was taken against Bogle. He was not even booked for the challenge. Tel was forced off a few minutes later, hobbling from the pitch to be replaced by Solanke.
Spurs had already benefited from an early VAR call of their own. In the opening minutes, the video officials ruled that Mateus Fernandes had not handled the ball inside the penalty area, and Leeds’ early penalty appeal came to nothing. Tottenham, managed by Roberto De Zerbi, settled as the first half wore on, but clear chances were at a premium for both sides before the break.
What the result means for both sides
For Leeds, the win ends a run of five league games without a victory and sends them into the final international break of 2026 on a high. Farke’s side had drawn three and lost two of those five games, and the pressure had started to build after a bright start to the season faded. It was also only their third league win of the season.
The result also underlines the value of Farke’s bench. Okafor and Wilson both came on in the 77th minute, and both played a part in the goal within two minutes.
For Tottenham, the defeat ends a run of three straight league wins and leaves De Zerbi’s side below Leeds in the table. Spurs had looked to be building momentum after a slow start, and they will now regroup over the international break.
The Premier League resumes after the break, with both sides looking to build on very different feelings from Saturday. Nottingham Forest stunned Manchester City 3-1 at the City Ground on the same day, while Everton beat Coventry with a Barry double earlier in the weekend. Tottenham had beaten Chelsea in October, and Manchester City had already lost at Brighton this month, so the table keeps shifting from week to week.
Frequently asked questions
Who scored the winner as Leeds beat Tottenham 1-0?
Noah Okafor scored the only goal of the game in the 79th minute at Elland Road. He had come on as a substitute for Lukas Nmecha in the 77th minute, and Harry Wilson set him up after Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed on a throw-in.
How fast was Okafor’s goal after he came on?
Okafor scored just 97 seconds after entering the pitch. It was the fastest goal by a substitute in the Premier League so far this season, and the first goal by a Leeds substitute in the league this season.
Why was the Jayden Bogle tackle controversial?
Bogle caught Mathys Tel’s trailing ankle with his studs about ten minutes before half-time. After a lengthy VAR check, Bogle faced no action and was not even booked, while Tel was forced off injured and replaced by Dominic Solanke.
Where do Leeds and Tottenham sit in the Premier League table?
Leeds climbed to eighth after the win, two points above Tottenham. The victory was Leeds’ first in six league games, while the defeat ended Tottenham’s run of three straight league wins.
