Tottenham Hotspur suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League, their final match before the first international break of the year.

For the encounter, Ange Postecoglou named a starting eleven consisting of Vicario; Spence, Romero, Davies, Udogie; Bentancur, Gray, Bissouma; Johnson, Solanke, and Tel.

First-Half Action

The match began at a sluggish pace, with neither side creating much in the early exchanges. Rodrigo Bentancur registered the first notable effort, heading wide from a corner. Shortly after, Mathys Tel showcased excellent wing play, delivering a low cross into the box, but no one was on hand to convert—typically the kind of chance that Brennan Johnson thrives on.

With ten minutes remaining in the first half, Timothy Castagne had a presentable opportunity for the hosts, but Guglielmo Vicario made a comfortable save. That proved to be the last meaningful action before the break in what was a drab first half, offering little entertainment for the neutral spectator.

At half-time, Postecoglou opted for changes, introducing Heung-min Son and Lucas Bergvall in place of Johnson and Bissouma.

Second-Half Developments

Early in the second half, Bentancur remained Spurs' most active player in attack, registering two more efforts on goal. In fact, the Uruguayan midfielder accounted for all of Spurs' shots in the first 50 minutes. Dominic Solanke finally broke that trend in the 53rd minute, heading wide.

Midway through the half, James Maddison replaced Cristian Romero, prompting Gray to drop into defence. Maddison nearly had an immediate impact, delivering a pinpoint ball into the box, but Solanke failed to direct his effort on target—a costly miss.

Spurs would rue that wasted opportunity, as Fulham took the lead in the 78th minute, with Rodrigo Muniz breaking the deadlock. Shortly before the goal, Tel had been replaced by Wilson Odobert.

In the 86th minute, Dane Scarlett entered the fray for Bentancur, but Spurs' hopes of a late comeback were dashed just four minutes later. Ryan Sessegnon, only a minute after coming off the bench, doubled Fulham’s lead with a composed finish—an all-too-familiar scenario for Tottenham fans.

A Frustrating Afternoon for Spurs

That was that—another frustrating Premier League outing for Spurs. With every league match becoming a challenge, Postecoglou’s side must now regroup during the international break. However, with their Europa League campaign hanging in the balance, the remainder of the season could become even more gruelling should they suffer elimination from European competition.

For now, the break provides a much-needed moment to reset before the challenges ahead.