Palhinha scores priceless late goal as Spurs win crunch survival clash

Wolves 0-1 Tottenham: Spurs remain in the relegation zone due to West Ham’s win but finally secure a first Premier League victory of 2026
Tottenham keep survival hopes alive with Joao Palhinha’s late winner
Joao Palhinha’s 82nd-minute tap-in earned Tottenham a first Premier League win of 2026 with a 1-0 victory at Wolves but they remain in the relegation zone.

Spurs looked set for a painful afternoon at Molineux after Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons were forced off due to injury until Roberto De Zerbi watched Palhinha slide in at the back post from a scuffed Richarlison shot to secure a first league success in 16 matches.

It momentarily took Tottenham out of the bottom three, but a late winner for West Ham has kept the gap to two points with only four games left.

Joao Pahinha hopes victory changes something
Joao Palhinha spoke to BBC Sport after scoring the winning goal to end Spurs’ 15-game winless streak.

“Hopefully it changes something,” he said.

“This victory is much more than that for me, the fans, and the whole club, it’s not a normal season that we have been living until today.

We all have responsibility in this season.

“We have four finals [remaining].

We need to do our jobs.

Hopefully this win can change things, give us a bit more motivation as well as it’s been a long time without victories.

“What we can control right now is doing our job until the end of the season and keeping the club where it belongs, which is the Premier League.

“We will give everything we have until the end of the season because it means a lot for us to keep [Tottenham] in the Premier League.”
What a result for Tottenham.

Can this spark a great escape?

FULL-TIME!

Wolves 0-1 Tottenham
They’ve done it!

What a huge result for Spurs - a long overdue, first win of 2026!

Roberto De Zerbi said one win could change things for Tottenham - he’ll desperately hope that’s the case.

It was a scrappy game but Joao Palhinha steered in from close range on 83 minutes for a priceless goal.

West Ham’s win over Everton means Spurs are still int he bottom three but there’s hope again at last
The much-maligned Antonin Kinsky doing the business
Wolves 0-1 Tottenham, 90+7 mins
Danso fouls Mane and is yellow carded.

One last chance for Wolves from the free-kick...

Wolves 0-1 Tottenham, 90+6 mins
Wolves surge forward and Hwang plays the ball to the edge of the box but Spurs converge and clear the ball.

Joao Gomes then throws out an arm when contesting a challenge with Lucas Bergvall, who goes down clutching his face.

There is contact and the ref goes for a yellow card - right call.

Into the final 90 seconds now.

Wolves 0-1 Tottenham, 90+4 mins
Another Wolves sub as David Moller Wolfe comes on for Hugo Bueno, who is clutching his leg.

Spurs doing a good job of seeing this one out at the moment
Wolves 0-1 Tottenham, 90+2 mins
Bad news for Spurs!

Not in this game but in West Ham’s clash with Everton where the Hammers have just gone 2-1 up.

That menas Spurs would still be in the relegation zone despite this result!

Mane cuts in from the left but slices his shot over the bar and drops his head in frustration.

The board goes up - seven minutes of added time!

It actually could’ve been more than that, given Xavi Simons’ injury.

Another Spurs sub as Conor Gallagher comes off and Radu Dragusin is on.

A defender on for a midfielder as they try to hold this lead.

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies