London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

Tottenham star scores stunning rabona goal but is sent off as Arsenal overcomes rivals in North London Derby

Tottenham star scores stunning rabona goal but is sent off as Arsenal overcomes rivals in North London Derby

Tottenham's Erik Lamela produced an outrageous piece of skill to score a rabona goal but was later sent off in the North London Derby, as Arsenal beat its rivals 2-1 on Sunday in the Premier League.

The Argentina international squirmed the ball through the legs of an opponent and into the bottom corner to give his side the lead, but Martin Ødegaard leveled just before half time.

Alexandre Lacazette's penalty midway through the second period gave Arsenal the lead before Lamela was sent off 10 minutes later after being shown two quick yellow cards.

The result means Tottenham's Champions League qualification push takes a hit, while Arsenal remain in mid-table.

After the defeat, Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho criticized referee Michael Oliver after awarding the second half penalty, whilst also admitting his side didn't play well enough in the opening period.

"We played really bad in the first half," he told Sky Sports afterwards. The 1-1 was not a fair reflection of the first-half. We were poor. Defending bad. No intensity or pressing.

"Some important players hiding. Really bad. In the second half, we only had space to improve which we did and then it is a question -- but an impossible one as they don't speak -- for the referee Michael Oliver to answer. Probably Paul Tierney too as he was the VAR.

"What I see from the bench is just a feeling at first. I am 40-50 meters away. I saw it on the iPad. Referees have a difficult job sometimes. I did not complain but when I watch back on the iPad it is what it is. If somebody has a different opinion it has to be one of the big Arsenal fans with a season ticket. It is the only one I accept as it is the passion speaking. Other than that I don't accept a different view as it is obvious."

Lamela scores his rabona goal against Arsenal.


Hero to zero


The North London Derby is the biggest game on the footballing calendars for both clubs and both would have wanted their best players fit and firing.

However, when the teams were announced shortly before kickoff, Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was on the bench, with manager Mikel Arteta confirming that he had planned for Aubameyang to start but was dropped due to a "disciplinary issue."

According to reports from The Athletic, the Gabon striker reported late when the squad met up earlier today.

However, following 15 minutes and consistent Arsenal pressure -- during which former academy player Emile Smith Rowe smacked the bar with an outstanding long shot -- Tottenham was down a star player, too.

Lamela and Sergio Reguilon celebrate after Lamela scored his team's goal.


After sprinting to chase a speculative long pass from defense, Son Heung-Min pulled up clutching his hamstring before hobbling off to be replaced by Lamela.

And it proved to be an inspired substitution.

The Argentine, without controlling the ball, hit a delightful rabona -- where a player wraps their kicking leg around the back of their standing leg -- through the legs of Thomas Partey and into the bottom corner.

The display of outrageous skill seemed to kickstart the match after a slow opening, with Cedric Soares smashing the post minutes later with Hugo Lloris standing helpless.

Parity was restored on the brink of halftime, and it came from Arsenal's dynamic left-hand side. Having broken away from his defender, Kieran Tierney put in a low cross and Ødegaard's deflected shot squirmed past the despairing Lloris.

Ødegaard (right) celebrates after scoring the equalizing goal against Tottenham.


The second half started with little to separate the two teams until Davidson Sanchez's rash challenge on Lacazette following a miscued shot from the Frenchman gave him the opportunity to give the hosts the lead.

After the game, the 29-year-old admitted to Sky Sports that Arsenal was "lucky to get the penalty." However, he duly stepped up and converted.

For Lamela, it was a case of hero to zero.

Having opened the scoring with a wonderful piece of skill in the first half, he was shown two yellow cards in relative quick succession for two fouls which sent him for an early shower.

Lacazette shoots from the penalty spot to score his team's second goal.


Despite going down to 10 men, and having done relatively little throughout, Tottenham's superstar striker Harry Kane thought he'd grabbed a late equalizer with a fine headed finish, only for the offside flag to rule it out.

There was even more late drama as Kane struck the post with a freekick in the dying moments and the follow-up was blocked with the goalkeeper floundering.

"Full credit for the way we have done it today after two days coming back from Europe," Arteta told Sky Sports afterwards. "It was incredible. Going 1-0 down the way we were playing was disappointing and worst case scenario against a team like Spurs. But we kept playing and deserve the win.

"Last 10 minutes we did not manage the game and we need to improve on as a team. We relied on luck. With the way we played we should have seen it out comfortably."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×