Sun Jan 12 21:43:26 UTC 2025: ## Tottenham Avoids FA Cup Upset, Edges Past Tamworth in Extra Time
**TAMWORTH, England (January 13, 2025) —** Tottenham Hotspur narrowly escaped a major FA Cup upset on Sunday, defeating lower-league side Tamworth 3-0 after extra time. The match, played at Tamworth’s The Lamb stadium, saw the Premier League side struggle against their significantly lower-ranked opponents, who included players with day jobs ranging from bricklaying to financial advising.
A goalless draw after 90 minutes stunned the 3,700-strong crowd, forcing extra time. Tamworth, playing in the FA Cup third round for the first time since 2012, held their own against the Tottenham stars until an own-goal in the 101st minute broke the deadlock. Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson then added further goals to secure a hard-fought victory for Tottenham.
Manager Ange Postecoglou was forced to introduce key players like Son Heung-min and Dominic Solanke from the bench to finally overcome the spirited challenge from the National League side, who sit 95 places below Tottenham in the English football pyramid. The absence of replays this season meant Tamworth, unlike in previous years, did not earn a lucrative replay opportunity despite forcing extra time. The win, however, came at the cost of a significant scare for the Premier League team.
First Piper 