At a glance:
- Tottenham beat Wolves 1-0
- Roberto De Zerbi heaps praise on Antonin Kinsky
- The goalkeeper pulled off a crucial save
Tottenham Hotspur needed Antonin Kinsky to be at his best to beat Wolves 1-0 in their Premier League clash on Saturday.
Spurs started decently against already relegated Wolves, but didn’t create many chances. It was a poor first half from both sides. Tottenham started the second half poorly as well, as Wolves grew into the game.
However, Joao Palhinha scored in the 82nd minute to give the visitors a 1-0 lead at Molineux. In a nervy remainder of the game, Spurs held on to their lead with the help of Kinsky. It marked their first Premier League win of 2026.
Roberto De Zerbi praised Antonin Kinsky after Tottenham’s win over Wolves
Kinsky had a horrible last month. Interim manager Igor Tudor started him against Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano in Spurs’ UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg.
The 23-year-old was at fault for two of Atletico’s goals and was subbed off in the 17th minute.
However, with Guglielmo Vicario out injured, Kinsky has started all three games under Roberto De Zerbi. He has been good as well, making good saves and being calm on the ball.
After the Wolves game, De Zerbi lauded the Czech international.
“He deserves this day because he played very well today,” said the Italian via Football.London.
“He was crucial for the result and he deserves everything because he’s a good guy and a good keeper and especially after Madrid, he deserves this.”
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Against Wolves, Kinsky first flew out of his goal to make a sweeper keeper clearance when the score was 0-0. Then, in the final minute of stoppage time, he made a tremendous save from a free-kick from Joao Gomes, securing Tottenham’s 1-0 lead.
Kinsky has shown incredible mentality
It hasn’t been easy for Kinsky at Tottenham so far. The north London side signed him from Red Star Belgrade for £12.5 million in January 2024.
He had a good debut against Liverpool, but has struggled since, making multiple mistakes in multiple knockout games.
His reputation was further damaged after the Atletico Madrid debacle. However, the 23-year-old has shown incredible maturity and mentality to bounce back from it.
Every top goalkeeper can pull off good saves at times. However, Kinsky has also shown great calmness on the ball, which is crucial for De Zerbi’s system.
Also Read: Tottenham’s survival hopes dented by horrific refereeing decision in West Ham vs Everton
Vicario has been linked with a move to Inter Milan this summer. While Spurs will almost certainly look for a senior replacement, Kinsky is showing that he can compete for the No. 1 spot.
He would certainly be regarded very highly if his performance against Wolves helps Tottenham avoid relegation.
