Leeds substitute Noah Okafor scores 97 seconds after coming on to beat Tottenham
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The gist
Leeds United forward Noah Okafor scored 97 seconds after coming on to beat Tottenham 1-0.
The win lifted Leeds above Spurs into eighth, easing a winless run since mid-September.
Background
Noah Okafor is a Switzerland international forward who joined Leeds United from AC Milan in September 2025 on a four-year contract for a reported £18m. Leeds went into the Tottenham game looking to end a poor run, having not won since a 4-1 victory over Newcastle in mid-September. Okafor had been a major doubt after missing the previous game with adductor problems and training only individually that week.
How it unfolded
- Sep 13, 2025Leeds United completed the signing of Noah Okafor from AC Milan on a four-year contract for a reported £18m.
- Sep 8, 2026Leeds faced late deadline-day interest in Okafor, with a £35m deadline-busting bid revealed.
- Nov 5, 2026Manager Daniel Farke said Okafor had missed the last game with adductor problems and had not trained with the team that week, making him a major doubt for Tottenham.
- Nov 7, 2026Substitute Okafor scored 97 seconds after coming on in the 79th minute, giving Leeds a 1-0 win over Tottenham at Elland Road.
- Nov 7, 2026The win moved Leeds above Tottenham into eighth place with 14 points; Tottenham have 12.
Key terms
- VAR
- A match official in football who reviews decisions using video footage and advises the referee.
Source: Wikipedia
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Leeds manager Daniel Farke said Okafor could not train with the team that week because of adductor problems and could not say beforehand whether he was available.
- Caution
- Tottenham were aggrieved that Leeds were not reduced to 10 men, with Jayden Bogle appearing fortunate to escape a red card after a VAR check on his tackle on Mathys Tel before halftime.
Still unverified
Tottenham were aggrieved that Leeds were not reduced to 10 men after a VAR check on Jayden Bogle's tackle on Mathys Tel; the dispute over the decision is contested.