Soccer Football - Premier League - Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur - Carrow Road, Norwich, Britain - December 28, 2019 Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane reacts Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs
NORWICH, England (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane struck a late penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw at bottom side Norwich City, who were controversially denied a goal by a VAR review, in an entertaining Premier League clash on Saturday.
Kane was brought down in the area and stepped up to secure a point in his 200th Premier League match after Serge Aurier's own goal had given battling Norwich the lead for the second time.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur - Carrow Road, Norwich, Britain - December 28, 2019 Tottenham Hotspur's Christian Eriksen scores their first goal from a free kick Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs
A first-half strike by the home side's Mario Vrancic was cancelled out by Christian Eriksen's free kick after the break.
Norwich also had a Teemu Pukki effort harshly ruled out for a wafer-thin offside decision following a VAR review that left the home fans singing, "It's not football anymore."
The result leaves Spurs in fifth place with 30 points from 20 games, two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea who have a game in hand at Arsenal on Sunday, while Norwich stay at the foot of the table with 13, six points from the safety zone.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur - Carrow Road, Norwich, Britain - December 28, 2019 Norwich City's Onel Hernandez in action with Tottenham Hotspur's Giovani Lo Celso REUTERS/Chris Radburn
The hosts went ahead with a low strike by Vrancic from the edge of the area in the 18th minute after Spurs defender Juan Foyth was dispossessed by Emiliano Buendia.
They thought they had scored again after 33 minutes when Pukki ran onto a ball over the top by Vrancic to slot home and while referee Kevin Friend awarded a goal, VAR's decision was that the Finland striker was fractionally offside.
Spurs made the most of their let off with a goal 10 minutes into the second half from Eriksen who planted a free kick into the top corner after Jamal Lewis had handled outside the area.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur - Carrow Road, Norwich, Britain - December 28, 2019 Tottenham Hotspur's Dele Alli in action with Norwich City's Alexander Tettey Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs
Norwich then had some luck themselves when Tottenham's Ivorian right back Aurier diverted the ball past his own keeper Paulo Gazzaniga after team mate Toby Alderweireld hit it against him while trying to stop Pukki bearing down on goal.
"I think the same defensive mistakes we made in the first half, we made in the second half. This is being a little bit of our history," said Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho.
It was left to England forward Kane to salvage a draw for the visitors when he was brought down by Christoph Zimmermann and fired the spot kick home after 83 minutes.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur - Carrow Road, Norwich, Britain - December 28, 2019 Tottenham Hotspur's Giovani Lo Celso in action with Norwich City's Mario Vrancic Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs
It was his 136th Premier League goal -- his 150th league goal in total -- and only Alan Shearer and Sergio Aguero have scored more Premier League goals in their first 200 appearances.
(This story refiles to fix spelling of Buendia in para six)
Soccer Football - Premier League - Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur - Carrow Road, Norwich, Britain - December 28, 2019 Norwich City's Mario Vrancic in action with Tottenham Hotspur's Tanguy Ndombele REUTERS/Chris Radburn
(Reporting by Ken Ferris; Editing by Ian Chadband)
Soccer Football - Premier League - Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur - Carrow Road, Norwich, Britain - December 28, 2019 Norwich City's Teemu Pukki in action with Tottenham Hotspur's Serge Aurier REUTERS/Chris Radburn Soccer Football - Premier League - Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur - Carrow Road, Norwich, Britain - December 28, 2019 Tottenham Hotspur's Dele Alli in action with Norwich City's Christoph Zimmermann REUTERS/Chris Radburn Soccer Football - Premier League - Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur - Carrow Road, Norwich, Britain - December 28, 2019 Tottenham Hotspur's Serge Aurier in action with Norwich City's Onel Hernandez Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs Soccer Football - Premier League - Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur - Carrow Road, Norwich, Britain - December 28, 2019 Norwich City's Teemu Pukki reacts after Tottenham Hotspur's Serge Aurier scores an own goal and Norwich City's second Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs Soccer Football - Premier League - Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur - Carrow Road, Norwich, Britain - December 28, 2019 Tottenham Hotspur's Dele Alli in action with Norwich City's Tim Krul REUTERS/Chris Radburn
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