A very brief spell at the end of the first half cost Fulham dear against Tottenham Hotspur, according to Marco Silva.
The Whites controlled proceedings for the vast majority of the opening 45 minutes, but Spurs ended strongly and were rewarded with the only goal of the game – a fine strike from Harry Kane.
“Our first 40 minutes was very good, I have to say,” Silva said. “A very good level, high intensity, a lot of energy from ourselves, a good dynamic as well.
“We were clearly the best team for 40-42 minutes, the most dominant team, the team that created the most dangerous moments around their box.
“I think we had two very good chances – one with Harrison Reed, another with João [Palhinha] from a free-kick. But even without many, many chances, I think we were clearly the best team on the pitch until the last five minutes [of the first half].
“I think we lost a little bit of control of the game, without reason to be honest, in the last five minutes of the half.
“Some moments when we won the ball, we lost the ball too quickly again, and after a fast corner kick came that goal from Kane. Of course it was decided by a great footballer, but if you are in a good position then that moment will not happen, for sure.
“We lost the control in that three minutes and we were punished by that, from a great finish from him, but we were punished by that.
“Second half, I think we lost a bit of the energy, also a little bit of the dynamic. The setback is always difficult.
“Nine [Spurs] players were always behind the ball in their own half and we didn’t find the spaces, we didn’t find the gaps to create chances to equalise the game.
“It was a tough second half for us. Even if we were the dominant team, we didn’t create enough.”
