Kalidou Koulibaly: Stoppage time draw vs Tottenham Hotspur felt like a defeat for Chelsea

Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly believes his side’s draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday evening feels like a defeat.

The Blues drew 2-2 against Spurs at Stamford Bridge, with the hosts taking the lead twice during the match.

Koulibaly netted the opener in the first half, his first goal for Chelsea since he made the move from Napoli earlier in the summer.

Spurs equalised just after the hour mark but Reece James put the west London side back in front shortly after.

However, Harry Kane’s header deep into stoppage time at the end of the second half ensured that both sides earned a point from the result.

Managers Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte had a couple of encounters on the touchline in west London, with the former angry about the fouls in the buildup to Spurs’ goals.

When speaking to the Chelsea website after the match, Koulibaly revealed his belief that the draw feels like a defeat, especially considering how close they were to a win.

“It was very close. We knew that this was a difficult game against a good team. 

“We showed our plan was good because we showed the beautiful face of Chelsea at the beginning of the game. We scored the goal and after we kept on going.

“In the second half we conceded the goal that was a bit hard for us, but we kept on believing and kept on going forward. I was really happy for Reece’s second goal, but to finish this game with a draw was hard. 

“I think that we deserved more and we have to keep on believing in us because we know that we are a great team and we can do better.

“It was very difficult to concede that goal in the last minute, it hurt a bit, but I think that we did a good game, a great game. 

Kalidou Koulibaly celebrates his first goal for Chelsea. (Alamy)

“We saw the beautiful face of Chelsea and this is the most important thing and you have to keep on going after this draw.

“We didn’t deserve it because we made a lot of good things and to draw at the last minute, of course it felt a bit like a defeat. But we have to keep on working and try to win the next game.”

Tuchel spoke on his altercations with Conte in his post-match press conference, with the managerial duo engaging in a feisty handshake at full-time.

When asked if he had spoken to his counterpart since the end of the match, he said: “Not yet. I don’t have any bad feeling and I’m sure he will not have.

“We fought for our teams and it happens. It’s so close here and it was such an intense match… both dugouts are very close so it got a bit heated from both of us.”

Chelsea now have four points from their opening two games of the Premier League season, having won at Everton on the opening weekend.