The Argentinian defender popped up to score his first Spurs goal midway through the second half, in an encounter that won’t live long in the memory as Mauricio Pochettino won his seventh straight league game against the Eagles.
In contrast to the gloomy skies and relentless rain surrounding Selhurst, the Eagles began brightly but couldn’t find a way to test Hugo Lloris with ex-Spurs man Andros Townsend shot into the side-netting after a quarter of an hour proving to be Palace’s best opportunity of a quiet opening 45 minutes.
As it progressed, the chances began to pile up for the visitors, starting with Moussa Sissoko barging past three players before a diving block by Mamadou Sakho inside the area ended the threat as his countryman pulled the trigger.
Dele Alli then rejected a chance to net a header and instead attempt to set up Harry Kane but miscued, and soon after the England captain himself pounced on some hesitation by Luka Milivojevic to drive a shot on target from 25 yards but Hennessey produced a decent stop.
That ensured the teams went into the break goalless after a half that was as bleak as the weather, but eight minutes after play resumed the hosts had a great chance to take the lead when James Tomkins met a Milivojevic corner at the back post but couldn’t direct it towards the target.
However, in keeping with the game, Spurs took the lead in scrappy fashion on 65 minutes. After winning a corner, Erik Lamela sent it into the box and Kane saw a header blocked on the line, but with the ball up for grabs everyone hesitated except Foyth, who buried a free header to score his first goal in English football.
It took Hodgson’s team a while to recover from that setback but eventually they began to build up a head of steam in an attempt to salvage a point.
On 79 minutes Lloris was forced into his first real save of the game when Jeffrey Schlupp attempted a 25-yard blast which the World Cup winner pushed to safety, and then a few minutes later a sustained period of pressure saw Townsend hook the ball goalwards but it was comfortable for the Spurs shot-stopper.
But as the clock ticked onto 90 minutes, a huge opportunity was squandered as a Milivojevic shot ricocheted off Foyth into the path of Alexander Sørloth, and he had time to steady himself but shot straight at Lloris from close-range and Palace’s hopes of a point disappeared.
Palace: Hennessey, Wan-Bissaka, Sakho, Tomkins (Kelly 60), Van Aanholt, McArthur (Sørloth 70), Milivojevic, Kouyaté, Meyer (Schlupp 67), Townsend, Ayew. Subs not used: Guaita, Ward, Riedewald, Puncheon.
Tottenham: Lloris, Trippier (Aurier 24), Foyth, Alderweireld, Davies, Sissoko, Wanyama, Alli, Lamela (Winks 81), Moura (Son 71), Kane. Subs not used: Gazzaniga, Dier, Eriksen, Llorente.