Tottenham will play in the last 16 of the Champions League after Clement Lenglet’s second-half header and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s stoppage-time goal clinched a dramatic 2-1 victory at Marseille in a night in Provence.
Spurs were overwhelmed at the Stade Velodrome during a lackluster first half in which they failed to get a touch inside the opposition area, and Marseille deservedly took the lead in stoppage time when a short corner was flicked on by Jordan Veretout and goes home ex. Newcastle defender Chancel Mbemba.
Spurs, with head coach Antonio Conte on the sidelines, lost striker Son Heung-min to a head injury in a torrid first period but were a different team after the break and took the control after Lenglet’s equaliser.
Hojbjerg hit the crossbar for the visitors but Marseille should have scored late on when Sead Kolasinac somehow missed an open goal with a header. Hojbjerg then sealed victory in stoppage time to put Tottenham top of the group and leave Marseille, who were leaders at one point in the evening, in fourth place and out of Europe.
Image: Chancel Mbemba, left, heads the first goal
Tottenham assistant manager Cristian Stellini said: “The performance we have to analyse. We repeated the same routine as the last three or four games to fall behind. We didn’t use power or intensity in the first half .We let them play too much.in our half, we lose ground, they were in control of the game.
“After the second half, when we changed to a 3-5-2, we had more control. Let’s have a good second half.
“I like it when we win. These guys deserve to win, we’re a good team but we have to show for 90 minutes. We have to do our best throughout the game.
Image: Clement Lenglet celebrates after scoring in Marseille
“I spoke to Antonio, he is tired because playing in front of the crowd is not normal for him. He loses a lot of energy. It is better to be on the touchline with the players.”
Elsewhere in Group D, Eintracht Frankfurt came from behind to beat Sporting CP to move from third to second in the standings in a vibrant night of European football that swung from one side and then the other
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Tottenham defender Ben Davies says the squad are delighted to reach the last 16 of the Champions League after a 2-1 win in Marseille.
Player ratings
Marseille: Pau López (6), Mbemba (7), Bailly (5), Balerdi (6), Clauss (6), Rongier (6), Veretout (7), Tavares (7), Guendouzi (7) and Harit (6) . , Sánchez (7).
Subs used: Leg (5), Suarez (n/a), Under (6), Kolasinac (5), Kabore (n/a).
Tottenham: Lloris (7), Lenglet (8), Dier (6), Davies (6), Sessegnon (5), Bentancur (8), Hojbjerg (8), Perisic (6), Lucas Moura (6), Kane (7) , They are (6).
Subs used: Skipp (n/a), Gil (n/a), Emerson (6), Bissouma (7).
Man of the Match: Clement Lenglet.
How the Spurs were lifted from the cloth
Image: Marseille’s Mbemba celebrates after scoring
Tottenham got a taste of what to expect in their Champions League clash with Marseille as the home fans set off a fireworks display before kick-off.
Thousands of local fans, who were enjoying a holiday in France, gathered outside the Velodrome Stadium and set off a shower of pyrotechnics.
Team news
- Tottenham made four changes from the side that narrowly toppled Bournemouth at the weekend. Eric Dier, Ivan Perisic, Rodrigo Bentancur and Lucas Moura all come in, with Davinson Sanchez, Emerson Royal, Oliver Skipp and Yves Bissouma dropping to the bench.
- Marseille have named three former Arsenal players in their side, with Matteo Guendouzi, Nelson Tavares and Alexis Sanchez.
They had also set off fireworks outside Tottenham’s hotel on several occasions on Monday night. Marseille would have progressed to the last 16 with victory, while Spurs knew they would advance with a draw or a win.
Eric Bailly was forced off early as his injury problems continued before Veretout had a good chance to break the deadlock when his shot was denied by Hugo Lloris. But Spurs were dealt a blow when Son was forced off midway through the opening period after taking a heavy blow to the cheek.
Image: Tottenham’s Son Heung-min leaves the field injured
It was unclear whether the South Korean was a concussion risk, but regardless, concussion substitutes are not allowed in UEFA competition.
Tottenham revealed after the game that Son was ruled out with a swollen eye which will be fully assessed on Wednesday. It was far from ideal given that Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison were already gone.
Tottenham endured a terrible opening 45 minutes and fell behind in first-half stoppage time. Marseille took a quick corner and Mbemba got a free header to go into the bottom corner.
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Tottenham defender Eric Dier says it was a new experience not having his manager Antonio Conte on the touchline during their 2-1 Champions League win in Marseille.
Speaking from the Velodrome Stadium, Sky Sports News reporter Paul Gilmour said: “This place has exploded. The noise is just unbelievable. A French journalist in front of us picks up one of the TVs in the media area and holds it up in celebration. Bengals. lights up behind the goal. Pandemonium. On this evidence, it’s going to be a long night for the Spurs.”
That would require a huge test of character but, apart from Harry Kane’s late effort in the half saved by Pau Lopez, it didn’t look like he was going to score. Spurs had completed six passes in the final third, so Conte ordered a tactical change from distance: Ryan Sessegnon was replaced by Emerson Royal at the interval.
Spurs looked doomed but came out in the second half and improved immediately, equalizing in the 54th minute. Ivan Perisic sent a delicious free-kick which Lenglet headed home as Spurs continued their prowess from set pieces.
Image: Ivan Perisic competes for the ball on Tuesday
The game had changed and Conte’s team was beginning to find space and had moments when they could have gone ahead.
They wasted a chance to counter when Rodrigo Bentancur hit a pass to Lucas Moura, who slotted home, but Spurs recycled the ball and when Lopez flicked on Royal’s cross, Kane couldn’t adjust his feet in time to touch
They thought their moment had come in the 80th minute as they worked a pass brilliantly, Bentancur and Moura combining to set up Hojbjerg, whose shot from 14 yards crashed against the crossbar.
A minute later Kane was on goal but was denied by a brilliant tackle from Mbemba just as he was about to pull the trigger.
Image: Assistant coach Cristian Stellini on the touchline
Spurs survived a heartbreaking moment in the 87th minute when former Arsenal player Kolasinac curled a free header wide of the far post.
It looked like it would be a done deal for a draw, but Spurs made sure at the death when Kane played in Hojbjerg, who finished emphatically to silence a hostile Marseille crowd.
Tottenham finished top of their group for the third time in their Champions League history, having also done so in 2010/11 and 2017/18, but for so long on Tuesday night it looked as if they were out of the competition.
Picture: Sead Kolasinac misses a golden cut chance
Analysis: Expected but need to improve
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Paul Merson reacts to Tottenham’s late victory in Marseille that sent them through to the knockout stages of the Champions League as group winners.
Sky Sports’ Paul Merson on Hojbjerg’s late goal: “What a finish, what a counter-attack. The second half was much better from Tottenham, the first half wasn’t good enough. What a goal to finish it off.
“Spurs couldn’t put three passes together in the first half. As soon as they started making more passes, the game opened up for them and they were a threat. They managed the game well.
“Tottenham did really well in the second half but when you get to the last 16 you can’t keep giving teams the lead. It will catch up with you sooner rather than later.
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Harry Kane and his Tottenham teammates celebrated their Champions League progress with a bit of dressing room dancing!
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