Spurs were outplayed at the Stade Velodrome during a lackluster first half in which they failed to get a touch inside their opponents’ area – and Marseille deservedly took the lead in stoppage time when a short corner was won by Jordan Veretout and headed home the ex. Newcastle defender Chancel Bemba. Spurs, with manager Antonio Conte in the stands, lost striker Son Heung-min to a head injury in a torrid opening period but were a different team after the break and took control after Lenglet’s equaliser. Hoijberg 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 a stoppage-time winner to put Tottenham top of the group and leave Marseille, who were top at one point in the evening, in fourth place and out of Europe. Image: Beba, left, heads the first goal Tottenham assistant manager Cristian Stellini said: “The performance we have to analyse. We’re repeating the same routine as the last three or four games of being behind. We didn’t use power or intensity in the first half. We let them play too too much in our half, we’re losing ground, they were in control of the game. “After the second half, when we switched to 3-5-2, we had more control. We play a good second half. “I like it when we win. These guys deserve to win, we are a good team but we have to show for 90 minutes. We have to do our best for the whole game. Image: Lenglet celebrates after scoring in Marseille “I spoke to Antonio – he is tired because playing in the crowd for him is not normal. 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 qualifiers on a pulsating night of European football that swung back and forth. Image: Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min leaves the pitch injured
Player Ratings
Marseille: Pau Lopez (6), Beba (7), Bey (5), Balerdi (6), Klaus (6), Rongie (6), Veretout (7), Tavares (7), Gueduzi (7) and Harit (7) , Sanchez (7). The minors 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 (7), Hojbjerg (8), Perisic (6), Lucas Moura (6), Kane (7) , is 6). The minors used: Skipp (n/a), Gil (n/a), Emerson (6), Bissouma (7). Man of the Match: Clement Lenglet.
How the Spurs emerged from the canvas
Image: Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba celebrates after scoring
Tottenham Hotspur got a taste of what could await them in their Champions League clash with Marseille as home fans put on a fireworks display before kick-off. Thousands of home fans, enjoying a holiday in France, gathered outside the Stade Velodrome and set off a barrage of fireworks.
Team news
Tottenham make four changes from the side that narrowly upset Bournemouth at the weekend. Eric Dier, Ivan Perisic, Rodrigo Bedancourt and Lucas Moura all come in, with Davinson Sanchez, Emerson Royal, Oliver Skipp and Yves Bishouma dropping to the bench. Marseille have named three former Arsenal players in their side, with Matteo Gueduzzi, Nelson Tavares and Alexis Sanchez getting the nod.
Fireworks were also set off outside the Tottenham Hotspur hotel on several occasions throughout Monday night. Marseille would have gone through to the knockouts with a win, while Spurs knew they would progress 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 deflected away by Hugo Lloris. But Spurs were dealt a blow when Son was forced off midway through the first period after taking a hard knock to his cheekbone. Image: Sean leaves the field midway through the first half It was unclear if the South Korean was a concussion risk, but regardless, concussions are not allowed in UEFA matches. Tottenham revealed after the game that Sean was carried off with a swollen eye which will be fully assessed on Wednesday. It was far from ideal given that Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison were already missing. Tottenham endured a torrid opening 45 minutes and fell behind in first-half stoppage time. Marseille took a quick corner and Beba headed a free into the bottom corner. Inside the Stade Velodrome, Sky Sports News reporter Paul Gilmour said: “This place has erupted. The noise is just incredible. A French journalist in front of us picks up one of the TVs in the media area and holds it up celebrating. Fireworks are lit behind the goal. Pandemonium. On the basis of these figures, this will be a long night for Spurs.” This was going to require a great test of character but, apart from Harry Kane’s late half-time effort saved by Pau Lopez, they didn’t look like scoring. Spurs had completed six passes in the final third, so Conte ordered a tactical change from distance – Ryan Sessegnon replaced by Emerson Royal at the interval. Spurs looked doomed but came out in the second half and immediately improved, equalizing in the 54th minute. Ivan Perisic sent in a superb free-kick which Lenglet headed home as Spurs continued their prowess in the set-pieces. Image: Ivan Perisic fights for the ball on Tuesday The game had changed and Conte’s side were starting to find space and had moments where they could have taken the lead. They missed a chance to pull one back as Rodrigo Bedancourt won a pass to Lucas Moura, who slotted home, but Spurs recycled the ball and when Royal’s cross was dropped by Lopez, Kane could not adjust his feet in time to to put forward. They thought their moment had come in the 80th minute as they worked a winger to perfection, Bedancourt and Moura combined to tee up Hoibierg, whose shot from 14 yards hit the crossbar. A minute later Kane crossed on goal but was denied by Bemba’s brilliant tackle just as he was about to pull the trigger. Image: Assistant coach Cristian Stellini on the touchline Spurs survived a nerve-wracking moment in the 87th minute as former Arsenal man Kolasinac curled a header wide of the far post. It looked like the job would be done with the draw but Spurs made sure to die as Kane played in Hojbjerg’s emphatic finish to silence a hostile Marseille crowd. Tottenham have 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 going out of the competition. Image: Sead Kolasinac misses with a golden opportunity
Drama for Spurs this season
Chelsea 2-2 Tottenham – injury time equalizer from Kane Tottenham 2-1 Fulham – Richarlison sent off by VAR for offside Sporting 2-0 Tottenham – Paulinho and Arthur Gomes score for Sporting in stoppage time Tottenham 3-2 Frankfurt – Kane misses injury time, Lloris has to save from Faride Alidou Tottenham 1-1 Sporting – Kane’s stoppage-time winner ruled out by VAR Bournemouth 2-3 Tottenham – winner due to injury by Bedancourt Marseille 1-2 Tottenham – Tottenham overcame a first-half siege before grabbing an unlikely 2-1 win in Marseille to reach the last 16 of the Champions League as Group D winners after a shock conclusion
Analysis: Progressing but needs improvement
Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player Paul Merson reacts to Tottenham Hotspur’s late win away to Marseille which sent them into the Champions League knockout stages 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 than Tottenham, the first half wasn’t good enough. What a goal to finish it off. “Spurs couldn’t string three passes together in the first half. Once they started passing more, 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 16 you can’t keep giving teams heads. It will catch up with you soon. “When the shackles are off and the fear factor is out of the game, Spurs have got some good players who can move the ball very quickly. But they don’t do that, they sit back. Kane was literally 35 yards from his own goal in the first half. They didn’t have an outlet, they have to take a chance sometimes. It’s very negative for me. “You can’t go on with teams. They were lucky in a few games like Bournemouth on Saturday and again today against an average team in Marseille.”
How Tottenham turned the tables
An analysis of the first and second half statistics shows how Tottenham only began to assert themselves after the break… Sky Sports News Paul Gilmour: “Unbelievable! Marseille had to do it and the fans in the corner are ecstatic. It’s the story of the season…Go a goal…
