A late strike from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg secured Tottenham’s place in the Champions League last 16 with a 2-1 win away to Marseille.
A late strike from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg secured Tottenham’s place in the Champions League last 16 with a 2-1 win away to Marseille.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Injuries ought to have slowed the game down in Tottenham’s favour in an interrupted first half, but instead they drowned under the deafening noise coming from the Stade Velodrome. Clement Lenglet’s early second half equaliser steadied their nerves and crucially pulled Spurs back up to second in group D, before Hojbjerg sealed proceedings with a kiss in the form of a thunderous injury time winner, capping off a spirited second half display.
ALL EYES ON: Alexis Sanchez had talked up his love for former employers Arsenal in the build-up to the game, and while he couldn’t get on the scoresheet, he rolled back the years with his first-half performance. Sanchez was desperate for a goal and was only denied by poor fortune and desperate defending, but his front-footed display from the first whistle was key to energising his side and pushed them onto Spurs from the off. Crucially, though, he couldn’t knock Spurs out of Europe.
DID YOU KNOW? The victory means Tottenham have won away from home for the first time in seven attempts against French opposition in European competition.
