Pochettino rues missed chances as Spurs are held
MAURICIO Pochettino refused to blame Hugo Lloris despite the goalkeeper’s sending-off almost certainly costing Tottenham their place in the Champions League.
Spurs were leading PSV Eindhoven 2-1 in Holland with 11 minutes to go when Lloris charged out of his area and upended Hirving Lozano to earn a straight red card.
The 10 men promptly conceded an equaliser to leave both sides on just one point after three matches in Group B.
PSV’s opening goal also came from a mistake, by Toby Alderweireld, but Spurs boss Pochettino laid the blame at his side’s failure to take their chances rather than the brain fades at the back.
“I think it’s easy to judge the game,” he said.
“If you didn’t win following what happened then you don’t deserve to be in the Champions League.
“This type of game, when you dominate and are much better and have the possibility to win the game, at the end that can happen.
“An action that was our keeper Hugo sent off, and afterwards with 10 men you concede chances. With the chances they scored and then it’s 2-2. Clearly that’s the analysis.
“I’m not going to blame any player. If someone is to blame it’s myself, I am responsible for the team. Not the player.
“Players are there to play. The problem is when you are so good, you dominate the game and create the chances and you can’t kill the game.
“Then an accident from Hugo and the decision didn’t help us, and you draw and it puts our qualification for the next stage in a difficult position.
“Was it a red card? In my opinion I think no, but we cannot blame the referee.
“Now we need to win three games that we have to play and some results that help us to achieve a place for qualification — but it’s difficult.”
Pochettino (below) may have led Spurs to their best start to a Premier League season but their European campaign has been beset by self-inflicted wounds, from the late collapse at Inter Milan to Lloris’ gaffe against Barcelona.
And when PSV’s opening goal arrived, shortly after Kane had clipped the crossbar, it was also of Tottenham’s making, with last man Alderweireld caught in possession by Lozano.
The Mexican winger scampered through on goal and, although Alderweireld got back to make a challenge, he succeeded only in diverting the ball over Lloris and into the net.
Spurs thought they had equalised almost immediately but Davinson Sanchez’s drive through a crowded area was ruled out for a misdemeanour by Kane.
However, they did haul themselves level when Kieran Trippier pulled the ball back for Lucas Moura to ram home, via a deflection, through another sea of defenders. PSV: Zoet, Dumfries, Schwaab, Viergever, Angelino, Rosario, Pereiro (Gakpo, 83 mins), Hendrix, Lozano, de Jong, Malen. Unused subs: Room, Isimat-Mirin, Behich, Gakpo, Sainsbury, Ramselaar, Gutierrez. TOTTENHAM: Lloris, Trippier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies, Dembele (Winks,
Yet still Spurs could not settle and, moments before half-time, Gaston Pereiro’s toe-poke flicked up off Sanchez and grazed the crossbar.
After the break fit-again Christian Eriksen warmed the hands of goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet with a snap-shot before Kane finally got his goal.
Eriksen showed what Spurs have been missing during his spell out with an abdominal injury when he lifted the ball perfectly onto the head of the waiting Kane at the far post.
That should have been that until Lloris injected further, unnecessary drama into the tie when he raced outside the area and upended the onrushing Lozano to earn a straight red card.
It proved costly in the extreme.
Back-up keeper Michel Vorm held out for seven minutes before the ball reached Luuk De Jong in the area and he prodded an equaliser. 74 mins), Dier, Lucas Moura (Lamela, 64 mins), Eriksen, Son (Vorm, 81 mins), Kane. Unused subs: Wanyama, Sissoko, Llorente, Aurier.
Referee: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia)
Man of the match: Christian Eriksen Match rating: 8/10
Kane tried in vain for a winner but his stoppage-time shot was blocked to condemn Spurs to what looks likely to be an unseemly scuffle with PSV for the dreaded third place and a spot in the Europa League.
Midfielder Eriksen believes his side should have polished the game off and claimed all three points.
“I think we should have finished it off with all the shots and chances we created but that’s Champions League football,” he reasoned.
“I think at this time of the season it’s a disappointment. In the Champions League there aren’t many games to play.
“We threw it away but we did play good football and created a lot of chances — that’s a positive — but if we can’t finish the game off then every game’s going to be really tough.
“We said it was a must-win and we didn’t get a win. So we’ll fight our way to see how high we can finish.”
PSV coach Mark van Bommel said: “This result leaves us in the same position in the ranking.
“Of course we wanted to win. It was a heavy night for us. We were leading, but then it is 1-1 and 2-1 and we had some difficulties against a really strong opponent.
“In the end we have to be happy with a point.”