TANGTASTIC

Out-of-favour midfielder Ndombele spares Jose’s blushes with late winner to see off underdogs

JOSE MOURINHO admitted Tottenham had an almighty scare after squeezing through against nine men.

They were trailing against the Bulgarians and it was lucky the TV feed went down for the thousands of fans watching at home.

But, somehow, Tottenham turned it around as Lokomotiv Plovdiv had two players sent off, Harry Kane equalised from the penalty spot and then Tanguy Ndombele proved to be Mourinho’s unlikely hero.

It was a crazy finish to a very uncomfortable night for the visitors – and yet they still face two more Europa League ties to even reach the group stages.

Boss Mourinho said: “When they scored, it was a moment for them to dream and a moment for us to fear going out of the competition.

“To go from that feeling when you think you could lose to then the last feeling to win is good.”

Tottenham dominated early on as they looked far too good for the Bulgarian underdogs as Steven Bergwijn hit the bar and was then denied what looked a clear penalty.

But the TV gremlins crept in, the feed went down and yet you did not feel as if you were missing much.

Spurs went behind from a Georgi Minchev header on 71 minutes.

But they got a reprieve when Momchil Tsvetanov handled on the line, was sent off and Kane fired home from the penalty spot.

Then Birsent Karagaren also got his marching orders for a second yellow card for trying to dig up the penalty spot.

But Spurs won it after 85 minutes when Lucas Moura’s cross was put in by Ndombele, who had been given the cold shoulder by the boss but came to Mourinho’s rescue.

“Last season, I could not see evolution, but he gave us what we wanted,” said Mourinho.

Lloris, Doherty, Sanchez (Lucas 73), Dier, Davies, Sissoko (Ndombele 61), Hojbjerg, MOTM

Lo Celso, Bergwijn (Lamela 70), Son, Kane

SPOT ON Kane slots home the penalty & (right) congratulates scorer Ndombele