Alli shines to lift Wembley curse
WEMBLEY finally felt like home for Tottenham as they won there for the first time since 2008 to qualify as a seeded team for the last 32 of the Europa League.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men had to fight back from a goal down against their Russian visitors, but strikes from Dele Alli, Harry Kane and an own goal from keeper Igor Akinfeev brought a welcome victory.
Champions League drop-outs they may be after a disastrous Euro campaign, but Pochettino will focus on the positives as he prepares his players for more games at the national stadium early next year.
The Argentinian will have been thrilled to see Christian Eriksen at his creative best and Toby Alderweireld back in action before a trip to Manchester United on Sunday.
With a Wembley curse to slay, a nerve-settler would have gone down well and there was no shortage of early chances. All were squandered, with the pattern set by Alli in the seventh minute. Eriksen whipped in a cross but Alli headed wide when he ought to have tested Akinfeev.
Pochettino had insisted he was serious about qualifying for the Europa League and backed his words with a strong team; stronger, in fact, than for the previous game in Monaco, when Spurs were still in with a chance of reaching the knockout rounds.
They came out with purpose and the home crowd did their best to roar Spurs on, although there were lots of empty seats. More than 50,000 had bought all three group game tickets in a package, with prices starting at £50, and many decided they had better things to do than watch their team continue a psychological struggle with their hired home.
And after more than half an hour of Tottenham domination, CSKA took the lead with their first shot.
Zoran Tosic broke forward and released Alan Dzagoev, who beat Hugo Lloris with clinical confidence.
Spurs were level inside five minutes. This time Alli connected well, sweeping past Akinfeev. The CSKA goalkeeper has not kept a clean sheet in 39 Champions League games, a run stretching back a decade.
With half-time looming, Tottenham finally took the lead for the first time at Wembley in this European campaign, Eriksen found Danny Rose and his low cross was finished by Kane.
Kane and Alli went close again after the interval and Akinfeev denied Eriksen. Having made a save to keep out a header from Alli, Akinfeev then clawed the ball on to his left boot and saw it roll into his net.
‘We’ve finished the campaign well, there’s a bit of pride to send the fans home happy,’ said Kane.