Eriksen the saviour as win sets up Nou Camp crunch
THEY got it done, just, and go to Barcelona still fighting. If Tottenham at the Nou Camp can match Inter Milan’s result at home to PSV Eindhoven, they will progress to the Champions League knock-out stage. Mauricio Pochettino’s substitutions changed the match again, as they had against Eindhoven here. Either he’s a genius, or he’s starting the wrong teams. No-one was complaining on 80 minutes last night, however, when Christian Eriksen’s goal won the game and kept Tottenham afloat with a puncher’s chance. ‘All is possible’, said the Spurs manager. ‘I never say it is mission impossible, in football all can happen, you need to believe. It will be tough (to win at Barcelona) but the belief is so important.’ That conviction was evident as the minutes ticked down and Pochettino introduced his reinforcements. Players who had taken Chelsea apart just days earlier, mainly. In the 62nd minute it was Son Heung-min, scorer of that wonder goal, in place of the industrious but ineffective Lucas Moura. Within 60 seconds, he had almost broken the deadlock, cutting in on the left, his shot deflected wide. Soon after he was causing havoc on the right. As he did so, Eriksen warmed up. Soon enough, he was on, too, in the 70th minute for Erik Lamela. His first kick should have brought a goal — a perfectly flighted freekick from the left that was met by Jan Vertonghen just yards from goal at the far post. In the 76th minute, the unusually quiet Ivan Perisic had a shot at the near post well saved by Hugo Lloris. In these moments, Wembley fell quiet. And then it happened, the moment that Pochettino will insist was planned all along. Inter stretched to breaking point by Tottenham’s fresh legs and minds, Eriksen the match-
winner with ten minutes to spare. It was a fine goal and well deserved, on the balance of play. Moussa Sissoko made another fine run down the right, drawing Inter’s defenders to him, before picking out Dele Alli in the middle who moved the ball swiftly onto Eriksen, timing his run beautifully. Suddenly, Inter’s vulnerability was obvious. Everyone was dragged to the ball, to the near post, to Tottenham’s right flank. Eriksen was alone on the left. He doesn’t miss those. Tottenham had made a bright start to the game with plenty of possession. Harry Kane battled through from a wide angle after seven minutes, his cross striking goalkeeper Samir Handanovic in the midriff and ricocheting off a post to safety. Five minutes later, a great Kane run ended with the ball threaded to Alli who shot narrowly over from 25 yards. Tottenham were in control without getting behind Inter, but their shots from range were testing and after 19 minutes one from Lamela was the latest to fly by the upright to the frustration of the locals. Best chance of the half for Tottenham came after 38 minutes when a good move was finally cleared but only as far as Harry Winks, who curled a lovely shot from 25 yards past Handanovic but off the bar. The one time Inter looked like breaking free, when striker Mauro Icardi had left Toby Alderweireld for dead, the Tottenham man cynically brought him down and took a booking 35 yards from goal. Icardi had a straight run at it, too, but with Serge Aurier coming across to cover, a yellow was appropriate. Inter were certainly lucky, too. Moments earlier they had lost another central midfielder, Radja Nainggolan, to injury. His replacement, Borja Valero then set up Inter’s first attack after halftime, a move that ended with Matias Vecino screwing a shot wide. Tottenham toiled but those fresh legs brought fresh impetus — and an Eriksen goal that keeps their Champions League campaign alive and kicking.