Injury woe for Nuno as Spurs make their point

TOTTENHAM battled back from behind to draw 2-2 in their opening Europa Conference League Group G game at Rennes but it was a costly evening as they suffered more injury problems.

Spurs went ahead through Loic Bade’s early own-goal before the French side hit back through Flavien Tait and Gaetan Laborde. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s leveller earned Spurs a point but Steven Bergwijn and Lucas Moura limped off and with a Premier League match against Chelsea on Sunday, they look short in attack.

Heung-min Son is already doubtful with a calf injury while Giovani Lo Celso does not get back from quarantine in Croatia until tomorrow, leaving manager Nuno Espirito Santo with a real headache.

One man who might have forced his way into Nuno’s plans was Tanguy Ndombele, who was given his first game of the season after asking to leave in the summer.

A sublime piece of skill from Ndombele, an audacious back-heel, set up Oliver Skipp – he passed to Harry Kane, whose incisive first-time ball put Moura in the clear and the Brazilian’s attempted cross was deflected into his own net by Bade.

But from there Rennes took over. Adrien Truffert headed a golden chance over, before Tait played a one-two with Serhou Guirassy and curled low into the net.

Bergwijn and Moura (below) both went off with injuries, while Kane was withdrawn shortly after half-time, seemingly with the Chelsea game in mind.

The hosts went in front with 19 minutes left, Pierluigi Gollini spilling a low shot from Kamaldeen Sulemana, and Laborde enjoyed the easiest of tap-ins.

But five minutes later the Londoners rescued a point. Matt Doherty’s cross was deflected kindly into the path of Hojbjerg, who poked home from close range.