Poch slams Spurs after another slip
MAuRICIO POCHETTINO told his Tottenham players they do not deserve to progress in the Champions League if they cannot win a game like this against PSV Eindhoven. And the Spurs boss confessed his team’s chances were all but over after conceding an equaliser in the 87th minute of a thrilling tie in Holland. Tottenham had gone behind to a Hirving Lozano goal but fought into the lead with goals from Lucas Moura and Harry Kane before Hugo Lloris was sent off for a reckless tackle and the Dutch champions levelled late on. ‘It is nearly over,’ said Pochettino. ‘One point from three games. It will be really difficult. ‘We need to win the three games we have left to play and hope that some results help us.’ Only seven teams out of 67 have ever qualified from such a lowly position at the halfway stage of the group, including Arsenal in 2003 and Liverpool four years later. Pochettino added: ‘If you don’t win this type of game you don’t deserve to be in the Champions League. When you play so much better and you dominate, you create the best chances and you cannot kill the game, the game is always open. Then you can concede goals like we did.’ The Spurs manager refused to blame captain Lloris, who was shown a straight red card for a mistimed tackle outside the penalty area which denied Lozano a goal-scoring opportunity. He will miss the return against PSV at Wembley next month. PSV opened the scoring after Lozano dispossessed last-man Toby Alderweireld and then fired in. Moura equalised before half-time and when Kane nodded in a cross, Spurs looked destined for victory. But Lloris’s red card proved costly as back-up keeper Michel Vorm held out for all of seven minutes before Luuk de Jong prodded home the equaliser.