HOJBJERG IS LATE HERO...
Great Dane steers Spurs through
PIERRE-EMILE HOJBJERG’S stunning 95thminute strike sent Tottenham through to the Champions League last 16 as group winners last night as they came from behind to secure a dramatic victory at Marseille.
Former Newcastle defender Chancel Mbemba had powered the hosts in front in first-half stoppage time to put Spurs on the brink of the Europa League, with suspended manager Antonio Conte in the stands.
But Clement Lenglet’s first goal for the club put Conte’s side back in charge and, with time ticking away, Danish international Hojbjerg burst clear and fired in off the post from 20 yards to seal top spot.
The question remains, though: how good might they be if they ever decide to play both halves of a game of football?
Atrocious in the first half, they rallied after half-time, equalised through Lenglet, hit the bar through Hojbjerg with nine minutes remaining, and forced enough reasonable chances before the same man snatched victory.
Marseille had scored in the second of seven minutes of added time, during which the pressure and noise level from the home side and its supporters reached fresh levels of intensity. The home side were excellent in those opening 45 minutes, only kept at bay by a fine display by keeper Hugo Lloris, playing his first match at this stadium since visiting with Lyon in 2012.
Even he could do nothing about Mbemba’s opener, though, such was Tottenham’s woeful marking. Amine Harit took a short corner from the right, Jordan Veretout sent the ball across deep and Mbemba jumped higher than anyone else to power his header past Lloris. Of course, by jumping highest, that simply means he left the floor, which no Tottenham player did, just as no Tottenham player got within touching distance. Rodrigo Bentancur was probably closest but his contribution was to put his hands behind his back to prevent a penalty.
Harry Kane had a shot tipped over in the seventh minute of added time and that was the first time Marseille goalkeeper Pau Lopez had been threatened all game.
It really wasn’t excusable. Yes, Marseille had to win or exit the competition. Tottenham only needed a draw. But to so nakedly play for that, with forwards of the calibre of Kane and Son Heung-min on board, was frustrating. To make matters worse, given Tottenham had to score in the second half, they lost Son to injury after 23 minutes.
A horrible collision with scorer Mbemba put him out of the game and may even threaten his World Cup place if a blow to his cheekbone has resulted in a fracture. Referee Szymon Marciniak gave a free-kick against the Marseille man, simply on the back of an aerial clash and Son’s stricken figure, but he was absolutely the innocent party.
Both men jumped fairly but with intent to win the ball and Son headed Mbemba’s shoulder.
Marseille were also in the wars, gambling on Eric Bailly’s return from a hamstring injury and losing that bet when he lasted just nine minutes. The first 45 minutes were all about Marseille getting on the front foot. Their fans unveiled a banner reading Droit — go straight ahead, in French — and it was advice they plainly took to heart.
From the third minute, when Harit clipped a fine chip into the box which Alexis Sanchez glanced just wide with a header, Marseille had purpose. In the 19th minute, a collaboration of Arsenal old boys — Nuno Tavares the provider, Sanchez the target — ended with a shot which Lloris saved at his near post. Jonathan Clauss shot across the face of goal soon after, and when Ryan Sessegnon made a hash of a clearance after 33 minutes, Veretout’s shot produced the save of the night from Lloris.
Tottenham could only improve after half-time and, once trailing, they did. Bentancur put in a cross that Kane just couldn’t reach and then, after 53 minutes, came a set-piece equaliser that made a mockery of their dismal first-half performance.
Ivan Perisic whipped a free-kick into the box and Lenglet headed past Lopez. Cue bedlam in the Spurs ranks when Hojbjerg emerged as the late hero.
MARSEILLE (3-4-2-1): Lopez 6; Mbemba 7, Bailly (Gigot 9) (Kolasinac 73), Balerdi 6; Clauss 6 (Kabore 73), Rongier 7 (Suarez 83), Veretout 7 (Under 73), Tavares 6; Guendouzi 6, Harit 7; Sanchez 7. Subs not used: Ngapandouetnbu, Gerson, Payet, Kolasinac, Kabore, Blanco. Booked: Balerdi. TOTTENHAM (3-4-3): Lloris 6; Dier 6, Lenglet 8, Davies 7; Sessegnon 6 (Royal 46), Bentancur 6 (Skipp 84), Hojbjerg 6, Perisic 7; Moura 6.5 (Gil 90), Kane 7, Son 6 (Bissouma 29). Subs not used: Doherty, Sanchez, Emerson, Forster, Spence, Tanganga, Sarr, Austin, White. Booked: Lenglet, Hojbjerg. Man of the match: Clement Lenglet. Referee: Szymon Marciniak (Poland). Attendance: 50,768.