Tottenham kept their hopes of reaching the Champions League knockouts alive with a last-gasp 2-1 win over PSV Eindhoven at Wembley, thanks to Harry Kane's late double.
Luuk de Jong put the visitors ahead after just 61 seconds and 89 minutes of continue Spurs pressure followed, with captain Kane finishing in the 78th and 89th minutes, the latter via a big deflection off substitute Trent Sainsbury.
Spurs still need to beat both Inter and Barcelona to qualify, but three points at Wembley will lift the mood heading into the final two matchdays.
Dan Kilpatrick was at Wembley Stadium to assess the key talking points...
Familiar failings nearly cost Spurs
Slow starts, a vulnerability at set-pieces and profligacy in front of goal have been Spurs' most frequent failings in the Champions League and – lo and behold – they conceded direct from a corner after 61 seconds, Luuk de Jong climbing above Toby Alderweireld to thump home a header.
The striker's equaliser in Holland a fortnight ago came after Spurs failed to clear a free-kick, while they also conceded a last-minute winner to Inter Milan from a set-piece. In the 4-2 defeat to Barcelona here, they were 1-0 down inside 90 seconds.
Spurs just keep making the same kind of mistakes over and over again and at this level you will be punished. Luckily, Kane came to the rescue to ensure Spurs' sloppiness did not cost them.
Kane and Spurs deserve credit
A goal down, Spurs set about chasing the game. For 78 minutes, it looked like their profligacy would cost them again. Enter Kane...who else?
The England captain's well-taken equaliser was the first moment of true quality in front of goal from Spurs and he added an 89th-minute winner with a double slice of luck when his header hit two PSV defenders on the way past Joreon Zoet. This victory was testament to Kane's enduring quality, despite the questions that have plagued him this season, and his resilience.
Tottenham's attitude was also impressive. Before tonight, their Champions League campaign had been marred by collapses but they deserve credit for not letting their heads drop or their Champions League dream die.
Full-backs a weak spot
Not so long ago, everyone was terrified of Tottenham's full-backs. With Kyle Walker and a pre-injury Danny Rose in tandem, Pochettino's Spurs looked unstoppable. Not any more.
Walker joined Man City for £50million in summer 2017 and Rose has been plagued by injuries since around the same time. The left-back was injured tonight and – with Kieran Trippier rested – Ben Davies and Serge Aurier started. As Spurs dominated possession, Davies and Aurier frequently found themselves in fine positions but wasted opportunity after opportunity.
Aurier summed-up the feelings of the majority of Wembley when he thumped the turf on 50 minutes after firing another ball straight into the arms of Jeroen Zoet and it was no surprise when he was replaced by Trippier before Kane's equaliser. When Davies did finally put in a good cross, Kane headed home the winner but it was still hard to escape the feeling that Spurs' biggest strength is now a weakness.
Fair play, Fernando
The second half of this game was attack versus defence, as Spurs controlled possession and flung ball after ball into PSV's box. Too often they were either lacking a final ball or they tried to be too cute. The moment of quality finally came from a familiar source, when Kane beat Zoet with a left-foot shot, but the England captain owed the chance to a composed knockdown by substitute Fernando Llorente.
The Spaniard has been so ineffective since joining Spurs for £15million, he was close to becoming a joke. But this performance was why Spurs signed him. After assisting Kane, he was unlucky to send a towering header at Zoet. After his goal against West Ham last week, there are signs that Llorente could play a positive part in the remainder of Spurs' season after all.
Pochettino balancing act works
A word on Pochettino, too. The manager prepared for the game by binge-watching House of Cards and it is no surprised he can relate to the political drama given the number of problems he has faced every week at Spurs. He came into this game without eight senior players and in the midst of a gruelling run of fixtures – which will not end until after Saturday's trip to Crystal Palace.
Despite the fixture congestion and mounting injuries, Spurs have begun to find their rhythm and this win followed victories over West Ham and Wolves. During those games, and the 2-1 defeat to Manchester City, Pochettino has rotated his squad carefully and impressively, ensuring his players remain fresh.
Tonight he named a side without a holding midfielder, and boasting five attacking players but his gamble paid off, while the introductions of Erik Lamela, Llorente and Kieran Trippier from the bench were also effective.
