FULL TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 CSKA Moscow
Wembley jinx? What Wembley jinx? Spurs ran out easy winners tonight: it should have been a few more. They’ll play Europa League football in the New Year. And they won’t be coming back here next season with a complex. A fine evening’s work!
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90 min: Another rendition of When The Spurs Go Marching In. Dixieland-on-Thames. Spurs are two added minutes from a place in the knockout stage of the Europa League.
89 min: A long hoof upfield nearly releases Strandberg on goal, but Lloris races from his area to head clear.
88 min: Milanov very nearly hoofs the ball up into his own startled face. It’s been that sort of night for hapless CSKA.
87 min: Spurs knock it around while looking at their good old friend the clock.
85 min: Winks and Walker combine down the right to earn yet another corner for Spurs. Before it can be taken, Schennikov goes down with cramp, and no wonder: he’s been run ragged all evening. From the set piece, Alderweireld has another pop at goal, but his header flies over the bar.
83 min: Harry Kane has been very impressive this evening, and he deserves to put his feet up. He’s replaced by Joshua Onomah.
82 min: By the way, that terrible Traore miscontrol was his last poor touch of the evening. He’s been hooked for Carlos Strandberg.
81 min: Walker very nearly releases Kane into the box with a sliderule pass down the right. Spurs are playing some very attractive stuff, but CSKA have clocked off.
80 min: Spurs nearly make it four, first through Alli, who dribbles with purpose down the right channel and shoots from a tight angle, then from Alderweireld, who clangs a header wide right from the resulting corner.
GOAL! Tottenham Hostpur 3-1 CSKA Moscow (Akinfeev og 78)
Kane loops a lovely cross into the CSKA box from the right. Alli rises and heads straight at the keeper, who saves well, but in falling, kicks the ball he’d pushed forward back into the net! Highly unfortunate, but the scoreline reflects Tottenham’s superiority.
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77 min: One CSKA goal, of course, would seriously change the atmosphere. A ball’s hooked into the Spurs area from the left. Vertonghen steps up, and allows Traore to take a touch on the penalty spot. But he miscontrols when it was easier to get a shot away. Then Spurs go up the other end, and...
75 min: Spurs are knocking at the door here. Eriksen, who is bang back in form, wedges a delightful ball down the inside-right channel which drops perfectly for Kane, rushing into the area clear of the last man. He leans back, and fires a volley goalwards. Akinfeev somehow tips the effort over the crossbar, a fine save that’s the match of a magnificent Spurs move.
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74 min: Winks is tripped on the left-hand edge of the CSKA area by Vasili Berezutski. No penalty, no second booking. But a free kick in a dangerous position. Spurs load the box, but Eriksen looks to curl one directly into the bottom left. Akinfeev parries clear.
72 min: Alderweireld is understandably not quite up to speed yet. His hesitation allows Chalov to latch onto a ball bouncing on the right-hand edge of the Spurs box. Chalov shoots for the bottom right, and the effort’s deflected inches wide of the post. The corner results in nothing, but that was very close to an equaliser.
71 min: Tusic is replaced by Gordyusenko.
70 min: N’Koudou is looking lively. He slips a ball down the left for Rose, who cuts back for Alli. Another chance for the young star. He opens up his body and sidefoots high and wide right from 12 yards.
68 min: N’Koudou earns a corner on the left for Spurs, his low centre deflected out of play and away from danger. The set piece comes to nothing, but Spurs fans are in fine voice anyway, because just before it was taken Toby Alderweireld returns from injury, replacing Wanyama.
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67 min: Eriksen and Walker have had the run of this right wing all evening. They combine, with Schennikov spinning around like a teenager after three cans of Special Brew, and nearly release Kane into the area. Not quite.
65 min: Kane one-twos with Alli to cut inside from the right, then rolls a gorgeous pass to the right for N’Koudou, who drops a shoulder to cut back in, then blooters a wild effort into the north London sky. He was going for a curler into the top right, for the record. But instead it’s somewhere near Hanger Lane tube. Nothing wrong with ambition, of course.
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64 min: Nope! Kane pulls rank and scuffs a dismal effort straight at the keeper.
63 min: Vasili Berezutski is booked for a blatant body-check on Alli as the Spurs man sashays down the middle of the park. A free kick in a dangerous position. A chance for Dier to beat Akinfeev again, just as he did for England against Russia at Euro 2016?
62 min: Son is replaced by Georges-Kevin N’Koudou. The new man is immediately involved, exchanging passes with Rose down the left. The ball’s shuttled wide right for Walker, who finds Kane with his cross, six yards out. Kane has to score, but sends his header over the bar.
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60 min: Both sides have eased off a bit, almost as though they’d be happy to end the game right now. CSKA are carrying no threat at all. But then it was the same for long periods of the first half, and they went on to score one and nearly get another. So.
59 min: Another corner for Spurs down the right. The Dave Bennett de nos jours to take. He finds Kilcline Vertonghen, who guides a weak header straight at Akinfeev.
56 min: Dave Bennett Eriksen crosses from the right. Kane launches himself at the ball, in an attempt to recreate the diving header scored against Spurs by Coventry City’s Keith Houchen in the 1987 FA Cup final. Same end, too. That would have been a perfect replica had Kane, er, connected. But you get the point.
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55 min: Kane has an opportunity to play Son into space down the right, but knocks a loose pass out of play, behind his strike partner. That’s a rare misstep from Kane, who has looked really sharp and lively tonight.
53 min: Vertonghen launches long for Son. The striker can’t control, but the ball breaks back to Kane, who controls and loops a bouncing ball towards the CSKA goal. He gives it a proper belt, but it’s straight at Akinfeev.
52 min: OK, two minutes. Walker goes on a super-fast dribble down the right and wins a corner. Eriksen pulls it back for Son, who tries to Mark Hughes a volley from the edge of the box, level with the right-hand post, but doesn’t connect properly. The ball bounces harmlessly towards Akinfeev.
50 min: Eriksen earns a corner down the right for Spurs, then wastes it. No worries, there’ll be another one along in a minute.
49 min: Rose curls in a superlative ball from a deep position wide on the left. Akinfeev stays on the edge of his six-yard box to claim it, but is nearly embarrassed when Son races in from the right and sticks out a leg. He’s an uncut toenail away from steering Rose’s excellent cross into the bottom left.
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48 min: Kane makes a nuisance of himself down the inside-right channel and very nearly slips Alli clear into the CSKA area. Akinfeev races off his line to deal with the danger.
47 min: And then there’s an instant reminder that this isn’t over yet. Natcho, from the right, lumps a ball into the middle for Traore to chase. The gangling striker nearly powers his way past Vertonghen, but the Spurs defender stays strong. For a second, Spurs looked very light at the back there.
46 min: The half begins with a lot of Tottenham possession. Some crisp passing in the midfield, but it all goes nowhere.
And we’re off again! Spurs are 45 minutes away from the knockout stage of the Europa League. On the evidence of the first half, they should do it with ease, providing they tuck away their chances and concentrate under any high balls CSKA launch forward. All easier said than done, of course. CSKA unsurprisingly make a change, throwing on Fedor Chalov in place of Golovin. Then they get the party re-started.
Half-time reading: Fifteen minutes is more than enough time to subscribe to our daily Fiver email, read it, and unsubscribe in a fit of irritation.
HALF TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 CSKA Moscow
And there’s a scoreline that makes more sense. Wonderful entertainment. More, please!
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 CSKA Moscow (Kane 45+1)
This was so simple! Eriksen, central in the pocket, pitching-wedges a diagonal ball to the left for Rose, who rolls a simple ball back across goal, allowing Kane to tap in! He couldn’t miss!
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45 min: Son has been pretty quiet. He jinks in from the right, and nearly breaks through. But not quite.
43 min: Spurs very nearly fall behind again. Tosic breaks down the middle, draws Vertonghen, and passes to Milanov on his left. Milanov drops a shoulder to cut back inside, swishing past Dier. He shoots for the bottom left, but doesn’t catch it, and Lloris can claim. But Spurs were split open there, and fairly easily too.
42 min: Walker channels his inner Garrincha and very nearly bamboozles his way between Schennikov and Aleksei Berezutski, and into the box. But the dribble breaks down right at the end. CSKA are a complete shambles down this Spurs right. Though can you be a shambles if there’s nobody there in attendance?
40 min: I mean, this scoreline is still a bit daft, considering Tottenham’s overall dominance. But at least we’re no longer in the realms of the utterly surreal.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 CSKA Moscow (Alli 38)
Yeah, it was only a matter of time before Alli found the net! Kane and Walker battle down the right to shuttle the ball on to Eriksen, who loops to the far post. Alli brings the ball down, taking Nababkin out of the game and unleashing a screamer into the top right from ten yards! What a lovely finish, and Spurs are back in the box seat. Europa League, here they come!
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37 min: And all of a sudden, Spurs look brittle at the back. Another long ball down the middle leads to more panic. Tosic guides the dropping ball forward for Traore, who would have been clear on goal had he not miscontrolled with his shin, allowing Dier to recover.
36 min: A corner for Spurs down the left as the home fans try to bring some noise. Eriksen has a look from a tight angle, but Akinfeev isn’t to be beaten from there.
35 min: Wembley has fallen pretty quiet. As things stand, CSKA are in the Europa League, and Spurs are out of Europe altogether! At least Mauricio Pochettino will get his Sundays back. But this is a ludicrous scoreline.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 CSKA Moscow (Dzagoev 33)
Oh this is preposterous. Natcho launches long from the centre circle. Tosic, to the right of the Spurs D, rises above Vertonghen and cushions a header down for Dzagoev, who takes a touch to race into the box and slaps a low shot into the bottom left. On the balance of play, this is madness.
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31 min: Ah, Schennikov is here! He’s booked for clattering into the back of Dier, who was threatening to bomb up his wing.
29 min: ... Eriksen tries to execute a training-ground move, but it doesn’t quite come off. He shapes to shoot straight for goal, but then chips a diagonal one for Kane, rushing into the box from the right. Akinfeev smothers. Kane would have been offside anyway. But a smart idea.
28 min: Kane embarks on a dribble down the inside-left channel, and is upended by a combination of Golovin and Natcho. A free kick, 30 yards out. From which...
26 min: CSKA can’t get out of their own half. Walker once more makes space down the right, and looks for Kane in the middle, but the cross isn’t accurate. Spurs are playing well. Such a shame they’ve left it too late.
24 min: Eriksen, dropping deep, wedges a gorgeous pass down the middle to release Alli free on goal! He must score, but doesn’t catch his shot correctly and Akinfeev is able to deal with the danger. Alli screams in frustration, his third good chance of the evening spurned. But shouldn’t be too hard on himself: he’s a whirlwind of energy tonight, involved in everything. A matter of time?
23 min: Alli nibbles at Tosic again. Yes, he’s definitely in one of those moods. He can be a real piece of work when he wants to be, and I mean that as one of the highest compliments. The sort of player you just love when he’s on your side, rubbing the opposition up the wrong way.
22 min: Space for Walker down the right. CSKA could do with putting at least one man out on this side of the pitch, you know. Walker crosses for Alli, who can’t quite get purchase on a header from the left-hand corner of the six-yard box. The ball flies sideways for Kane, who fails to connect with an overhead kick. He was offside anyway.
20 min: A corner for Spurs down the right. Another excuse for Eriksen to loop a cross into the box. This one is easily dealt with by Aleksei Berezutski. But Spurs are well on top here.
18 min: Alli clips Tosic, just to keep the feud running it would seem. This could be a lot of fun. Alli is in one of those moods, it would seem.
16 min: A pause in play for a Spurs injury. Nothing major. Then, from the restart, CSKA having put the ball out, Alli decides to send a swerving dipper back towards Akinfeev. It very nearly loops over the keeper, and into the top right. Just over the bar. That was either a very heavy touch, or a bit saucy from Alli. Tosic runs in with a view to starting a fight. It nearly kicks off, but enough bodies get in the way. Alli doesn’t look particularly sorry about it. Could have been quite the scene had that flown in.
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14 min: But then Spurs come straight back at CSKA, who are all over the shop. Again, they make hay down the right, Kane spraying one out there for Eriksen, who slips a low cross towards the near post. Kane, having kept running, is the man on the end of it, and he very nearly pokes home first time into the bottom right. But not quite. It’s surely a matter of time. Schennikov looks totally lost.
13 min: Spurs really should be leading. Walker is in acres down the right, where Spurs have the run of things. He slips the ball down the channel for Eriksen, who breaks into the box and must score! But he shoots straight at Akinfeev and the ball’s bundled out for a corner. The set piece comes to naught.
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12 min: Spurs picked up the pace nicely there, after a snooze of a start. CSKA aren’t quite up to speed yet. Dier goes down with a light knock, but he’s soon up and about again.
10 min: Yes, this is a marvellous start from Spurs. Son goes on a wild dribble, turning Nababkin this way and that down the left. He pearls a low shot across Akinfeev towards the bottom right, but the keeper parries well. Kane can’t get close to the rebound, and the danger’s gone.
9 min: More joy for Eriksen down the Spurs right. This time he whips towards the near post, where Kane can’t quite guide a header on target from a tight angle.
7 min: And then, out of nothing, Spurs should score! Vertonghen, deep in his own half, sprays a delightful ball wide right for Eriksen, who takes a touch and whips high into the middle. The ball drops on Alli’s head, and he tries to guide a header into the bottom right from ten yards. If that was on target, it was beating the desperate lunge by Akinfeev. But the ball floats just wide left. So close. He probably should have scored. But close enough for no recriminations. A lovely move!
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6 min: Fans of gegenpressing won’t be enjoying this. Everyone’s wandering around in a very relaxed style.
5 min: Alli chases after a probing pass down the left. He can’t get there, and pushes Berezutski to the ground. Free kick. Not a whole lot to report right now, if we’re being honest. Spurs are enjoying the majority of possession, though.
3 min: A quiet start on the pitch. In the stands, a long, loud rendition of When The Spurs Go Marching In. The Tottenham fans doing their best to make the place feel like home. That home being Dixieland-on-Thames.
And we’re off! Spurs get the ball rolling. It’s a sell-out at Wembley, not that everyone with a ticket has turned up. Unless there’s a very big queue at the bar. A lot of empty seats. CSKA quickly take up possession, Milanov and Schennikov combining well and very nearly breaking through down the left. But the latter’s low cross is straight at Wanyama, who clears with ease.
But first, a minute’s silence for the victims of the Chapecoense plane crash. Perfectly observed.
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The teams are out! Spurs are in their famous lilywhite with dark blue trim, while CSKA sport their first-choice red-and-blue stripes. It’s a cold, crisp, cloudy night at Wembley. We’ll be off in a minute or two!
Maurico Pochettino speaks! “Like all the Champions League games, this one is important for us. We have to try to win, after two games at home with two defeats. It is important to change that feeling. The Swansea result was big for us, so we could believe again. We showed that we can play very well. Now it’s important we are in a good way again, so our supporters can see us win at Wembley. We have the possibility to play more games here, and we must make Wembley feel like home.”
Just the one change to the Spurs starting XI from Saturday afternoon. The exciting young Harry Winks replaces Mousa Dembele. A strong team. Stronger than the one named in Monaco. Go figure.
Two changes to CSKA’s winning team from the weekend. Mario Fernandes and Fedor Chalov are out, Alan Dzagoev and Kirill Nababkin are in.
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Tonight's teams
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Walker, Dier, Vertonghen, Rose, Son, Wanyama, Winks, Eriksen, Alli, Kane.
Subs: Vorm, Alderweireld, Nkoudou, Sissoko, Dembele, Onomah, Wimmer.
CSKA Moscow: Akinfeev, Nababkin, Vasili Berezutski, Alexsei Berezutski, Schennikov, Tosic, Dzagoev, Bebras Natcho, Milanov, Golovin, Traore.
Subs: Chepchugov, Ignashevich, Strandberg, Fedor Chalov, Gordyushenko.
Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (Italy).
Preamble
♫ ♪ Spurs are on their way to Wembley... ♪♫ Yes, this hasn’t worked out as planned, has it. Tottenham Hotspur have, like Arsenal years before them, suffered horribly in playing their home Champions League fixtures at the national stadium. Losses here to Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen fatally compromised their dreams in Uefa’s premier club competition, and so all that’s left is a chance to qualify for the knockout stages of the Europa League, the Competition That Kills You © Mauricio Pochettino 2014.
On the face of it, tonight’s match represents quite a dilemma for Spurs. Pochettino has also stated in the past that “it is very difficult to manage the Europa League with the Premier League and both cups”, so presumably won’t be that worried if his side fall to a third home defeat out of three in Group E, and allow tonight’s opponents CSKA - the Central Sport Club of the Army - to sneak into the competition instead. But on the other hand, they’ll not want to encourage talk of a Wembley jinx, given the club look likely to play all their home fixtures in every competition here next season while old White Hart Lane is razed to the ground. Also, the much-maligned Europa League can be a whole lot of fun once it warms up, as fans of Middlesbrough, Fulham, Liverpool and especially Chelsea can attest.
A draw will do for Spurs tonight. That shouldn’t be beyond the realms, seeing they won in Moscow in September thanks to a Heung-Min Son strike, while the Army Men have lost nine of their last 11 away games in the group stage of this competition. Both teams should have their tails up, though, having been in the goals at the weekend: Spurs beat Swansea City 5-0, while CSKA stuck four without reply past Ural Sverdlovsk Oblast.
An evening of continental catharsis for Spurs? Could be! It promises to be a fascinating match. It’s a rare Matchday Six fixture with something still on the line. It’s on! Kick off is at 7.45pm in London, 10.45pm back in Russia.
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