Marseille 1 – 2 Tottenham

Tottenham will play in the last 16 of the Champions League after Clement Lenglet’s second-half header and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s strike in stoppage time snatched a dramatic 2-1 win at Marseille on a topsy-turvy night in Provence.

Spurs were overrun at the Stade Velodrome during an insipid first half in which they failed to muster a touch inside their opponents’ box – and Marseille deservedly took the lead in stoppage time when a short corner was hooked in by Jordan Veretout and headed home by former Newcastle defender Chancel Mbemba.

Spurs, with head coach Antonio Conte in the stands, lost forward Son Heung-min to a head injury in a torrid opening period but were a different team after the break and took control after Lenglet’s equaliser.

Hojbjerg struck the crossbar for the visitors but Marseille should have scored late on when Sead Kolasinac somehow missed an open goal with a header. Hojbjerg then sealed the victory in stoppage time to put Tottenham top of the group and leave Marseille, who at one point in the evening were top, in fourth spot and out of Europe.

Tottenham assistant coach Cristian Stellini said: “The performance we have to analyse. We repeat the same routine as the last three or four games by being behind. We didn’t use power or intensity in the first half. We let them play too much in our half. We lose the pitch. They had the control of the game.

“After the second half, when we change in a 3-5-2, we had more control. We play a good second half.

“I enjoy when we win. These guys deserve to win, we are a good team but we have to show for 90 minutes. We have to do our best for all of the game.

“I spoke with Antonio – he is tired because the game in the crowd for him is not normal. He wastes a lot of energy. It’s better to be on the touchline with the players.”

Elsewhere in Group D, Eintracht Frankfurt came from behind to beat Sporting CP to move from third into the second qualification place on a pulsating night of European football which swung one way and then the other.

How Spurs rose from the canvas

Tottenham were given a taste of what was awaiting them in their Champions League clash with Marseille as home fans conducted a firework display ahead of kick-off.

Thousands of home fans, who were enjoying a bank holiday in France, gathered outside the Stade Velodrome and released a barrage of pyrotechnics.

They had also let off fireworks outside Tottenham’s hotel on multiple occasions throughout Monday night. Marseille would have gone through to the knockout stages with victory, while Spurs knew they would progress with a draw or a win.

Eric Bailly was forced off early as his injury problems continued before Veretout had a good chance of breaking the deadlock when his shot was palmed away by Hugo Lloris. But Spurs were dealt a blow when Son was forced off midway through the opening period after sustaining a heavy knock to his cheekbone.

It was unclear whether the South Korean was a concussion risk but regardless of that, no concussion subs are permitted in UEFA competition.

Tottenham revealed after the game that Son was removed with a swollen eye that will be fully assessed on Wednesday. It was far from ideal given Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison were already missing.

Tottenham endured a dreadful opening 45 minutes and fell behind in first-half stoppage time. Marseille took a corner quickly and Mbemba was afforded a free header to power into the bottom corner.

From inside the Stade Velodrome, Sky Sports News reporter Paul Gilmour said: “This place has erupted. The noise is simply incredible. One French journalist in front of us lifts one of the TVs in the media area and holds it aloft in celebration. Flares are lit behind the goal. Pandemonium. On this evidence this is going to be a long night for Spurs.”

This was going to require a major test of character but, apart from Harry Kane’s late effort in the half that was saved by Pau Lopez, they hadn’t looked like scoring. Spurs had completed six passes in the final third, so Conte ordered a tactical change from afar – Ryan Sessegnon was replaced by Emerson Royal at the interval.

Spurs looked condemned but came out in the second half and immediately improved, levelling in the 54th minute. Ivan Perisic sent in a delicious free-kick which Lenglet headed home as Spurs continued their set-piece prowess.

The game had changed and Conte’s side were beginning to find space and had moments where they could have taken the lead.

They wasted a chance to counter as Rodrigo Bentancur overhit a pass to Lucas Moura who was through on goal, but Spurs recycled the ball and when Royal’s cross was spilled by Lopez, Kane could not adjust his feet in time to tap-in.

They thought their moment had come in the 80th minute as they worked a throw-in brilliantly, Bentancur and Moura combining to tee up Hojbjerg, whose shot from 14 yards crashed against the crossbar.

A minute later Kane was through on goal but was denied by a brilliant last-ditch tackle by Mbemba just as he was about to pull the trigger.

Spurs survived a hair-raising moment in the 87th minute as former Arsenal player Kolasinac put a free header wide at the far post.

It looked like it would be job done with a draw but Spurs made sure at the death as Kane played in Hojbjerg who finished emphatically to silence a hostile Marseille crowd.

Tottenham finished top of their group for the third time in their Champions League history, also doing so in 2010/11 and 2017/18 – but for so long on Tuesday night it looked like they were exiting the competition.

Analysis: Spurs through but must improve

Sky Sports’ Paul Merson on Hojbjerg’s late goal: “What a finish, what a counter-attack. The second half was much better from Tottenham, the first half was nowhere near good enough. What a goal to finish it.

“Spurs couldn’t put three passes together in the first half. As soon as they started putting more passes together the game opened up for them and they were a threat. They managed the game well.

“Tottenham did very well in the second half but when you get to the last 16 you can’t keep giving teams head starts. It will catch up with you sooner than later.

“When the shackles are off and the fear factor goes out of the game, Spurs have some good players who can move the ball about very quickly. But they don’t do that, they sit back. Kane was literally 35 yards from his own goal in the first half. They didn’t have an outlet; they’ve got to take a chance sometimes. It’s too negative for me.

“You can’t keep giving teams head starts. They’ve been fortunate in a couple of games like Bournemouth on Saturday and again today against an average team in Marseille.”

How Tottenham turned the tables

A breakdown of the first-half and second-half stats show how Tottenham began to assert themselves only after the break…

Sky Sports News Paul Gilmour: “Incredible! Marseille had to go for it and the fans in the corner are ecstatic. It’s the story of the season… Go a goal behind and produce a result. Jamie O’Hara called this on Sky Sports News earlier. It’s turned into a perfect away day for those supporters and the Champions League journey continues.”

Lloris: A tough night and a great battle

Huge Lloris speaking to BT Sport:

“We expected a tough game. We know this is a difficult place to deal with. We showed great personality. Clement [Lenglet] scored a very important goal in France, in front of the French people.

“The second goal from Pierre [Hojbjerg] confirmed things for the group. We didn’t play well during the first half. Maybe we didn’t know what would happen if we attack. It wasn’t good for us to play this type of first half.

“We speak in the locker room – we start the second half with much more personality and aggressive. We play a very good second half. It was a tough night and a great battle.”

Son ‘feeling better’ but injury to be assessed

Tottenham will wait until Wednesday to assess the extent of the injury suffered by Son Heung-min.

The South Korean went off in the first half at the Stade Velodrome after a collision with Mbemba and looked very wobbly as he left the pitch.

The injury to Son is a worry, especially with the Premier League clash with Liverpool coming up on Sunday, while he could have worries over the forthcoming World Cup.

Stellini said: “In this moment we don’t know. We have to wait for a medical assessment. Sonny feels better now. I saw him in the dressing room, he celebrated with us.

“In this moment we don’t know. We have to wait for a medical assessment and we have to wait until tomorrow. We are not sure if he is concussed. It is Son’s face. His eye is a bit swollen.”

Man of the match – Clement Lenglet

Tottenham defender Clement Lenglet: “We didn’t play well in the first half maybe because we didn’t know if we had to attack or defend and maybe it was not good to play this type of first half.

“After we speak in the locker room and tell what we have to tell, we started the second half with more power and personality to go to score and we played a very, very good second half.

“I am happy to score here, more for the team and we needed one point and it’s very important to win these type of game. I’m happy because it’s an important goal for the team.”

Opta stats – Marseille’s poor run vs Engish clubs

• Tottenham have now made the knockout rounds in all but one of their six Champions League campaigns (2010-11, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 & 2022-23), only failing to do so in 2016-17.
• Marseille are winless in their last 10 games against English sides in the Champions League (D2 L8), with their last such victory coming in December 2010 in a 1-0 win over Chelsea.
• Ivan Perisic has provided seven assists in all competitions this season, more than any other Tottenham player, while his tally of three assists in the Champions League this season is his joint-best return in the competition (also 3 in 2019-20 with Bayern Munich).
• Tottenham’s Clément Lenglet scored his first goal in the Champions League since August 2020 versus Napoli – ending a run of 17 games without a goal in the competition.

What’s next?

Sunday 6th November 4:00pm


Kick off 4:30pm

Tottenham have three more fixtures ahead of the World Cup. They face Liverpool on Super Sunday this weekend, live on Sky Sports from 4pm; kick-off 4.30pm. They will then face Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday November 9 before their final Premier League match against Leeds on Saturday November 12; kick-off 3pm.

Marseille have two further Ligue 1 fixtures ahead of the break – they face Lyon on Sunday before a trip to Monaco on Sunday November 13.

The draw for the last 16 of the Champions League will be held at 11am on Monday, November 7, at the House of European Football at UEFA headquarters in Switzerland.