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| Mousa Dembele scored a late winner to put Tottenham top of the group |
TOTTENHAM’S fans serenaded their Belgian rivals with a rendition of “He’s one of our own” after Mousa Dembele snatched a dramatic late winner against his compatriots from Anderlecht.
The song, usually reserved for the scorer of their opening goal, Harry Kane, was the final insult for a brave side who took the game to Spurs and threatened to throw their hosts’ progress into turmoil with a late equaliser of their own.
But Dembele’s first-time shot from 20 yards was hit sweetly for his second goal in a week to sink the club from Brussels and put Tottenham in the driving seat at the top of Group J.
His goal also puts qualification in the bag for Mauricio Pochettino’s men. Unfortunately, the bag in question is Qarabag – 2,879 miles away. Nevertheless, a win in Azerbaijan will be enough to get them in the final 32 with the game at home against Monaco to spare.
Kane said: “In the second half, Anderlecht came out and made it tough for us, but they are a great team. However, it was great for Mousa to pull a finish out of the bag and get the three points.
“It is a very tight group, we still have a lot to do. Qarabag away will be a tough game and then it is Monaco at home, so hopefully we can win our next game then get the job done.”
Matchwinner Dembele said: “We knew it was an important game for us and I am happy we won it. It was not an easy game but we did it.”
It was Monaco’s own failure to get more than a point in Baku that enabled Spurs to rectify a somewhat stop-start campaign by claiming the group lead.
Spurs’ form in Europe has contrasted poorly with their impressive Premier League run of 10 games without defeat and looking at the team-sheet it was hard to see why.
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| Mousa Dembele was brought on after 73 minutes |
Pochettino is not one to weaken his team for these unpopular midweek fixtures and, with the exception of Andros Townsend, punished after clashing with fitness coach Nathan Gardiner following the game with Aston Villa on Monday, he picked arguably his strongest team.
Yet twice in the opening three minutes Anderlecht looked like breaching the home defence, both times thanks to the powerful running of striker Stefano Okaka.
The first chance fizzled out somewhat, but after Erik Lamela was carelessly caught in possession, only the late intervention of Jan Vertonghen denied an early setback.
Hugo Lloris’s fingertips came to the rescue of Toby Alderweireld after the centre-back backed away from Steven Defour and gave him room to shoot. And we were still only seven minutes into the game.
Tottenham’s opener after 29 minutes, therefore, came somewhat against the run of play but is further testament to the extra class that Kane can add to a team when he has his goalscoring boots on. A swift interchange between Ryan Mason and Christian Eriksen offered the England striker no more than a half-chance but as soon as he shot the ball was headed in only one direction – the far corner of the Anderlecht net.
Kane’s fifth goal in three games seemed to give Tottenham more confidence. New England recruit Eric Dier confidently controlled the midfield and though the little flicks of Eriksen, Lamela and Kane never quite came off, their energy alone kept the Anderlecht defenders on their toes.
However, refreshed by the interval, Anderlecht came strong again at the start of the second half with Defour again pushing Lloris to his limits.Ben Davies thumped a shot against the bar but Anderlecht’s persistence finally paid off in the 72nd minute when Defour’s cross picked out Imoh Ezekiel just three minutes after he had come on, the substitute prodding a shot in off the inside of a post.
It signalled Dembele’s entry, although few would have guessed it would be to such dramatic effect.
TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Alli (Onomah 77), Dier; Lamela, Mason (Dembele 73), Eriksen (Son 59); Kane. Goals: Kane 29, Dembele 87. Next up: Arsenal (a), PL Sun.
ANDERLECHT (4-2-3-1): Proto; Gillet, Mbodji, Deschacht, N’Sakala (Conte 83); Dendoncker, Defour; Najar, Tielemans (Ezekiel 69), Acheampong (Sylla 89); Okaka. Booked: N’Sakala. Goal: Ezekiel 72.
Referee: O Grinfeld (Israel).
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