Champions League: Group D

MARSEILLE 1 (Mbemba 45+2)
TOTTENHAM 2 (Lenglet 54, Hojbjerg 90+5)

A FATIGUE-DEFYING run after 95 minutes of toil saw Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg find the legs to win this all-or-nothing Champions League decider in France tonight (Tuesday).

The Dane’s incredible finish – the last kick of a Jekyll and Hyde performance from Tottenham – sealed top spot in Group D, giving Antonio Conte’s men a possibly more beatable opponent in the draw for the last 16.

As the clock ticked down, Spurs looked like they would have to settle for a draw against Marseille after Harry Kane stumbled as the goal beckoned and Hojbjerg crashed an effort against the bar.

But then, deep into added time, Kane used his strength to hold the ball up and spotted Hojbjerg’s last hurrah: a burst through the middle that defied the shift he’d already put in. The midfielder got to the edge of the box before smashing the ball past Marseille keeper Pau Lopez.

This season Tottenham have frustrated Conte by starting matches slowly. The Italian had to watch this one from the stands after earning a red card for his furious reaction to last week’s VAR debacle when Spurs thought they’d beaten Sporting Lisbon in injury-time – only to see Kane’s winner ruled out for a dubious offside.

And for 45 minutes Conte saw his side turn in a truly Conference League standard performance. Nothing went right, with clumsy passing, a hesitancy to close down, and some basic errors putting the Spurs goal under constant pressure.

Sitting deep meant Marseille had a lot of bodies to work their way through, but when the ball was won by Tottenham, there were no outlets.

Alexis Sanchez nearly got the opener on 15 minutes, the former Arsenal striker forcing a smart save from Hugo Lloris. It was one way traffic as Spurs were penned in.

It got that much tougher on 25 when Heung-Min Son rose for a header and took a whack on the jaw. The forward was badly hurt and walked off gingerly, his body language suggesting he was concussed.

On 33, Lloris had to react sharp again when a poor clearance from Ryan Sessegnon landed nicely for Jordan Veretout, who unleashed a powerful effort that was heading in until the Tottenham keeper managed to get over and palm it away.

Then came the opener: a ball wafted in that Chancel Mbemba got to first to head home.

Lloris said afterwards that falling behind gave Tottenham a chance to show their character and gave them a sense of clarity about what they had to do.

The Spurs captain added: “It was a psychological battle. We faced a team that was not afraid to lose at first, but then when they went a goal up, it changed. When we had to face difficulties we showed great personalities, and had to improve.

“It was a great result. Without our coach, it was even more difficult, but we won – at that’s what is important.”

A goal down, Spurs were facing dropping down into the booby prize of a Europa League spring. But whatever was said at half-time by stand-in gaffer Cristian Stellini, it was a different team that came out in the second period.

The equaliser came from a Ivan Perisic cross on 54, which Clement Lenglet rose highest to head home. Spurs had more chances to win it and top the group but Kane could not get his feet right when Lopez was stranded, and then Hojbjerg crashed a powerful shot against the woodwork.

But as the referee checked his watch and readied his whistle, the Danish international drew on his deepest reserves and took two touches of Kane’s pass into space before thumping home a brilliant winner.

Marseille: Lopez, Mbemba, Bailly (Gigot, 9), Gigot (Kolasinac, 73), Balerdi, Clauss (Kabore, 74), Rongier (Suarez, 83), Veretout (Under, 74), Tavares, Guendouzi, Harit, Sanchez
Substitutes not used: Ngapandouetnbu, Gerson, Payet, Blanco

Tottenham: Lloris; Lenglet, Dier, Davies; Perisic, Bentancur (Skipp, 84), Hojbjerg, Sessegnon (Royal, 46) Moura (Gil, 90), Son (Bissouma, 26), Kane
Substitutes not used: Forster, Spence, Doherty, Sanchez, Tanganga, White, Sarr