Europa League

TOTTENHAM 2 (Son 5 pen, Johnson 33)
ROMA 2 (N’Dicka 20, Hummels 90+1)

A CRUISE control performance from Tottenham in the Europa League tonight (Thursday) ended in disappointment as Claudio Ranieri’s Roma grabbed a stoppage-time equaliser to earn a 2-2 draw.

Spurs record in Europe this season now reads: played five, won three, drawn one and lost one.

On tonight’s showing, which easily could have been a win without hitting top gear, Ange Postecoglou’s side have no excuses for not going far in this competition.

Concerned by Tottenham’s lack of a killer instinct, however, Postecoglou said: “It is hugely frustrating not to see the game out. It was an entertaining game, exciting, but we really should have put it to bed a lot earlier and we had the chances to do that.

“At 2-1, you are always keeping the opposition in the game and we paid the price.”

The Tottenham boss said he felt his players had turned in an admirable performance that just lacked the final touch. “We had some unbelievable opportunities,” he added. “They were throwing men forward and it was up to us to kill the game off – we didn’t take that chance. It wasn’t like we didn’t play well. If we play like that we’ll win most games.”

Spurs took an early lead when a clever piece of progress down the right saw a cute ball played in for Pape Matar Sarr. The midfielder was shaping to shoot when his legs were taken away, and, after a VAR check, referee Glenn Nyberg pointed to the spot. Heung-Min Son calmly finished.

But instead of pressing home their advantage, Spurs shadow-boxed and took their foot off the gas.

On 20, after enjoying some possession and looking increasingly forward-thinking, Roma got level through a close range effort from Evan N’Dicka.

The visitors then looked like they had got their noses in front two minutes later through an absolute peach from Stephan El-Shaarawy. Spurs again failed to press, leaving the defending to each other, and El-Shaarawy was in plenty of space to execute a volley. Tottenham, though, were rescued by a VAR for offside.

The disallowed goal scared the home side into a response, and Brennan Johnson put Spurs back ahead with a wonderful first-time guided finish on 34 minutes. The goal was made by the strong running of Dejan Kulusevski, who blazed his way down the left and then pinged a low ball in for the on rushing Johnson to skim home.

It could have been three just minutes later when Kulusevski did the Roma defence on his own but saw his shot hit the far post. Son should have buried the rebound but instead sent the ball into Row Z.

Roma came out punching in the second half, and saw two further efforts chalked off for offsides, as well as hitting the bar.

Up the other end, Dominic Solanke threatened and worked the keeper: he hit the bar with a header and Mile Svilar was called on to make further stops from Pedro Porro and Johnson.

But the curse of protecting a narrow lead was Tottenham’s downfall. A game they were so comfortable in, almost too comfortable, would end in a disappointing draw. The side’s inability to keep working at the required rate – and the lack of individuals taking responsibility to chase down – meant Roma were invited back into the game. And they took full advantage.

In stoppage-time, Fraser Forster pulled off a world class, point blank save – but after the resulting corner wasn’t properly cleared, Mats Hummels stabbed home the equaliser.

Tottenham: Forster, Porro, Dragusin, Davies, Gray, Sarr (Bissouma, 68), Bentancur (Bergvall, 76), Kulusevski, Johnson (Maddison, 68), Solanke, Son (Werner, 77)
Substitutes not used: Austin, Whiteman, Hardy, King, Udogie, Olusesi, Williams-Barnett

Roma: Svilar, N’Dicka, Hummels, Mancini, Angelino, Kone, Paredes, Celik (Zalewski, 64), El Shaarawy (Saelemaekers, 68), Dybala (Soule, HT), Dovbyk
Substitutes not used: Martin, Ryan, Cristante, Pellegrini, Abdulhamid, Baldanzi, Pisilli, Sangare