Captain Luuk De Jong struck a late equaliser for PSV Eindhoven in a 2-2 home draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, a result that left both clubs facing Champions League elimination.
Hirving Lozano’s deflected effort gave PSV the lead after 30 minutes of the Group B clash but Lucas Moura equalised before halftime, and when Harry Kane headed Tottenham in front after 54 minutes the visitors looked in complete control.
A moment of madness saw Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris sent off in the 79th minute, though, and a rejuvenated PSV grabbed a point with De Jong’s close-range flick in the 87th minute.
It was the second time in three group matches that Tottenham were guilty of costly late lapses, having led 1-0 at Inter Milan until the 85th minute before losing 2-1.
The draw left them on one point from three games, the same as Dutch champions PSV, with Barcelona on nine and Inter Milan on six after Barca beat the Italians 2-0 in the Nou Camp later on Wednesday.
“It was a situation where we needed to think a little bit, because in this type of game, at 2-1 you must kill the game. If not, the opponent is alive,” Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said. “(Our chances to qualify) are nearly all over.
“With only one point after three games, it will be so difficult.”
With both sides having lost to Barcelona and Inter Milan in their first two matches, there was precious little margin for error for either in a rocking Philips Stadion.
Did any result surprise you? ATL did for me. #ChampionsLeague #TheScoreKE pic.twitter.com/VH0sXtiM6J
— Carol Radull (@CarolRadull) October 24, 2018
Tottenham, with playmaker Christian Eriksen restored to the starting lineup after recovering from an abdominal injury, settled quickly and Kane had a flurry of early chances, sending one header against the woodwork and firing another effort over.
PSV, without a win in their previous 10 Champions League matches, went ahead with a goal Spurs defender Toby Alderweireld will not enjoy watching again.
His careless pass gifted possession to Mexican Lozano and although Alderweireld did superbly to make a recovery tackle, Lozano’s shot deflected up and over Lloris.
Tottenham responded with Davinson Sanchez having a goal ruled out but the north London side went in at the break deservedly level thanks to Moura’s deflected finish after good approach play by Eriksen and right back Kieran Trippier.
Gaston Pereiro hit the woodwork for PSV just before halftime but after the interval Tottenham looked the more likely to kickstart their campaign.
Eriksen was again the spark as Tottenham went ahead, this time linking with Son Heung-min down the left before curling a cross invitingly for Kane to head home from close range.
Erik Lamela skimmed the crossbar with a shot as Tottenham continued to assert themselves, but with victory there for the taking they allowed PSV off the hook.
The turning point was when Lloris came charging out of his goal and took out Lozano. The French World Cup-winning captain gave referee Slavko Vincic little choice but to brandish the red card.
Substitute goalkeeper Michel Vorm saved Pereiro’s free kick but a few minutes later Tottenham were left crestfallen, just as they were in Milan, as they folded at the back.
This time Sanchez’s clearing header was volleyed back in by Pablo Rosario and De Jong flicked out a boot to divert the ball past Vorm into the net.
