Monaco 2 Tottenham 1: Harry Kane penalty not enough as Spurs sent crashing out of Champions League despite Hugo Lloris’ heroics

TOTTENHAM’S Champions League dreams ended with a whimper after a 2-1 defeat in Monaco sent them crashing out with a game to spare.

Harry Kane had given the visitors hope with a second half penalty to bring Mauricio Pochettino’s side level but 38 seconds later and they were behind once more.

Reuters

AP:Associated Press

Some lacklustre defending left Thomas Lemar in acres of space on the left before drilling a shot low beyond the sensational Hugo Lloris.

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Djribril Cisse had given Monaco an early second half lead with a bullet header but if it wasn’t for Lloris between the sticks it could have been a lot more.

FACTS, STATS, GOALS & LOLS

• TOTTENHAM boss Mauricio Pochettino sprang a selection surprise by bringing in Kevin Wimmer to play alongside Eric Dier in defence as Jan Vertonghen started on the bench. Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Mousa Dembele also started, as did Harry Winks.
• SEVERAL British journalists still looked queasy from last night. It was not too much drink that left them feeling rough but the bill from eating out in Monaco – 200 euros for some Hors d’oeuvres! Good luck with getting through on exes, boys.
• MONACO may have a reputation as a millionaires’ playground, but away from the plush harbour this strange principality is basically an over-hyped concrete jungle divided into the yachts and have-yachts.
• THE alcohol ban imposed in Monaco ahead of this fixture in last season’s Europa League prompted many Spurs fans to stay in nearby Nice before making the short trip along the Cote d’Azur for the game.

Reuters

Reuters

• THE Stade de Louis II might look grand on the TV but when you get up close it is now very dated and a far cry from the glamorous ground which was traditional venue for the European Super-Cup Final.
• HEUNG-MIN SON wasted a great opportunity to put Tottenham ahead when Dele Alli put him through on goal in the sixth minute. But the South Korean never looked confident and when keeper Danijel Subasic forced him wide the chance was gone.
• HUGO LLORIS showed why he should be given a new deal as he saved Radamel Falcao’s 11th minute penalty which was rightly given for Eric Dier’s wild kick at Fabinho.
• BUT the Tottenham keeper could do nothing to stop Monaco taking a 1-0 lead when Djibril Sidibe headed in Benjamin Mendy’s cross in the 49th minute.
• BUT the lead lasted a matter of seconds as Monaco went straight back up the other end and Thomas Lemar drilled a shot past Lloris to make it 2-1.

Reuters

BIG PICTURE

Uefa.com

SOCIAL SAYS

DREAM TEAM RATINGS

Monaco: Subasic 6, Sidibe 8, Glik 6, Nascimento 6, Mendy 8, Lemar 8 (Moutinho 81, 5), Bakayoko 7, Fabinho 7, Germain 6 (Carrillo 78, 6), Silva 7, Falcao 5 (Raggi 89, 6)

Subs not used: De Sanctis, Boschilia, Diallo, Mbappe

Goals: Sidibe (48), Lemar (53)

Tottenham: Lloris 8, Trippier 6, Wimmer 6, Dier 5, Rose 6, Dembele 6 (Eriksen 65, 6), Wanyama 6, Winks 6 (Sissoko 74, 6), Alli 7, Son 5 (Janssen 65, 6), Kane

Subs not used: Vorm, Walker, Vertonghen, N’Koudou

Goal: Kane (52)

STAR MAN: HUGO LLORIS

WHAT THEY SAID

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino: “Maybe we did not show enough quality in five games to be competitive in the Premier League, and be unbeaten like we are, and also compete in the Champions League.

“It is good for us to learn – next season if we are in the Champions League maybe we need to make some changes.

“It was a good challenge for us to compete and show our real level. But to be competitive in the Champions League we need to show more and add more quality into our squad.”