Tottenham 1 Inter 0: Eriksen keeps Spurs' last-16 hopes alive

Tottenham was 10 minutes away from exiting the Champions League before Christian Eriksen's late intervention secured a vital win.

Published : Nov 29, 2018 03:34 IST

Christian Eriksen celebrates after scoring against Inter Milan.
Christian Eriksen celebrates after scoring against Inter Milan.
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Christian Eriksen celebrates after scoring against Inter Milan.

Christian Eriksen scored the only goal at Wembley as Tottenham edged past Inter 1-0 to keep its Champions League last-16 hopes alive.

The Italians had looked like leaving London with the point it needed to secure its place in the knockout stages and dump Spurs out, but substitute Eriksen lashed home with 10 minutes remaining to move Mauricio Pochettino's side level on points with them. 

Tottenham now travels to Group B leader Barcelona – which has already qualified for the knockout stages – in two weeks' time knowing that a win would see it join Ernesto Valverde's side in the next round. 

Spurs – which hit the crossbar through Harry Winks in the first half – had looked set for disappointment until Eriksen finished a fine team move involving Moussa Sissoko and Dele Alli to keep them firmly in the hunt for second place.

Harry Kane was denied by Samir Handanovic at his near post, while Alli fizzed over the crossbar from 20 yards as Tottenham started brightly.

Erik Lamela flashed wide from distance shortly before the halfway mark in the first half, while Lucas Moura fired straight at Handanovic after a swashbuckling run from Sissoko.

Pochettino's dominant side came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock seven minutes before the interval, but Winks' curling effort from 25 yards crashed back off the crossbar.

Inter started to come out of its shell in the second period with Milan Skriniar prodding wide at the back post and Ivan Perisic denied by Hugo Lloris.

The visitor's backline looked set to hold firm, but Eriksen – who scored in September's 2-1 defeat to Luciano Spalletti's side at San Siro – had other ideas.

The Denmark international showed superb composure to thump past Handanovic from eight yards after being teed up by Alli to keep his side's Champions League adventure alive for at least another fortnight.

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