Barcelona 1 Tottenham 1: Spurs qualify for Champions League last-16 after late Lucas Moura goal

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James Olley11 December 2018

Lucas Moura scored a dramatic 85th-minute equaliser to book Tottenham’s place in the Champions League last 16 with a 1-1 draw at Barcelona.

Spurs looked to be heading out after Ousmane Dembele pounced on a mistake by Kyle Walker-Peters to hand Barcelona a seventh-minute lead in Camp Nou.

Maurcio Pochettino’s side wasted a host of second-half chances but with Inter Milan only able to draw 1-1 at home to PSV Eindhoven, a point was enough to qualify and Moura duly delivered, steering home Harry Kane’s cross to haul the visitors level.

Barca, already top of the group, rested several players including Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, but this was still a resolute display from Tottenham in tense circumstances.

Pochettino gambled by handing 21-year-old Walker-Peters only his seventh senior start and it appeared to backfire almost immediately as he dallied in possession, allowing Dembele to surge forward on the counter-attack.

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He still had plenty to do but beat Walker-Peters in a subsequent footrace before checking back as Harry Winks dived in and slotting the ball past Hugo Lloris.

Spurs initially struggled to find any rhythm but slowly worked their way into the game and after 32 minutes, Heung-Min Son burst through on goal from Christian Eriksen’s pass, only for Jasper Cillessen to stand big and make a fine save with his left foot.

Spurs had dangerous moments thereafter but Philippe Coutinho almost put Barcelona 2-0 up on the strike of half-time, collecting Munir’s pass before driving into the box and hitting Lloris’s left-hand post with a curling effort.

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Barca replaced Ivan Rakitic with Sergio Busquets at the break, however Tottenham upped their game after the interval with Eriksen forcing Cillessen into another good save before Kane skied the ball over when clean through.

Messi was introduced for the final 27 minutes but Spurs continued to create opportunities. Lucas Moura, on for Son, headed Moussa Sissoko’s 75th-minute cross goalwards only for Cillessen to claw the ball away. Moura curled the rebound wide.

Coutinho hit the post at the other end as Tottenham threw everything forward in search of a precious goal, one that Moura eventually provided.

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A brief wait followed the final whistle and once the result was confirmed, Tottenham’s away contingent erupted in jubilation.

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