Tottenham Hotspur lost 2-1 with Inter Milan at the San Siro on Tuesday, with Mauricio Pochettino‘s side opening up their UEFA Champions League Group B campaign with a late collapse to seal their third-straight defeat in all competitions.
The opening goal of the game came via Christian Erisken’s first of the season, with the Danish playmaker scoring in the second half after a sluggish start from Tottenham. It looked like that would be the winner, but Mauro Icardi smashed home a stunning volley in the 85th minute then Matias Vecino scored the winner in stoppage time.
Elsewhere in Group B, Barcelona beat PSG 4-0 thanks to a hat trick from Lionel Messi and a moment of magic from Ousmane Dembele to set up a mouthwatering clash at Wembley against Tottenham on Oct. 3. Inter head to PSV on the same day.
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Tottenham started the game slowly with Ivan Perisic causing Serge Aurier plenty of problems, while at the other end Eriksen’s free kick was pushed out by Samir Handanovic.
Marcelo Brozovic then sent a shot just wide from a good position for Inter but the best chance of the first half came and went for Tottenham.
A lovely clipped ball over the top from Eriksen found Harry Kane and he danced past Handanovic, but then tripped over his own feet and dribbled the ball out of play from a tight angle. That summed up Spurs’ first half performance.
They did improve in the second half and Eriksen soon had them ahead.
His initial low effort from the edge of the box was pushed out by Handanovic but the ball went straight back to Eriksen and his deflected follow-up looped into the far corner. A bizarre goal, but exactly what Tottenham needed.
Buoyed by the opener Erik Lamela had a curled effort deflected just wide as the Premier League side tried to wrap the game up.
Inter pushed hard to equalize but Perisic’s header was easily saved by Michel Vorm and on the break they were opened up by Spurs as Lamela twice went close again.
Icardi clattered into Vorm as Inter pinned Spurs back late in the game and the Argentine eventually equalized.
Keita Balde’s cross from the left found him unmarked on the edge of the box and Inter’s skipper smashed home a beautiful volley to make it 1-1.
The drama wasn’t over.
Yet more frustration arrived for Spurs in stoppage time as Vecino headed home from close range in the 92nd minute to send Inter’s fans wild at the San Siro.
