Tottenham Hotspur vs Real Madrid. UEFA Champions League Group H.
Wembley StadiumAttendance83,782.
Thursday 2 November 2017 09:03, UK
Tottenham produced a superb performance to record a famous 3-1 win over Real Madrid at Wembley, securing qualification to the Champions League last 16.
Dele Alli turned home from close range after Kieran Trippier's cross to put the hosts ahead on 28 minutes, and Alli scored again after the break (56) as his shot deflected off Sergio Ramos and wrong-footed Kiko Casilla.
Wembley erupted again just nine minutes later as Spurs broke through Alli and Harry Kane, who teed the ball up for Christian Eriksen to finish off for 3-0.
Cristiano Ronaldo's drilled finish from close range made it interesting (80), but it ended 3-1 as Real suffered their first group-stage defeat in the Champions League since October 2012.
Spurs took the lead during a breathless first half through Alli, who had returned to European action following his red card in the Europa League last season.
Trippier was just in an offside position as he ran onto Harry Winks' fine lofted ball behind Marcelo, but the flag stayed down as the right-back's first-time centre was bundled home by Alli inside the six-yard box.
Real Madrid woke up and produced wave after wave of attack before the break, but Spurs had the best chance to score the second through Kane, who saw a shot from 10 yards blocked brilliantly by Sergio Ramos.
The game continued with the same pace in the second half; Hugo Lloris brilliantly tipped away Marcelo's drilled cross, but Alli made it 2-0 as his effort from the edge of the box deflected off the Ramos and into the net.
Real should have levelled as Spurs cleared off the line twice following pinball in the six-yard box, but a quick breakaway saw the hosts tear the European champions apart again.
Alli won the ball in midfield, found Kane with Spurs two versus two, and then produced a fine through ball for Eriksen to finish past Casilla as Wembley went wild.
Alli missed a clear chance for his hat-trick, glancing a free header wide, but Ronaldo made for a nervy ending with a low finish from eight yards past Lloris.
He's been criticised for his form of late, but having said he was ticking off the games before he could return to European action from suspension, Alli was back with a bang.
His enthusiasm was contagious as Spurs deconstructed Real in midfield and in the final third.
His first finish showed great opportunism, his second proved his patience on the ball, and he was also involved in the third, breaking out of defence to feed Harry Kane before the final pass to Christian Eriksen.
It may not be long before we see the Alli of 'old' back to his best week in, week out.
Mauricio Pochettino: "You've all seen today that Tottenham is a big team and we're playing in front of 80,000 people. We're showing Spurs deserve to be among the best not only in England but Europe. Right now we are proud of winning this match but it means nothing if we don't win something come the end of the season.
Zinedine Zidane: "In terms of the opposition, we came up against the better team, in general, all aspects they were superior. But in general, I'm not worried about lack of goals. We need to show we have experience, we are full of champions and we need to change the run we are in."
Tottenham host bottom side Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday at 12pm, while Real are at home against La Liga strugglers Las Palmas, live on Sky Sports Football on Sunday at 7.45pm.
