Tottenham's hopes of reaching the Champions League group stages are anything but certain after a shock 3-2 defeat to Young Boys.
Tottenham come from 3-0 down to give themselves hope
Tottenham Hotspur's hopes of reaching the UEFA Champions League group stages are anything but certain after a shock 3-2 defeat to Young Boys of Bern.
Spurs arrived in the Swiss capital full of hope they would get the result needed from the first leg of their play-off clash, but instead, at the foot of the Alps, they were left with a mountain to climb after just half-an-hour at the Stade de Suisse.
Within the opening two minutes of action Young Boys struck the post through Senad Lulic, but Spurs did not heed their warning as the Bosnian international fired his side ahead just moments later.
The home side were obviously used to playing on their artificial surface and that showed as Young Boys added two further goals before Spurs could reply.
Henri Bienvenu burst clear of the static Tottenham defence and slotted home to double their lead before Xavier Hochstrasser made it 3-0.
But there was some hope for Spurs as Sebastien Bassong headed home from a corner just before the break.
Still, Young Boys looked well on course to take a two-goal lead to White Hart Lane next week and indeed they missed plenty of chances to extend their advantage.
And Spurs made their Swiss hosts rue their missed chances as, with less than 10 minutes left, they claimed what could prove a crucial second away goal as Roman Pavlyuchenko struck a superb effort into the top corner.
Despite being a goal down going into the second leg at White Hart Lane, manager Harry Redknapp will be hugely relieved his side battled back to give themselves a chance of reaching the group stages.
Favourites
The visitors were heavy favourites to progress over two legs, though Young Boys' shock win at Fenerbahce in the last round meant they were not to be underestimated.
And they immediately proved as much during a frantic opening in which Tottenham were all at sea.
Lulic struck the post in the second minute, Benoit Assou-Ekotto was booked in the fourth, and Young Boys were ahead seconds later.
Thierry Doubai's long-range shot hit the back of Ammar Jemal and fell kindly for Lulic to sidefoot home.
Giovani Dos Santos would have equalised three minutes later but for a sprawling save from Marco Wolfli, while Jermain Defoe fired over left-footed from 20 yards.
But Spurs' shocking defending continued and they were 2-0 down in the 13th minute when Michael Dawson slipped near the halfway line, allowing Bienvenu a clear run on goal and he produced an immaculate low finish.
Defoe somehow failed to connect with a wonderful Pavlyuchenko cross five minutes later, with an away goal very much a priority now for Spurs.
Young Boys were hungrier and quicker to the ball, while every one of Redknapp's changes appeared to have backfired.
In stark contrast, both Young Boys' changes were paying off spectacularly and the second of them - Hochstrasser - got on the scoresheet in the 28th minute.
Spurs were undone by a simple slide-rule pass from Moreno Costanzo and Hochstrasser made no mistake to blast the ball over the onrushing Gomes.
Jemal went close to making it 4-0 with a free-kick over the bar before Redknapp responded to the malaise nine minutes before half-time by withdrawing Assou-Ekotto for Tom Huddlestone.
Tottenham desperately needed an away goal and Bassong provided it three minutes from half-time, his towering header from Gareth Bale's corner beating boyhood Spurs fan Scott Sutter on the line.
Defoe also went close with a header as Spurs ended the half on top.
Better Spurs
Redknapp threw on Niko Kranjcar for Luka Modric during the break and Spurs certainly made a better start to the second half than they had the first.
Huddlestone tricked his way into a crossing position five minutes in and his left-footed ball was only just too high for Defoe.
Pavlyuchenko then wasted two decent opportunities in two minutes, first by dwelling on Kranjcar's inside pass 12 yards out and then by poking Bale's wicked cross over the bar from half the distance.
Spurs failed to maintain their dominance, although Pavlyuchenko fired over from 25 yards in the 65th minute, moments before Young Boys brought on Christian Schneuwly for Costanzo and Redknapp made his final change, Robbie Keane replacing Defoe.
Bassong was booked for dissent after Bale was harshly adjudged to have fouled Schneuwly and Bienvenu almost rubbed salt into the wound when he nodded over the resulting free-kick.
Bienvenu became the first Young Boys player cautioned after cynically hauling back Kranjcar.
The hosts were now looking to hit Spurs on the break and almost did so to devastating effect 12 minutes from time when Schneuwly's first-time shot whistled over the bar.
Pavlyuchenko and Bassong both went close with headers before Gomes went AWOL, allowing Bienvenu to set up Schneuwly for a close-range volley he blazed over.
Pavlyuchenko finally came good seven minutes from time to get Tottenham well and truly back into the tie.
The Russian dummied Vedran Corluka's ball and Keane picked out his resulting run, from which he lashed the ball past Wolfli at the near post.
Young Boys made a stoppage-time change when Mario Raimondi replaced David Degen but the damage was done.
| BSC Young Boys |
Team Statistics |
Tottenham Hotspur |
| 3 |
Goals |
2 |
| 3 |
1st Half Goals |
1 |
| 3 |
Shots on Target |
4 |
| 6 |
Shots off Target |
10 |
| 1 |
Blocked Shots |
3 |
| 2 |
Corners |
5 |
| 12 |
Fouls |
15 |
| 3 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 77.1 |
Passing Success |
83.5 |
| 10 |
Tackles |
15 |
| 80 |
Tackles Success |
100 |
| 40.2 |
Possession |
59.8 |
| 51.2 |
Territorial Advantage |
48.8 |
|
