Mourinho's Spurs Suffer First-Leg Loss In UCL
20 February, 2020
UEFA Champions League
Result: Tottenham Hostpur 0-1 RB Leipzig
Date: 19 February 2020
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Tottenham Hotspur's likelihood of achieving the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League took a knock after heading down 1-0 to RB Leipzig in the first leg of their Last 16 tie.
Spurs manager Jose Mourinho made two changes from their make an impression on Aston Villa, as January signing Gedson Fernandes and Giovanni Lo Celso found the fore with Lucas Moura and Deli Alli relied after for goals upfront in the lack of Son Heung-Min and Harry Kane.
Leipzig almost grabbed an early lead in just the next minute of the match after Angelino latched onto a blocked effort from Timo Werner and unleashed a cracking strike that came off the post.
While Spurs struggled in the ultimate third, Werner had an excellent chance to break the deadlock for the visitors with nine minutes left of the first stanza after cutting inside from the left channel but after taking one way too many touches he was eventually denied by Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
Spurs looked lively in the first parts of in the second stanza nonetheless they conceded a penalty four minutes prior to the hour-mark after Ben Davies brought down Konrad Laimer. Werner stepped up and dispatched a clinical low strike to place his side one goal ahead.
Leipzig must have been two goal up soon after the hour-mark after Werner dummied a through ball to reach Patrik Schick, who was simply left unmarked however the striker was struggling to fire past Lloris.
Mourinho made a double change soon after that, as he induced and Erik Lamela and Tanguy Ndombele replaced Alli and Fernandes as the hosts went searching for an equaliser.
The double change revived Spurs and they nearly levelled matters in the 73rd minute as Lo Celso unleashed a curling free-kick but Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulasci tipped his effort onto the exterior of the post.
Tottenham came close again within the last 5 minutes through Lamela's free-kick from range that was threatening but parried away by Gulasci while Moura headed over two minutes later.
Ultimately, Leipzig held on for the win and will have a 1-0 lead back to Germany for the next leg in three weeks.
Source: www.soccerladuma.co.za