Spurs have conceded a goal in 13 of their last 14 away games in the Europa League
Tottenham were knocked out of the Europa League when a great hat trick from Mislav Orsic completed a remarkable turnaround in the return leg for Dinamo Zagreb.
Spurs, who had taken a 2-0 lead after a one-sided first encounter in London seven days earlier, paid the price for an extremely poor performance against the Croatian champions.
Orsic rightly rolled the hosts forward from the edge of the box on the night with a wonderful hit and swept Iyayi Atiemwen’s cross home to level the draw.
At the start of the second extra time, he added an excellent third place and drove a terrified Tottenham defense before shooting Hugo Lloris into the bottom corner.
Tottenham nearly conquered the rescue and progress twice at the end of normal and overtime, but Harry Kane was thwarted each time by superb saves from Dinamo keeper Dominik Livakovic.
The pressure was increased in the closing stages, but Dinamo were able to secure a fully deserved spot in the quarter-finals and semi-finals on Friday.
Son’s shorn spurs fight in both boxes
Tottenham have been widely accused of relying too much on Kane over the past few years, especially when they struggled during his injured spells. You must now grapple with the absence of the equally influential son Heung-min, who has a hamstring injury.
Their breakdown in Croatia mirrored Sunday’s derby defeat against Arsenal, when Spurs only really got going after the damage had already been done. It would have been tough for dynamic Dinamo if the belated excitement of visitors had denied them a historic triumph.
Had they produced the kind of creativity seen in the closing stages in normal time, this embarrassment could have been avoided. It was significant that of the seven changes manager Jose Mourinho made, five were replaced.
Replacements Gareth Bale and Giovani Lo Celso, who returned after injuring more than three months, breathed some life into Spurs’ attacking game and both saw low hits saved well by the formidable Livakovic.
Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic made three important saves to deny Harry Kane
As usual, it was Kane who carried most of Tottenham’s threat and had great chances at the end of the first half, second half and extra time, but Livakovic stayed big through the first half and then rescued his head at close range and rushed over his Aim to thwart the English striker on death.
The fault shouldn’t lie at the feet of the Spurs strikers. Their back line was ragged by the unannounced Orsic, whose first goal was great but was given plenty of room for the other two.
Mourinho had said the Europa League brought Spurs’ best chance at Champions League qualification and he now faces a huge task of lifting his deflated troops without a son to reach the Premier League top 4 from who are six points behind.
More will follow.
Constellations
Dinamo Zagreb
formation 4-3-3
40Livakovic
13thRistovski6thLauritsen28Théophile-Catherine38Franjic
10Majer5Adam97Jakic
17thIvanusec21Petkovic99Orsic
- 40Livakovic
- 13thRistovskiReplaced byStojanovicat the 90 ‘protocolBooked at 92 minutes
- 6thLauritsenBooked at 79 minutes
- 28Théophile-Catherine
- 38FranjicReplaced byLeovacat the 81 ‘protocol
- 10MajerReplaced byGavranovicat the 81 ‘protocol
- 5AdamReplaced byPericat the 118 ‘protocol
- 97JakicBooked at 32 minutesReplaced byAtiemwenat the 75 ‘protocol
- 17thIvanusec
- 21PetkovicReplaced byMisicat the 90 ‘protocol
- 99Orsic
replacement
- 1Zagorac
- 11Gavranovic
- 19thgoat
- 20thCranberries
- 22ndLeovac
- 24Tolic
- 26thBurton
- 27Misic
- 30thStojanovic
- 33Josipovic
- 55Peric
- 80Atiemwen
Tottenham
formation 4-2-3-1
1Lloris
24Aurier6thD Sánchez15thanimal33Davies
17thSissoko8thWinks
11The Apple20thThere27Lucas Moura
10Kane
- 1Lloris
- 24AurierReplaced byBergwijnat the 108 ‘protocol
- 6thD Sánchez
- 15thanimal
- 33DaviesReplaced byReguilónat the 90 ‘protocol
- 17thSissoko
- 8thWinksReplaced byNdombeleat the 68 ‘protocol
- 11The AppleBooked at 22 minutesReplaced byBaleat the 60 ‘protocol
- 20thThereReplaced byThe Celsoat the 68 ‘protocol
- 27Lucas MouraReplaced byAlves Moraisat the 85 ‘protocol
- 10Kane
replacement
- 2Doherty
- 3Reguilón
- 4thAlderweireld
- 9Bale
- 12thHard
- 18thThe Celso
- 23Bergwijn
- 25thTanganga
- 28Ndombele
- 45Alves Morais
- 53Scarlett
- 55Lavinier
Live text
End of the game, Dinamo Zagreb 3, Tottenham Hotspur 0.
The second half extra time ends, Dinamo Zagreb 3, Tottenham Hotspur 0.
Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Luka Ivanusec (Dinamo Zagreb).
Missed attempt. Harry Kane’s (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the right side of the six yard box missed to the left. Assisted by Sergio Reguilon with a cross.
Foul by Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur).
Petar Stojanovic (Dinamo Zagreb) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Tanguy Ndombele (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Mario Gavranovic (Dinamo Zagreb).
Offside Dinamo Zagreb. Kévin Théophile-Catherine attempts a pass, but Mario Gavranovic is caught offside.
Substitution, Dinamo Zagreb. Dino Peric replaces Arijan Ademi.
Missed attempt. Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Missed attempt. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Prepared by Gareth Bale.
Attempt blocked. Carlos Vinícius (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the center of the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the center of the box is saved in the center of the box by the goalkeeper. Prepared by Carlos Vinicius.
Missed attempt. Carlos Vinícius (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the center of the box misses to the right. Prepared by Steven Bergwijn.
Attempt saved. Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the center of the box is saved in the lower left corner. Assisted by Giovani Lo Celso.
Handball by Iyayi Atiemwen (Dinamo Zagreb).
Missed attempt. Steven Bergwijn (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Prepared by Gareth Bale.
Corner of Dinamo Zagreb. The corner was created by Eric Dier.
