Football: Spurs slump to third straight loss in Champions League opener

  • 19/09/2018

Inter Milan struck two late goals to secure a stunning 2-1 victory over a crestfallen Tottenham in their Champions League opener at the San Siro.

Mauro Icardi's superb volley levelled the scores in the 86th minute and Matias Vecino headed a stoppage-time winner to give the Italian Serie A side a victory that for most of the night looked unlikely.

Spurs had taken the lead in the 53rd minute with Christian Eriksen's deflected effort off Inter's Miranda and looked comfortable as the full-time whistle approached.

But the match was turned on its head though in dramatic fashion, as Tottenham suffered a third straight loss in all competitions.

Meanwhile, Harry Kane's post-World Cup struggles continued. Kane was the top scorer at the tournament in Russia with six goals in England's run to the semifinals, but the 25-year-old has not found the back of the net since a 3-0 victory over Manchester United last month.

Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino insisted his side had put in their best performance of the season so far.

"I am happy with the performance," he told BT Sport. "The performance was so good.

"We dominated, but of course, it's so cruel. For me, this was the best performance that we've had from the beginning of the season.

"It's annoying, I think the players deserved more. Before the first goal, we had the game under control.

"After we conceded the goal, anything can happen in a place like San Siro."

Lionel Messi scored a sensational hat-trick, as Barcelona kickstarted their campaign with a 4-0 win at home to Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven, although they had defender Samuel Umtiti sent off in the second half.

Barca's all-time top scorer Messi broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute at the Nou Camp with an immaculately struck free kick, curling the ball over the wall and right into the top near corner.

Coached by former Australia assistant boss Mark van Bommel, PSV had produced an admirable performance in their first visit to the Nou Camp in 21 years, until they began to fade late in the second half.

The Spanish champions began to demonstrate the gulf in class as the second half progressed and they doubled their lead in the 75th minute through a lovely curling strike from French forward Ousmane Dembele, who scored a fifth goal from sixth games in all competitions this season.

Messi got his second and Barca's third two minutes later, turning home Ivan Rakitic's dinked pass, and completed his treble in the 87th, by receiving a chipped pass from Luis Suarez and ruthlessly smashing home.

The mood was briefly dampened, when France defender Umtiti was dismissed in the 79th minute for a second yellow card, ruling him out of Barca's next Champions League game away to Tottenham on Octpber 3.

 

Reuters