DORTMUND, Germany (AP) – Tottenham came from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 and book its place in the Champions League last 16 as group winner ahead of Real Madrid on Tuesday.
Harry Kane and Son Heung-min cancelled out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s strike for Dortmund to keep Tottenham on top of Group H. Madrid was three points behind.
With one round remaining, the defending champion cannot catch the English Premier League side on account of its inferior head-to-head record, despite its 6-0 rout of APOEL Nicosia in Cyprus. Tottenham drew with the Spanish champion in Madrid, then won the return fixture in London.
Tottenham’s Son Heung-min, right, celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the soccer Champions League group H match between Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham Hotspur in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
“It’s done and now we can enjoy it,” said Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who hailed “a big achievement.”
The best Dortmund can hope for, with two points from five games, is Europa League qualification. The side is struggling badly with only one win – in the German Cup – from nine games across all competitions.
Aubameyang made the breakthrough after half an hour, firing to the far corner after Andrey Yarmolenko sent him through with a back-heel.
Aubameyang, who was back in Dortmund’s lineup after being suspended by the club for “disciplinary reasons” last Thursday, was fortunate minutes later not to be booked for swiping at the back of Davinson Sanchez’s head.
Tottenham pushed for the equalizer and almost got it before the break. Roman Buerki had to be alert to deny Christian Eriksen, and then made a brilliant save to thwart Eric Dier, whose effort was headed for the top corner.
Kane’s equalizer, when it came after the break, was down to an error from Jeremy Toljan. The Dortmund defender lost the ball and Dele Alli fed Kane, who eluded two defenders on the edge of the area to fire the ball inside the left post.
The goal knocked Dortmund back. Mistakes crept into the home side’s game, passes went astray, and the players found it harder to push forward.
Son capped a disciplined Tottenham performance with a quarter-hour remaining. Despite facing Marc Bartra and Mario Goetze, Alli skipped past and squared the ball for Son, who had enough space to pick his spot perfectly in the far top corner.
Buerki was taken off on a stretcher before the end after Fernando Llorente connected with his head while going for the ball.
“The players lacked the confidence to keep playing football. I thought we did very well in the first half, we created chances. After the equalizer, unfortunately we didn’t do it any more,” said Dortmund coach Peter Bosz, whose job is on the line in Saturday’s Ruhr derby against Schalke.
Tottenham’s Son Heung-min scores his side’s second goal during the soccer Champions League group H match between Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham Hotspur in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Tottenham’s Harry Kane is challenged by Dortmund’s Dan-Axel Zagadou, right, and Marcel Schmelzer, left, during the soccer Champions League group H match between Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham Hotspur in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Tottenham’s Harry Kane celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the soccer Champions League group H match between Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham Hotspur in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, left, scores the opening goal past Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris during the soccer Champions League group H match between Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham Hotspur in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
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