Tottenham pegged back by Monaco’s Stephan El Shaarawy in Europa League
Monaco 1 - 1 SpursHome team scorers
Stephan El Shaarawy 81
Away team scorers
Erik Lamela 35
This felt like a missed opportunity for Tottenham Hotspur. Ahead and in charge after Érik Lamela’s goal towards the end of the first half, they looked to be coasting to the victory that would have put them in charge of Europa League Group J.
Lamela’s impressive form continued. The Argentina winger had arrived in Monaco on the back of a series of decisive contributions, most recently his man-of-the-match performance in Saturday’s 4-1 home win over Manchester City. His goal here rounded off a classic team move and when he was substituted, as against City, he departed to a standing ovation from plenty of Tottenham supporters.
The frustration, which was felt most keenly by Mauricio Pochettino, was that his young team did not kill the game. They had the chances to do so in the second half, most notably through Harry Kane but his sights were awry. Having scuffed a clear first-half opening, Kane headed straight at the goalkeeper, Danijel Subasic, in the 72nd minute.
Monaco made them pay, with the manager, Leonardo Jardim, rolling the dice to daredevil effect in this town of high rollers. His boldest move was the introduction of Nabil Dirar, the attacking midfielder, for Ricardo Carvalho, the veteran centre-back, and it was Dirar who turned the tie with a marvellous assist for Stephan El Shaarawy, who had been Jardim’s first change.
El Shaarawy headed down from close range and the attempt flicked off the covering Kieran Trippier before beating Hugo Lloris. The Tottenham goalkeeper will feel that he should have done better. The header was straight at him but, unusually, he could not react quickly enough.
Pochettino and his players had wanted to build on the momentum from the City result and he had picked a team to win, changing only the full-backs through choice. The feeling of regret coloured his post-match thoughts.
“We lost two points,” Pochettino said. “We were the better team in the second half but when you don’t kill the game, this can happen. In the end, it is a good result but the feeling is bad. We need to learn. One-nil is always a difficult result to manage. Maybe, we need to be more clinical in front of goal.”
It can be a surreal experience watching football in this strange little ground, which can hold roughly half of the principality’s 38,000 residents but is rarely full. There were thousands of empty seats and the lack of atmosphere gave the air of a pre-season friendly at times. For spells, it was turgid stuff.
Spurs’ breakthrough goal provided the spark, and it was Lamela who started and finished a flowing move from deep inside his own half. The winger rolled one boot over the ball to flummox his marker before releasing Nacer Chadli with the other, in practically one motion, and his team-mate then darted inside two more Monaco players.
Chadli then found Dele Alli and the new England call-up jinked inside Fabinho to open up the shooting chance. Once again, Alli’s quick feet and slick moves decorated the contest. Alli’s shot was saved by Subasic but Tottenham caught a break when the ball ricocheted off Andrea Raggi and fell to Lamela, who had continued his run. Lamela tapped into the empty net.
Previously, Raggi had headed wide and the lively Adama Traoré had worked Lloris from distance, either side of Chadli chipping narrowly over the crossbar. But Lamela’s goal prompted a purple patch leading up the interval, in which the action swung from end to end.
Bernardo Silva, another Monaco danger, fired into the side-netting and two of his crosses were almost converted by Lacina Traoré; on the first occasion, the striker’s header was narrowly wide. Tottenham, though, might have extended their lead when Alli flicked inside with his trailing leg, Cristiano Ronaldo-style, and passed to Kane, whose shot deflected off Fabinho and smacked Subasic in the face. It was a good chance.
Eric Dier drew a save from Subasic moments before Kane’s headed chance but it was Monaco who found the extra gear. Danny Rose was slightly fortunate to avoid the concession of a penalty for a nibble at Silva but El Shaarawy made sure that Tottenham’s relief was short-lived.
Guardian
