Spurs 1-2 Chelsea - report from Wembley

Team news

Mauricio Pochettino made two changes from our opening weekend win at Newcastle – Kieran Trippier and Victor Wanyama returning for Kyle Walker-Peters and Moussa Sissoko, who were both on the bench.

Key action

Goal: Spurs 0-1 Chelsea – Marcos Alonso – 24mins
The game opened up at a great tempo with both sides creating chances. Just five minutes were on the clock when Cesar Azpilicueta crossed from the left but Alvaro Morata, completely unmarked, headed wide from eight yards. Harry Kane tested Thibaut Courtois five minutes later and on 14 minutes, Dele Alli smashed wide from a tight angle after Alonso had missed Eric Dier’s deep pass. Courtois then tipped over Mousa Dembele’s 25-yard drive before the opening goal arrived. Dele tripped David Luiz 25 yards from goal, Alonso stepped up and curled the free-kick into the top corner.

Woodwork: Kane so close to equaliser – 42mins
We responded well to the setback and dominated the remainder of the half, but just couldn’t find a way through. On 39 minutes, Eriksen sent over a teasing free-kick from the right which evaded everyone when just a touch would have sent the ball into the net. Three minutes later, Wanyama won possession in midfield and released Dele who broke forward and found Kane on the left edge of the area, he cut inside the defender and curled a right foot shot which beat Courtois but not the far post. The Chelsea stopper then made a magnificent diving save to palm away Ben Davies’ fierce effort from distance and we went in behind at the interval.

 
Above: Mousa Dembele gets away from Andreas Christensen.

Chance: Eriksen denied early on – 46mins
We started the second period as we finished the first, well on top in terms of possession but being met with frustration as we searched for the equaliser. Eriksen broke into the area in the opening minutes but saw his shot blocked by Azpilicueta, Trippier clipped over a wonderful volleyed cross which Kane just couldn’t get on the end of while Wanyama miscued 20 yards out, moments after Heung-Min Son had replaced Dier. At the other end, Victor Moses fired over with an angled drive as Chelsea launched a rare foray forwards

Woodwork: Willian almost doubles Blues’ lead – 73mins
That attack breathed new life into Chelsea and they were suddenly catching us on the break as we looked a little weary. They broke with Morata and Alonso combining to find Willian, whose low drive beat Lloris but cannoned back off the post to safety. We found fresh impetus ourselves and started to press again, Kane looking like he was about to level it up from 15 yards but Andreas Christensen made a superb block to deny him.

Goal: Spurs 1-1 Chelsea – Michy Batshuayi (og) – 82mins
It had seemed like a matter of time before we grabbed an equaliser and one duly arrived on 82 minutes. Eriksen swung in a free-kick from wide on the left and Batshuayi, on moments earlier for Morata, accidentally nodded past his own goalkeeper to send Wembley into raptures.

Goal: Spurs 1-2 Chelsea – Marcos Alonso – 87mins
Chelsea would have the last laugh to continue their recent stranglehold over us at the national stadium, though. After the outstanding Dembele got back to outmuscle Batshuayi on the break, Lloris threw the ball long to Wanyama but possession was taken and Pedro got forward down the left before finding Alonso, who converted from a tight angle on that side. It was a huge body blow and one that we couldn’t recover from.

Mauricio Pochettino said

"I’m very disappointed but at the same time, happy, because the performance was good. Our fans were fantastic as always and I’m disappointed for them, disappointed for our team. I think we deserved more and played much better than Chelsea and that’s why we’re disappointed. Chelsea were clinical, they scored in the key moments and for us, the chances we created, we found it impossible to score. That is the key of the game." 

Hugo Lloris said

"I’m very disappointed with the result, obviously, but in terms of the performance, what else can we do? It was a great performance. We put in a lot of good energy, even after going 1-0 down we kept our chin up and kept playing our basics and we can be proud of that. We created so many chances but we missed out in the final third, the last touch. It’s about luck, all the luck was on Chelsea’s side."

Match stats

Spurs (3-4-2-1): Lloris (c), Dier (Son 68), Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Trippier (Janssen 90+1), Wanyama, Dembele, Davies (Sissoko 80), Eriksen, Dele, Kane. Substitutes (not used): Vorm, Walker-Peters, Wimmer, Winks.

Chelsea (3-5-2): Courtois, Azpilicueta (c), Christiansen, Rudiger, Moses, David Luiz, Kante, Bakayoko, Alonso, Willian (Pedro 78), Morata (Batshuayi 78). Substitutes (not used): Caballero, Kenedy, Musonda, Tomori, Scott.

Goals: Spurs – Batshuayi (OG) 82; Chelsea – Alonso 24, 87.

Yellow cards: Spurs – Dier, Vertonghen, Alderweireld; Chelsea – Rudiger, David Luiz, Alonso.

Referee: Anthony Taylor.

Attendance: 73,587.