Tottenham‘s inconsistent form continued after Mats Hummels’ stoppage-time goal ensured they were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Claudio Ranieri’s Roma in the Europa League.
Spurs had looked on course to back up Saturday’s 4-0 thrashing of Manchester City with a hard-fought victory after captain Son Heung-min and Brennan Johnson struck in the first half to cancel out Evan N’Dicka’s goal.
Ange Postecoglou watched his team squander a number of chances to set up a nervy finale and not long after Fraser Forster, who deputised for the first time since Guglielmo Vicario’s ankle surgery, had produced a superb save to deny Gianluca Mancini, the visitors levelled.
Postecoglou had made half a dozen changes in each of Spurs’ previous four Europa League matches, but went stronger with only four from the win at Man City.
All eyes were on Forster and yet the immediate action occurred in Roma’s penalty area as Pape Sarr won a spot-kick in the third minute after being caught by Hummels.
Referee Glenn Nyberg eventually pointed to the spot after assistance from VAR and Son made no mistake for only his fourth goal of the season.
It failed to act as a catalyst for the hosts, however, as Roma responded strongly with Paulo Dybala being denied by Forster.
Tottenham’s sloppiness in possession continued and they were punished in the 20th minute when Dybala produced a fine ball into the area for N’Dicka to flick home via the crossbar.
Ranieri celebrated again two minutes later, but Stephan El Shaarawy’s volley into the bottom corner was ruled out for offside by VAR.
It remained end-to-end as Postecoglou’s side finally woke up with Roma left-back Angelino forced make a superb block on the line from Johnson before Dominic Solanke’s follow-up was saved by Mile Svilar.
Back down the other end and Forster got down well to thwart Dybala’s latest effort before Spurs did make their next opportunity count.
Sarr was involved again as he sent Dejan Kulusevski away down the left and the in-form attacker patiently waited to cut back for Johnson, who steered into the bottom corner after 33 minutes.
Tottenham nearly grabbed another two minutes later when Kulusevski bundled into the area and hit the post before Son blazed over the rebound.
Son had another shot tipped wide by Svilar before half-time and after Johnson fired over at the start of the second period, Roma regained the ascendancy.
Manu Kone and Artem Dovbyk both had efforts ruled out for offside in quick succession before Angelino’s superb volley from Zeki Celik’s cross deflected off Pedro Porro and onto the crossbar.
It was another let-off for Spurs, who did react with a marauding Ben Davies run able to win a free-kick, which Porro clipped onto the crossbar.
Postecoglou turned to his bench with 21 minutes left as Yves Bissouma and James Maddison entered the fray.
Maddison almost immediately helped put the game to bed when he sent Solanke away, but his powerful strike was pushed over by Svilar.
An even better chance was created for Solanke with 10 minutes left, but he headed against the crossbar after a fine Archie Gray centre.
It looked like Tottenham had survived when Forster made a superb save to deny Mancini’s volley at the start of five minutes of stoppage-time, but Hummels fired home from Angelino’s cross not long after to ensure the points were shared.
Tottenham vs Roma latest updates
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Mats Hummels earns visitors a point at the death in Europa League
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Tottenham player ratings vs Roma: Radu Dragusin jittery again but Dominic Solanke impresses
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Jaded Spurs’ Europa League wobble continues as Fraser Forster denied big moment
Jaded Spurs’ Europa League wobble continues as Fraser Forster denied big moment
22:56 , Jonathan Gorrie
Mats Hummels’ scored a 90th-minute equaliser on his first European appearance since the Champions League Final, as Roma rescued a late 2-2 draw with Tottenham in north London.
Hummels had a nightmare start when he caught Pape Matar Sarr after just two minutes, with Heung-min Son converting the penalty to put Spurs in front.
Roma levelled through Evan N’Dicka’s header from Paulo Dybala’s free-kick, and scored the first of three disallowed goals for offside through Stephan El Shaarawy moments later.
Brennan Johnson restored Spurs’ lead before the interval and both sides had a host of chances in the second half before Hummels struck.
Here are three talking points from the game…
Tottenham player ratings vs Roma: Radu Dragusin jittery again but Dominic Solanke impresses
22:22 , Jonathan Gorrie
Mats Hummels scored a 90th-minute equaliser to rescue a 2-2 draw for Roma against Tottenham in an enormously entertaining Europa League tie in north London.
Moments after Fraser Forster’s outstanding save to deny Gianluca Mancini, the 35-year-old centre-half met Angelino’s cross at the far post for Roma’s second leveller of the night.
Heung-min Son fired Spurs ahead from the penalty spot after Pape Sarr was caught by Hummels inside three minutes.
Roma levelled through Evan N’Dicka’s header and scored the first of three disallowed goals when Stephan El Shaarawy volleyed home from Paulo Dybala’s cute pass.
Brennan Johnson’s smart finish restored Spurs lead before the interval, and Roma twice had efforts disallowed for Artem Dovbyk offsides in the second half.
Spurs twice struck the woodwork through Pedro Porro and Dominic Solanke, while Angelino’s effort was deflected onto the bar at the other end.
Here’s how we rated the Spurs players…
Mats Hummels earns visitors a point at the death in Europa League
22:21 , Jonathan Gorrie
Tottenham were denied at the death as a stoppage-time equaliser by Mats Hummels earned Roma a 2-2 draw in an eventful Europa League encounter.
Son Heung-min scored from the penalty spot inside the first five minutes, before Evan N’Dicka headed Claudio Ranieri’s Roma back level midway through the first half.
Read our full match report here!
FT | Tottenham 2-2 Roma
21:58 , Dom Smith
Disappointment for Tottenham at full-time, with Roma scoring in stoppage time to make it 2-2 and take a draw back to Italy with them. In the end, it’s what they deserved from a highly open and entertaining game.
GOAL! Tottenham 2-2 Roma
21:53 , Dom Smith
90+1 min: Forster looks to have earned Spurs victory with a stunning save, but then Hummels scores a last-gasp equaliser from Angelino’s cross. Disastrous for Spurs.
Tottenham 2-1 Roma
21:51 , Dom Smith
90 min: Porro cheers to the home crowd as he blocks a cross behind for a corner. There will be a minimum of five minutes added on. Nervy moments…
Tottenham 2-1 Roma
21:46 , Dom Smith
84 min: Soule’s corner is headed half-clear by Bergvall of all players. Hummels tries some overhead acrobatics but the shot lands on the roof of the net.
Roma still pushing; Spurs defending resolutely. Looks set to be quite a nervy finish in North London.
CLOSE! Tottenham 2-1 Roma
21:42 , Dom Smith
81 min: Solanke does well to fashion a header against the crossbar, stretching his neck muscles. Roma ride their luck.
Tottenham 2-1 Roma
21:39 , Dom Smith
78 min: Son, who scored Tottenham’s first, hands over the captain’s armband and makes way for Werner.
Bergvall is on too, as he replaces Bentancur. You feel Postecoglou is trying to avoid a Bentancur second yellow and suspension there.
Tottenham 2-1 Roma
21:34 , Dom Smith
73 min: Bentancur is booked for a robust challenge on Saelemaekers. It deserved a yellow at least. Ranieri wants a red for the Uruguayan. No check for a red, though. It stays yellow.
CLOSE! Tottenham 2-1 Roma
21:33 , Dom Smith
71 min: Maddison wins it, plays Solanke in, and continues his run. Solanke goes himself and forces a good stop by Svilar. Then Porro tries his luck from range but skies the ball.
Less than 20 minutes left for Spurs to hold on now.
Tottenham 2-1 Roma
21:30 , Dom Smith
69 min: Sarr and Johnson make way for Bissouma and Maddison for Spurs.
For Roma, Saelemaekers replaces El Shaarawy.
CLOSE! Tottenham 2-1 Roma
21:29 , Dom Smith
68 min: Manu Kone has a chance at the edge of the box and caresses the ball just wide of the post. Forster was rooted. Roma still in the hunt for that leveller.
Tottenham 2-1 Roma
21:26 , Dom Smith
65 min: Zeki Celik is off, replaced by Zalewski for Roma. Ranieri’s side going for it here.
CROSSBAR! Tottenham 2-1 Roma
21:23 , Dom Smith
62 min: Porro clips the crossbar with a fine free-kick. It’s end-to-end stuff here. How Ange Postecoglou’s men could have done with that flying into the top corner!
CLOSE! Tottenham 2-1 Roma
21:22 , Dom Smith
60 min: Angelino hits the crossbar for Roma, who are pushing so hard for a leveller now. Tottenham hanging on precariously.
Dan Kilpatrick at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
21:20 , Dom Smith
Two Dovbyk offsides, two disallowed goals for Roma since the interval. The visitors have come out the stronger since the interval, despite the loss of Dybala, and look intent on taking something from this game. Spurs on the ropes at the moment.
Tottenham 2-1 Roma
21:18 , Dom Smith
56 min: VAR check that Dovbyk is offside. It’s mightily tight. But it’s disallowed. Spurs’ lead remains.
GOOAAAA. No. Offside
21:17 , Dom Smith
54 min: Second disallowed goal of the evening as Dovbyk is miles off when he squares for Manu Kone.
Then he’s off again when Dovbyk scores. Roma unlucky!
Tottenham 2-1 Roma
21:13 , Dom Smith
52 min: Solanke in a little bit of pain, prompting Timo Werner to start warming up, but the English striker will continue for now.
CLOSE! Tottenham 2-1 Roma
21:09 , Dom Smith
48 min: Tottenham should score! A four on two counter but Kulusevski is denied by a fine Hummels block. Then Johnson blazes over on the follow-up.
Tottenham 2-1 Roma
21:07 , Dom Smith
Back underway in the second half, where it’s surprising to see Dybala taken off and replaced by Soule for Roma. Surely an injury?
Dan Kilpatrick’s half-time thoughts
20:53 , Dom Smith
Ange Postecoglou not a happy man just there, appearing to furiously berate one of his players – Brennan Johnson I think – for not playing forward. Spurs in the lead at half-time, but that doesn’t mean they are guaranteed to avoid the hairdryer at the interval.
HT | Tottenham 2-1 Roma
20:51 , Dom Smith
Spurs in the lead at the break with goals from Son and Johnson.
Tottenham 2-1 Roma
20:47 , Dom Smith
45+1’ min: Four added minutes at the end of this first half, as Hummels heads wide.
Tottenham 2-1 Roma
20:45 , Dom Smith
44 min: Kulusevski spots a gap and fires through it, with his shot just curling wide of the post.
Tottenham 2-1 Roma
20:41 , Dom Smith
40 min: Solanke seizes on a loose ball, and it eventually makes its way to Son.
The South Korean forces a super stop from the goalkeeper as he wraps his foot around it. Svilar does well.
Dan Kilpatrick at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
20:39 , Dom Smith
This is one hell of a game, with Spurs back in front and sending an opportunity to put some daylight between themselves and Roma before the interval. Dybala remains influential but Kulusevski is starting to look menacing too and was so close to a third just now.
CLOSE! Tottenham 2-1 Roma
20:38 , Dom Smith
37 min: Off the post from Kulusevski, and then Son blazes the rebound over. Glorious chance for Spurs to make it three there.
GOAL! Tottenham 2-1 Roma
20:35 , Dom Smith
33 min: That’s some goal by Tottenham. Sarr played a lovely ball forward for Kulusevski into the channel. The Swede runs the line, looks up, and crosses for Johnson to slot home from inside the box. Wow.
Tottenham 1-1 Roma
20:31 , Dom Smith
29 min: Sarr reads a sideways Roma pass and nicks in to intercept, but he goes alone with a weak effort, rather than passing.
CLOSE! Tottenham 1-1 Roma
20:29 , Dom Smith
26 min: How are Tottenham not ahead? First, Johnson is denied by Angelino’s block on the line, then Solanke’s acrobatic follow-up is blocked by a super save from Svilar.
Soon the ball is with Dybala, and he is denied by a brilliant stop by Forster. Phew, it’s end-to-end stuff! Kulusevski pushes Paredes and gets a yellow.
Dan Kilpatrick at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
20:27 , Dom Smith
We’ve got no replays here so I can’t comment on the VAR’s decision, but what I can say is that Paulo Dybala is absolutely running the show here. The Argentine, who once came close to joining Spurs, was denied a second assist in as many minutes by the VAR’s offside call.
GOOOAA… No. Offside
20:25 , Dom Smith
23 min: A HUGE let-off for Tottenham as VAR disallows El Shaarawy’s goal, which would have put Roma 2-1 up. Dybala’s clipped pass into him was a beaut, but the Italian was marginally offside.
GOAL! Tottenham 1-1 Roma
20:22 , Dom Smith
20 min: Ranieri’s men are back level from a free-kick. Dybala’s delivery is a lovely one, and Evan N’Dicka rises highest. Looks to come more off his back or shoulder than his head, but he gets above Solanke and levels things.
Dan Kilpatrick at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
20:20 , Dom Smith
First test for Forster there and he stood up to it well, saving with his leg from Dybala’s effort. The veteran does look a little clunky with his feet but Postecoglou has expressed full confidence in his ability to play out from the back.
CLOSE! Tottenham 1-0 Roma
20:20 , Dom Smith
18 min: A fine save from Forster, then a good block by Dragusin as Roma threaten for the first time on the night.
Tottenham 1-0 Roma
20:18 , Dom Smith
17 min: Johnson plucks a ball out of the sky beautifully, then looks to cross, but his delivery is too powerful and evades everyone. Roma struggling to make it out of their own defensive third at present.
Tottenham 1-0 Roma
20:12 , Dom Smith
11 min: That early goal will settle any nerves for Spurs. They’re dominating the ball in the early stages, and a Roma side enduring a tough start to the season under Claudio Ranieri.
Dan Kilpatrick at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
20:09 , Dom Smith
The perfect start for Spurs, who ripped through Roma with their first attack. It’s a bit of a mystery that referee Glenn Nyberg initially waved away their penalty appeals but the Swede reversed his call after being sent to the pitch-side monitor by the VAR.
GOAL! Tottenham 1-0 Roma | Son!
20:06
5 min: No problem from the penalty spot for Son Heung-min, who sends the goalkeeper the wrong way and slots the ball down the right.
What a start from Tottenham!
Tottenham 0-0 Roma | PENALTY SPURS
20:05 , Dom Smith
3 min: VAR checking a potential penalty for Tottenham after Hummels’s challenge on Sarr. The referee holds play up, he then goes to the screen, and a penalty is given! It’s the right call. Penalty.
Kick off!
20:01 , Dom Smith
1 min: Underway between Tottenham and Roma in the two sides’ first-ever meeting!
Benched
19:52 , Dom Smith
James Maddison drops out of the starting XI tonight, but can he still have an impact on the game from the bench?
Not long now
19:46 , Dom Smith
Just 15 minutes to go until kick-off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium now!
The visitors are here
19:38 , Dom Smith
Europa League campaign recap
19:27 , Dom Smith
Tonight is Tottenham’s fifth match of the campaign. Previous results:
Tottenham 3-0 Qarabag FK — September 26
Ferencvaros 1-2 Tottenham — October 3
Tottenham 1-0 AZ Alkmaar — October 24
Galatasaray 3-2 Tottenham — November 7
Positive contract news for long-term Spurs servant
19:14 , Dom Smith
Tottenham will trigger an option to extend Ben Davies‘ contract by 12 months to keep the veteran defender at the club next season.
Davies’ current deal expires at the end of this term but Spurs have the option to tie him down for a further year, which they intend to take up.
The man in the spotlight
19:03 , Dom Smith
All eyes on Fraser Forster tonight, then, as the 36-year-old begins what could be a sustained period in the team after Vicario’s injury.
Ange Postecoglou will hope the Englishman gives a steady showing against tonight’s Italian visitors.
Roma starting XI
18:52 , Dom Smith
Roma: Svilar, Angelino, N’Dicka, Dovbyk, Hummels, Paredes, Kone, Zeki Celik, Dybala, Mancini, El Shaarawy
Subs: Marin, Ryan, Cristante, Pellegrini, Abdulhamid, Soule, Le Fee, Baldanzi, Saelemaekers, Zalewski, Pisilli, Sangare
Tottenham starting XI
18:48 , Dom Smith
Tottenham: Forster, Porro, Dragusin, Davies, Gray, Sarr, Bentancur, Kulusevski, Johnson, Solanke, Son
Subs: Austin, Whiteman, Udogie, Hardy, King, Bissouma, Bergvall, Maddison, Olusesi, Williams-Barnett, Werner
Checking in
18:33 , Dom Smith
Tottenham vs Roma prediction
18:22 , Dom Smith
Confidence should be high in the Spurs camp after such an impressive performance last time out.
Whether Postecoglou’s side can maintain those standards remains to be seen, but they should have enough on home soil to ease past a Roma side who have struggled for much of the campaign.
Tottenham to win, 3-1.
Tottenham vs Roma latest odds
18:12 , Dom Smith
Tottenham to win: 8/13
Draw: 23/10
Roma to win: 11/4
Odds via Betfair and subject to change.
Tottenham vs Roma team news
18:01 , Dom Smith
Tottenham will be without Guglielmo Vicario for “months”, after the goalkeeper required surgery on an ankle injury he picked up in the win over Man City.
Fraser Forster is therefore set to start, as he has for two of Spurs’ European matches this season, and Postecoglou is likely to shuffle his pack.
The likes of Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall will hope to start, while Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero remain sidelined. Rodrigo Bentancur will start as his ban is only for domestic games.
As for Roma, Mario Hermoso is pushing to return. Artem Dovbyk is expected to lead the line, but Paulo Dybala could have to settle for a place on the bench.
Where to watch Tottenham vs Roma
17:46 , Dom Smith
TV channel: The game will be broadcast on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate.
Live stream: Subscribers will be able to watch on a live stream via the Discovery+ app.
LIVE coverage: Follow all the action HERE with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog!
Date, kick-off time and venue
17:36 , Dom Smith
Tonight’s match kicks off at 8pm GMT tonight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London. It will be the first time Tottenham and AS Roma have ever faced off in a competitive match.
Welcome
17:28 , Jonathan Gorrie
Good evening and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Tottenham’s Europa League clash with Roma.
Kick-off from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is at 8pm GMT.
