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As it happenedended

Tottenham vs RB Leipzig LIVE: Result and reaction from Champions League fixture tonight

Re-live all the action from the first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Michael Jones
Wednesday 19 February 2020 22:45 GMT
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Tottenham will again have to do it the hard way in the Champions League after they suffered a 1-0 home defeat in the first leg of their last-16 tie with RB Leipzig.

Spurs' run to the final last season was full of great escapes and comeback wins and they will need another after Timo Werner's second-half penalty gave the Bundesliga side a deserved win in their first ever knockout game in this competition.

It also sees 32-year-old Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann, who has been dubbed 'Baby Mourinho' and is a rising star of European football, gain the edge over the man he has been named after.

But Spurs boss Jose Mourinho will claim this was not a fair fight as he was without two of his best attacking players, with the loss Son Heung-min on the eve of the match adding to that of Harry Kane.

The defeat would have been much worse had Hugo Lloris not produced a number of vital saves to keep Leipzig at bay, while Spurs struggled for clear opportunities at the other end.

Giovani Lo Celso had the best of them as his free-kick was turned on to the post, but it was a frustrating night for Mourinho.

Spurs will look to last season's semi-final, where they turned around a similar first-leg defeat to Ajax with a dramatic night in Amsterdam, and there is the sense that something similar will be required in Leipzig on March 10.

While Nagelsmann was enjoying his first taste of knockout football in this competition, this was nothing new for Mourinho.

But rarely will he have gone into such a big game without two such key men as Son and Kane and their absence really set the tone.

Although Spurs' problems were in attack, their frailties at the other end were immediately apparent as Leipzig had three golden chances inside the opening two minutes.

The hosts were sliced open down the right and Nordi Mukiele's cross teed up Werner, but his shot was blocked by Davinson Sanchez.

Then from the rebound Angelino's shot was turned onto the post by the leg of Lloris, who then saved Werner's effort from close range.

Spurs, with no recognised striker on the pitch, were hoping that the pace of Bergwijn and Lucas Moura would be their main weapon and it was the Dutchman who had their best moment of the first half.

The mercurial Lo Celso played him in with a deft touch and, after turning inside, Bergwijn's low shot was palmed away by Peter Gulacsi.

But from then on, it was a succession of missed chances for the visitors as Leipzig found holes in the Spurs defence at will.

Patrick Schick put a header just wide from a corner, Angelino had another effort blocked and Lloris was called into action again to deny Werner with a parried save.

The inevitable eventually happened just before the hour mark.

Werner's chipped ball was met by Konrad Laimer and the Dane was clattered into by Ben Davies, with referee Cuneyt Cakir rightly pointing to the spot.

Werner made no mistake as he drilled into the bottom corner for a crucial away goal.

It should have been even worse for Spurs as Leipzig got in on goal with a slick counter attack, but Lloris came to the rescue with a fine save off Schick.

Mourinho's side had to up the ante and Lo Celso came close to levelling matters in the 72nd minute, but his 25-yard free-kick was tipped onto the post by Gulacsi.

Their big moment came in the 89th minute, but Moura could not deliver as he did in Amsterdam last May.

Davies had space on the left and picked the Brazilian out perfectly, but his header went over the crossbar and it left Spurs with another mountain to climb in this competition.

PA

PREVIEW

What time is Tottenham vs Leipzig?

The match kicks off at 8pm at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What TV channel is it on?

The match will be shown on BT Sport 2 for UK subscribers. Viewers can also access coverage via the BT Sport App.

Predicted line-ups

Spurs: Lloris, Aurier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies, Lo Celso, Winks, Alli, Bergwijn, Ndombele, Lucas

Leipzig: Gulacsi, Mukiele, Klostermann, Ampadu, Halstenberg, Angelino, Laimer, Sabitzer, Olmo, Nkunku, Werner

Prediction

Tottenham have ground out some good results recently and Jose Mourinho is a master at stifling dangerous attacks in Europe. Expect a cagey contest. 0-0.

Tottenham 0 - 0 Leipzig

6 mins: Tottenham continue to scramble around at the back. Harry Winks joins the back line and makes a couple of decent blocks to deny Werner from challenging Lloris in goal. 

Michael Jones19 February 2020 20:08

Tottenham 0 - 0 Leipzig

9 mins: Big save! Gulacsi keeps Leipzig on terms with an outstretched left hand. Lo Celso slips the ball into the box through the legs of Mukiele and Bergwijn picks up the ball, he puts it onto his right foot and curls a shot aiming for the bottom corner but Gulacsi gets a hand to the ball and palms it away. 

Sabitzer is fouled by Lo Celso as the game continues and the Spurs' midfielder is shown a yellow card. 

Michael Jones19 February 2020 20:11

Tottenham 0 - 0 Leipzig

12 mins: Sabitzer also goes in the book as Spurs counter a Leipzig press quickly with a one-two pass. Bergwijn sets off at speed and Sabitzer cuts him down on the halfway line. 

Michael Jones19 February 2020 20:15

Tottenham 0 - 0 Leipzig

15 mins: Leipzig have seen the most of the ball. A cross field pass comes up to Werner who controls it as he fends off Davinson Sanchez and lays it into the box for Sabitzer to run onto. Lo Celso beats the Leipzig captain to the ball and puts it out for a corner.

The corner ball is whipped into the box and Schick wins the header but puts it wide of goal. 

Michael Jones19 February 2020 20:19

Tottenham 0 - 0 Leipzig

18 mins: Ethan Ampadu makes a mistake at the back as he misjudges a long ball forward from Spurs. Lucas Moura makes a run to get to the ball but he's pressured by Halstenberg and ends up giving away a free kick. 

Michael Jones19 February 2020 20:22

Tottenham 0 - 0 Leipzig

21 mins: Twenty minutes into the game and Tottenham have found it hard to play the ball out of their own half. Leipzig are quick on the high press and are winning the ball back sharply. Spurs are under pressure here.

Michael Jones19 February 2020 20:24

Tottenham 0 - 0 Leipzig

24 mins: Aurier tries to find Bergwijn with a cross into the box on a rare attack for Spurs but they are out numbered by defenders and lose the ball and the momentum. 

Klostermann brings down Dele Alli in midfield and Spurs have the chance to get the ball out of their own half but they waste the set piece.

Michael Jones19 February 2020 20:28

Tottenham 0 - 0 Leipzig

27 mins: Angelino is being given a lot of space on the left hand side for Leipzig. He's free to run down the wing again and deliver a low cross. Werner stretches out a leg to tap it towards goal but misses it before the offside flag is raised. 

Michael Jones19 February 2020 20:29

Tottenham 0 - 0 Leipzig

30 mins: Leipzig win another corner courtesy of Angelino. Nkunku delivers the ball into the box before it is headed away. Lo Celso collects the ball and breaks forward for Spurs. He gets the ball to the edge of the area and wins a corner for the home side. 

The corner ball is just too high for Lucas Moura to get his head to the ball but it falls for Gedson Fernandes who boots it way over the crossbar. 

Michael Jones19 February 2020 20:34

Tottenham 0 - 0 Leipzig

33 mins: Harry Winks gets away with a forceful shove on Laimer and is then brought down by Timo Werner who is punished with a yellow card. Spurs win a free kick.

Michael Jones19 February 2020 20:35

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