Tottenham were furious when Sporting Lisbon’s late win was controversially chalked up by VAR in their Champions League match.
The drama of the final stages was not captured by a 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. A fuming Antonio Conte was also sent off.
Marcus Edwards was the Portuguese club’s lead.He played against his former club before Rodrigo Bentancur equalized the scores in the second half.
Harry Kane thought that he had won the game when he scored from close range.
Emerson Royal had travelled to the Spurs striker, and he then found the net.
It caused wild scenes as Kane raced down the touchline, while Conte danced down the line after the apparent winner was in place.
But the celebrations were halted by a VAR check… on an on it went for several minutes as Spurs fans feared the worst.
It was eventually decided that Kane was wrong, despite the fact that Royal appeared to have headed it sideways.
Conte was extremely furious and was immediately given a red card.
Despite the protestations from the Spurs players, it was decided that the goal would stand and the game ended at 1-1
After the game, Tottenham defender Matt Doherty said: “I think you can see from the celebrations we thought we won it. I don’t really know what happened at the end.
“I thought because it went backwards and hit a defender it was a different phase of play. I’ll have to look at the rule book.
“A few of us don’t have a clue what happened.”
Manager Antonio Conte added: “I think the ball was in front of Kane and the goal is a goal. I don’t understand.
“It’s very difficult to comment on the decision. I think it’s creating a lot of damage.
“A lot of injustice. I don’t like this type of situation.”
TalkSPORT’s Adrian Durham and Kevin Hatchard reported live from north London. Their reaction summarised the chaos without the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Durham: “Antonio Conte is dancing down the touchline and the Sporting manager is down on his haunches, he cannot believe that his team have not won this game.
“The fans are going crazy, Harry Kane is going crazy, the benches are going crazy, everybody on the pitch, Antonio Conte celebrating, jumping all over each other…
“Wait, now there’s a VAR check – I think Harry Kane was behind the ball, so I don’t think it is offside, but you never know with VAR do you, you just never know.
Hatchard: “Yeah it looks that way, but they have semi-automatic offsides but when you’ve got a situation like that it just adds another layer of complexity to it. The amount of time they’re taking suggests that it’s really tight.”
Durham: “It’s taking way too long, there’s no doubt about that. I can’t believe how long it’s taking, Just make a decision! These players are now having to wait and wait and wait to see if this goal is going to stand.”
*WHISTLE GOES*
Durham: “It’s been ruled out! Tottenham are furious. They are shocked! That’s as tight a decision for offside as I’ve ever seen.
“Conte has been sent off! He’s been shown red! He’s that angry at what has happened. He’s still down there raging at the fourth official! He doesn’t want to make that decision.
“And honestly, I can’t see how that’s offside. Harry Kane looks to me for all the world that he’s behind the ball and that means he’s onside!”
Hatchard: “Well, we’ve just seen the lines on our monitors and it looks like Kane is just offside, and I mean just, it is the most marginal of decisions – but that’s why VAR has been brought in.
Durham: “You say that, but I’m looking at those lines and I still can’t see him as being offside!
“The Sporting fans are celebrating, but wow. Spurs, in truth, didn’t deserve to win the game, but they’ve had what looked like a clear winner, to me anyway, ruled out by one of the most marginal VAR decisions I’ve ever seen!”
