Europa League - Group J
Royal AntwerpRoyal Antwerp1TottenhamTottenham Hotspur0

Royal Antwerp 1-0 Tottenham: Spurs lose for the first time since opening weekend

By Neil JohnstonBBC Sport

Last updated on .From the section European Footballcomments1191

Royal Antwerp's players celebrate beating Tottenham in the Europa League
Tottenham lost for the first time away from home since a 3-1 defeat at Sheffield United on 2 July

Tottenham slipped to a first away defeat since July after a mistake by Ben Davies helped Royal Antwerp leapfrog their Europa League opponents to go top of Group J.

Davies, making his 200th Spurs appearance, was easily dispossessed by Dieumerci Mbokani, whose pass allowed Lior Refaelov to smash past Hugo Lloris.

Flat and uninspired, Spurs struggled to carve out chances and Jose Mourinho made four changes at the start of the second half in an attempt to inject some urgency into his side.

But it could have been worse for Tottenham, Mbokani somehow blazing over from three yards out before Harry Kane was sent on in an attempt to rescue the game.

Simen Juklerod also missed a fine chance for the hosts after being sent clean through as Spurs failed to score for the first time since the opening weekend of the season.

Mourinho's side are three points behind Royal Antwerp in Group J after two games, level on points with Austrian side LASK, who beat Ludogorets 4-3.

Lacklustre Spurs fail to impress

Having embarked on a 10-match unbeaten run since losing at home to Everton on the opening weekend of the season, this was as bad as Spurs have performed in a long time.

Mourinho showed his displeasure by making a string of changes at the break against a well-organised side.

Dele Alli was handed his first start since 24 September but is still to finish a match this season after being hauled off at half-time in two of the three games he has started.

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Alli at least created a chance for Carlos Vinicius before he was replaced, former Manchester United full-back Ritchie de Laet producing a fine challenge before the Spurs player could shoot.

Netherlands winger Steven Bergwijn and Argentine midfielder Giovani lo Celso did manage attempts before the interval but both were comfortably dealt with by keeper Jean Butez.

Kane replaced Gareth Bale, who has also yet to complete 90 minutes since rejoining on a season-long loan from Real Madrid.

The Wales forward is still trying to reach peak fitness after missing a number of games but there was little creativity from the four-time Champions League winner in Belgium.

Kane and Son Heung-min have scored 20 goals between them this season but even their introductions from the bench failed to ignite the team, Spurs unable to test the home keeper at all in the second half.

Tottenham are three points behind Group J leaders Royal Antwerp

'Poor performance, poor result' - what they said

Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho: "Blame me because I am the boss and it is my responsibility who plays and I am the one to blame.

"But I have to admit that the game confirmed to me a few things, opened other question marks and will help me in the future with my decisions.

"I'm also learning every day. The performance was poor and the result is poor."

Mourinho's first Europa League defeat since 2016 - the stats

  • This was Jose Mourinho's first defeat in a Europa League game since November 2016, ending a 12-match unbeaten run for the Portuguese manager in the competition.
  • Spurs have never won away to Belgian opposition (P6 D2 L4), losing on each of their past three visits.
  • Royal Antwerp are the first Belgian side to beat English opposition in European competition since KAA Gent beat Tottenham in the Europa League in February 2017.

What's next?

Tottenham are back in action on Sunday when they host Brighton in the Premier League (19:15 GMT).

Player of the match

de LaetRitchie de Laet

with an average of 8.07

Royal Antwerp

  1. Squad number2Player namede Laet
    Average rating

    8.07

  2. Squad number11Player nameRefaelov
    Average rating

    7.92

  3. Squad number70Player nameDieumerci Mbokani
    Average rating

    7.74

  4. Squad number19Player nameMiyoshi
    Average rating

    7.73

  5. Squad number16Player nameGerkens
    Average rating

    7.71

  6. Squad number6Player nameKristiansen Juklerød
    Average rating

    7.63

  7. Squad number38Player nameHaroun
    Average rating

    7.55

  8. Squad number26Player nameGelin
    Average rating

    7.54

  9. Squad number18Player nameHongla
    Average rating

    7.49

  10. Squad number4Player nameSeck
    Average rating

    7.49

  11. Squad number5Player nameVerstraete
    Average rating

    7.45

  12. Squad number30Player nameAurélio Buta
    Average rating

    7.39

  13. Squad number24Player nameBenavente Bristol
    Average rating

    7.32

  14. Squad number46Player nameButez
    Average rating

    6.97

Tottenham Hotspur

  1. Squad number7Player nameSon Heung-Min
    Average rating

    4.51

  2. Squad number1Player nameLloris
    Average rating

    4.36

  3. Squad number27Player nameLucas Moura
    Average rating

    4.19

  4. Squad number10Player nameKane
    Average rating

    4.19

  5. Squad number5Player nameHøjbjerg
    Average rating

    4.14

  6. Squad number3Player nameReguilón
    Average rating

    3.90

  7. Squad number9Player nameBale
    Average rating

    3.84

  8. Squad number11Player nameLamela
    Average rating

    3.80

  9. Squad number45Player nameCarlos Vinicius
    Average rating

    3.78

  10. Squad number18Player nameLo Celso
    Average rating

    3.68

  11. Squad number24Player nameAurier
    Average rating

    3.68

  12. Squad number6Player nameD Sánchez
    Average rating

    3.48

  13. Squad number23Player nameBergwijn
    Average rating

    3.44

  14. Squad number8Player nameWinks
    Average rating

    3.40

  15. Squad number20Player nameAlli
    Average rating

    3.20

  16. Squad number33Player nameDavies
    Average rating

    3.13

Line-ups

Royal Antwerp

  • 46Butez
  • 4SeckBooked at 20mins
  • 26Gelin
  • 2de Laet
  • 19MiyoshiSubstituted forUlineia Butaat 58'minutes
  • 16Gerkens
  • 38Haroun
  • 18HonglaSubstituted forVerstraeteat 70'minutesBooked at 84mins
  • 6Kristiansen Juklerød
  • 70MbokaniBooked at 90mins
  • 11RefaelovBooked at 49minsSubstituted forBenavente Bristolat 88'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Safar Beiranvand
  • 5Verstraete
  • 15Boya
  • 23Ampomah
  • 24Benavente Bristol
  • 30Ulineia Buta

Tottenham

  • 1Lloris
  • 24Aurier
  • 6D Sánchez
  • 33Davies
  • 3Reguilón
  • 18Lo CelsoSubstituted forHøjbjergat 45'minutes
  • 8Winks
  • 9BaleSubstituted forKaneat 58'minutes
  • 20AlliSubstituted forLamelaat 45'minutes
  • 23BergwijnSubstituted forLucas Mouraat 45'minutes
  • 45Alves MoraisSubstituted forSon Heung-Minat 45'minutes

Substitutes

  • 2Doherty
  • 4Alderweireld
  • 5Højbjerg
  • 7Son Heung-Min
  • 10Kane
  • 11Lamela
  • 12Hart
  • 17Sissoko
  • 27Lucas Moura
  • 47Clarke
  • 48White
  • 49Cirkin
Referee:
Maurizio Mariani

Match Stats

Home TeamRoyal AntwerpAway TeamTottenham
Possession
Home44%
Away56%
Shots
Home12
Away15
Shots on Target
Home3
Away2
Corners
Home6
Away3
Fouls
Home14
Away7

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Royal Antwerp 1, Tottenham Hotspur 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Royal Antwerp 1, Tottenham Hotspur 0.

  3. Post update

    Attempt missed. Lucas Moura (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

  4. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Harry Winks.

  5. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Harry Kane.

  6. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ben Davies.

  7. Booking

    Dieumerci Mbokani Bezua (Royal Antwerp) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  8. Post update

    Sergio Reguilón (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Dieumerci Mbokani Bezua (Royal Antwerp).

  10. Post update

    Attempt missed. Harry Winks (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the left side of the box is too high. Assisted by Son Heung-Min.

  11. Post update

    Hand ball by Cristian Benavente Bristol (Royal Antwerp).

  12. Post update

    Sergio Reguilón (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Dieumerci Mbokani Bezua (Royal Antwerp).

  14. Substitution

    Substitution, Royal Antwerp. Cristian Benavente Bristol replaces Lior Refaelov.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur).

  16. Post update

    Birger Verstraete (Royal Antwerp) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  17. Post update

    Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  18. Post update

    Foul by Abdoulaye Seck (Royal Antwerp).

  19. Booking

    Birger Verstraete (Royal Antwerp) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  20. Post update

    Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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1191 comments

  • Spurs fan here of 40 odd years. I honestly hope no fellow Spurs fans come on here tonight and try and offer any excuse for that performance tonight. There's only one word for it........Disgusting !!!!

  • " Bale can fly" says Maureen.
    That's what they said about Orville the duck.

    • Scouser Since 1966 replied:
      Oh Bale works wonders for spurs, from letting west ham score 3 in 5 mins against them, from missing open goals to losing to relegation teams like antwerp😂😂😂😂😂
      #BALEISBACK #YNWA

  • Spurs didn’t do well
    Royal Antwerp deserved their win. Well played.

    • daryl ridley replied:
      Ha ha ha ha! Tiny Totts got smacked ha ha can't stop laughing

  • Pathetic display but that's what you get when changing a team so much. Also shows a complete lack of respect for the opposition. Got what they deserved. MOT

    • Scouser Since 1966 replied:
      Imagine losing to a team named after the queen 😂😂😂😂😂
      #YNWA

  • The whole Antwerp team put together earns less per week than Gareth Bale. Makes you think..

    • I Know All I See All replied:
      Forget Bale, the entire team earns less than any Spurs starting 11 player earns in a week.

  • Antwerp made us look like twerps, royally.

    • Scouser Since 1966 replied:
      😂😂😂😂😂
      #YNWA

  • Best team won, and if we're honest, it could have been 3 or 4-0 if they'd not squandered some of those chances. A shame our defence isn't as resilient as theirs was! How on earth did we ever get conned into paying £40m+ for Sanchez?!

    • 1st Jan 2021 Is Almost Here - Is The UK Ready replied:
      A team from a league where all its teams combined have less spending power than Burnley, (according to a BBC article earlier this year) beats Spurs. This is not supposed to happen.

  • Bale missing in action like usual. No wonder he wasn't wanted in Madrid. Can't even register a shot on target!

    • Scouser Since 1966 replied:
      His career ended as soon as he resigned for spuds 😂😂😂😂😂
      #YNWA

  • Bale too busy thinking about the upcoming Masters at Augusta...

    • old flanker replied:
      A lot of people who are commenting on here are typical biased childish souls

  • That one's on JM for making too many changes & having too many rusty players starting against a well organised, hard working Antwerp. Fine at home against LASK, but not a major surprise it came unstuck away to the unchanged Belgian league leaders. Fair play to him for changing it but the damage had already been done & Spurs could easily have lost more heavily.

  • I watched the game and Spurs were lucky not to lose 3-0. Antwerp missed a couple of great chances. Fully deserved win for the Belgium side.

    • I Know All I See All replied:
      For whatever reason, Spurs have generally struggled against Belgian teams. They only have an overall record of W:3 D:4 L:3 15 goals scored 12 conceded.

  • Kane and Son appear to have taken their understanding and partnership to a new level so far this season and perhaps the result would have been different had they started. However, much more is needed from many others within the squad, with games coming thick and fast, if a sustained challenge for honours is to be made at the business end of the season.

    • COYS 22 replied:
      I applaud you for being the only person on here who isn’t a troll

  • This is Tottenham all over, talking about being potential title contenders one week, getting stuffed in Europe the next.

    • Patrick replied:
      ?? They were up against the top Belgian team..

  • Antwerp are a very well drilled side defensively. Credit to their coaching staff. At times I thought they had more than eleven players on the pitch.

    • Nick Kilsby replied:
      Exactly right.

  • What a disgusting effort.
    No urgency, backwards ,sideways ,pointless passing, slow , no creativity, clueless ....and those were the good bits

    • CR14 replied:
      Harry Winks summarised in a single post...

  • Dele , Vinicius, Bale, Bergwijn and lo Celso - loads of talent , but precious little playing time together - not sure pulling 4 at half time does much to inspire them

    • dan replied:
      Loads of talent are you deluded

  • I hope that was the last chance for Winks and Alli. Not good enough for this level. Should have started the full side then rest them if and when we were comfortable. Another missed opportunity to make life easier for ourselves.

    • Sarah White replied:
      Best not to do that to avoid injuries. Look at Liverpool lol. Will get out of that group easily

  • That was horrible from Spurs.

    • Scouser Since 1966 replied:
      Not really considering it is *SPURS* so not much expected of them really 😂😂😂😂😂
      #YNWA

  • Pathetic Spurs.

    • Scouser Since 1966 replied:
      Typical Spurs.
      #YNWA

  • Highly embarrassing

    • Sarah White replied:
      It’s a highly embarrassing group don’t worry we have the bottom team to play next. Will get out of it easily