Spurs kept their Champions League hopes alive with a 1-0 win over Inter Milan at Wembley thanks to a late Christian Eriksen goal.
The visitors needed just a point to secure their passage from the Champions League game and for large portions of the game, helped irritate an already frustrated Spurs side as the hosts found themselves unable to make the breakthrough.
Yet, it took until the final ten minutes for Spurs to get their all important goal.
A magnificent driving run from Moussa Sissoko created space and forced the Inter defence on to their heels. After driving into the penalty area, the French midfielder laid off for Dele Alli who, with great composure, turned and swept a pass into the path of Eriksen.
The Danish midfielder, on as a late substitute, fired home past Samir Handanović to give the hosts the lead and the vital three points.
Spurs denied by woodwork during first 45
The hosts had the better going of the first-half, testing Inter’s goalkeeper on a handful of occasions.
Harry Kane, who is in lethal form with four goals in his four previous Champions League games, went close after six minutes - squeezing an effort from a tight angle onto the post.
Kane then provider as he went on a weavering run from just inside the Inter half that led him to the edge of the visitors box. He laid off to Alli but the midfielder could only fire his effort over the bar.
It was then the turn of Lucas Moura to test the Inter goalkeeper. Following a powerful run on the right-hand side from Sissoko, the Frenchmen laid on Alli from outside the Milan area. The midfielder dummied Sissoko’s initial pass and let the ball run to the overlapping Moura who saw his powerful drive effort stopped low by Handanovic.
Spurs had one final chance to take the lead in the first-half and put the pressure on the visitors but Harry Winks’ curled effort hit the bar of the Inter goal with Handanovic beaten all ends up.
Inter's second-half struggles
There was little more for Spurs fans to shout about in the second period as their frustrations carried over after the half-time break.
Luciano Spalletti's men offered more resistance and had attacking chances of their own - with Hugo Lloris being called into action on a limited but dangerous basis.
It always looked as if they were going to grind the game out and secure the point they needed to progress with a vintage Italian performance in Europe.
Yet, when Eriksen's close-range effort found the back of the net, there was no immediate bite or response. The Italians looked staggered until Kwadwo Asamoah's late long-range effort from a corner was stopped by a bundle of Spurs defenders.
Takeaways from the game
Sissoko's fine form continues
Eriksen have bagged the winning goal but Mauricio Pochettino's men have their French midfielder to thank for keeping their Champions League progression hopes alive.
Sissoko, who looks to have a turned a corner for Spurs, has been in fine form recently and continued that into Wednesday nights vital clash. He isn't the first name that comes to mind when considering creative outlets in the Spurs squad but he had his fingerprints all over the hosts best chances throughout the game.
Inter can frustrate but need more
The visitors frustrated Spurs for almost all of the game but let their advantage in the group slip late with Eriksen's goal.
They may have had their woodwork to thank for still being in the game after the first game but their attacking work was lacking. There was little edge from Mauro Icardi. No brilliance from Ivan Perisic. Balde Keita was a late subsitute who offered little impact.
Spaletti's men travel to Eidenhoven in their final group game - a considerably less challenging game than Spurs' trip to Barcelona - with progression all to play for.