Basel 2 Tottenham 2

SPURS failed to make the last four of this competition — now they cannot afford to miss out in another.

Andre Villas-Boas’ side must show more nerve in the final weeks of the Premier League season to stop their season disappearing down the gurgler altogether.
The White Hart Lane boss saw his plucky Spurs side lose their Europa League quarter-final in the cruellest and most typically English way imaginable.
The North Londoners crashed out on penalties on a spicy night in Basel.
Tom Huddlestone and Emmanuel Adebayor both missed from the spot as Spurs suffered their seventh straight shootout defeat.
Finishing in the top-flight’s top four and qualifying for next season’s Champions League has always been the main aim this season. They must ensure they do not suffer too much of a hangover from this heartbreaking defeat if they are to fulfil that.

IN THE CLINT OF AN EYE ... Dempsey was given the easiest of chances for Spurs' opener

Currently fourth in the Prem, but having played a game more than rivals Chelsea and Arsenal, Tottenham’s campaign is hanging in the balance.
One thing is for sure, though, if they show the same courage and spirit in their final six league games as they showed here, then there is every chance they will be competing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in Europe next season, and not Thursdays.
As AVB pointed out, the damage in this tie was not done last night but at White Hart Lane when they were held 2-2. You have to give Villas-Boas and his players credit for the way they so nearly made it through.

DON'T LOOK NOW ... Mousa Dembele turns away as Mohamed Salah pokes past Brad Friedel

Not many gave them a chance after the first leg. And they were written off again when they went 2-1 down four minutes into the second half last night.
But they fought back to level the scores on aggregate in normal time.
And despite playing the whole of extra-time with 10 men — following Jan Vertonghen’s red card in the last minute of stoppage time — they held on for penalties. You may have been able to question Tottenham’s quality last night but not their commitment.
They survived an early scare when Fabian Schar’s free-kick flew just wide of their right post after it zipped off the greasy surface in only the second minute. But AVB’s men settled quickly after that — although it took a mistake to gift Clint Dempsey the 23rd-minute opener.

WE'VE AD IT ... Lewis Holtby and Emmanuel Adebayor prepare to hit back after Basel's equaliser

Centre-half Aleksandar Dragovic got in a right old pickle as he failed to deal with Vertonghen’s routine pass.
That allowed Dempsey to dig the ball out of his feet and tiptoe around Yann Sommer to tuck the ball into an open net.
It should have allowed Spurs to grab this game by the scruff of the neck but three minutes later Basel were level.
In keeping with the game, it was down to another mistake as Mousa Dembele uncharacteristically gave the ball away to Mohamed Elneny. He played the ball to his skipper Marco Streller who in turn put in Mohamed Salah to poke the ball home past Brad Friedel.

ENTER THE DRAGON ... Basel took the lead through Aleksandar Dragovic

Then there was a quite ridiculous situation when Park Joo Ho stayed down clutching his face claiming Kyle Walker had stamped on his head after the pair had gone to ground. But despite the vociferous protests from the Basel players, bench and fans, the referee took no action and rightly so as replays showed Walker’s thigh had merely brushed the South Korean’s head. Park Joo Ho? Park Boo Hoo more like it.
What an embarrassment. He deserves a ban from UEFA for the worst piece of play acting to come from the Orient since one of Bruce Lee’s old flicks.
Tottenham fell 2-1 behind in the 49th minute. Friedel could only parry Schar’s header from Valentin Stocker’s corner and Dragovic atoned for his earlier error by stabbing the ball home.
Tottenham were rocking and heading out until Dempsey bundled the ball home eight minutes from time.
Then Vertonghen was given a straight red card for bringing down Streller. With the extra man, Basel could have been forgiven for believing they would coast to victory.

SOMM-THING'S GONE WRONG ... Clint Dempsey scores his second past Yann Sommer

But it was not the case as Spurs clung on with dogged defensive determination — Michael Dawson pulling off a stunning last-gasp block to deny Alex Frei.
And so it was to penalties.
Schar scored Basel’s first and then Huddlestone’s was saved by Sommer.
Streller made it 2-0 before Gylfi Sigurdsson netted to give Spurs hope.
But Fabian Frei’s successful attempt and Adebayor’s kick over the bar allowed Marcelo Diaz to score the winning pen that put Basel through.
DREAM TEAM RATINGS
STAR MAN - CLINT DEMPSEY (Tottenham)
SPURS: Friedel 6, Walker 6, Dawson 7, Vertonghen 7, Naughton 7 (Assou-Ekotto 5), Dembele 6 (Carroll 5), Parker 6 (Huddlestone 5), Holtby 7, DEMPSEY 8, Sigurdsson 7, Adebayor 6. Subs not used: Lloris, Livermore, Caulker, Coulthirst. Booked: Naughton, Dembele, Dempsey, Walker, Dawson. Sent off: Vertonghen.