Tottenham have their Champions League qualification destiny out of their hands with the club depending on other teams’ results to have any chance of making it to the top four. PHOTO: AFP
Substitute Gylfi Sigurdsson scored an 80th-minute equaliser to snatch the draw for Tottenham that prevented their opponents from effectively securing a place in the Champions League.
A goal from Ramires looked to have taken Chelsea to the brink of a top-four finish, after Oscar’s opener for the hosts had been cancelled out by a fine solo goal from Emmanuel Adebayor on a night of high tension at Stamford Bridge.
The gripping encounter left Spurs just below the Champions League qualifying places, a point behind fourth-place Arsenal and three points shy of Chelsea with two games to play.
It means Spurs need the teams above them to drop points if they are to creep into the top four, but Villas-Boas applauded his team’s desire to secure qualification.
“There was a great example of Tottenham’s ambition and determination when the players picked the ball out of the net after we scored for 2-2,” he said. “It shows how much we want to be there. Hopefully we’ll be rewarded by qualifying.
“We don’t just depend on ourselves anymore. Our destiny is not in our hands. What we have to do is win our next two matches and see if anyone can slip up and change our position.”
With Arsenal not in action until they host FA Cup finalists Wigan Athletic on Tuesday, Spurs can move into the top four by winning at Stoke City on Sunday, 24 hours after Chelsea visit Aston Villa.
“The next fixture is decisive for everyone,” said Villas-Boas. “Arsenal have had all this time to rest (10 days), which can or can’t be an advantage.
“Chelsea have a difficult game at Aston Villa, we have an extremely difficult game at Stoke, but everything can happen.”
Chelsea’s bid to secure a top-four finish is complicated by next week’s Europa League final against Benfica in Amsterdam, but interim manager Rafael Benitez insists there is sufficient depth in his squad to cope.
“We are managing the squad quite well, but the tempo tonight was too high,” said the Spaniard, who steps down at the end of the season.
“It was a massive game for both teams and we needed to work hard. We worked hard in the first half and Spurs worked hard in the second half. But we can manage the squad.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 10th, 2013.
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