Tottenham Hotspur kicked off their 2016/17 UEFA Champions League campaign with a defeat against AS Monaco on a very warm Wembley evening.
The atmosphere in the ground was just as hot with a club record breaking 85,011 attendance which was a club record for a home game. It was also the highest ever English club home attendance.
It was Tottenham that created most of the early chances with the best effort falling to Heung-Min Son whose side foot effort beat the Monaco goalkeeper but was cleared off the line by Andrea Raggi.
However, against the run of play, Monaco took an early lead thanks to a fine strike from Bernardo Silva. Spurs ‘keeper Hugo Lloris could do nothing to stop Silva’s strike from the edge of the box from finding the corner of the net.
Spurs were then dealt another body blow after half an hour when they went two goals down. The ball fell kindly in the box to Thomas Lemar who riffled the ball into the roof of the net from close range.
But just before the stroke of half time Spurs were back in it thanks to Toby Alderweireld’s first goal of the season. He was left unmarked in the box to head home to get Spurs back to within one goal of Monaco.
Early in the 2nd half Dele Alli nearly scored the goal of the game with a dipping volley from outside the box. His effort was heading for the top corner but was sensationally saved by Subasic who tipped it over the bar.
Spurs battled away in the 2nd half to try and find that equalising goal but unfortunately for them it did not arrive and so Tottenham’s Champions League campaign began with a defeat.
Spurs will return to Wembley on 2nd November for their second home match of the Champions League group stage when they will take on Bayer Leverkusen of Germany.