Tottenham v Sporting player ratings: Kane 5, Romero 6; Edwards 8, Adan 7

Draw leaves Tottenham top of a desperately tight Champions League Group D on eight points, with Sporting and Eintracht Frankfurt, who beat Marseille, on seven

TOTTENHAM RATINGS: Hugo Lloris – 5. The Frenchman should have done better when faced with Edwards’ low shot, having had sight on it from distance. Later, he abandoned his goal to keep Gomes out but luckily the Sporting player was offside. Getty Images

Cristian Romero – 6. Returned from muscle fatigue but questions will be raised if he gave Edwards too much time and space on the ball to shoot for his goal. Sensing a need to pick up the intensity in the second half, Romero was running into the final third and getting stuck into challenges. Booked. AP Photo

Eric Dier – 5. The England international looked below par in the first half, being left behind after failing to intercept Paulinho in the build-up to Edwards' goal. He had several opportunities in the second half to score, including a header going wide in the last minute. Getty Images

Ben Davies – 5. The Welshman continues to be rotated in the starting eleven with Lenglet and he struggled to deal with Sporting’s attacking threats. AP Photo

Matt Doherty – 6. Handed his first Champions League start, he had several moments in the first half moving forward but was unable to make things connect. He fired over after half-time after the ball fell to him, and forced Adan into a good save later on. Getty Images

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – 6. The Denmark international returned after missing the Newcastle game and tried to influence play. However, when it mattered, he was unable to stop Edwards in the run up to the opener. PA

Rodrigo Bentancur – 7. Scored his first Champions League goal to draw his side level, jumping the highest to meet a corner into the box to reward Spurs’ efforts after half-time. He was unable to score a second to win the game when another effort flew over the crossbar. Getty Images

Ivan Perisic – 6. The Croatian struggled to deal with Porro on the wing and to find the end product from his attacks. He improved in the second half and sent in what was thought to be the winning cross for Emerson Royal to head down for Kane to score. Getty Images

Lucas Moura – 6. After a series of appearances from the bench since overcoming a calf injury, Moura was handed his first start of the season and looked lively, including being played through one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Reuters

Son Heung-min - 5. The South Korean was finally able to get a shot away just before half-time when he was found by Kane on the left wing, forcing Adan into a low save. In the second half, he fired at Adan from a tight angle. Getty Images

Harry Kane – 5. Brought into the game more in the second half, he thought he’d ended his Champions League goalless streak when he tapped in Emerson’s deflected header, only for a lengthy VAR check to rule it out for offside. PA

SUBS: Bryan Gil (Doherty 71) – N/A. Quickly into action and spritely in Spurs’ attacking moves, Gil added energy and was part of every Spurs move. AP Photo

Emerson Royal (Moura 81’) – N/A. Thought he had contributed the assist for the winning goal after meeting Perisic’s cross and heading into Kane’s path before the goal was ruled offside. PA

Clement Lenglet (Davies 81’) – N/A. Part of a double change for Spurs to push on for the winner. PA

SPORTING RATINGS: Antonio Adan – 7. The Sporting goalkeeper deserved to keep a clean sheet after making numerous saves, but he was unable to contest Bentancur's header for Spurs’ equaliser. AP Photo

Goncalo Inacio – 7 As part of a back three, Inacio allowed Porro to roam forward while also contributing to his fair share of clearances and blocks. EPA

Sebastian Coates – 7, The Sporting captain returned from injury and was a constant target for set-pieces, having his side’s first effort when he headed just wide of the far post from a corner. He then found the back of the net before his effort was disallowed for handball. Booked. Reuters

Matheus Reis – 7. Calm under pressure when Spurs were pressing in the first half, Reis made several clearances and blocks and was kept busy as Spurs turned up the intensity. Reuters

Pedro Porro – 8. A constant threat who caused problems on the right wing for Davies and Perisic, and who was equally good in defence. Getty Images

Manuel Ugarte – 7. Caught out two Spurs players with a through ball to Edwards which set the striker on his way. Wasn’t shy committing the odd foul to stop Spurs’ intensity. Booked. PA

Hidemasa Morita – 5. The quieter member of Sporting’s midfield, recording only 17 passes before he was substituted due to injury. Getty Images

Nuno Santos – 6. The in-form left winger was his best in defence, constantly cutting out play on the wing. AFP

Francisco Trincao – 6. The Barcelona loanee could have doubled Sporting’s lead amidst a period of Spurs pressure when he linked up with Morita before hitting his effort over. Getty Images

Marcus Edwards – 8. The former Spurs youth product came back to haunt his old club when he played a one-two with Paulinho and skipped a challenge before unleashing a shot from distance to net the opener. Energetic throughout. Getty Images

Paulinho – 7. Handed his first Champions League start, he wasn’t able to convert when Porro’s cross found him in the box, with his touch going just over the crossbar. He was crucial in the one-two to set Edwards off for the opener. AP Photo

SUBS: Mateus Fernandes (Morita 62’) – 6. An injury-forced substitution but he was busier than the Japanese Morita midfielder and made several blocks. AP Photo

Flavio Nazinho (Santos 62’) – 6. Forced Lloris into action when he was played in by Arthur Gomes but the Spurs goalkeeper was able to block. Should have scored at the second time of asking when he was given space but could only see his shot roll wide of the post. AFP

Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Edwards 71’) – N/A. Tested Lloris in stoppage time as Sporting looked to find the winner, with his shot pushed wide. EPA

Arthur Gomes (Trincao 71’) – N/A. Straight into action and lively after his introduction, shrugging off Romero and playing in Nazinho for a terrific opportunity to double their lead. AFP

Jeremiah St. Juste (Paulinho 75’) – N/A. Read a ball to Son well in the second half to stop another fast break. Getty Images

Emma James

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur's late header salvaged a 1-1 draw against Sporting to keep the London side in control of Champions League Group D but it could have been even better as Harry Kane's late effort was disallowed on Wednesday.

Victory for Spurs would have booked their place in the last 16 with a game to spare and they thought they had sealed it with almost the last kick of the game when Kane fired in from close range after Emerson Royal's header across goal.

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It sparked wild celebrations but joy turned to frustration as a VAR check that lasted several minutes ruled the goal out for offside – prompting a furious reaction from Spurs manager Antonio Conte who was shown a red card in chaotic scenes.

"I thought because it went backwards and hit a defender it was a different phase of play," Tottenham's Matt Doherty said of the decision that left many scratching their heads.

"I'll have to look at the rule book. A few of us don't have a clue what happened."

The result left Tottenham top of a desperately tight group on eight points, with Sporting and Eintracht Frankfurt, who beat Marseille, on seven. Marseille have six points.

Spurs will qualify for the last 16 if they avoid defeat in Marseille on Tuesday when Sporting host Frankfurt also needing a point to guarantee a place in the knockout stage.

Updated: October 27, 2022, 5:43 AM