'Goal was five centimetres lower' - Jose Mourinho and Tottenham avoid scare against Shkendija

Uefa fix goalpost issue in Skopje as Spurs reach final round of Europa League qualifying

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho inspects the goalpost ahead of the Uefa Europa League third round qualifying match against Shkendija at the Tose Proeski Arena in Skopje, Macedonia, on Thursday. Getty

Tottenham Jose Mourinho and his team found the goalposts to be lower than normal ahead of their match against Shkendija in Macedonia. Uefa rectified the mistake. Getty

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho shakes hands with Harry Kane after the match. Reuters

Tottenham Hotspur's manager Jose Mourinho during the Uefa Europa League third round qualifying match against Shkendija in Skopje. EPA

Lucas Moura of Tottenham , top, during the Europa League third round qualifying match against Shkendija. EPA

Jose Mourinho during the Europa League third round qualifying match against Shkendija. EPA

Son Heung-min of Tottenham celebrates with his team mates after scoring against Shkendija. EPA

Harry Kane of Tottenham scores in Skopje, Macedonia. EPA

Son Heung-min of Tottenham on Thursday. EPA

Jose Mourinho greets Joe Hart and Son Heung-min. EPA

Toby Alderweireld, centre, of Tottenham against Ennur Totre, right, and Valjmir Nafiu, left, at the Tose Proeski Arena. Getty

Lucas Moura of Tottenham in action during the Europa League third round. EPA

Harry Kane of Tottenham celebrates after scoring. EPA

Son Heung-Min, right, and Ben Davies of Tottenham Hotspur fight for the ball with Valjmir Nafliu of Shkendija. AFP

Jose Mourinho reacts as Tottenham's Ben Davies makes his play. Reuters

Son Heung-min of Tottenham scores in Skopje. EPA

Shkendija celebrate their equaliser. EPA

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho had to ask for the goalposts to be changed ahead of their 3-1 win over Shkendija as the Spurs reached the final round of Europa League qualifying.

Mourinho said his goalkeepers noticed before the game that the goalposts at both ends of the Tose Proeski Arena in Skopje, Macedonia, were around five centimetres too small.

"I thought I had grown but then I realised the goal was 5 centimetres lower," Mourinho posted on Instagram alongside a picture of him nearly stretching to reach the crossbar.

"The goalkeepers they live hours and hours in the goal so they know when the goals are not the right dimensions. I felt immediately something was wrong and we got the UEFA delegate to confirm and it was 5cm too small. We asked for goals to be replaced for goals of the right dimensions."

Son Heung-min and Harry Kane struck in the final 20 minutes to set up a playoff round match at home to Maccabi Haifa next Thursday.

Mourinho left Kane out among six changes from the side that beat Southampton 5-2, but needed to call on the England captain after Valjmir Nafiu's strike cancelled out Erik Lamela's early opener.

Kane set up Son to score four times at Southampton and the South Korean's streak continued when he pounced on the rebound after Lucas Moura's shot was saved to restore Tottenham's lead.

Eleven minutes from time, Kane powered home a header from Son's cross.

Meanwhile,

AC Milan shrugged off the loss of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to a positive coronavirus test to squeeze past Bodo Glimt 3-2 at the San Siro.

The Italians responded quickly to going a goal down as Hakan Calhanoglu struck twice either side of Lorenzo Colombo's tap in at the far post.

But the Norwegians ensured Milan had to survive a nervy final half hour when Jens Petter Hauge's long-range effort found the top corner.