TOTTENHAM stumbled into the Europa League with this bore draw – and had Jose Mourinho jumping for joy.
Harry Kane fired Spurs into a first-half lead – before Jeffrey Schlupp levelled for Palace after the break.
Mourinho celebrates after Spurs secured Europa League football following their sixth-placed finish in the Premier LeagueCredit: AFP or licensors
The point ensured Mourinho’s men finished the Prem season in sixth to book their place in the continent’s second competition next term.
But one viewer tweeted how the Portuguese’s scenes of celebration showed “how the mighty have fallen”.
Palace had lost all of their previous seven matches and they looked to be heading for another defeat when Kane put the visitors ahead in the 13th minute.
Giovani Lo Celso robbed James McArthur, threaded the ball through to Kane in the area and the striker sidestepped Joel Ward before firing a right-footed shot beyond keeper Vicente Guaita.
Palace responded with a Schlupp shot saved by Hugo Lloris low to his right before Lucas Moura’s brilliant solo run through the hosts’ defence and around Guaita resulted in Eagles defender Ward having to clear the ball from inside his own goalmouth.
The Portuguese was delighted at the end of the bore drawCredit: AP:Associated Press
The half-time whistle sparked handbags between Palace’s Jordan Ayew and Spurs right-back Serge Aurier- whose brother was shot dead earlier this month – but they were quicky separated and ushered down the tunnel by team-mates and coaching staff.
Eric Dier, back from his four-match ban for confrontoing a fan in the stand, flicked a header wide for Spurs at the start of the second before Palace equalised wth a real collector’s item in the 53rd minute.
Schlupp turned and thumped the ball home after the visitors had failed to clear their lines from a James McCarthy corner.
It was the Eagles’ first Prem goal against Spurs in 12 hours and 23 minutes of football.
And the hosts nearly added a freakish second when right-back Ward’s cross hit the near post with Tottenham keeper Lloris all at sea.
Ayew then fired wide from inside the box after Tottenham midfielder Moussa Sissoko pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury.
And Scott Dann nearly won it for Palace when he headed Andros Townsend’s free kick wide in stoppage time.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
