Tottenham Hotspur moved top of Group J in the Europa League after beating Anderlecht 2-1 at White Hart Lane this evening.
The Belgian visitors, who won 2-1 in the reverse fixture two weeks ago, dominated the opening 25 minutes, but Harry Kane's slick first-time finish from outside the box secured a half-time lead.
Anderlecht continued to dominate after the break and Ezekiel - who replaced Youri Tielemans - scored within moments of coming on as he snatched a 72nd-minute equaliser.
However, Moussa Dembele - also a second-half sub - snatched all three points when his 88th-minute stunner found the top corner as Spurs moved to the summit.
Below, relive the drama with our live text commentary.
7.02pmWho needs the Champions League? Not me - and definitely not Arsenal. The Europa League is where it's at and tonight we'll be bringing you live commentary from White Hart Lane as Tottenham Hotspur host Anderlecht. With Group J being tighter than one of Steve Bruce's t-shirt, victory is a must for Spurs. They're second in the group, one point behind Monaco, and one ahead of fourth-placed Qarabag FK. They're level on points with Anderlecht, which makes this contest all the more intriguing.
7.05pmThere is a chance for Mauricio Pochettino and co to exact some revenge tonight. They did about as well in Belgium two weeks ago as Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell did during their visit. In short, they lost 2-1. Christian Eriksen's opener was cancelled out by Guillaume Gillet on 13 minutes, before the brilliantly-named Stefano Okaka Chuka struck the winner with 15 minutes to play. Vengeance is certainly on the agenda.
7.07pmBut with their trip to bitter local rivals Arsenal coming up on Sunday, you wonder if Pochettino might elect to rest a few of his heavy hitters. In the words of quite a bald and unfunny television personality, there's only one way to find out - let's get some team news!
7.10pmSPURS XI: Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Mason, Lamela, Alli, Eriksen, Kane
7.12pmANDERLECHT XI: Proto; Deschacht, N'Sakala, Mbodji, Najar, Defour, Acheampong, Gillet, Tielemans, Dendoncker, Okaka
7.13pmSPURS SUBS: Vorm, Fazio, Wimmer, Dembele, Onoamh, Carroll, Son
7.14pmANDERLECHT SUBS: Roef, Nuytinck, Suarez, Conte, Sylla, Lukebakio, Ezekiel
7.16pmLet's start with Tottenham and it's pretty strong from them. Kieran Trippier starts at right-back instead of Kyle Walker, while Ryan Mason comes into midfield, but other than that it's Spurs' strongest possible XI. Harry Kane, who netted a hat-trick against Bournemouth the other week, leads the forward line, with the likes of Erik Lamela and Christian Eriksen supporting. Hueng Min-son is back on the bench following a foot injury, too.
7.19pmOn to Anderlecht now and Okaka, the hero of two weeks ago, leads the forward line. Andy Najar, Youri Tielemans and Frank Acheampong line up an attacking three behind Okaka, while Leander Dendoncker and Steven Defour anchor the midfield. Behind them, Gillet - who also scored in Brussels - continues at right-back, with Serigne Mbodji, Olivier Deschacht and Fabrice N'Sakala completing the back four. Silvio Proto starts between the sticks.
7.22pmShall we have a quick recap of both sides' Europa League adventures thus far? Why not. Link my arm as we take a mosey on down memory lane together. Link it! Let's go.
7.25pmSo, Spurs kicked off their Group J campaign with a 3-1 win over Azerbaijani side Qarabag in North London. Summer signing Heung-Min Son dazzled on that night, scoring twice before Erik Lamela completed the scoring on 86 minutes. The Argentine found the net again a fortnight later when he fired Tottenham ahead away at Monaco, who salvaged a point when Stephan El Shaarawy struck with nine minutes remaining. Then they went and lost at Anderlecht and here we are!
7.27pmLet's look at the visitors now and, like Spurs, Besnik Hasi's men also drew 1-1 with Monaco to kick off their campaign. Guillaume Gillet - Tim Sherwood's favourite player - opened the scoring but a last-minute equaliser from Lacina Traore salvaged a point for Monaco at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium which, as far as stadium names go, is decent.
7.29pmQarabag FK then went and beat them 1-0 in Baku, with Richard Almeida scoring the only goal of the game on 36 minutes. And then, as we know, Hasi and co turned over the Lilywhites in Brussells to make this one very intriguing indeed. It's a such a tight group. It really is.
7.32pmThere's also a bit of history lining this clash, folks. Did you know Spurs beat Anderlecht on penalties to lift the 1984 UEFA Cup? Both legs ended 1-1 but the Lilywhites emerged victorious in the shootout. There have been two meetings since; the second of which came only two weeks ago, but let's look at the other. Yep, It's time to link my arm for another stroll - albeit a much shorter one - down memory lane.
7.35pmBoth sides met in the 2007-08 edition of this competition, at the group stage. They played out a goalless first 45 minutes, before Bart Goor opened the scoring on 68 minutes. Was it enough for the victory? Nope. Remember Dimitar Berbatov? Well he scored three minutes later as Tottenham brought a 1-1 draw home with them. In those days, teams only played one another once in the group stages so there was no reverse fixture. Lord knows why.
7.39pmPREDICTION! Twenty minutes to go - let's get a prediction wrong. I'm going for 3-1 Spurs. That team is very similar to the one they'll be fielding at Arsenal come Sunday and it's more than strong enough to brush aside this mob. Three goals and three points for the Lilywhites tonight.
7.42pmLet's see what the boys and girls on Twitter are saying about this one.
7.45pmHere's a loyal Spurs fan. Eighty-year-old Mrs Jones and her weak-as-Shaun-Wright-Phillips bladder in room five can wait until the match is over says Matt. I'm reading between the lines.
@SpursOfficial watching from my iPad at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California on a cheeky long lunch break 😉... #COYS
— Matt (@thehotrain) November 5, 20157.47pmLooks like Spurs fans really want to see this one.
@SpursOfficial
Watching on a Trumpter's iPad in a West End Theatre Pit.
Not even work will stop me watching if I can't go!
#COYS
— Dave (@footyfanatic69) November 5, 20157.49pmAre Spurs playing in Kuwait tonight or is Ben being a little dramatic?
Trekking through Tottenham on fireworks night having to separate the sound of fireworks from gunshots #coys
— ben (@BenPattison98) November 5, 20157.51pmMr Whiz has high hopes.
Going for 6+ goals in Tottenham game. 😋
— Whiz (@whizaburia) November 5, 20157.53pmHopefully this one throws up some fireworks too.
Bloody fireworks can do one. Spurs on soon #COYS
— Triggerfish (@Triggyid) November 5, 20157.56pmHmm, that line has been used already. On your bike, John...
@SpursOfficial watching in Raleigh, NC and hoping for some 'fireworks' at the lane tonight, 4-1 Spurs! #COYS
— John Nixon (@Jonboynixon) November 5, 20158.00pmFive minutes until showtime, my friends. I forgot about this 8.05 pm kickoff jazz, but we're nearly there. Incidentally, Monaco have drawn 1-1 at Qarabag, meaning that victory tonight for either Spurs OR Anderlecht would see them move top!
1 minKICKOFF: And we're underway at White Hart Lane. Spurs, draped in their white kit as normal, kick us off. Let's go!
2 minEarly warning sign for Spurs as Okaka runs at Vertonghen in a very dangerous spot, with the Spurs defender conceding a corner, which comes to nothing. Hmm. Early days but that doesn't bode well.
3 minIt's all Anderlecht and the really dangerous Andy Najar has an acre of space down Spurs' left-hand side but the chance comes to nothing.
5 minCHANCE! We said Okaka has proven a nuisance so far, and my word it should definitely be 1-0. The big striker turns Alderweireld, who's too tight and the Anderlecht man is suddenly one-on-one with Lloris! But he dithers, seemingly afraid to shoot on his left, and Vertonghen comes to mop up just in time.
6 minSpurs enjoying a bit of pressure now as Proto punches away Eriksen's corner. It has the makings of a really good game this.
8 minVeteran defender Olivier Deschacht could have his hands full with Kane tonight, but the 34-year-old does well to usher the England striker into touch now. 1-0 to Mr Deschacht in that individual battle.
10 minSAVE! At the other end, it's Steven Defour as the space opens up for the Belgian international, but Lloris tips his fierce drive over the bar. The corner produces nothing. Anderlecht on top overall. Stefano Okaka is causing havoc. Spurs' defence can't deal with him.
13 minIt's end to end this. Vertonghen drills an excellent cross into the box but it comes to nothing and Anderlecht break - and with pace! It's Acheampong, who tries a defence-splitting ball on the counter but it's gobbled up by Alderweireld. What Vertonghen was doing so far up the pitch I don't know.
15 minCLOSE! Anderlecht have some ballers in their first XI - make no mistake. One of said ballers is Youri Tielemans, who exchanges a neat one-two with Okaka on the edge of the box before drilling just wide of Lloris's goal.
17 minSHOT! Ben Davies has had the tricky Najar in his pocket so far, but the right-winger does well to get his shot away here, though it's at an angle and skims harmlessly wide. It's been a brilliant first 16 minutes for Anderlecht on the whole, though. Their shape is really disciplined and they're just as slick off the ball as they are on it. This will be far from easy for Tottenham.
20 minSTAT! Just about 20 minutes gone and Anderlecht, unsurprisingly, have had 61% of the ball so far, which ought to contextualise their dominance. And they've had five shots, compared to Spurs' zero.
22 minOlivier Deschacht looks a little like that Joe Goes fella on YouTube but, despite being 34, and a bit lumbersome, he's been superb early on and he comes across brilliantly to thwart Dele Alli.
24 minSHOT! Twenty-three minutes in and Spurs have their first shot - and it's useless, as right-back Kieran Trippier has an effort which probably ended up closer to the Emirates.
26 minLamela is slowly but surely coming to the fore. He's drifting in-field a lot more, losing his market Gillet and it's looking promising for him and Spurs in recent minutes.
28 minOkaka has been like a man possessed in this first 28 minutes or so, but he goes down like a sack of spuds here, rolling around like a child who has been told the truth about Santa Claus after catching a flailing arm from Lamela in the face.
29 minGOAL! Spurs 1-0 Anderlecht (Harry Kane)
30 minAnderlecht switch off and they just can't do that when they're playing against Harry Kane. Christian Eriksen prods a through ball for the England hitman, who doesn't even need a touch as he swivels and strokes it past Proto from the edge of the area. Tidy finish. You have to feel for the Belgians, who have been excellent it has to be said.
33 minAnderlecht won't be too bothered. After all, they fell behind in Brussels through Eriksen and still went on to win. On that occasion, they equalised within four minutes of going behind. Watch this space.
36 minAnderlecht have had plenty of possession but they're not doing much, and Spurs fans chanting "stand up if you hate Arsenal now". Of course, they'll be singing that on Sunday because they go to the Emirates next.
39 minSpurs might double their advantage before the break you know. That opening goal took the wind out of Anderlecht's sails and Spurs have their tails up.
41 minBOOKING: First yellow of the evening and it goes to Anderlecht left-back Fabrice N'Skala, who goes into the book for a foul on Alli. Eriksen will whip this in...
42 min....but it comes to nothing as Anderlecht clear, but not completely. Alli puts the ball back into the box and Kane can't generate enough power with his header as Proto saves.
8.51pmHALF TIME: Spurs 1-0 Anderlecht
8.52pmSo, that's all she wrote in the first half. Spurs lead 1-0 thanks to Harry Kane's fine finish from outside the box on 29 minutes in a goal that took the wind out of Anderlecht's sails completely. Prior to the opener, it was all Anderlecht who, in truth, were excellent. But since the goal they've done very, very little and Tottenham look comfortable. It's only 1-0, and Anderlecht came from behind to beat the Lilywhites in Brussels two weeks ago, but there's a different feel about both sides tonight. I don't see them surrendering this lead.
45 minKICKOFF: Anderlecht kick us off in the second period and they'll be optimistic that they can turn this around. They were much the better side for some 28 minutes in the previous half, but taking chances is a must.
48 minSpurs have come out brilliantly in this second half; starting like a team determined to double their advantage. Eriksen whips a cross into the box but it's over the head of everybody and Anderlecht break...
49 minSHOT! Deschacht aka Joe Goes drills a left-footed effort well over the bar from outside the area.
51 minSAVE! Steven Defour runs at Spurs' defence, who keep backing off, inviting Defour to shoot and Lloris punches it away to Tielemans, who turned and fired a tame effort at the French keeper. He should've passed to Acheampong. Good spell this from the visitors.
53 minPENALTY APPEAL! Lamela wants a penalty appeal for being fouled...by the football. He tripped over it. Perhaps he's trying to save a little face because he spurned an excellent counter-attack - and not for the first time.
54 minIncidentally, Lamela has now changed his boots. This face-saving operation has taken a turn for the extreme.
56 minThat change of boots didn't do much, with Lamela's through ball finding a yellow shirt instantly. Tottenham have to improve. They're being dominated here and an equaliser, frankly, seems imminent at this moment in time.
58 minSUB: Looks like Pochettino is turning one eye to the North London derby as he hauls off Christian Eriksen for the returning Hueng Min-son - his first game back following a foot injury.
60 minSHOT! Spurs' first attempt in this half I think as Alli drills a deflected shot wide.
62 minOFF THE BAR! Very, very nearly 2-0 to the hosts as Ben Davies's brilliant volley cannons off the crossbar. It would've been a quite brilliant goal.
65 minSHOT! Much better from Lamela, who's been a little hit and miss so far, as he drags an outside-of-the-boot effort over Proto's crossbar from just outside the box. A for effort. Well, maybe a B.
68 minSUB: Anderlecht are running out of ideas quicker than....something. Something which runs out of ideas. Maybe me? We're digressing. The Belgians aren't creating the sam volume of chances as they were earlier in the contest and here's Ezekiel, who replaces Youri Tieleamans.
71 minCHANCE! Scratch that - they're not out of ideas yet. N'Sakala finds the run of Defour with an over-the-top ball, and the Belgian's control with his chest is brilliant but, with Vertonghen breathing down his neck, he's hurried into a finish and he volleys over.
73 minGOAL! Spurs 1-1 Anderlecht (Ezekiel)
74 minWhat an inspired substitution by Besnik Hasi! Ezekiel has been on the field a matter of minutes and he equalises. It's Defour's over-the-top ball for the young Nigerian, who runs beyond the hosts' defence and produces a fine first-time slotted finish via the post to level up the match. Take a bow.
76 minSo, 14 minutes to play and it's certainly game on. Group J just got a lot tighter!
78 minSUB: Spurs make their final sub as local youngster Joshua Onomah replaces Dele Alli.
80 minBrilliant and massively challenge from Ben Davies as he blocks Okaka's cross. Had he not, there were THREE yellow shirts waiting to fire home.
82 minSon has been a little disappointing. He's done very, very little, but then again, he has spent five or six weeks out injured so it's understandable.
85 minFive minutes to go and nothing doing. Both sides going for the win but very, very little to report unfortunately. The Lilywhites have a corner now, though.
86 minLamela's delivery has been a little suspect and this corner is woeful.
88 minGOAL! Spurs 2-1 Anderlecht (Moussa Dembele)
89 minSorry but this is a goal fit to win any game and I do mean any game. Son lays it off to the big Belgian on the edge of the box, and his first-time volley curls right into the top corner to literally leave Proto with no chance - absolutely no chance. Take a bow.
90 minTHREE MINUTES ADDED ON:
9.54pmFULL TIME: Spurs 2-1 Anderlecht
9.54pmThat's all she wrote! Ezekiel thought he came off the bench to snatch a nice and, let's be honest, deserved equaliser, but Dembele had other ideas as his late stunner was enough for the hosts. Anderlecht did not deserve a defeat here. They were better for large spells and a point was the minimum that they should be leaving with. Harry Kane fired the hosts ahead against the run of play, but the young Nigerian restored parity with fine first-time finish. However, Dembele nicked all three points with a ridiculously-fine strike to win it late on. Anywho, that's us. Thanks for tuning in and we'll see you next time.
