Tottenham Hotspur valiantly battled to a UEFA Europa League penalty shoot out against FC Basel, but Tom Huddlestone and Emmanuel Adebayor’s misses saw them eliminated.
Ten-man Tottenham crashed out of the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, losing a quarter-final penalty shoot-out to Basel, leaving Chelsea as England’s sole survivors after Newcastle also exited.
Basel won the shoot-out 4-1 after the second leg in Switzerland had ended 2-2 following extra-time for a 4-4 scoreline on aggregate.
Clint Dempsey gave Spurs a 23rd minute lead before Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah levelled four minutes later.
Basel, who will be playing in their first European semi-final, went ahead thanks to Aleksandar Dragovic in the 49th minute after goalkeeper Brad Friedel parried.
With seven minutes left, Dempsey sent the tie into extra-time, where Spurs played with 10 men following a 90th-minute red card for Jan Vertonghen.
In the shoot-out, Tom Huddlestone and Emmanuel Adebyaor both missed before Marcelo Diaz buried the winning kick for Basel.
“My first thoughts are for the players, they set a great example. The way they approached the competition, playing every Thursday and Sunday,” Spurs boss Andre Villas Boas told ITV.
“We made the country feel different about the competition.”
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