LASK 3-3 Tottenham: Spurs through despite lacklustre showing in Linz

Tottenham qualified for the last 32 of the Europa League despite Mamoudou Karamoko’s superb late leveller earning LASK a 3-3 draw.

It looked as though Dele Alli’s penalty would seal a scarcely deserved three points for Spurs to send them into Sunday’s north London derby on the back of a win.

But fellow substitute Karamoko had other ideas and sent a fine strike beyond Joe Hart from 20 yards to make sure the spoils were shared in a strange but memorable Group J clash.

Jose Mourinho made eight changes from the 0-0 draw against Chelsea with an eye on the visit of Arsenal, with Harry Kane a notable absentee as the Premier League leaders toiled to a draw in Linz.

Spurs beat LASK 3-0 in the reverse fixture in October but were more laboured on Thursday, struggling to find their rhythm and falling behind to Peter Michorl’s excellent 42nd-minute opener.

However, Gareth Bale levelled from the spot with the last kick of the first half and Son Heung-min put Spurs ahead soon after the restart.

Johannes Eggestein levelled with six minutes remaining but there was still time for Alli – on the field for just four minutes – to make his mark from 12 yards after Steven Bergwijn was brought down by Philipp Wiesinger.

Remarkably, that was not the end of it and Karamoko fired home in the dying moments to make it 3-3.

Hart had already denied Eggestein and Rene Renner before Michorl arrowed a shot beyond the former England goalkeeper to give Dominik Thalhammer’s men the lead, though that soon disappeared.

Andres Andrade handled in the box in first-half stoppage time and Bale coolly converted from 12 yards to level matters against the run of play, bringing up his 200th career goal.

Tottenham were scarcely any more polished at the start of the second half, but one moment of quality told as Tanguy Ndombele’s excellent throughball picked out Son to provide an assured finish past Alexander Schlager.

It was hard on LASK but they fought back to level when Eggestein’s shot somehow eluded Hart, whose blushes looked to be spared when Alli promptly netted his spot-kick at the other end.

But Hart was beaten again by Karamoko to give LASK a point that was the least their efforts merited.