Spurs top Champions League group after thriller

Tottenham ensured top spot in their Champions League qualifying group here Tuesday after battling to a 3-3 draw with Dutch side FC Twente.

Spurs, who had already assured themselves of a place in the last 16, clinched first place in Group A with a draw as second placed Inter Milan crashed to defeat at German side Werder Bremen.

An entertaining contest against the Dutch champions saw Spurs take the lead three times thanks to a Peter Wisgerhof own goal and two second-half strikes from England international Jermain Defoe.

Twente secured a share of the points thanks to goals from Denny Landzaat, Roberto Rosales and Nacer Chadli.

Tottenham took the lead on 12 minutes courtesy of a howler from Twente’s long-serving goalkeeper Sander Boschker, making his Champions League debut for the club in his 21st season.

There appeared to be little danger when defender Wisgerhof rolled a gentle backpass to Boschker.

But Twente were left stunned as the 40-year-old keeper air-kicked at his clearance, watching in horror as the ball trickled into an empty net.

Twente did not have to wait long to make amends however, even if their equaliser arrived thanks to a harsh penalty awarded against Spurs defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto, adjudged to have handballed Rosales’s shot.

Landzaat stepped up to drive a low penalty past Heurelho Gomes but was forced to re-take the spot-kick after Twente players encroached in the area.

Landzaat made no mistake with his second attempt, rifling low and hard down the middle. Gomes got his legs to the spotkick but to no avail.

Spurs regained the lead shortly after half-time, when a reverse pass from Aaron Lennon picked out an unmarked Defoe, who calmly tucked his low shot past the hapless Boschker on 47 minutes.

Yet Twente, playing with the freedom of a side with nothing to play for, were back on level terms within nine minutes, Rosales powering in a superb header after a delicate cross from Theo Janssen.

Spurs took the lead for the third time four minutes later, when Wilson Palacios dispossessed Janssen and saw his shot deflected into the path of Defoe, who prodded into the Twente net.

The see-saw contest saw Twente hit back four minutes later however, Moroccan-born Chadli curling in a sublime free-kick from 25 yards that gave Gomes no chance.