Conte sees red as VAR denies Spurs place in Champions League last 16

Tottenham Hotspur’s Italian head coach Antonio Conte (C) reacts after being shown a red card by Dutch referee Danny Makkelie (obscured) after a disallowed goal in the closing minutes of the UEFA Champions League group D football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Sporting Lisbon at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on October 26, 2022. (Photo by Ben Stansall / AFP)

Tottenham were denied a place in the last 16 of the Champions League as Harry Kane’s strike deep into stoppage time was ruled out after a VAR review in a 1-1 draw with Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday.

Spurs now still need at least a point when they travel to Marseille on Tuesday to reach the knockout phase with all four sides in Group D still alive heading into matchday six.

A draw will also be enough for Sporting to go through when they host Eintracht Frankfurt.

Spurs will most likely have to cope without coach Antonio Conte on the sidelines in southern France after the Italian was shown a red card in a controversial finale.

Tottenham had been forced the come from behind after ex-Spurs forward Marcus Edwards opened the scoring for Sporting.

Rodrigo Bentancur levelled 10 minutes from time and the home side thought they had snatched victory at the death when Kane smashed in from a narrow angle.

But after a VAR check lasting over three minutes, Kane was adjudged to have been offside from Emerson Royal’s header.

A point was the least that Sporting deserved after enjoying the better of the chances until the closing stages.

Conte has called on the Spurs’ board to further strengthen his squad in the January transfer window after back-to-back defeats dampened their bright start to the Premier League season.

However, it was a Tottenham academy graduate discarded by the