Tottenham Hotspur travelled to Switzerland for the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie with Basel this evening knowing that they needed to score if they were to progress.
Clint Dempsey put Andre Villas-Boas's men ahead in the first half, but Mohamed Salah's instant reply put the home side back in front.
Aleksandar Dragovic's second-half goal looked to be sending the hosts through until Clint Dempsey poked home late on to force extra time.
Jan Vertonghen's red card late in normal time left Spurs with a battle on their hands, but they managed to hold on for penalties.
However, Murat Yakin's men were cool from the spot, dispatching each one of their penalties, while tom Huddlestone and Emmaunel Adebayor were the fall guys for the North Londoners.
You can read how the action unfolded below.
Good evening everybody and welcome to Sports Mole! It's crunch time in this quarter-final tie between Basel and Tottenham Hotspur, as Andre Villas-Boas's men travel to Switzerland needing to at least score if they are to book their place in this last four of this competition.
First off, let's start with the teams. We'll give you the visitors' first...
SPURS: Friedel; Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Naughton; Parker; Dempsey, Dembele, Holtby, Sigurdsson; Adebayor
BASEL: Sommer; P. Degen, Schar, Dragovic, Park; F. Frei; Salah, Serey Die, Elneny, Stocker; Streller
No real surprises from both lineups tonight. Brad Freidel takes charge between the sticks for Spurs, as has become a custom since Hugo Lloris's emergence into the number-one role. Kyle Naughton starts in place of William Gallas, who limped off late against Everton last Sunday. Of course, there is no Gareth Bale or Aaron Lennon, but there will be plenty of attacking options from midfield in Clint Dempsey, Moussa Dembele, Lewis Holtby and Gylfi Sigurdsson. Emmanuel Adebayors starts as the lone striker.
Meanwhile, Murat Yakin names a similar team to the one that pitched up in North London last week. He'll be looking for more of the same from the tricky Mohamed Salah, as well as Valentine Stocker, who were both excellent last time out. Marco Streller also put in a great performance and he leads the line once more. Former Liverpool defender Philipp Degen gets a start in defence.
Basel left a good impression in last week's 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane. They played with pace on the counter and caught Spurs napping at the back a few times, but the scoreline could, and maybe should, be oh so better for them than what it is. Salah, in particular, was guilty of missing a glorious opportunity to give his team a lead.
The Swiss side have never gone beyond this stage of the competition before, but they have a great chance to do so tonight. Spurs have looked a bit leg weary at times in recent matches, while the absence of talisman Gareth Bale and winger Aaron Lennon will not help matters. Both men were injured in last week's match at White Hart Lane.
Spurs are without a win in five Europa League on the road. Draws with Panathinaikos, Maribor, Lazio and Lyon were following by a 4-1 defeat to Inter Milan - their heaviest away from home in Europe.
Basel are currently top of the Swiss League. They lead Grasshopper Zurich by one point with 10 games left to play and are still in the domestic cup competition. Murat Yakin has a superb record since taking over from Heiko Vogel in October, losing just once domestically (3-2, FC Thun). The only other defeat came in the second leg against Zenit St Petersburg, but a 1-0 loss did not stop them triumphing 2-1 on aggregate.
Meanwhile, Spurs have won just once in their previous six games in all competitions, with Jan Vertonghen and Gareth Bale scoring in a 2-0 win over Swansea City just under two weeks ago.
TONIGHT'S REFEREE: Olegario Benquerenca (Portugal). He last took charge of an English team when Arsenal beat Udinese 2-1 in the Champions League in August 2011. He also officiated Spurs' 3-0 victory over Werder Bremen in 2010. The last Swiss team he took charge of was the national team's 2-0 win over Montenegro in the Euro 2012 qualifiers.
We have already had one result in tonight's four quarter-final ties, with Chelsea progressing at the expense of Rubin Kazan, despite losing 3-2 in Russia.
Click here for live coverage of Newcastle's meeting with Benfica, or here for the second leg between Lazio and Fenerbahce.
That's not the only live sport Sports Mole is offering tonight. You may have heard that there is a certain golf tournament on in America. Well, if you'd like to follow the action from Augusta National then you can do so by clicking here. We'll be bringing you action from all four days until its conclusion on Sunday.
But back to this game at St Jakob-Park, and it's about time for a prediction...
PREDICTION: Basel 3-1 Spurs
I was very impressed by the Swiss team last week, especially having lost the talents of Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri in the summer. No need to fear though Spurs fans, I'm very usually wrong with my predictions, so the commentator's curse and all that...
The two teams are lined up in the tunnel and ready to come onto the pitch. It's a rainy evening in Basel, which is, of course, birthplace of a certain Roger Federer. He'll no doubt be watching from somewhere in the world. On the very off chance you're following: Hi, Rog!
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The home side get the game underway at St Jakob-Park...
Parker fouls Stocker from behind and Basel have a free kick from around 30 yards out. The ball is worked for Schar to shoot, but Friedel sees it comfortably wide. The ball is zipping off the wet surface, which might test the goalkeepers tonight.
Seriy Die went searching for Salah on the right but massively over-hit the pass. Neither team has started particularly brightly, with both seeing a bit of the ball.
Naughton goes down under a challenge from Degen but the referee gives nothing. Spurs are enjoying the majority of possession in the early stages.
Nice interplay by Spurs and Walker wins a free kick from Dragovic. It was a clear foul and the visitors have a chance to launch a free kick into the box. Vertonghen didn't really catch it well though and the opportunity is wasted.
Dembele gives the ball away in an advanced position and Basel break forward at pace. Streller put a lovely ball through for Degen, who floated the ball into the box for Salah, but his first-time volley went well over the bar.
Holtby stabs a ball through for Adebayor, but the linesman's flag goes straight up. The Togolese striker failed to bring the ball under control anyway, but it was a decent ball through from Holtby.
Park plays a long ball... back to his keeper. Sommer showed an excellent touch for a goalkeeper, trapping it with one touch before clearing his lines as Adebayor advanced.
Nearly a disaster from Walker, as Streller reads what he's about to do and nearly capitalises on a header back to Friedel. The ball just skipped out of the striker's control, though.
Siguardsson has a go at goal but slices his effort off target from around 25 yards out. That's Spurs's first real effort at goal.
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GOAL! Basel 0-1 Spurs (Dempsey)
Oh dear, oh dear! That was a gift from Dragovic! Vertonghen tried to slip the ball through for Dempsey, but didn't really find him man. Dragovic slid in the clear the danger but made a hash of his clearance, presenting the ball for the American to take around a stranded Sommer and pass into an empty net. Spurs are ahead for the first time in this tie!
Dempsey showed a cool head there! It's been rather cagey so far, nothing like the end-to-end football of last week. The hosts look a bit nervous.
GOAL! Basel 1-1 Spurs (Salah)
Another misplaced pass from Dembele has contributed to Basel's equaliser! He gave the ball away in midfield and Salah was in oceans of space down the right-hand side. His first touch wasn't the best, but he toe-poked his second low beyond Friedel. Basel are back in front and Dragovic may breathe a sigh of relief.
Salah nearly gets in again, but he delays his shot just a split-second too long and the Spurs defence converges on him.
The rain is really coming down hard now. There's some water splashing up from the surface and a mist surrounds St Jakob-Park. It's weather that you love to play in as a kid.
SAVE! good move by Spurs! Naughton fired a ball into the area and Dempsey sis well to bring it under control before teeing up Dembele. The Belgian tries to bend one into the corner with his left, but Sommer beats the ball away. Sigurdsson nearly gets onto the rebound but couldn't quite stretch far enough.
The crowd are unhappy as Park goes down clutching his face after a coming together with Walker. Replays showed that the Spurs full-back accidentally connected with the back of Park's head while trying to hurdle him. Hmm...
BOOKING! Naughton becomes the first man to go into the referee's notebook for a clear block on Salah. That's the second time he has done that.
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Stocker bulldozes his way through a few challenges and tries to clip the ball through for Salah on the left, but there's just a little too much on it and the ball skips behind for a goal kick.
Siguardsson's long-range shot takes a few deflections and Adebayor nearly brings it under control, but not quite. Spurs retain possession and Naughton ends up having a go at goal, but Sommer claims it down low.
Basel break downfield and Stocker wins another free kick, this time from around 25 yards out.
Frei hits it but doesn;t catch it cleanly. Still, it takes a deflection and goes behind for a corner.
HALF TIME: Basel 1-1 Spurs
So, as it stands the Swiss side are still going through courtesy of an extra away goal. However, Spurs are well in this tie. There was enough in that first half to suggest they can score at least one more goal.
Andre Villas-Boas's men have shaded possession with 54% in the first half. They have also had more attempts on goal with six on target from eight shots. Still, just the one goal.
Basel have had four shots on goal with two on target. They've failed to really test Friedel though, apart from the goal. Spurs's backline has been stingy so far, and AVB will be hoping that continues.
Right, we're ready for the second half in Switzerland. Crunch time.
Spurs get the second half underway...
Holtby gets caught on the ball early on by Serey Die, but Basel's break forward is halted when the midfielder misplaces a through ball.
Salah slips the ball through for Streller, who nearly nudges it past Friedel! The ball goes behind for a corner, though.
GOAL! Basel 2-1 Spurs (Dragovic)
Schar got a touch on the near-post corner and Friedel is forced to make a save, but the ball fell kindly for Dragovic, who tapped into an unguarded net. It doesn't really change things for Spurs, their task is still the same: they must score. Only now it is to draw level.
Salah slips in Serey Die now, but the tenacious midfielder sees his shot block after working the ball onto his left foot.
Half a chance for Spurs, as Holtby plays the ball through for Adebayor. He advances on goal, but the angle got narrower as he delayed the shot and he eventually fired into the side netting.
CLOSE! Dragovic nearly gets his second of the evening! The ball came in from a free kick and the Spurs defence stood flat footed as the centre-back climbed to meet the ball. Friedel was beaten, and could only watch on helplessly as the ball sailed towards goal. However, he was relieved to see it go beyond the post.
BASEL SUB: Serey Die makes way for Marcelo Diaz.
SPURS SUB: Moussa Dembele comes off and is replaced by Tom Carroll.
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Adebayor tries to go it alone down the left but is crowded out by the Basel defence. Sigurdsson commits a foul as he comes in to support the striker and Basel have the ball once more.
Brilliant turn by Dempsey creates some space inside the area, but he completely miscued his shot on goal. That was an opening, there. Adebayor isn't happy with his teammate.
UPDATE! Lazio are right back in their tie against Fenerbahce. Senad Lulic has scored in Rome and the Biancocelesti now trail by just one goal in that tie. Click here for coverage from an empty Stadio Olimpico.
Elneny catches a pure strike from distance, but Friedel was always behind it.
Sigurdsson and Naughton try to combine down the left, but to no avail. Spurs are finding it difficult to break down a stubborn Basel unit. The Swiss side have plenty of men behind the ball now as they look to see out victory.
BASEL SUB: Valentin Stocker makes way to Markus Steinhofer.
SAVE! Parker has a crack at goal and the ball deflects behind for a corner. Sigurdsson delivers and out-swinger and Dawson manages to climb above his marker and power a header at goal, but Sommer gets his hand to it!
UPDATE! Newcastle have scored at St James' Park, and now they are just one goal from going through! It's Papiss Cisse once more, adding to his strike in the first leg at th Estadio da Luz. You can follow that match by clicking here.
UPDATE! The game looks to be over in Rome, as Caner Erkin gives Fenerbahce an away goal. Click here for that match.
SPURS SUB: Benoit Assou-Ekotto comes on for Kyle Naughton.
SPURS SUB: Tom Huddlestone replaces Scott Parker.
Sigurdsson has a speculative dip at goal, but it was always going over. Spurs are really struggling to find a way through this Basel unit.
GOAL! Basel 2-2 Spurs (Dempsey)
They've done it! Dempsey has got the goal and we're all square in this tie! The ball was arrowed in from Huddlestone and the American poked the ball beyond Sommer. It dribbled into the net, but the travelling support won't care how it crossed the line. They're jubilant in the stands of St Jakob-Park.
CLOSE! Spurs are now attacking with more purpose, and Walker gets to the right byline before firing the ball across goal. Agonisingly, no one is there to profit, but the visitors have the impetus now!
RED CARD! Vertonghen is given his marching order for a foul on Streller! The big striker was chasing a through ball from Salah and the Belgian centre-back clipped his ankles. He was the last man and was rightly shown red. He did not complain as he left the field. The balance now shifts towards the home side!
Three minutes of time added on.
BOOKING! There's a few handbags as Schar goes down from Assou-Ekotto's challenge. Dawson isn't happy with the way he went down and the pair have a bit of afters. Eventually, Dawson, Walker and Streller are carded for their parts in the mini melee.
FULL TIME: Basel 2-2 Spurs
Well, we're going to have extra time at St Jakob-Park. It's been a great tie over the two legs, so let's hope for more of the same in the 30 minutes extra. And you never know, we could have the drama of penalties.
You have to feel Basel are slight favourites now with the extra man advantage. They're going to kick off the first 15-minute period.
Basel get us underway once more...
There are a few tired legs out there now. Basel looked very tired once Spurs scored. It seemed to deflate them, but Spurs are looking leg weary now as well. The wet pitch will have taken its toll as well.
Streller nearly flicks a delightful ball through for Schar but Dawson bravely stoops low with his head to take the ball away from him.
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OFF THE POST! What a strike by Elneny! he unleashes a vicious effort from around 30 yards which beats Friedel, but not the upright!
BOOKING! Adebayor skips over a few challenges but is eventually brought down by Elneny, who is shown a yellow card.
SAVE! Huddlestone floats the ball into the box and Dawson gets his head to it, but Sommer easily gathers.
SHOT! Diaz turns inside Carroll and tries to clip one beyond Friedel, but it goes wide of the post.
HALF TIME IN EXTRA TIME: Basel 2-2 Spurs
Solid 15 minutes from Spurs. More of the same needed. Maybe they can snatch a goal from a set play, but at the moment Adebayor is up there alone. Unsurprisingly.
Spurs restart the match...
Not much is happening at the moment. Basel are seeing all of the ball but Spurs have sat right back and got everybody but Adebayor behind the ball.
BASEL SUB: Salah makes way for Alexander Frei.
CHANCE! Massive opportunity for Basel, and it falls to Frei! That's the first time they're really made their numerical advantage count, as some one-touch football slices open the Spurs backline. It was Michael Dawson who slid in the block the shot, saving Friedel having to make the save.
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Basel are knocking on the door now as Spurs' defending becomes desperate! Walker should have cleared the ball but lost his footing and the ball was played in for Streller, but he couldn't cleanly connect with his header, nor could Frei from the rebound and Friedel collapsed on the loose ball.
Elneny blazes over the bar from distance, giving the visitors time to breathe. The home side have cranked up the pressure in the last few minutes.
Spurs players look absolutely exhausted now. Dawson and Dempsey in particular. Holtby has been missing for some time now.
What a waste from Adebayor. He makes a break forward and Sigurdsson makes a lung-busting run to support him, but the Togolese striker runs down a blind alley and eventually loses possession. Sigurdsson is furious.
One minute has been added at the end of extra time.
FULL TIME AFTER EXTRA TIME: Basel 2-2 Spurs
We're going to penalties at St Jakob-Park!
Spurs have lost their last six penalty shoot-outs. Their legs may be weary, but they'll be the happier team. That can sometimes be an advantage in these situations.
Basel will go first...
SCHAR SCORES FOR BASEL! He goes hard and low to Friedel's left.
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SOMMER SAVES FROM HUDDLESTONE! Basel are ahead as Sommer gets a hand to Huddlestone's kick.
STRELLER SCORES FOR BASEL! Streller coolly sends Friedel the wrong way.
SIGURDSSON SCORES FOR SPURS! He goes down the middle as Sommer dives to his left.
FABIAN FREI SCORES FOR BASEL! Top corner. Top notch.
ADEBAYOR MISSES! What a dreadful spot kick. He blazes high and wide and Basel can win this now...
DIAZ SCORES! BASEL ADVANCE TO THE SEMI-FINALS OF THE EUROPA LEAGUE!
The Swiss side book their place in the last four of a European competition for the first time in their history! Every man scored their spot kick, while Huddlestone and Adebayor failed to convert and Andre Villas-Boas's men exit at the quarter-final stage!
That's a seventh-consecutive penalty shoot-out defeat for Spurs. Heartbreak for them, jubilation for the hosts.
That's all from us at Sports Mole for tonight. Thanks for joining us and we hope you come back soon. Until then, it's farewell...
Written by
Michael Penkman
Michael Penkman
