Tottenham Hotspur travelled to Slovenia to face Maribor, hoping to pick up their first Europa League victory of the season.
Despite Spurs enjoying much of the ball, they did not create enough and went behind just before the break when Robert Beric finished from close range.
Spurs picked up in the second half but could only salvage a point through Gylfi Sigurdsson's poked equaliser.
Read how the action unfolded with Sports Mole's text commentary below.
Hello and welcome to tonight's live text commentary of Maribor against Spurs in Slovenia. It's Group J of the Europa League.
First up is team news, and lets have a look at Spurs: Lloris; Walker, Caulker, Vertonghen, Naughton; Huddlestone, Sigurdsson, Sandro, Lennon, Townsend; Defoe
It's a familiar Andre Villas-Boas formation, with a few changes in personnel. As mentioned, Bale does not travel so Andros Townsend starts on the left flank.
Jermain Defoe, who is having a good season, again leads the line, and Aaron Lennon captains the side.
And here's the Maribor lineup: Handanovic; Mejac, Rajcevic, Arghus, Milec; Mezga, Ibraini, Cvijanovic, Mertelj; Tavares, Beric
That's Jasmin Handanovic in goal, not the Inter 'keeper. Just in case you were wondering.
Tavares and Robert Beric up front is a threat Spurs will need to be aware of. The 21-year-old Beric has an aerial presence and Tavares, well, he's Brazilian.
He's never been capped for Brazil, mind, but he has represented them at U-17 level. He's been at Maribor since 2008 and has 61 league goals.
Maribor have had a very good start to their league season, particularly at home. They've won seven of eight at Ljudski vrt stadium.
Spurs have been pretty good on the road so far in the Premier League. Two wins from three ensures that this one is intriguingly poised tonight.
AVB will probably feel that his side need to win this tonight. It's arguably the most winnable away game and would move them at least second in the table, depending on the Lazio result.
Maribor coach Darko Milanic described this game as "an important and difficult ordeal". They're the underdogs, yes, but it's not quite David vs. Goliath stuff, Darko. At least not going by Spurs's previous Europa showings.
Spelling some of the names of the Maribor team is bad enough, but I'm glad not to be having to say them on the air tonight. Cvijanovic looks a particular doozy.
AVB says that Spurs "have to be brave and sure in our ability" to avoid an upset tonight.
To be honest I'm not entirely sure what to expect from Maribor tonight. They were very good against Panathinaikos and were unlucky against Lazio. I'm interested to find out.
Here's our full team news for you to glance at before we get underway.
Quick prediction before we get underway. I think Tavares will get an early goal for Maribor, but it'll be 3-1 to Spurs come full-time.
We're off!
Finding its feet here, with Spurs managing some early possession.
Chance for Spurs! Poor defending by Maribor gives Sigurdsson a chance to shoot, but it's well wide.
Pressing from Maribor forces Spurs back to Lloris, as Maribor break... nothing comes of it.
Poor touch from Townsend gives Maribor another chance to break. Very much set up to counter the hosts tonight.
Slightly better from Townsend to slip Defoe through out wide, but he slips and it goes for a goal-kick.
Beric is threaded through by Cvijanovic, but he's ruled offside. Dangerous.
Maribor win a host of throws on the left, as passes go astray from either side.
Tavares is dropping deep and wants the ball at every opportunity. Beric is hanging on the shoulder of Vertonghen.
It's now Tottenham looking to play on the break as the hosts find their feet. No side on top really thus far. Maybe Maribor edging it.
Walker loses out in his own half, Tavares finds Mezga who looks to cross but it's too deep. No-one really attacking that.
Townsend finds Naughton, whose cross is in turn too deep. Goal-kick.
Tavares and Beric combine again, but Caulker defends well.
The referee is letting a lot of tackles go so far. One there on Lennon looked like it could have been a foul. He wants it to flow, clearly.
It's very intricate from the Slovenians, but not much penetration. Townsend breaks but crosses too far for Defoe.
Milec went down easily after that break from Townsend. There didn't seem to be much in it, but he went down holding his face.
Mezga looks for Ibraini, but the latter is not quick enough to get on to a decent pass.
Still no real chances in this one. It's all a bit edgy, and very tight in midfield. Huddlestone swings over a free-kick but it's way too long.
Chance for Maribor! A long ball from the back gives Ibraini a chance to latch on to it, but Naughton defends well in the end.
Poor from Spurs in attack. A lack of passing options and Maribor break again after stealing the ball from Lennon.
Maribor now passing the ball around nicely, but it breaks down as they near the Spurs third.
There's three on Lennon whenever he gets the ball, he's forced back to Walker who shoots high and wide from distance.
Lennon whips in a delicious ball right to the edge of the six yard box. If a Spurs player is attacking, it's a goal. Instead, it goes straight through.
Sigurdsson finds Walker in space, but he delays on the ball and the Maribor defence clear. Better from Spurs though.
Good work again by Lennon, but his cutback is headed for a corner by Rajcevic.
Mezga is down this time. For some reason holding his face again when caught in possession. Unusual tactics...
Huddlestone is sitting deep and spraying passes around the pitch. He's looking more dangerous than most with his passing today.
Chance for Spurs! Vertonghen meets Huddlestone's cross from a free-kick but it's comfortable for Handanovic. Meanwhile, Lazio are leading Panathinaikos 1-0.
Spurs have been dominating possession for a good 10 minutes now, but Maribor continue to hold firm.
Close for Spurs! Sandro catches one well from outside the box with his left foot, however it was always going wide. Not far wide, though.
They are the most likely to score, Spurs, but there's not the intensity that usually leads to a goal.
Defoe goes wide with a shot from outside the box, but again it's shooting from range and not working a chance.
Mejac marauds forward and shoots from range. It's powerful but also wide.
Townsend and Lennon have swapped flanks now, Lennon swings in from the left, Sigurdsson finds space but again Maribor defend well.
GOAL! MARIBOR 1-0 SPURS (Beric)
Mezga latches onto a poor Townsend pass, jinks through in the box and provides Beric with a simple tap-in. Against the run of the play, but Spurs have not been good enough!
Spurs look shell-shocked. Maribor now on top and keeping the ball well.
Great tackle by Mejac on Townsend puts the ball out for what should be a corner, but it's given as a goal-kick. One minute of stoppage time.
The whistle goes, and Spurs are losing here at half-time 1-0, despite being comfortable. They weren't creating enough, though and have been punished.
There's really been only a Vertonghen header on target and a couple of half-chances, most of which have come from distance. The best chance was certainly the Beric one late in the half, and he duly converted.
Have a glance at Jack Prescott's half-time report here for a summary of the opening 45 minutes of action.
It's quite a strong Spurs team tonight, but the absences of Bale and Dembele are showing tonight. Townsend has been well dealt with and really only Huddlestone has impressed in the middle so far. Dembele would give an extra dimension in the middle.
Should results stay the way they are so far, with Lazio winning in Greece, Spurs would be four points behind Maribor with it all to do.
We're a few minutes away from the restart and Spurs are currently continuing the poor form of British sides this week in Europe. Celtic, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea all lost. Spurs need a lot more to join Manchester United as winners in Europe.
We're off for the second-half. Can Spurs recover? Townsend is off for Falque at the break.
Ibraini skins Naughton, but a Milec cross is long. Yellow card! Mezga booked for a cynical foul on Walker.
Chance for Maribor! Mezga found well down the left and his cross is met by Tavares but Lloris makes a good save, if comfortable.
Tavares wins the ball from Walker, but perhaps could have been a foul. Maribor passing well this half.
Chance for Maribor! Cvijanovic meets a Tavares cutback but his effort from the edge of the box is well over.
Caulker defends well after Beric is found with a wonderful volleyed pass by Cvijanovic. Spurs need to start pressing here.
Falque gets his first real chance to cross, but it's blocked for a corner.
Huddlestone's corner is poor and easily cut out by Arghus.
Defoe and Sigurdsson get in a tangle on the edge of the box, which allows Maribor to clear the danger and get on the ball.
GOAL! MARIBOR 1-1 SPURS (Sigurdsson)
It's a little scrappy in the end, but anything will do. Falque is found well by Sigurdsson, his cross falls to Defoe who hammers it at goal. It's blocked on the line and Sigurdsson pokes in the rebound.
Spurs have time now to exert themselves and squeeze out a win. A draw is better than it looked 15 minutes ago, but a win is what they'll want now. Corner for them...
... Falque takes and Handanovic claims from under his own bar.
Maribor back to playing on the break and Ibraini is flagged offside for the third or fourth time tonight. It was a good chance aside from that.
Chance for Maribor! Tavares found Beric, who cut back and it was threaded through to Ibraini. His shot however hit the side netting. A good chance, Spurs must be careful not to get caught short at the back.
Possession from Spurs now. Caulker looking to get forward at every opportunity to support Defoe.
Mertelj hits a shot from 30 yards at Lloris, but it was dangerous before that as Beric was found with a ball over the top. Tavares continues to drop deep looking for the ball.
Ibraini breaks after being found by Beric, but Falque recovers well to tackle after initially giving it away.
Chance for Spurs! Falque finds Defoe, whose shot is deflected comfortably to Handanovic.
Corner to Spurs after a burst from midfield by Sandro. Huddlestone to take..
... It falls to Walker from 30 yards. He catches it well but hits one of his own players, who was offside.
Yellow card for Naughton! The referee is having none of this going down easily. Naughton cuts inside and goes down over a Milec foot. There appeared to be some contact and I've seen them given plenty of times. However, Naughton is in the book.
Dempsey is coming on for Sigurdsson. Looks to be a direct swap. Dempsey has a lot of experience in this competition, with that run for Fulham under Roy Hodgson that he played a huge part in.
Glorious chance for Maribor! They break at pace, with Milec fizzing across a ball that Beric cannot get much on. He was brilliantly placed. Falque's cross is then cut out at the other end by Handanovic.
An audacious attempt by Mejac from an angle goes wide of Lloris's goal.
Dempsey, who loves a shot from 30+ yards can only find the grateful arms of Handanovic. Turning a bit end-to-end this.
Lennon bursts through at pace and finds Defoe, but Rajcevic gets an excellent foot on the ball.
It's quietened down a little now, although Tottenham are on top in terms of possession. Maribor a constant threat on the break, however, as Tavares shown by getting in behind. Lloris gathers.
Walker picks up a Defoe pass from 30 yards and skies an effort. It could have gone out of the ground, as it's not very big. Sandro comes off for Jake Livermore.
Defoe and Falque both cross and Huddlestone shoots from distance. Maribor are equal to everything at the moment though.
Naughton stays on his feet to tackle Ibraini, who was looking to get in again down the right.
Not looking likely for either side to nick this currently, it's become a little scrappy.
Close for Spurs! Inches wide from Vertonghen! The centre-back strikes from a distance and at an angle. I don't think Handanovic would have got there had it snuck inside the post.
Chance for Spurs! Wrong option there from Falque. He's found well by Dempsey and decides to shoot instead of threading through Defoe. Tavares comes off for Komazec.
Just two minutes of added on time to play.
Maribor 1-1 Tottenham
Maribor's fans celebrate like it was a win, but on the balance of play it was probably fair.
Tottenham saw a lot of the ball, but they didn't create much if any more than their opponents. Perhaps with Bale, Dempsey et al it would have been different but you cannot take anything away from Maribor tonight. They were potentially dangerous and they proved it.
Right on time, Jack Prescott's report of the action can be read here.
That's all from me. Thanks for joining Sports Mole tonight. For more, check out of coverage of Newcastle United and Liverpool in their Europa League adventures tonight.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
