Atalanta 2-1 Chelsea

CHELSEA GAVE UP a half-time lead to fall to a 2-1 Champions League defeat by Atalanta in Bergamo to leave their hopes of a top-eight finish on a knife edge.

Enzo Maresca’s side led through Joao Pedro’s near-post finish but were stunned after the break as the Serie A side hit back.

First, former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca was left unmarked to head the equaliser 10 minutes into the second half, then a fabulous late strike from Charles De Ketelaere, who smashed his finish beyond Robert Sanchez, won it.

The Blues had been the better side in the first 45 minutes and looked on course for the win that would have put them likely only three more points away from a guaranteed spot in the last 16.

But after their second-half collapse they will surely now need victories in both of their remaining matches – which include a trip to face Antonio Conte’s champions Napoli in January – if they are to avoid entering the play-off round.

Ademola Lookman was by far the sharpest thorn in Chelsea’s side in the first half. Inside the opening 10 minutes he worked his way to the byline and pulled back a cross that hit Sanchez before the loose ball was scooped clear.

Josh Acheampong, in for his first start since October in central defence, flung himself at Lookman’s bullet effort six yards out, saving a certain goal, before Marten de Roon thumped the rebound a yard over the bar.

Pedro turned Reece James’s low cross in at the near post after 25 minutes. The goal was initially ruled out for an offside against the Chelsea captain, but following a VAR check he was deemed to have timed his run to perfection before delivering a fine ball for Pedro to slide his first Champions League goal between the legs of goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi.

James then hammered wide from a good position on the edge of the box at the start of the second half as Chelsea looked to capitalise on their superiority.

Lookman was himself denied for offside after tapping in from three yards out before the visitors went up the other end where Jamie Gittens’ drive was beaten away at the near post by Carnesecchi.

The game had become more open and Atalanta took advantage just before the hour mark. The impressive De Ketelaere received the ball in space wide on the right, and as the ball came over, no one in Chelsea white went with Scamacca who rose unmarked in the six-yard box to nod it down and in past Sanchez.

A fine one-handed stop from the Blues keeper the kept out Scamacca from Lorenzo Bernasconi’s cross as Atalanta threatened to turn the match on its head.

A draw might have been a fair result, then with seven minutes to play, De Ketelaere burst past Marc Cucurella and crashed Atalanta in front in.

Pedro was left free in the box with virtually the final kick but blasted straight at the keeper, but the Italian side held on to move above Chelsea in the table.

Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 Slavia Prague

Second-half penalties by Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons helped Tottenham to a routine 3-0 win over Slavia Prague to keep alive their Champions League top-eight prospects.

Buoyed by Saturday’s much-needed home victory over Brentford, Thomas Frank watched Spurs make it back-to-back triumphs in front of their own fans after David Zima’s 26th-minute own goal set the hosts on the path to three points.

Tottenham celebrate. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Kudus’ 50th-minute penalty virtually made the game safe before Xavi added gloss with his spot-kick with 11 minutes left to move Tottenham temporarily up to ninth in the league phase ahead of next month’s final two matches against Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Spurs invited Europa League-winning captain Son Heung-min back for this fixture to say an official goodbye after his pre-season departure and after his mural was unveiled on the High Road earlier in the day, the club great addressed the home crowd moments before kick-off.

Son being serenaded was followed by a fast start and Tottenham nearly went ahead after 36 seconds.

Wilson Odobert, one of only two changes from Saturday, raced past David Doudera and picked out Richarlison but his first-time shot was deflected over by the shoulder of Slavia goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek.

It was a wonderful save and Kudus tested Stanek soon after before the in-form Richarlison had a 25-yard effort pushed wide.

Slavia had failed to score in four of their previous five league fixtures but demonstrated their capability when Lukas Provod sent a half-volley wide.

Micky van de Ven was then booked for dissent, ruling him out of next month’s visit of Dortmund, and worse almost followed when Guglielmo Vicario had to get down low to save Provod’s latest effort.

When Michal Sadilek headed over Doudera’s cross moments later for Slavia, the home crowd started to show signs of being restless, but the opener arrived for Spurs after 26 minutes.

Pedro Porro’s corner was flicked on by captain Cristian Romero and Zima inadvertently headed into his own net for Tottenham’s 100th goal in the Champions League.

Spurs failed to build on the breakthrough, though, as Vicario saved from Youssoupha Sanyang and Sadilek before half-time.

Frank would have hoped for a fast start to the second period and got his wish with Porro able to win a penalty when he was caught by Sanyang in the 48th minute.

Richarlison, who missed a spot-kick against Copenhagen, looked set to take it until captain Romero advised otherwise and Kudus tucked away for his third goal for the club.

Kudus’ trademark celebration on a stool by the advertising hoardings followed and Stanek had to deny Odobert moments later.

Frank next introduced Mathys Tel – after the club decided this week to add the forward their Champions League squad in place of the injured Dominic Solanke.

Tel’s first involvement was to test Stanek, who did even better to save the follow-up by another substitute in Pape Sarr.

Stanek thwarted Xavi soon after but the Netherlands attacker made it 3-0 in the 79th minute when he scored from 12 yards after being fouled by Igoh Ogbu to wrap up a comfortable night for Tottenham.