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LONDON: Christian Eriksen scored twice before substitute Gylfi Sigurdsson’s stoppage-time goal saw Tottenham Hotspur come from 2-0 down to beat Southampton 3-2 in the Premier League at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
This dramatic victory saw Tim Sherwood’s side keep their hopes of Champions League football alive as they moved up into fifth place, albeit still six points behind fourth-placed Arsenal and having played a game more than their north London rivals.
It looked as if it would be ninth-placed Southampton who would be climbing up the table when the visitors went 2-0 up through goals from England duo Jay Rodriguez and Adam Lallana.
But before half-time Spurs pulled one back through Eriksen and just 44 seconds into the second half the Dane brought the teams level with his second goal.
It seemed the match was heading for a draw when, deep into stoppage time, Sigurdsson struck to complete Spurs’ comeback.
In front of the watching Roy Hodgson, Rodriguez pressed his case for inclusion in the England manager’s World Cup squad by giving the Saints a 19th minute lead.
Spurs right-back Kyle Naughton misjudged Artur Boruc’s long goal kick downfield, ducking under the ball to allow Rodriguez a clear run on goal.
The Saints star still had work to do but made no mistake with a precise finish into the far corner, beyond the reach of Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
And fewer than 10 minutes later, Southampton were 2-0 up after another Naughton error saw him fail to control the ball as Spurs looked to clear a corner.
Naughton’s mistake allowed Saints striker Rickie Lambert to take possession on the edge of the box.
His neat control and precise pass released fellow England international Lallana on the overlap and the midfielder made no mistake.
Southampton were now 2-0 up in the 28th minute, with Tottenham looking anything but the side that had given Benfica a scare in midweek during a 2-2 draw in Lisbon that nevertheless saw them eliminated on aggregate from the Europa Cup.
But three minutes later, Tottenham pulled a goal back.
And this time it was Southampton’s right-back Nathaniel Clyne, who played a key role by letting a seemingly harmless cross go under his feet and so leaving Eriksen with a simple finish at the far post.
No sooner had the second half kicked off then Spurs were level.
Spurs striker Roberto Soldado shrugged off the challenge of Dejan Lovren and pulled back for Eriksen, who turned the ball in from close range to even things up at 2-2.
Eriksen then had a chance to complete a hat trick but, under pressure from the Saints’ defense, blasted the ball high over the crossbar.
But Tottenham got the third goal they’d been seeking when, two minutes into the four added on at the end of normal time, Sigurdsson, on as a half-time substitute for Mousa Dembele, struck.
Jose Fonte headed out a deep ball into the box and Erkiksen laid it off into the path of Sigurdsson, whose 20-yard shot went low and fast past the right hand of the diving Boruc and into the bottom corner.