Kampl fires Leverkusen to victory over Tottenham

Kevin Kampl scored the only goal at Wembley as Bayer Leverkusen secured their first victory in UEFA Champions League Group E.

• Match as it happened

Neither side had the better of a first half that ebbed and flowed at a frantic pace but lacked clear-cut scoring opportunities. It was Leverkusen, though, who broke the deadlock when Charles Aránguiz's shot deflected into the path of Kampl, who sidefooted past Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

Eric Dier struck the bar with a free-kick late on, but the visitors held on to record a win that lifts them above their opponents into second place, two points behind leaders Monaco.

Leverkusen celebrate their victory at Wembley©Getty Images

Key player: Kevin Kampl (Leverkusen)
Kampl spoke before the game about Wembley Stadium "giving you goosebumps", but the 26-year-old will have sent one or two shivers down the spines of Leverkusen supporters with his second-half strike. Roger Schmidt will be delighted with the former Borussia Dortmund man, not just with his goal but also with his work ethic.

Werkself handily placed
Leverkusen were due a slice of good fortune in the UEFA Champions League this season and Lady Luck was certainly on their side when the ball deflected kindly to Kampl. With Monaco consolidating top spot with a 3-0 victory over CSKA Moskva, Leverkusen are now in pole position to secure second place at the very least.

It was a frustrating night for Dele Alli and Tottenham©AFP/Getty Images

Finishing troubles
Tottenham have struggled without Harry Kane up front in recent weeks. The hosts created several good chances – most notably early in the second half – but Vincent Janssen, Dele Alli and Eriksen failed to take full advantage. Spurs still have hope of qualification but will have to find their shooting boots ahead of the trip to Monaco in three weeks' time.

Reporters' views

Daniel Thacker, Tottenham (@UEFAcomDanielT)
The vast majority of the 85,512 fans – a record attendance for an English club on home soil – left Wembley disappointed. Another defeat at the national stadium means the north Londoners' chances of progression hang by a thread, with victory in Monaco now paramount. If Tottenham fail to advance, their home form will have been decisive.

Matthew Howarth, Leverkusen (@UEFAcomMattH)
This was another mature away performance by Schmidt's charges, who were unlucky not to defeat Monaco at the Stade Louis II on matchday two. The returning Ömer Toprak and Jonathan Tah both threw their bodies on the line time and again, while Kampl, Julian Brandt and Admir Mehmedi all ran their socks off. If the Bundesliga side do reach the last 16, there are not many teams who will relish the prospect of facing them.