Emmanuel Adebayor
Adebayor struck twice in the space of five minutes to send Tottenham through.

Emmanuel Adebayor's double inspired a stunning second half comeback from Tottenham Hotspur to overcome 10-man FC Dnipro and keep English hopes alive in the Europa League at White Hart Lane.

Spurs faced following Swansea City out of the competition after Roman Zozulya's 47<sup>th minute header, but the goalscorer's dismissal for a headbutt on Jan Vertonghen, following Christian Eriksen's free-kick leveller, changed the complexion of the tie.

Adebayor then struck twice in the space of four minutes to cap a dazzling 13-minute spell during which the tie had been turned on its head and helped book Tim Sherwood's side a last 16 meeting with 2013 runners up Benfica.

Following successive defeats for the first time in his tenure as Tottenham manager, Sherwood made five changes from the turgid loss to Norwich City in an attempt to reignite the club's European hopes in the last 32 with Ezekiel Fryers recalled for the first time since December while Eriksen and Roberto Soldado were among the returnees.

On Juande Ramos' return to north London the Spaniard was looking to exact revenge against the club which unceremoniously sacked him as manager five-and-a-half years ago, and possessing a one-goal advantage from the first leg in Dnipropetrovsk had reason to be confident having named an unchanged team.

Hindered by Jermain Defoe having been denied a Tottenham farewell due to a hamstring injury, Spurs were looking to improve English clubs' fortunes in Europe with Swansea's exit at the hands of Napoli having continued a miserable fortnight for the Premier League's finest.

With Sherwood stalking the touchline in the early minutes, Spurs began the better with Eriksen's goal-bound shot being deflected over.

Despite the hosts starting with Michael Dawson and Vertonghen, the away side were content with floating long passes up to lone front man Zozulya and the Ukraine international only created one moment of encouragement in the first quarter, turning and shooting wide from 25 yards.

Though the dominant force in attack, Tottenham were fortunate not to see Soldado dismissed for a clear elbow on Ondrej Mazuch which went unpunished by referee Antony Gautier.

As Eriksen's end product continued to flatter to deceive, Dnipro were becoming increasingly threatening on the break, but Dawson cut out Yevhen Konoplyanka's run in its infancy before Matheus tripped at the vital moment after getting the wrong side of the Spurs skipper.

The FC Toronto-bound Defoe said his goodbyes to the home crowd at half time but Spurs faced saying adios themselves to the Europa league if they didn't stage a second half revival, a task made all the more difficult by a crucial Dnipro away goal within two minutes of the restart.

Konoplyanka's free-kick from the inside left channel went towards the near post and Zozulya rose unmarked and headed past Hugo Lloris.

Requiring three goals to prevent exiting the competition, Tottenham thought they had made inroads when Soldado swept home Eriksen's through ball but the ex-Valencia forward was correctly adjudged to be offside.

But it only delayed the inevitable as Eriksen curled home his first goal since January with a delightful free-kick as Dnipro 'keeper Denys Boyko was caught out at the near post.

Konoplyanka sent a warning shot to the home side with a curling effort which bounced off the post – and Tottenham would continue to enjoy good fortune as Zozulya was given a straight red card for a headbutt on Vertonghen.

And Tottenham took advantage almost immediately as Eriksen's cross was turned in by Adebayor from six yards and then the Togo international capped a remarkable 13 minute turnaround with his second to put Spurs on the brink of the last 16.

Despite the hosts holding a numerical advantage, Lloris was forced to save twice from substitute Yevhen Seleznyov in the closing minutes before a stoppage time save from Konplyanka helped Spurs progress.