Three different teams went top of Group D on the same evening before Tottenham eventually won the groupTottenham went through to the Champions League last 16 as Group D winners after scoring in stoppage time to beat Marseille on a dramatic, frantic evening in France.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg struck in the 95th minute to secure Tottenham's progress to the last 16 on a night when they were once heading out of the competition.
Spurs needed a draw to qualify for the knockout stage but Marseille took the lead through defender Chancel Mbemba on the stroke of half-time.
That meant Spurs dropped to third in the group - heading into the Europa League - before Clement Lenglet equalised early in the second half.
Tottenham were holding on desperately late on, but as Marseille pushed for the winner they needed to go through, they were caught on the break and Hojbjerg sealed victory for Spurs.
It was a dramatic evening as results throughout Group D had a bearing on Tottenham's progress in the competition and made for anxious viewing.
Sporting Lisbon's 2-1 home defeat by Frankfurt meant Spurs ultimately finished top, but at one point they dropped to third in the group - heading out of the competition - and their position changed six times during the match, with three different teams topping the table during the evening.
The stoppage-time winner by Hojbjerg also saw Marseille finish bottom of the group, meaning they missed out on a place in the Europa League as well as failing to progress to the knockout stage of the Champions League.
Tottenham were under pressure for large spells - former Arsenal striker Alexis Sanchez and Jordan Veretout were both denied for Marseille before Spurs improved in the second half.
Harry Kane was inches from getting on the end of a cross to make it 1-1 just after half-time, before Lenglet capitalised on Spurs' improvement with a clever header from Ivan Perisic's free-kick.
Tottenham striker Kane later had a goal disallowed when he was clearly offside, before Hojbjerg fired the ball against the crossbar.
The drama continued as Marseille had a glorious chance to make it 2-1 with less than 10 minutes remaining when Sanchez's shot was crucially blocked by Perisic from close range before ex-Arsenal defender Sead Kolasinac headed wide while unmarked.
But Tottenham managed to cling on and Kane held the ball up in the dying seconds before sliding it through for Hojbjerg to find the back of the net and silence a wild crowd in Marseille.
All-or-nothing evening in France
Clement Lenglet's goal put Spurs top of Group D before Frankfurt took the lead in Lisbon to move above them for most of the second halfTottenham were up against it from the first minute as they arrived at a hostile Stade Velodrome - which was not full as punishment for recent crowd trouble but nonetheless vociferous.
Fireworks were set off in streets around the stadium before and during the match, while Marseille supporters gathered in clouds of smoke from flares to welcome their team before kick-off.
Spurs were also without manager Antonio Conte as he served a touchline ban following the draw with Sporting Lisbon, but they knew a point would see them advance to the knockout stage.
Tottenham assistant Cristian Stellini, who stood in for Conte, told BT Sport: "I enjoyed it when we won.
"I spoke with Antonio. He's tired because to watch from the crowd is not normal. He wasted a lot of energy.
"It's better to stay on the touchline because you live the game like the players are doing."
Spurs had never beaten a French team away from home in Europe and were on the back foot in the first half with Hugo Lloris the busier goalkeeper.
Both teams were dealt injury blows before the break too, as on-loan Manchester United centre-back Eric Bailly was forced off for Marseille before Tottenham's Son Heung-min suffered a heavy blow to the head.
Son was struggling as he was helped off the pitch and down the tunnel following a four-minute stop in play for treatment. He was replaced by Yves Bissouma a minute later with Spurs playing with 10 men momentarily.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Professional Footballers' Association renewed calls for temporary concussion substitutions, saying the current protocols are "jeopardising player safety".
The second half was much improved from Spurs but at times they were cagey to defend their point and it almost allowed Marseille to cause an upset.
Tottenham goalkeeper Lloris told BT Sport afterwards: "It was a tough night, a great battle and even more [of a psychological battle].
"We could feel in the first half a team was playing without the fear to lose - it was Marseille - and in the second half we had a team that was fearing to lose - and it was us.
"When we had to face difficulties, we showed great personality and it's a great result."
The hosts had several big chances late on with Perisic's block and Kolasinac's miss huge moments in the game.
In the end Marseille's push to find a winner cost them European football for the rest of the season, while Spurs sneak through with three wins from their six group matches.
Line-ups
Marseille
Formation 3-4-2-1
16López
99Mbemba3Bailly5Balerdi
7Clauss21Rongier27Veretout30Tavares
6Guendouzi77Harit
70Sánchez
16López99Mbemba3BaillySubstituted forGigotat 9'minutesSubstituted forKolasinacat 73'minutes5BalerdiBooked at 76mins7ClaussSubstituted forKaboréat 74'minutes21RongierSubstituted forSuárezat 83'minutes27VeretoutSubstituted forÜnderat 74'minutes30Tavares6Guendouzi77Harit70SánchezSubstitutes
1Ngapandouetnbu4Gigot8Santos da Silva10Payet11Suárez17Ünder23Kolasinac29Kaboré36BlancoTottenham
Formation 3-4-3
1Lloris
15Dier34Lenglet33Davies
19R Sessegnon5Højbjerg30Bentancur14Perisic
27Lucas Moura10Kane7Son Heung-Min
1Lloris15Dier34LengletBooked at 57mins33Davies19R SessegnonSubstituted forEmerson Royalat 45'minutes5HøjbjergBooked at 90mins30BentancurSubstituted forSkippat 84'minutes14Perisic27Lucas MouraSubstituted forGilat 90+3'minutes10Kane7Son Heung-MinSubstituted forBissoumaat 29'minutesSubstitutes
2Doherty4Skipp6D Sánchez11Gil12Emerson Royal20Forster24Spence25Tanganga29Sarr38Bissouma40Austin42WhiteReferee:Szymon MarciniakAttendance:50,768Live Text
Match ends, Marseille 1, Tottenham Hotspur 2.
Second Half ends, Marseille 1, Tottenham Hotspur 2.
Goal! Marseille 1, Tottenham Hotspur 2. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Harry Kane following a fast break.
Alexis Sánchez (Marseille) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur).
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Bryan Gil replaces Lucas Moura.
Offside, Marseille. Leonardo Balerdi tries a through ball, but Nuno Tavares is caught offside.
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Attempt missed. Nuno Tavares (Marseille) left footed shot from the left side of the box is too high. Assisted by Amine Harit following a fast break.
Foul by Issa Kaboré (Marseille).
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt missed. Sead Kolasinac (Marseille) header from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Cengiz Ünder with a cross.
Corner, Marseille. Conceded by Emerson Royal.
Issa Kaboré (Marseille) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Oliver Skipp (Tottenham Hotspur).
Attempt missed. Luis Suárez (Marseille) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Nuno Tavares with a cross.
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Oliver Skipp replaces Rodrigo Bentancur.
Attempt missed. Luis Suárez (Marseille) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the left following a corner.
Attempt blocked. Amine Harit (Marseille) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Cengiz Ünder.
Substitution, Marseille. Luis Suárez replaces Valentin Rongier.
