Tottenham's Champions League hopes hit further by 2-0 loss at Chelsea in Premier League

LONDON (AP) — Tottenham’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League are getting thinner by the day.

By falling 2-0 at Chelsea on Thursday, Tottenham slumped to a second loss to a London rival in the space of four days in the Premier League — after a 3-2 home defeat to Arsenal in the north London derby on Sunday.

In between those losses came confirmation that England will have just four places in next season’s expanded Champions League, and not five.

That’s another blow to Spurs, who are fifth and stayed seven points behind fourth-place Aston Villa with one game in hand. They still have to play Liverpool and Manchester City in their remaining four games so it is looking increasingly unlikely they will close the gap to Villa.

“We lacked belief and conviction in our game," Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou said. “I don’t know if it's low confidence but we're not playing with the mindset we need to play the football we want to and that's something I have to look at.”

Headed goals by Trevoh Chalobah in the 24th and Nicolas Jackson in the 72nd were enough for Chelsea, which could yet salvage a place in one of the minor European competitions from what has been an underwhelming Premier League campaign for a squad assembled at a cost of more than $1 billion.

Chelsea climbed above West Ham and into eighth place, two points behind Newcastle and three behind Manchester United in sixth. It’s likely that two of those three teams will be playing in either the Europa League or Europa Conference League next season.

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino said it was the best feeling he had had all season about his team.

“It’s the moment, after 10 months, that we start to realize how we compete,” Pochettino said. "It showed we're doing things well.

“We showed it's not about names. It’s about being competitive.”

Pochettino, however, didn't sound convinced he had the backing of Chelsea's American owners to be around next season.

“It’s difficult to see I am under scrutiny and judgment every week,” he said, adding: “We’ll see if I have time to build after today.”

Tottenham has now won just one of its past 34 away league games against Chelsea, making it one of the most one-sided top-flight fixtures. The sole victory came in 2018, when Pochettino was in charge of Spurs.

Chalobah got on the end of a free kick by Conor Gallagher to loop a header over Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and into the net to give Chelsea the lead. It was a 15th goal this season conceded from a set piece by Spurs and that is becoming a major issue under Postecoglou.

Jackson, who had a shot partially saved by Vicario and subsequently cleared off the line by Micky van de Ven in the first half, eventually got his goal when he was quickest to react after Cole Palmer’s free kick rebounded out off the crossbar. Jackson did well to head the ball over two Tottenham defenders who were retreating toward their own goal line.

Tottenham is six points clear of Man United and might have to settle for a fifth-place finish, which would earn a spot in next season's Europa League.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Chelsea's head coach Mauricio Pochettino shakes hands with Chelsea's Mykhailo Mudryk at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Tottenham's head coach Ange Postecoglou at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah, centre, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah, not seen, scores his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson, left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson, centre right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

BANGKOK (AP) — Brazil will host the 2027 Women’s World Cup after a vote of FIFA’s full membership chose the South American bid over a joint proposal from Belgium, Netherlands and Germany.

The FIFA Congress on Friday voted 119-78 for Brazil in the reduced field of two candidates to host the 2027 tournament after a joint bid by the United States and Mexico was pulled late last month, and South Africa withdrew its candidacy in November.

It will be the first time the global women's tournament, first played in 1991, is staged in South America .

Brazil was strongly favored to win since October when FIFA brokered deals for the men's World Cups of 2030 and 2034. It left South American neighbors Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay getting just one game each of the 104 in the 2030 tournament that will be mostly co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

A key point for FIFA was clearing the way for its close ally Saudi Arabia to get the 2034 World Cup uncontested in a fast-track process. South American soccer body CONMEBOL's agreement to take a small part of the 2030 tournament removed it from the subsequent bidding.

The US-Mexico decision to opt out and focus on bidding for the 2031 World Cup — that decision is due next year — was another indicator of Brazil's expected win.

The Brazilian bid team hugged and celebrated on the podium after the result was announced, and described it as a victory for women's soccer, for their country and for South America.

“We are a South American country that achieved the victory for women’s soccer,” Brazil's soccer federation president Ednaldo Rodrigues said before reflecting on recent flooding that has devastated parts of the country. “After the things that impact all Brazilians — a catastrophe due to the climate change — our achievement today, the first Women’s World Cup in South America, will help strengthen us.”

It was the first time that all of FIFA’s member associations had the opportunity to weigh in on the host of the women’s tournament. Previously, it was decided by the FIFA Council, the governing body’s decision-making committee.

There were 207 of the 211 members eligible to vote in the electronic ballot which gave three options: Brazil, BNG or abstain.

Brazil was even more favored to win the contest after ranking higher in an evaluation report by a FIFA-appointed panel.

The next World Cup votes, to endorse the 2030 and 2034 hosts, will be on Dec. 11 in an online congress held remotely.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, left, gives the certificate to President of the Football Associated of Brazil Ednaldo Rodrigues, right, after announcing that Brazil is chosen to host the 2027 Women's World Cup soccer at the FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 17, 2024.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

President of the Football Associated of Brazil Ednaldo Rodrigues, delivers his speech, after Brazil was chosen to host the 2027 Women's World Cup soccer at the FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 17, 2024.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

President of the Football Associated of Brazil Ednaldo Rodrigues, delivers his speech , after Brazil was chosen to host the 2027 Women's World Cup soccer at the FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 17, 2024.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

President of the Football Associated of Brazil Ednaldo Rodrigues, left, hug FIFA President Gianni Infantino after Brazil was choosen to host the 2027 Women's World Cup soccer at the FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 17, 2024. Brazil will host the 2027 Women’s World Cup after a vote of FIFA’s full membership chose the South American bid over a joint proposal from Belgium, Netherlands and Germany.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announces that Brazil is chosen to host soccer's 2027 Women's World Cup at the FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 17, 2024.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)