Gylfi Sigurdsson's second-half strike gives Spurs a point at Stamford Bridge, but leaves them in fifth and behind the Gunners with two games to go
Not enough, for either side. Indeed, the real winners were Arsenal.
But having dug so deep to pull a draw out from the jaws of defeat, there is a Champions League chance for
Spurs.
Just as it looked set to be mission accomplished for Rafa Benitez, mission aborted for Andre Villas-Boas, Spurs rescued the point that takes the top four battle into the last week.
Gylfi Sigurdsson's leveller may not have been enough to end Tottenham's 23-year wait for a win at Stamford Bridge, Villas-Boas the 13th man to try and fail to achieve what Terry Venables did in 1990.
Yet as the Chelsea fans berated Benitez' decision to withdraw Eden Hazard, who had utterly eclipsed star of the season Gareth Bale, Spurs found the courage to battle their way back, another late, late show for Villas-Boas and his men.
This was a game Chelsea looked to have won, should have won.
Over the 90 minutes, they were, clearly superior, despite an outstanding first half goal from Emmanuel Adebayor.
With Hazard, unplayable at times, the Blues had the chances to kill it off after Brazilian duo Oscar and Ramires took full toll of defensive errors in the first half.
But even on a night when Bale, for once, did not dominate, Spurs had the desire to steal something from it.
And theft, in all honesty, it was. In a must-win game, you cannot afford to switch off at the back, which is what Spurs did after just 10 minutes.
Juan Mata's corner was flicked on by Gary Cahill and Oscar lost Scott Parker far too easily to find himself unmarked two yards out, steering a simple header over the line.
Immediately, Bale, who had started on the left, with Lewis Holtby instead operating behind Adebayor, began to drift inside.
Chelsea, though, remained on top, Hazard, skipping away from challenges with imperious ease and working back deep in his own territory to rob Holtby.
Mata twice flashed over and Spurs looked leggy, struggling for ideas or inspiration, Aaron Lennon, like Bale, failing to make any impact.
Referee Mike Dean deserved huge credit for playing on after Ramires downed Parker as the African picked up the ball 15 yards inside his own half.
Adebayor ran on, first crossing half-way, then advancing to 25 yards out as Chelsea unaccountably backed off.
Even then the quality of his right-footer, bending out of Petr Cech's reach and into the top corner, was unstoppable.
Spurs were galvanised. Holtby and Lennon combined to feed Bale, who slipped past Ashley Cole before Branislav Ivanovic blocked and Adebayor diverted Jan Vertonghen's raking diagonal over the top.
But they were undone again six minutes before the break. Fernando Torres, no longer masked, tricked Tom Huddlestone out wide before sliding through, with Ramires' toe poke giving Hugo Lloris no chance.
Kyle Walker, Spurs' main thrust, could have levelled again before the interval, just wide after an exchange with Adebayor although Lloris had to deny Oscar at the other end.
It had been breathless stuff, Torres' industry impressive and had he made proper contact from a David Luiz cross soon after the restart it surely would have been all over.
Chelsea were still swarming all over the visitors, Villas-Boas' anxiety levels growing, Hazard missing another opportunity to settle it after Spurs were again caught in possession, Ramires slipping with the goal at his mercy.
Spurs came again. Vertonghen took a Huddlestone free-kick off of Holtby's instep, Bale went down in vain as he tried to bypass the excellent Cole.
Running out of time, running out of hope. Then, again from nowhere, another leveller.
Adebayor was fractionally offside when he received from Benoit Assou-Ekotto but the flag stayed down and a terrific touch was curled home by Sigurdsson.
Spurs might even have nicked all three points, sheer relief running round the bridge when Bale's injury-time free-kick was gathered.
It means Tottenham are no longer masters of their own destiny. But they remain alive. Benitez has business to attend to at Villa Park before he can start to think about Amsterdam.
**
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech 6; Azplicueta 7, Cahill 7, Ivanovic 7, Cole 8; Ramires 7, Luiz 6; Oscar 6 (Beneyoun, 84, 5), Mata 7, Hazard 8 (Moses, 73, 6); Torres 7
Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Lloris 6; Walker 7, Dawson 6, Vertonghen 7, Assou-Ekotto 5; Huddlestone 5, Parker 5; Lennon 5 (Sigurdsson, 62, 7), Holtby 6 (Dempsey, 70, 6), Bale 5; Adebayor 7
Referee: Mike Dean
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Rubbish, kaikai ologogoro people. Fourth position no go reach them.
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