Robbie Keane scored a late penalty to defeat Man City 2-1 at White Hart Lane.
Keane scores penalty after Bojinov had equalised Defoe opener
Spurs are still in the hunt to qualify for Europe after a last-gasp 2-1 victory over rivals Manchester City at White Hart Lane.
The home side dominated the first half and City keeper Shay Given pulled off three great saves to deny Jermain Defoe, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Ledley King.
But Defoe finally broke the deadlock on 29 minutes when getting behind Richard Dunne to flick on a Tom Huddlestone cross from the right.
City came out a different side after the break and substitute Valeri Bojinov volleyed home fellow substitute Benjani's header on 65 minutes.
But Spurs won it with four minutes to go after substitute Fraizer Campbell and Micah Richards tangled in the box and Robbie Keane made no mistake from the penalty spot.
The victory means the race for seventh place in the Premier League will go to the wire.
By only conceding one goal, Spurs also established a new league club record for least goals conceded at home in a season - but it was the fact that they edged an action-packed encounter that really mattered.
After scoring the opener, Defoe was involved in the bizarre incident with the assistant referee on the stroke of half-time.
Nedum Onuoha challenged him on the touchline and as he rolled off the floor Defoe must have felt a touch. The England striker may have felt it was his opponent but it was actually assistant referee Trevor Massey, with Defoe instinctively flicking out.
It did not appear deliberate but Massey still required treatment and was replaced by Stuart Attwell at the interval.
Single-handedly
Spurs should have sealed the points by then but Given single-handedly kept his side in the match.
It was Keane who set up the first chance. Defoe had already had a strike ruled out for offside, then Keane slipped him the ball in the fourth minute.
The England striker took a touch inside and curled an effort on target, with Given leaping to his left to keep out the shot.
Given's high standards mean those type of saves are now expected of him, and he was down sharply again when Pavlyuchenko tried his luck from 25 yards.
The Republic of Ireland shot-stopper pulled another save out of the top drawer when King connected with Huddlestone's corner, with a reflex stop required on the line.
Given was finally beaten, just before the half-hour mark, by Defoe's impish piece of skill.
Jermaine Jenas shifted the ball to Huddlestone on the right, the cross came over but was slightly behind Defoe, so the striker back-heeled on the volley beyond Given.
It was his first goal since a foot injury in January kept him out for 10 weeks, and City may have been disappointed that Elano was not taken off just before the goal.
The Brazilian was struggling with an eye complaint and was taken off for Pablo Zabaleta just after the opener.
There had been very little for Oasis singer Liam Gallagher to shout about from the stands, only a poked Martin Petrov effort, a finish that suggested he was a player short of confidence and a right foot.
Second-half
Alan Hutton came on at the break for Jonathan Woodgate, meaning Spurs made a change as well as the officials.
Spurs had won their previous four home matches 1-0 and City were determined to break that sequence, with Richards raiding down the right trying to make something happen.
Felipe Caicedo had sight of goal but his effort was sliced wildly and almost went for a throw.
City boss Mark Hughes responded by introducing Benjani and Bojinov for Petrov and Caicedo on the hour mark.
Bojinov equalised in the 65th minute when Stephen Ireland chipped the ball into the penalty area, Benjani headed down for Bojinov to volley home his first goal for the club.
Pavlyuchenko stabbed an effort horribly wide and was then taken off and headed straight down the tunnel, with Spurs boss Harry Redknapp appearing unimpressed with the Russian.
Spurs were awarded their penalty when Richards and Campbell tangled, with Keane tucking away the spot-kick.
Benjani then missed a sitter for City in the dying moments, heading over unmarked from close range.
