Group A FC Twente 3 Tottenham 3:JERMAIN DEFOE ended months of frustration in the sub-zero Netherlands last night when he conjured his first club goals since August. Both featured his trademark composure and augured well for Tottenham as they look towards the turn of the season.
Harry Redknapp’s team had been desperate for a victory to ensure that they advanced into the Champions League’s last 16 as Group A winners. They were denied their wish after yet another European goalfest but it did not matter as Internazionale fluffed their lines at Werder Bremen.
Tottenham would have bitten anybody’s hand off back in August for the chance to qualify from a difficult group with a game to spare. Yet, if there has been the feeling of them punching above their weight in Europe’s elite competition, this was the opportunity for them to add the gloss finish.
Redknapp might have shuffled his pack slightly with an eye on Sunday’s Premier League visit of Chelsea but make no mistake, he was desperate for the result to ensure top spot and seeded status for the last 16 draw on Friday week.
The first half was a tale of two goalkeepers. And while Heurelho Gomes mixed some flapping with neat handling to repel a shot by Wout Brama and collect a dangerous cross from Roberto Rosales, the Twente goalkeeper, Sander Boschker, endured a moment that will haunt him.
When Peter Wisgerhof sent an innocuous back-pass along the bumpy ground, Boschker suffered his Paul Robinson moment. He took a mighty swing at the ball, missed it almost completely and, as his heart leapt in horror, he watched it spin back and trickle into his own goal.
However, events took a turn for the worse for Redknapp’s team early on. Rosales unleashed a rocket from distance that hit Benoit Assou-Ekotto on the arm as he shielded his face inside the area. The penalty award felt harsh at the time.
Denny Landzaat checked his run and then shot beyond Gomes but the referee ordered a retake for encroachment. Landzaat’s second attempt was straight and, to Gomes’ anguish, it wriggled underneath him.
Although Roman Pavlyuchenko drew a save out of Boschker and Defoe touched just over from a Gareth Bale cross, Twente were the better team in the first half. Redknapp was forced in a change when Jermaine Jenas limped off and, to make matters worse, he was booked for delaying his exit and will be suspended for the first leg of the last 16.
For all their offensive smartness, though, Twente had looked sloppy at the back. Tottenham failed to hurt them in the first half but immediately after the interval, they made them pay. Douglas dithered in attempting to clear Bale’s cross and when the substitute Aaron Lennon picked up possession, he sent a marvellous reverse ball through for Defoe. Confronted by Boschker, Defoe’s clipped finish was lethal.
With Inter trailing 2-0 in Bremen, things looked good for the north London side. But they allowed their margins to be eroded shortly afterwards, at a time when the home crowd looked to have had the stuffing knocked out of them. Theo Janssen’s cross from the left was floated invitingly for a team-mate to attack and Rosales, the marauding right-back did just that, thumping his header past the diving Gomes.
The game took on the feel of an end-to-end shoot-out, not for the first time in Tottenham’s season. Defoe restored their lead after Wilson Palacios had won possession, surged forward and seen his shot parried by Boschker. Again, the close-range finish was clinical yet the advantage was short-lived, as Nacer Chadli bent home a superb 25 yard free-kick.
n Goals from Sebastian Proedl, Marko Arnautovic and Claudio Pizarro saw defending champions Inter Milan slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Werder Bremen.
Guardian Service
FC TWENTE: Boschker, Rosales, Wisgerhof, Franco, Tiendalli, Brama, Landzaat, Janssen, de Jong, Janko (Vujicevic 73), Chadli. Subs not used: Mihailov, Bengtsson, Parker, Buysse, Leugers, John.
TOTTENHAM: Gomes, Corluka, Gallas, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto, Kranjcar (Crouch 86), Jenas (Lennon 34), Palacios, Bale, Pavlyuchenko (Keane 73), Defoe. Subs not used: Cudicini, Hutton, Giovani, Dawson. Booked: Jenas.
Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo(Spain).
