Tottenham Hotspur on this Day - 27th November
27th November 2014
A
goal by Benji Stambouli early in the second half gave Tottenham Hotspur
victory over Partizan Belgrade at White Hart Lane and ensured their
qualification for the knock-out stages of the Europa League.
Tottenham Hotspur 1 Partizan Belgrade 0 Europa League Group Match 5
Scorer: Stambouli
With
injuries and suspension, Mauricio Pochettino was unable to make as many
changes for this game against Partizan Belgrade, as he had done for
previous Europa League matches. Five players were introduced for the
penultimate group match with Kyle Naughton returning at right-back and
Vlad Chiriches starting in central defence alongside Jan Vertonghen.
Benji
Stamouli partnered Mousa Dembele in central midfield with Paulinho,
Aaron Lennon and Erik Lamela to provide the creative spark for Roberto
Soldado, the lone striker. Dominic Ball and Harry Winks were again among
the substitutes with Nabil Bentaleb, Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane.
The
first half was delayed for 10 minutes when the referee took the players
off after 40 minutes, following the third pitch invasion by a
spectator. Initially, it appeared to have been an orchestrated publicity
campaign but later turned out to be an internet prank.
Tottenham
had started on the front foot with a shot from Soldado going wide in
the first minute and one from Naughton going over in the 4th minute.
Partizan pulled everyone deep and made it difficult for Spurs but
counter-attacked with pace and threatened the home defence on a number
of occasions during the first half.
After
20 minutes, Dembele won the ball in midfield and played it wide to
Lamela on the left. His first time cross was just ahead of Soldado on
the 6-yard line. At this point play was interrupted by the first of the
pitch invaders who ran around taking “selfies” with the players. The
stewards eventually got him off the pitch.
A
poor pass out by Naughton set up the visitors but Hugo Lloris dived low
to save the shot in the 23rd minute. At the other end, Davies set
Lamela free on the left but the cross was cleared ahead of Soldado.
In
the 29th minute, Chiriches missed a ball into the area but Lloris was
out quickly to force Partizan wide. This signalled the second spectator
to come onto the pitch with UEFA officials looking grim-faced on the
touchline.
After
37 minutes, Lennon laid the ball back to Stambouli who fired in a low
shot which the goalkeeper saved comfortably. On 40 minutes, a further
interruption by a spectator, saw the referee take the players off the
pitch. After ten minutes, they returned but Spurs were totally at sea
through those final minutes of the half although a cross by Soldado was
laid back to Lamela who shot wide.
After
the interval, Spurs had a promising attack through Lamela and Dembele
who put the ball wide for Naughton but his cross went behind. Two
minutes later, Tottenham made the breakthrough when Stambouli gathered
the ball in midfield and burst forward. He played the ball into Soldado
in the area, he lifted it over the advancing goalkeeper but it struck
the post. Stambouli had kept up his forward run and met the rebound to
fire into the net in the 49th minute.
For
a period this lifted Spurs who looked as if they might add to their
advantage. Lamela had a shot blocked and then Davies found Soldado wide
on the left but the goalkeeper cut out his cross.
Partizan
were nearly gifted a chance through poor Spurs defensive play but it
was put wide in the 53rd minute. A minute later, Paulinho had a shot
deflected wide and in the 55th minute, Lennon lifted the ball over the
defence to Soldado in front of goal but the goalkeeper saved the effort.
Spurs
continued with more purpose as Lamela shot wide. Kane replaced Soldado
and he immediately set up Paulinho but his shot was blocked and Lamela
then put an effort wide. In response Partizan shot over on the break.
After 72 minutes, a Kane free-kick from 30 yards was saved by the
goalkeeper and a shot by Bentaleb was deflected and touched over by the
goalkeeper.
The
visitors were on the look for a goal and threatened with a header from a
cross but Lloris produced a great save in the 88th minute to deny them.
In the final minutes Harry Winks replaced Paulinho to make his
Tottenham debut. Spurs had two good chances to score but Stambouli
passed when clean through on goal after a flicked header by Kane and
then Lamela’s curling shot was well saved by the goalkeeper.
Tottenham
held out, kept a clean sheet and with three hard-earned points moved to
the head of Group C, two points ahead of Besiktas who drew 2 – 2 in
Greece. In the final Group, Spurs required a draw to retain their place
at the top of the group.
Team: Lloris;
Naughton, Chiriches, Vertonghen, Davies; Dembele (Bentaleb), Stambouli;
Lennon, Paulinho (Winks), Lamela; Soldado (Kane) Subs: (unused) Vorm,
Ball, Dier, Eriksen
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