Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Chelsea: Defoe And Bale Prolong Title Race And Keep Spurs In Champions League Hunt - 7M sport

Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Chelsea: Defoe And Bale Prolong Title Race And Keep Spurs In Champions League Hunt

Posted Sunday, April 18, 2010 by Goal.com

Tottenham's pivotal role in the destiny of the Premier League title race continued with an emphatic victory over Chelsea that propels Harry Redknapp's side into the Champions League places.

Jermain Defoe struck from the penalty spot following a John Terry handball before a Gareth Bale special added to Spurs's lead, with Chelsea's captain seeing red in the second half for two bookable offences in quick succession, and the home side hung on after Frank Lampard's late header.

Having so spectacularly consigned Arsenal to a spectator role in the Premier League title race in midweek, and having seen Manchester United provide them with an opportunity to leapfrog Manchester City for fourth position, the home side dominated the opening stages with an energy and verve borne out of confidence.


But it was the visitors who threatened first as a threaded Frank Lampard pass almost found the in-form Florent Malouda, but Huerelho Gomes, Wednesday night's White Hart Lane hero, anticipated the ball before the French winger could get a touch.

Gomes would be on hand again two minutes later, once more to deny Malouda as the former Lyon man launched a driven shot that drew a strong one-handed save from the Brazilian.

From the resultant corner it was Spurs who looked the more likely to strike, with Michael Dawson's clearance to Jermain Defoe setting up a counterattack involving David Bentley and Luka Modric, which ended with Gareth Bale earning a corner from a deflected cross as Roman Pavlyuchenko lurked in the centre.

The big Russian should have done better minutes later when he found himself in space in the box, but the Euro 2008 star dallied over whether to use his left foot, and by the time he had worked his way into space several Chelsea defenders had blocked the route to goal.

His strike partner Defoe had a better start, twisting and turning England team-mate John Terry on the edge of the box before being brought down – fairly according to referee Phil Dowd – when through on goal.

Terry would not be so fortunate on 14 minutes when he was deemed to have handled a cross from the energetic Bale, who had himself had a penalty appeal turned away moments before.

Up stepped Defoe to powerfully slot the ball into the left corner of the net as Peter Cech dived the wrong way – a perfect start for the White Hart Lane faithful.

Didier Drogba had a half chance to level the score from the restart after a Joe Cole cross found him in space, but the Ivorian slipped backwards and his left-footed shot was comfortably collected by Gomes.

The home side continued to move the ball at pace, with Bale and Benoit Assou-Ekotto linking up well, and the Welsh winger was a constant source of anxiety for the usually assured Chelsea backline.

A Pavlyuchenko strike from outside the box exuded far more belief than his tame early effort, and forced a fingertip save over the bar from an alert Cech.

Excellent footwork from Modric down the left bamboozled Paulo Ferreira, and the Croat's cut back to Bentley at the near post forced an instinctive block from Terry to deny what would have been an almost certain goal.

Whilst Spurs looked the more dangerous side over the course of half an hour's play, the visitors showed a capacity to strike on the break that kept Younes Kaboul and Dawson on their toes, with Yuri Zhirkov and Lampard showing incision, if not effectiveness, in their link-up play with the isolated Drogba.

Carlo Ancelotti was forced into a substitution as John Obi Mikel limped off to be replaced by Michael Ballack, with the German slotting into the space vacated by the injured Nigerian.

A cleverly worked Spurs corner caught Chelsea unawares as Bentley feigned a cross before rolling the ball out to Bale on the edge of the box, but the Welshman failed to find a white shirt at the far post, and Kaboul spurned a glorious chance soon after, turning a whipped Bentley set-piece straight into the arms of Cech.

And the home fans groaned soon after as Malouda put the ball in the back of the net after a through ball from Zhirkov saw him free to clip the ball over Gomes, but as the Frenchman peeled away to celebrate, the linesman's arm raised to indicate that the Chelsea winger had received the ball in an offside position.

The phantom goal served as a reminder to Tottenham that their opponents, despite a ropey opening, are not a side to ever be taken lightly.

It was the impressive Bale who heeded the warning, having latched onto a long ball the Welshman fooled Ferreira before lashing a driven right-footed shot into the near corner of Cech's net – a second goal in two crucial games from the Welshman.

Chelsea again nearly struck back from the restart, but were once more denied by Gomes as a measured Lampard volley was parried wide before the break.

Ancelotti could have no complaints about his side's predicament as the players headed to the tunnel, they had been over-ran throughout the first half and spurned the few chances that they had, wasting possession on numerous occasions and looking out of sorts for a team with title ambitions – it was Spurs who had played like league leaders.

The Italian tactician gambled ahead of the restart, bringing on Branislav Ivanovic and Nicolas Anelka to replace the fraught Ferreira and Cole respectively. And there would be drama even before the second half kicked off, as Drogba appeared to pull a muscle and trundled off the pitch much to the distress of the Chelsea bench, but the Ivorian eventually returned to the field for the resumption of play.

Despite looking in clear discomfort, the totemic striker managed to produce an effort on goal from outside the box, but Gomes got down early to save with ease.

At the other end, a neat pass from Pavlyuchenko split the Chelsea defence and saw Defoe race through on goal, but Cech was quick off his line to deny the Englishman who should really have finished the game.

Chelsea were easily prised open by Pavlyuchenko's pass, and were soon riled after five minutes of tempestuous play, with Deco carded for an apparent lash at Tom Huddlestone, who himself was carded for his part in the altercation, with the match officials having to separate sets of players on the halfway line – certainly not the type of response that Ancelotti would have wanted.

But Chelsea soon began to exert pressure, with the first half's star man Bale penned further back into his own half to support Assou-Ekotto and help double-up on Ivanovic and a roaming Anelka down the Tottenham left.

Spurs, however, continued to disrupt, adopting a direct approach that found players in space as Chelsea pushed forward, with a Pavlyuchenko strike forcing another good save from Cech.

The Russian improved throughout, being both an outlet and a provider for his team-mates, and his strong hold-up play frustrated Terry, who saw yellow for a rash and deliberate challenge as Pavlyuchenko attempted to feed through Defoe once more.

Former England captain Terry soon saw a second yellow on 66 minutes after bringing down Bale as the Welsh winger tapped the ball into space to tee up a cross – the second red card that the Chelsea captain had seen at White Hart Lane in his career.

With all substitutes used, Spurs marauded at will as Modric and Huddlestone dictated, and Defoe should again have sealed the points after cutting inside Ivanavoic, but his effort was wild.

Were it not for the quick-thinking Cech, Bentley would have scored a superb third after a hacked clearance found the former Blackburn man 40 yards out, and the much maligned winger produced a strike reminiscent of the looping volley scored at the Emirates Stadium last season, but Chelsea's No.1 reacted much better than Manuel Almunia, peddling back and tipping the ball over the bar.

Ivanovic saw a similarly inventive strike clip just over before Eidur Gudjohnsen came on to replace Defoe for the remaining 12 minutes of play against a club for which he won two Premier League medals.

The Icelander was involved in much of Spurs' following play, and saw Bale again come close with a low shot that was well-stopped by Cech.

Tottenham would have been punished for their profligacy soon after were it not for a desperate diving block from Dawson to deny Drogba – the English centre-back showing the sort of tenacity and reading of the game that would impress the onlooking Fabio Capello.

Bale again came close to adding another, this time from an improbable right wing position as the Welshman latched onto a long ball and slipped the ball beyond the out-rushed Cech, but the ball trickled just wide of the far post.

The youngster was Spurs' star man and he nearly turned provider for Pavlyuchenko, but the lumbering striker failed to reach a teasing cross with Cech's goal at his mercy.

The chance for Pavlyuchenko would come back to haunt him minutes later as the fourth assistant raised the board to indicate there would be five minutes of time added on, and Lampard would set White Hart Lane hearts racing with a diving header beyond Gomes just a minute into injury time.

Pavlyuchenko again missed a sitter as he, Gudjohnsen and Bale spearheaded a three-on-one counterattack, but the Russian skewed his shot wide.

It was, however, not to matter as Dowd would blow for full-time just moments later and end a captivating spectacle that blew open both the race for the title and for the final remaining Champions League position.



Attention: Third parties may advertise their products and/or services on our website.7M does not warrant the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of their contents.
Your dealings with such third parties are solely between you and such third parties and we shall not be liable in any way for any loss or damage of any sort incurred by you.