New Delhi: An outstanding spectacle finished with Tottenham Hotspur defeating Aston Villa. An action packed first half saw Jermaine Jenas take one of numerous chances to put Spurs in front.
Darren Bent extended the lead in the second half before John Carew set up a grandstand finish ten minutes from time. Spurs saw out the pressure and seriously dented Aston Villa's Champions League aspirations in the process.
Martin O'Neil's Aston Villa hosted Harry Redknapp's Tottenham Hotspur at Villa Park this afternoon. The statistics suggested the first goal would be crucial as neither side, scoring first, have gone on to lose a league fixture this season.
Villa really needed a win to keep the pressure on Arsenal with fixtures against Manchester United and Liverpool imminent. Tottenham, for their part, had the chance to put real daylight between themselves and the relegation zone.
Aston Villa made early inroads, Emile Heskey was flagged offside within a minute. If he had shown no interest in the ball then it would have run for Ashley Young who was away down the left flank, it was sloppy play by Heskey. Gabriel Agbonlahor was caught offside moments later when it looked like he was through on goal.
It was Spurs, though, that opened the scoring within the first five minutes. Aaron Lennon stole half a yard on Luke Young on the right and the young Englishman whipped in a teasing ball. Brad Friedel had to deal with it and palmed into the path of Jermaine Jenas. The England midfielder did well to react and adjust his body, heading under pressure into the empty net. One-nil to the Lilywhites.
The game was completely open with chances at both ends, Stiliyan Petrov skipped past Wilson Palacios and let rip from 25yards, his stinging shot zipped inches over the bar.
Ashley Young was bright scything his way past Didier Zokora, playing right-back, in the 10th minute. The English winger cut the ball back but it was intercepted by Palacios. Gareth Barry struck the ball but his snapshot was saved by Heurelho Gomes. Lennon picked up the ball and broke at the Villa backline but Barry did brilliantly to get back and cover with a sliding challenge.
Barry was involved again as Heskey flicked the ball into the path of the central midfielder, who was chraging into the box. Barry felt contact on his back and went tumbling in the box, but Steve Bennett was wise to it and waved play on.
An action packed first half continued, with Robbie Keane releasing Darren Bent. Tottenham's top scorer attacked his marker and cut inside to the edge of the box. Just before Bent could release the trigger he was intercepted by Nigel Reo-Coker. The ball fell to Jenas whose shot was blocked.
The frenetic pace subsidised a little as Zokora picked up a harsh yellow card for a high challenge on Ashley Young, both defensive units seemed to be willing to absorb pressure a little more as Villa dominated possession without creating many clear-cut chances.
Ashley Young was involved again in the 32nd minute, receiving a crossfield pass from Reo-Coker, the talented winger cut inside and ghosted past his marker before letting fly from 20yards. His shot was wayward and it soared high and wide into the stand.
The England winger had punished Zokora to such an extent that he was withdrawn in the 35th minute and replaced by Vedran Corluka.
For all their dominance, it was Spurs that came closest to scoring next. Bent attacked down the right flank and cut back in from the byline, he smashed the ball across the face of the goal and only an interception from Zat Knight stopped Keane doubling the Lilywhites' advantage.
Luca Modric combined well Lennon on the right and the Croat found himself free in the right-hand side of the box. He could have slipped the ball to Keane but elected to rifle the ball goal wards. Friedel got a good hand to it and saved well. Keane was furious.
In stoppage time Barry controlled then volleyed into the box from the left, the cross found Heskey who out jumped Ledley King and headed goal wards. His attempt had Gomes beaten but was denied by the woodwork, it was unlucky.
The start of the second half saw Spurs extend their lead. Lennon drove in from the right flank, cutting inside and leaving his marker for dust. Palacios stole the ball off his boot and lashed a shot goal wards from the edge of the 18yard box, Friedel did well to save and palm to his left but it was picked up by Keane who smashed towards the far corner. Bent was on hand to poach Keane's goal and tapped it across the goal line.
Spurs were rampant, camping out in the Villa half, Lennon rattled the pole holding up the net behind the goal with a rasping drive from 20yards. Friedel was absolutely stranded and didn't move. Modric had begun exerting an influence over the game and was dictating the pace of the Lilywhites' play.
Villa rallied and O'Neil, surely sensing how crucial this game was, threw on John Carew for Zat Knight on the hour mark. The home side starting throwing the ball forwards more in hope than attacking guile, Spurs were dealing well with the aerial threat.
Redknapp's side continued to engineer chances as good interplay down the right flank saw Corluka cut the ball across the box and find Modric on the edge of the box, his curling drive was comfortably saved by Friedel but Spurs looked dangerous going forward.
As the final whistle drew closer it was Spurs that were looking more likely to score the next goal. The away side were working extremely hard to restrict Villa and the home side were looking devoid of ideas. Heskey was whisked off with ten minutes remaining for Craig Gardener.
A half-chance fell to Barry in the 82nd minute, the ball was tossed forward and the ball broke to the Villa skipper who found himself no more than 4yards out on the left-hand side of goal. When the ball dropped to him he swung his boot and missed the ball completely, it was reflective of his sides efforts all afternoon.
Two minutes later, though, and Villa were back in the game. James Milner was released on the right flank and he whipped in a beautiful cross from the touchline. Carew rose above Jonathan Woodgate and appeared to have hands all over the defender, the referee didn't see anything wrong as the Norwegian powered his header into the top left-hand corner. Two-one Tottenham.
Spurs saw out the late pressure and go into 11th position, six points clear of the relegation zone. The result is a major blow for Aston Villa's Champions League qualification hopes and is the first time Villa have fallen to successive defeats in 16 league games. Villa are yet to beat a London club on home soil this season.
More on Goal.com
Comment: Just face it, Pippo Inzaghi is a legendEnglish angle: 6+5 = FIFA punishing the Premier League's successPlayer ratings: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester City
Comments
0 comment