Late Christian Eriksen Equaliser As Tottenham Come From Three Down
By Logan Holmes
Tottenham made a second half recovery to take a point at West Bromwich Albion with a late added time equaliser by Christian Eriksen.
West Bromwich Albion 3 Tottenham Hotspur 3
Scorers: Vydra, Brunt, Sessegnon Kane, Eriksen, Olsson o.g.
Team: Lloris; Naughton, Chiriches (Fryers), Kaboul, Rose (Townsend); Lennon, Chadli (Sigurdsson), Paulinho, Eriksen; Adebayor, Kane. Subs: (unused) Friedel, Veljkovic, Bentaleb, Winks.
Tim Sherwood selected an unchanged team after the 5 – 1 success over Sunderland on Monday evening but within four minutes they were two goals down as Spurs did their best to lose the match in the opening fifteen minutes when they also missed a penalty. However, from three down after half an hour, Spurs fought back and Eriksen scored a deserved equaliser in the 94th minute.
Albion put Spurs under immediate pressure from the kick-off, first on their left and then on the right where Danny Rose was beaten with ease and a cross fired in towards Hugo Lloris who pushed it out but the ball fell to Vydra who volleyed low past the goalkeeper after 24 seconds.
A challenge by Paulinho on the edge of the area after a minute brought shouts for a penalty but on 4 minutes, Chris Brunt doubled Albion’s lead which again came about through poor defending by Tottenham. A cross from the right was flicked on and Brunt volleyed past a helpless Lloris.
Spurs were stunned and a dominant West Brom kept the pressure on the visitors who were allowed possession around half-way but once Albion had the ball they broke quickly either with the long ball forward or by running at the Spurs defenders who were at a loss as to what they should do.
Gradually, Spurs made some impression on the game. A shot by Harry Kane went past the post when he linked up with Emmanuel Adebayor after 6 minutes and then a cross after 9 minutes by Christian Eriksen was taken away from Aaron Lennon by a defender. Two minutes later a cross by Rose was put past the near post by Kane.
After 14 minutes, Tottenham were gifted an opportunity to reduce the arrears when awarded a penalty for a foul on Rose on the edge of the area. Adebayor put his his effort low and Ben Foster dived to save with ease. It was similar to a penalty Adebayor missed at the Hawthorns two years ago but that time he was able to put away the rebound.
Christian Eriksen
Younes Kaboul and Vlad Chiriches were struggling against the Albion strikers, constantly giving the ball away or missing clearances and on 19 minutes a mistake by Chiriches resulted in a cross which brought a save by Lloris from a header. Lloris was again called into action to save a shot from the right but after 30 minutes he was beaten again when a ball was flicked on at halfway and in a race with Chiriches, Sessegnon held him off to make it 3 – 0.
Spurs were given a lifeline when a cross by Lennon was deflected past Foster by Olsson after 33 minutes. It could have been two two minutes later when Paulinho struck a powerful shot which Foster saved well and when the loose ball fell to Rose, Foster reacted well to make a double save.
After half-time Spurs brought on Zeki Fryers for Chiriches and Tottenham started to dominate the game as Albion looked to hold what they had playing with only one striker after the break.
Eriksen was playing more centrally and controlling the play. Nacer Chadli found Rose on the left after 49 minutes but his shot went across goal and past the far post with the goalkeeper stranded. Three minutes Naughton played in Lennon and his low shot was saved by Foster. Immediately after an Eriksen free-kick to the near post was kept out by a scrambling Foster and Paulinho headed the corner over.
There was much greater intent by Spurs who were totally dominating possession, having 70 % after the opening 15 minutes of the second half. A cross by Naughton was cleared as Kane closed in on 67 minutes and when the ball was played back in by Eriksen, it was just out of the reach of Kane.
Spurs pressure paid off through good play by Lennon. He beat his man and took the ball into the area and then crossed with Kane’s downward header beating the goalkeeper and defenders on the line after 69 minutes. It was now all Tottenham and Albion’s attacking threat was gone.
Spurs continued to press with Foster the much busier keeper. A long ball forward was headed down by Adebayor to Eriksen but he shot wildly past on 72 minutes. Adebayor received the ball from Kaboul, controlled and turned but his shot was blocked and Rose put the rebound high and wide. Spurs continued to look for that equalising goal as Albion tried to waste time at every opportunity but even with six minutes of added time it looked as if Spurs were going to be denied.
In the 93rd minute, however, a cross by Lennon was flicked on by a defender. It fell to Eriksen who controlled the ball and brought it more centrally before firing into the top corner of the net. An equaliser for an improved second half performance which denied Albion their first home win under manager, Pepe Mel.
Spurs showed improvement in the second half with a desire to get back into the game but that can’t hide their atrocious start to the match and the terrible defending in the first forty five minutes. Having taken only one point Spurs now have Manchester United breathing down their necks for 6th place in the league.