Tottenham v Limassol: Live Blog From White Hart Lane
By Logan Holmes
A live blog from White Hart Lane for the Tottenham match against AEL Limassol in the 2nd leg off the Europa League Play-off Round. With Spurs holding a goal advantage from their 2 – 1 win in Cyprus last week, they will be confident of progressing to the group stages but as manager Mauricio Pochetino has emphasised, they will have to avoid doing a “Manchester United” by losing a game they are expected to win.
Tottenham Hotspur v AEL Limassol
Team: Lloris, Naughton, Chiriches, Kaboul, Davies, Dembele, Sandro, Paulinho, Lennon, Townsend, Kane
Subs: Friedel, Dier, Rose, Veljkovic, Chadli, Holtby, Adebayor
Mauricio Pochettino has selected a strong team from the squad players with only 2 survivors from Sunday’s win over QPR – Hugo Lloris and Younis Kaboul. Vlad Chiriches, Mousa Dembele and Sandro start their first game of the season. Kyle Naughton and Ben Davies return at full-back. Andros Townsend who has been included in the England squad starts the game while Danny Rose who has been called up by Roy Hodgson for the first time is among the substitutes. Aaron Lennon and Paulinho are in midfield. In the absence of Roberto Soldado through injury, Harry Kane plays as striker with Emmanuel Adebayor on the bench.
Live Match Blog: On a mild August evening under the lights at White Hart Lane, the supporters of AEL Limassol are making sure there is goi to be a good atmosphere. New signing Federico Fazio was given a warm welcome by the Spurs supporters when introduced to the crowd at the Lane. The Argentine central defender signed from Sevilla is a big lad. The teams are out, Spurs in their all-white strip and the kick-off is less than 5 minutes away.
++++++++++++++++++++
That’s all from White Hart Lane on a night when Spurs enjoyed a very comfortable win, controlling the game completely from the start.
Final Score: 3 – 0 Kane (45), Paulinho (49), Townsend (pen) (66)
Aggregate Won 5 – 1
Spurs playing through the final minutes secure in the knowledge that they qualified for the Group stages of the Europa League. The draw is made tomorrow (Friday).
Milos Veljkovic comes on for Chiriches who had a good game in central defence for his first appearance of the season.
82 minutes a shot by Davies is pushed past the post by the Limassol keeper who then saves twice from the corner, blocking Kane’s shot at the back post for another corner.
With 10 minutes to play a Limassol header from a cross at a free-kick goes past Lloris’ post.
Shot by Townsend tipped over and goalkeeper then punches the corner clear.
77 minutes Lewis Holtby replaces Sandro having waited for 5 minutes for the ball to go out of play.
Shot by Lennon gathered by goalkeeper.
Sandro, Dembele and Paulinho much more prominent in the Spurs midfield since the interval.
Townsend penalty! 3 – 0
Penalty for handball as Naughton played the ball into,the middle. Townsend takes over penalty duties and sends the goalkeeper the wrong way after 65 minutes.
Kane released Paulinho through the middle, he laid the ball back to Lennon but his chip went over the bar with a defender scrambling to get back after 61 minutes.
Sandro pressing in midfield released Paulinho but he is dispossessed before getting his shot away. Tottenham toying with Limassol having taken the aggregate score to 4 – 1.
Good inter-passing between Lennon and Ben Davies on left touch line is cleared by a Limassol defender.
2 – 0 Paulinho
Chiriches’s back-heel on edge of Limassol area falls to Paulinho whose shot across goal beat the goalkeeper and it at the far post after 49 minutes.
Sandro won the ball on the right and linked withnKane whose shot went wide in opening minute. Paulinho broke into the area but was pressured off the ball before he could shoot.
Second half about to start.
Tottenham failed to show in the first half the ability to play the ball forward quickly from midfield as Etiene Capoue and Nabil Bentaleb have done in the previous games. It was being left to the central defenders to find a pass to open up the Limassol defence – a return to last season’s ways.
At half-time Chirpy did the Ice Bucket challenge with the help,of Martin Chivers.
Half-time: Tottenham 1 AEL Limassol 0
In added time, Limassol pushed forward to cause the Spurs defence a little discomfort.
7 minutes of added time.
Goal for Harry Kane!
A low shot by Lennon is miss-handled by the keeper as he dives low. He punches corner clear. Spurs starting to show frustration at their inability to make their domination count. Harry Kane makes amends for his penalty miss with 44 minutes played beating the goalkeeper to put Spurs ahead bursting through the middle.
A quick break through the middle by AEL but Lloris dives to gather the ball at the edge of his area.
With half an hour played, Spurs continue to dominate possession to control the game but can’t find a way through a stubborn Limassol defence. A cross Townsend from a free-kick is punched out by the keeper. The ball is worked back into the area and Lennon’s back-heel is put over the bar by Kane.
Shot by Mousa Dembele past the post after good play by Spurs down their left.
Kaboul and Chiriches looking quite comfortable in central defence. Limassol pulling everyone back but in a swift counter-attack the final,shot goes well over. With the visitors being pushed back and sitting deep the Spurs midfield is finding it more difficult to find a way through. Townsend frees Naughton to cross – header by Kane – corner.
Ben Davies burst into the area but goalkeeper dives at his feet to,collect the ball with 15 minutes played.
Vlad Chiriches cleared down the middle to Kane on halfway. The young striker turned and headed for goal. His shot from the edge of the area was blocked by the goalkeeper.
Good positive start from Spurs, not allowing Limassol to dominate as they did in Cyprus last week. They deserved a goal from the penalty for their early play.
After a lengthy delay the goalkeeper is carried off on a stretcher. Romero comes on the face the penalty. A test of Kane’s nerve as the goalkeeper blocks his powerful drive. The second penalty Kane has missed at the Lane in a Europa League game – Hearts in 2010.
Harry Kane waited patiently to take the spot kick while the goalkeeper received attention. Substitute goalkeeper Pulpo Romero warmed up on the touch line waiting to replace the injured Fegrouch.
A diagonal cross field pass towards Naughton results in the goalkeeper bringing down the defender and the referee awarding Spurs a penalty after 5 minutes.
Spurs keep Limassol penned in their own half in the opening minutes, retaining possession and pressing early. Aaron Lennon just fails to intercept a pass across the AEL penalty area. A break by Harry Kane fails when Kyle Naughton and Andros Townsend get in each other’s road.
7.45: AEL Limassol kick-off.