Christian Eriksen Goals Inspire Dramatic Recovery For Tottenham

Two goals by Christian Eriksen brought Spurs level after a poor start against Southampton and Gyfi Sigurdsson grabbed a dramatic winner in the second minute of added time.

Totttenham Hotspur 3 Southampton 2

Scorers: Eriksen (2), Sigurddson    Rodriguez, Lallana

Team: Lloris; Naughton, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Rose; Lennon (Townsend), Bentaleb, Chadli, Dembele (Sigurdsson), Eriksen; Soldado Subs: (unused) Friedel, Dawson, Fryers, Paulinho, Kane

The Tottenham team had Younes Kaboul and Jan Vertonghen restored to their positions in central defence while Nacer Chadli who scored twice in Lisbon retained his place in the team. Aaron Lennon, Mousa Dembele and Roberto Soldado were the only changes to the team which lost to Arsenal, replacing Andros Townsend, Sandro and Emmanuel Adebayor. With Sandro and Adebayor injured, only Townsend made it on to the substitutes bench while Michael Dawson has recovered from injury.

Southampton controlled the first half and were a constant threat to Tottenham’s high-line defence. It was individual defensive errors which brought the three first half goals. The first came from a blunder by Kyle Naughton when he misjudged the bounce of a ball played forward by Southampton. As the ball went over his head, Rodiguez was through on goal to beat Lloris with ease after 19 minutes.

Eight minutes later Naughton was again at fault when in trying to clear he touched the ball to Lambert who was in an off-side position. The Southampton striker held the ball and laid it for Lallana to make it two. The original danger came from a free-kick which Spurs cleared but when the ball was played back in the Spurs defenders had come out at different paces and with 3 Southampton players in an off-side position, Naughton’s touch played them on, allowing them to create the goal.

Two minutes later, however, it was the Southampton right-back who caught the disease gifting Spurs a goal. Naughton put in a cross but it went over the head of the defenders in the centre but Clyne got a touch with the ball falling to Eriksen who rifled it low past the goalkeeper from close in.

Southampton recovered from the set-back and Lloris had to block an effort from Lallana after 35 minutes. On 41 minutes, Eriksen came close to an equaliser when a cross by Chadli was touched into his path by Soldado. The Dane went over the challenge of two defenders but his touch towards goal was blocked by the goalkeeper.

Southampton’s movement was a constant danger to Spurs defence which was pushing forward leaving huge areas for the Southampton strikers and midfield to run into.

The second half started and ended in dramatic fashion as Spurs grabbed an equaliser within 45 seconds of the restart. Soldado chased a ball forward towards the corner flag, he dispossessed the defender and took the ball into the area to play the ball across goal towards Eriksen who scored from four yards.

Roberto Soldado and Christian Eriksen [Photo: Jav The_DoC_66]From this point, Tottenham took control of the game and unsettled Southampton. They kept the visitors penned back in their own half and Soldado encouraged by his assist, shot on the turn from 30 yards. After 55 minutes a break by Chadli ended with a shot saved by the goalkeeper. Sigurdsson who replaced Dembele at half-time played Eriksen into the area but the shot hit the side-netting.

As the half progressed Southampton regained their composure and with the match drifting to a close had more possession but without getting a shot on target. In the 83rd minute, Chadli headed the ball down to Soldado but his shot from 18 yard went past.

With the game in added time, Lloris played a long free-kick forward. The Southampton defender won the ball but Chadli got a touch with his head and the ball fell to Eriksen on the edge of the area. He touched it across to Sigurdsson who shot from 18 yards to give Spurs a dramatic late win.

Despondency for Southampton who had played so well in the first half but Spurs showed determination to get back into the game and then snatch the late winner. The three points take Spurs ahead of Everton and only 6 points behind Arsenal.

That win was the first time in 14 years that Spurs have recovered from being two goals down to win at White Hart Lane.