UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE
ROUND OF 32 (1st leg)
THURSDAY 19TH FEBRUARY, 2015
(8.05pm)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1(1) AFC FIORENTINA 1(1)

Spurs scorer:-
Soldado, 6

Fiorentina scorer:-
Basanta, 36

Attendance:- 34,235

Referee:- Carlos Velasco Carballo
Assistants:- Roberto Alonso & Juan Yuste
Additional assistants:- Carlos Del Cerro & Jesus Gil Manzano
Fourth official:- Javier Rodriguez
(All officials from Spain)

Teams:-
Spurs (4-2-3-1):- Lloris (Capt.); Walker, Fazio, Vertonghen, Davies; Paulinho (sub Mason, 84), Bentaleb; Townsend (sub Lamela, 73), Eriksen, Chadli (sub Kane, 66); Soldado

Subs not used:- Vorm; Rose, Dier; Dembele

Booked:- Soldado (foul on Joaquin)

Fiorentina (3-4-1-2):- Tatarusanu; Savic, Rodriguez, Basanta; Joaquin, Fernandez, Pizarro, Pasual (Capt.) (sub Alonso, 66); Valero (sub Badelj, 78); Salah, Gomez (sub Ilicic, 85)

Subs not used:- Neto; Richards; Aquilani; El Babacar

Booked:- Rodriguez (foul on Townsend), Savic (foul on Chadli)

All to play for next week.

Spurs took an early lead during a very bright start,when it looked as if they might over-run Fiorentina, wearing their traditional all purple strip. However, the visitors soon took a foot-hold in the game, which was played at a fast tempo throughout, and equalised in the 36th minute.

Spurs had other chances to score in the first half, most notably when Soldado's effort was saved at close range by Tatarusanu, before the keeper was rescued by the underside of his bar when Chadli followed up.

In the second half, I don't think either goalkeeper had a save of note to make. Both teams put their opponents under pressure at times, but good defending won the day once the scores were levelled.

I said in my preview "Who can unlock the mind of the Poch" and so it proved. I thought he would want to field his strongest team for this game, but he was clearly keeping some powder dry for Sunday's West Ham game, with Rose, Mason, Dembele, Lamela and Kane on the bench. Three of these did get on in the second half, but to no avail.

Interpretations might vary, but I saw the visitors' formation as a 3-4-1-2, and that made them vulnerable in the early stages, as Townsend gave Basanta a hard time, and Chadli looked dangerous down the other side. Soldado looked sharp, and he and Chadli were working well together.

Once they settled down, the Italian team looked very fluid, and seemed to work up and down the pitch in packs. Valero is an Eriksen-like player, but he was perhaps one of the quieter members of the team. Funnily enough, I thought Eriksen was quiet for us too.

Rodriguez got an early booking from the Spanish referee for a nasty challenge on Townsend, before Spurs had their first chance, when Soldado fed the ball to Chadli in the middle. The goalkeeper was equal to Chadli's effort.

Spurs, in the shape of the ever popular Soldado, took a sixth minute lead after a corner on the right, taken by Paulinho. Soldado simply volleyed the ball from the centre of the area into the net to the left of Tatarusanu. The Spurs crowd (and it was almost a full house) was rocking, but they were well matched by an enthusiastic Fiorentina crowd in the lower tier, who often mimicked Spurs-type chants in their own language. (When the Spurs go marching in/You're not singing any more)

Fernandez had a good run all the way into the Spurs box from the right, winning a corner. At the Park Lane End, Townsend hit a long cross beyond the back post, which Chadli collected and passed inside to Eriksen, who fired over the bar.

The pace of the game was enhanced by a quick return of any ball after it had gone out of play. I assume this was Pochettino's doing, and I can't recall seeing it before this season.

Soldado had a great overhead effort on goal from the near post after another cross from the right. The goalkeeper held the shot.

Spurs were being required to defend stoutly on occasions, and both Fazio and Davies made good tackles.

There was plenty of skill on display from both sides. In Spurs' case, I would cite both Walker and Davies going forward; Bentaleb in the middle, with Paulinho contributing fully in the early stages. Townsend, Soldado and Chadli have already been mentioned.

A low cross from Walker caused confusion in the Fiorentina defence, but unfortunately, the ball passed behind the Spurs attackers. Bentaleb tried to thread a ball for Soldado, but the offside flag was raised.

Valero played a ball from the centre to his captain, Pasqual on the left. His cross was aimed at German International striker Gomez, but Vertonghen was close, and a goal-kick was the result.

Townsend crossed from the right, and Chadli's header did not quite fall for the Spurs players. Bentaleb had a good breaking run, but his final shot was into the arms of Tatarusanu.

Now Soldado was culpable and punished for a foul just outside the left of the Spurs area, as he prevented Joaquin making progress. Soldado got a yellow card, and Spurs conceded a goal, as Lloris could not hold the powerfully hit cross/shot. Basanta scored low inside the same post in the follow-up. It might be harsh on Lloris, but arguably he should have done better, as he should for Markovic's goal at Anfield. This equaliser could be the goal that ends Spurs hopes of Europa League success.

Just before the half-time break came that save from Soldado and the Chadli effort that somehow bounced out and not into the net from under the bar.

During the interval, we were introduced to "Ledley and The Kings". This is a group which does not include Ledley King, but takes his name, and by permission, the music of Chas and Dave in a re-make of "Hot Shot Tottenham". Any funds raised will go to the Tottenham Tribute Trust, represented by trustee, and former Spurs listee Jonathan Adelman. I'll leave it to you to pass judgement on the quality of the song.

Chelsea loanee Mohamed Salah had a shot early in the second half, but it was off target, as most Fiorentina shots were, despite a number of occasions when the Spurs defence was out under pressure.

Savic (once of Man City) got booked for preventing Chadli breaking clear, but there were few bookings in the game, and in the second half, at times it looked like a fast-paced practice match.

Soldado, Paulinho and Eriksen showed some nice touches in a central position outside the area, but they just couldn't forge a shot on goal. The Fiorentina defence was proving as resilient as that of Spurs. Ben Davies took a pass from Chadli, and took the ball to the bye-line, but when he cut the ball back, it evaded any Spurs players.

Chadli was working well, and I was surprised when he (and not Eriksen) was replaced by Harry Kane, upon whom great expectations were placed by the home crowd. Harry tried hard, but he too couldn't find a way through the mass of purple.

Bentaleb tried a left foot shot from a cross by Walker, but it screwed wide of the goal. After involvement by Eriksen and Kyle Walker, Andros Townsend came inside and hit a powerful right footed shot just wide. Surprisingly, not long after that, Pizarro escaped the referee's attention when he seemed to bring Townsend down in a dangerous position. Fiorentina made a useful break from this situation, and put the Spurs goal under pressure.

Paulinho had a left foot shot saved, winning a corner, after which Soldado had a header saved from a Townsend cross from the left.

The most dangerous situation for Lloris in the closing stages was to allow a low cross to pass harmlessly past his goal.

The 1-1 score might be disadvantageous to Spurs, but these are two evenly matched sides, and I'll be travelling to Florence next week thinking we could still win the tie. It is all still to play for!

· See the exclusive "Spursometer" and have your say regarding the performances of the team, individual players, manager and officials.

Follow @spursodyssey

· Squad numbers,appearances,bookings & goalscorers
· Read the preview for this game.
· All the Spurs Stats you could hope for here! THFC6061 Sports Stats