UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE
Matchday 5
THURSDAY 27th NOVEMBER, 2014
(8.05pm)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1(0) FK PARTIZAN 0(0)
Spurs scorer:-
Stambouli, 49
Attendance:- 28,362
Referee:- Yevhen Aranovskiy
Assistants:- Oleksandr Voytyuk & Oleksandr Komiyko
Additional assistants:- Serhiy Boiko & Anatoliy Abdula
Fourth official:- Serhiy Bekker ( All officials from Ukraine)
Teams:-
Spurs (4-2-3-1):- Lloris (Capt.); Naughton, Chiriches, Vertonghen, Davies; Dembele (sub Bentaleb, 56), Stambouli; Lennon, Paulinho (sub Winks, 87), Lamela; Soldado (sub Kane, 66)
Subs not used:- Vorm; Dier, Ball; Eriksen
Booked:- Stambouli (foul on Lazovic)
FK Partizan (4-2-3-1):- Lukac; B. Ilic, Cirkovic, Stankovic, Volkov; Markovic, Ninkovic (sub A. Zivkovic 62); Grbic, S. Ilic (Capt.) (sub Marinkovic, 74), Lazovic; Skuletic (sub Kojic, 78)
(Armband to Stankovic)
Subs not used:- Z. Zivkovic; Petrovic, Luka, Fofana
Booked:- Grbic (Dissent), B. Ilic (unsporting behaviour)
Stambouli's first Spurs goal seals qualification.
Benjamin Stambouli's very first goal for Spurs, scored in the 49th minute was enough to secure the win tonight, along with qualification for the Round of 32. Besiktas, who had been joint leaders of Group C with Spurs, could only draw at Asteras Tripolis, which puts Spurs two points ahead at the top of the group. We therefore only need to draw in Istanbul in two weeks' time to finish top of the group, and to ensure the best circumstances for the next phase of the competition.
The second half was more lively, with Spurs dominating possession and chances, after a lack-lustre first half, during which more excitement was felt in the crowd by the first of three one-man pitch invasions. By the time the third encroachment took place, the crowd were frustrated, as were the players, who were taken off for 10 minutes by Ukrainian referee Yevhen Aranovskiy.
Spurs could be in trouble for the invasions, which may have been part of an organised advertising campaign. The stewards were very slow in re-acting to the offenders. There were pockets of other supporters in home sections, particularly the East Upper stand. I understand these were in fact Albanian supporters, keen to protest following the recent trouble at an International match.
The Spurs team was quite strong, with Paulinho getting a rare start this season in the middle of the attacking midfield three. The Brazilian got more game time than he has seen for most of this season too.
For a team, whose only point in this group was the 0-0 at home to Spurs in September, Partizan played well, closing Spurs down in all areas, making it difficult for our players to play their way out of their own half, as is their desire.
On the whole, when we were in the opposition half, we looked capable of invention, but we were poor on occasions in front of goal.
Soldado had a good chance after just one minute, following a move which involved Lamela, Dembele and Paulinho. Soldado pulled his right foot effort just wide of the keeper's right post at The Park Lane End. Soldado then just failed to reach Davies' cross from the left, after another Dembele pass. In the follow-up, Kyle Naughton hit a shot over goal.
After 9 minutes, Grbic made a good run down the right channel, and Stambouli was struggling to keep up with the attacker, whose cross evaded Skuletic, and went out for a Spurs throw.
Another Dembele/Davies combination led to a cross fed by Lamela to Paulinho, whose shot was deflected and looped over the bar onto the net for a corner.
Partizan's right back Branko Ilic got the better of Ben Davies on the Spurs' bye-line, hitting the cross back to Lazovic, who put his shot wide, when he could have done better.
Dembele made a good win in the final third, and fed the ball to Lamela, who offered another chance for Soldado, but the Spaniard couldn't quite reach. This was followed by the first and longest encroachment, during which the individual seemed to even take photographs of the players without interference.
Mid-way through the half, Lloris was down well to Ninkovic's right foot shot. After another invasion, Lazovic chipped a ball to Skuletic, but Spurs were able to smother his effort on goal.
Lennon and Lamela switched flanks on occasions, and Lennon received the ball inside the box on the left hand side, passing back to Stambouli, who hit a good low hard shot, but Lukac picked up cleanly.
Paulinho had the ball on the Partizan bye-line, but the visitors managed to break into the Spurs half, with Ninkovic carrying the ball before hitting a shot, held by Lloris.
After the players returned following their unscheduled 10 minute break, and during three minutes' added time, Lazovic hit a shot well over at one end, whilst Lamela had a shot go just outside the post.
Micky Hazard was interviewed at half time by Paul Coyte, and Hazard's passion and love of the club was there for all to see.
After their lively start to the second half, Soldado and Stambouli advanced down the right channel, courtesy of a neat one-two. Soldado should have scored, and his shot beat Lukac, but not the far post. Luckily for Spurs, the ball rebounded only as far as Stambouli, who was more than happy to drive it into the back of the net. Stambouli's celebration owed something to "Sergeant Adebayor", with a salute towards the Paxton Stand.
Soon after that, Stambouli got a yellow card and a stern talking to from the referee after a crunching foul on Lazovic.
Dembele fed Lamela, who had a shot well blocked. Davies then passed to Soldado, who hit a cross/shot from the left, held by the keeper.
Lazovic had a good chance at the other end, fed by Skuletic, with both players being afforded too much space by the Spurs defence. Lazovic was off target. At the other end, Paulinho had a good shot deflected just wide for a corner. Lennon chipped a nice ball to Soldado, who was again thwarted in front of goal.
Paulinho, Lamela and Lennon all combined with nice touches, but the ball was cleared off Lennon's feet before he could get a shot in. Lennon then teed up Lamela,whose shot passed just outside the keeper's left post.
Kyle Naughton had to leave the pitch for a change of shirt, but had to spend an age waiting for the referee to wave him back on. Unlike in the Premier a League, it seems that UEFA referees insist upon a clear break in play, such as a throw-in, before allowing a player back onto the pitch.
Dembele had already been replaced by Bentaleb, and now Soldado was replaced by Harry Kane. Both players got good applause from the crowd. Kane was soon involved in a move with Paulinho and Lamela, whose final shot passed over the goal.
Harry Kane took a great free kick after 72 minutes, and goalkeeper Lukac did ever so well, diving to his right to push the ball around for a corner. Following the corner, Bentaleb had a shot which took a deflection and looped awkwardly for the keeper, who was able to push the ball over the bar.
Lennon lifted a good ball over the top to Harry Kane, who did put the ball in the net, but had been flagged offside.
Hugo Lloris had to make a great save, diving to prevent Volkov's header finding the net. A follow-up shot went wide for a goal kick.
With minutes to go, Paulinho was replaced by 18 year old Harry Winks for his first appearance, wearing number 44. Stambouli had a shot deflected into the path of Lamela, who fired wide across goal.
There was some confusion in added time, when Harry Kane went down in the box. The referee appeared to have given a penalty, but then signalled a corner. He may have been diverted from his initial thoughts by the "additional assistant" on that by early-line. After the corner, Lamela had a terrific effort tipped over.
Spurs will need to play a lot better on Sunday against Everton, who won in Germany, and top their group. Then, of course, we face the trauma of travelling to League leaders Chelsea.
The Spurs strategy of committing the full backs to attack often leads to too much space at the back, which any team can exploit. Partizan just didn't bring their scoring boots.
Europa League Group C
P W D L F-A GD PTS
Spurs 5 3 2 0 9-3 6 11
Besiktas 5 2 3 0 10-5 5 9
Asteras Tripolis 5 1 2 2 7-10 -3 5
Partizan 5 0 1 4 1-9 -8 1
