"One pass to many" That's what the commentators said about Spurs effort in the second half as the home side, cruising with a 2-1 lead at the 70 minute mark, gave up a couple of goals in the next four minutes to find themselves on the wrong side of a 3-2 score. Spurs had many, many chances to put the game away, as the final 17 to 7 shots on goal tally will attest to, but a combination of both great goalkeeping by Shay Given and hesitancy and sheer unluckiness by any number of Spurs players in the box doomed Spurs to defeat.
Spurs had the better offensive chances for the majority of the game, but once again, the failure to finish those chances has cost them. All of the credit to Newcastle, mind you, even when they were getting battered on defense their youngsters held firm, and the equalizing goal to make it 2-2 by Obafemi Martins, well defended, was created on his own, leaving Paul Robinson no chance on a great strike from the left side of the box, and Nicky Butt slotted one past Robinson two minutes later that left the home team (and crowd) stunned and disappointed.
The first Newcastle goal was a typical one allowed by Spurs this season.........a 16th minute shot Paul Huntington that went through Robinson's leg, a great response to the goal by Jermaine Defoe just two minutes before.
The only bit of luck that went Spurs way in terms of getting something out of the many opportunities was their second, scored by Dimitar Berbatov on a rebound from a missed shot of Teemu Tainio. As the match time waned, Defoe hit the woodwork on the left side on a great shot that summed up the total result of the effort today.
Still cannot believe that Spurs lost this one today; as of this moment, it's a good signal that this side is still not quite ready for the Champions League. Of course, the absence of Ledley King on the back line might've made a difference today, but congratulations to the Geordies all the same.
GAME MATCH
No comments:
Post a Comment