Richmond Spurs: Match Report UEFA cup vs Hapoel Tel Aviv

Courtesy of Official Site-

Robbie Keane made it 25 goals in 33 games when he set us on the way to UEFA Cup
victory against Hapoel Tel Aviv on Thursday evening
Robbie's strike, coupled
with another from his strike partner Dimitar Berbatov, was enough to record our
first win of the UEFA Cup Group Stage, as well as it being a first victory on
our travels this season. Juande Ramos made four changes to the team that started
up at Middlesbrough on Saturday, restoring the strike partnership of Keane and
Berbatov and also Didier Zokora to the central midfield axis with Jermaine
Jenas. Pascal Chimbonda was switched to centre half, with Paul Stalteri drafted
in at right back. It was a sultry evening, weather-wise, at the compact
Bloomfield Stadium, with the home team decked out in all red and supported
vocally by a sizeable pocket of fans behind the goal protected by Vincent
Enyeama in the first half. It was colourful and atmospheric and you imagine that
a Tel Aviv derby must be quite an event. The first attempt on goal came when
Bebars Natcho dragged an effort wide of the upright in the eighth minute. The
game was not quick to get going and both teams were struggling to establish a
foothold or to dominate territorially. It carried on in much the same fashion
until the first decisive move was made in the 26th minute when Keane sent Steed
Malbranque scurrying down the left of the Hapoel penalty area and the Frenchman
did well to bundle his way through and deliver a cross back into the path of
Keane, who smacked the ball home with precision from around penalty spot
distance. The advantage was doubled just four minutes later, the first phase of
play being an Aaron Lennon centre that led to a Berbatov shot being blocked in
front of goal. The ball found its way out to the left and Malbranque again
turned provider with a cross that was calmly nodded into the net past Enyeama by
Berbatov. Keane could have helped himself to a double seven minutes before the
break, only denied by a desperate late block by Gabriel Do Santos. Hapoel were
rattled and their noisy pocket sat down and went quiet. Chimbonda then headed
narrowly over from a Jenas free-kick. The battling spirit of the home side
evaporated as half-time was reached, but they nearly enjoyed a slice of fortune
at the beginning of the second period when Bakukh Dego mishit a cross and the
flight of it came close to deceiving Paul Robinson and causing a few problems.
Hopes of mounting a comeback were dented five minutes into the half when Gal
Shish was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Lennon, having earned the
first for an offence against the same player in the first half. Lennon, moments
later, chipped a crossfield pass into the area occupied by Malbranque, who
flashed a shot across goal. It was his final contribution to the game as he was
subsequently replaced by Jermain Defoe. The contest again became very disjointed
before being sparked by a neat combination between Jenas and Keane that led to
the latter drilling just wide. A double change was next with Darren Bent and
Kevin-Prince Boateng being introduced to the mix - Jenas and Keane being
withdrawn. The swaps enlivened proceedings, but the game was won and urgency was
not an ingredient particularly in evidence. Robinson had to be alert to save at
the feet of Fabio Junior Pereira and we finished the stronger with Bent closest
toa third, his effort coming back off the upright after being threaded through
by Defoe. All in all, job done.