We will travel to Eindhoven next week with ground to make up in this UEFA Cup
Round of 16 tie after suffering a 1-0 reverse to PSV at White Hart Lane.
It
was a game that never really got going for us and a strong and resolute PSV side
were quick to take advantage, with Jefferson Farfan netting the only goal just
after the half hour. There was a crisp tempo, but it was a largely uneventful
first 15 minutes - a spot of gentle sparring as the two sides sized each other
up. It was the Carling Cup team, but with new boy Gilberto in for the cup-tied
Alan Hutton. He slotted in at left-back with Pascal Chimbonda restored to his
more natural habitat on the right flank. On the subject of Wembley, the Carling
Cup was paraded before kick-off, with Chris Gunter and Gareth Bale doing the
honours and in turn cranking up the atmosphere. Gilberto was yellow carded for a
trip on the speedy Farfan 26 minutes in, presenting the first real shooting
opportunity that the same player clipped the wall with from the resulting
free-kick. On 33 minutes Farfan did make a difference. A quick counter was not
effectively repelled and Gilberto was caught in possession before the Peru
international steered low past Paul Robinson. Steed Malbranque then had two
efforts deflected wide as the urgency levels increased before a Jermaine Jenas
cross was nodded just wide by Jonathan Woodgate. A brilliantly constructed
passage of play, moments later, concluded with Malbranque squirting his shot
wide as PSV were being planted on the back foot. Gomes then pulled off a
stunning save to deny Robbie Keane, who before dispatching his shot plucked a
huge Robinson clearance out of the air and spun to lose his markers. The second
half brought about some lively end-to-end exchanges with neither goalkeeper
being greatly troubled. There was a blow just after the hour when Jermaine Jenas
was stretchered off with what appeared to be an ankle injury - Tom Huddlestone
was introduced in his place. In fact, the game was crying out for the passing
and invention of the midfielder. The score should have been level on 68 minutes
when a flighted ball from the right from Dimitar Berbatov cleared the PSV
backline and fell within nodding distance from Chimbonda - the full-back getting
under the cross and heading over. Adel Taarabt was next on the scene in place of
Ledley King, but it was Robbo to the rescue 15 minutes from time and he
effectively kept us in the tie. A Farfan shot was arrowing into the bottom right
hand corner until the goalkeeper's outstretched hand diverted to safety. The PSV
bench were up and about to celebrate. PSV were finishing the stronger but an
O'Hara volley across goal just fizzed in front of a Berbatov lunge with five
minutes left on the clock but at the other end PSV had the ball in the net
again, only for it to be ruled out for offside.
Linked here.
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