|
|
Tottenham Hotspur lost more vital points, and were perhaps
quite lucky to get one today at Blackburn Rovers. The
match ended 1-1, and summed up the season so far for
both of these clubs.
Read also:
Mido played the full game for Spurs, but
never really made a superb impact. If anything, the
striker rushed his shots far too often, though his aerial
presence was constantly a threat. Stephane Henchoz,
on his Rovers debut, did a good job against Ahmed Hossam,
as well as Andre Ooijer who knew Mido well from the
PSV Eindhoven versus Ajax Amsterdam games in the past.
Hossam Ghaly almost played a full game too, but was
given a red card in stoppage time. Ghaly had started
the game on the right and with Steed Malbranque coming
on at half time, it looked as though the duo were playing
behind the strikers, and in front of Tom Huddlestone
and Didier Zokora. Ghaly was fouled inside the box by
Tugay and the referee gave a shock red card to the Turk.
This somewhat guaranteed a point for Tottenham who had
the numerical advantage thereon, but in the final seconds
Ghaly was given a red card for what the referee saw
as an elbow on Michael Gray. The truth is that neither
incident should have resulted in a dismissal.
Blackburn started the game off well, and Shabani Nonda
finished well past Paul Robinson only to see the linesman's
flag raised. The hosts took the lead with a quarter
of the game gone when former Turkey captain Tugay Kerimoglu
struck the sweetest volley possible from outside the
box, which soared past Robinson.
Spurs responded but Mido took two shots from distance
which were unneeded, both slicing wide to sarcastic
cheers. When Ghaly nodded the ball down to Mido later
he hit a weak shot wide. And then the Egyptian striker
also had the chance of the day for Tottenham when Edgar
Davids marched forward and played a through ball for
him. Mido was only up against Gray, but took the shot
first time from outside the box and it sailed off target.
The second half started with another bad strike from
Mido before he struck the net only for another offside
decision. He got a slight touch with his head on a crossed
free-kick from the right, and the ball went in. Replays
showed that Mido was indeed offside, but that Jermain
Defoe, behind him and ready to head, was onside.
It didn't end up mattering, as on the hour mark, Spurs
equalised. Hossam Ghaly was at the centre of it, winning
a penalty for the second weekend in a row! Ghaly picked
the ball up nicely on the right and tried to cut in
past Tugay. The veteran tried to tackle the ball but
missed both it and Ghaly. However, his back foot clipped
the Egyptian who was trying to run on, and a penalty
was awarded. There was no intent from Ghaly to dive
nor from Tugay to foul. The referee's assistant told
the official to give a shock red card to Tugay, which
put the game beyond Rovers, who even threw on Aaron
Mokoena for Shabani Nonda to ensure winning a point.
Jermain Defoe's spot kick was hit well.
There could have been a penalty at the other end when
the ball appeared to hit Mido's arm inside the penalty
area while he was defending a cross. Mido blasted the
ball clear and ran forward straight after the appeals,
making them seem all the more true.
|
|
|
|
Blackburn found it hard from then on, but Spurs, surprisingly,
didn't push forward much. Benni McCarthy had a couple of nice
efforts on goal, including one with his heel on the volley.
The tempo increased in the final minutes and Mido put a brilliant
cross in from the left which Huddlestone should have made
better use of.
The final drama of the day came when Ghaly jumped for a header
with Gray with his arm significantly out. However, he brought
it back into his body and leaped very high with his arm moving
slightly onto the Rovers player's head. The reaction to the
incident was completely 'over the top', with Spurs and Rovers
players sprinting accross to Ghaly and Gray, and the linesman
running onto the pitch to protect Ghaly. Mido then took Ghaly
away a little, before the referee grabbed the midfielder and
showed him a red card. With Ghaly still in his grasp, referee
Dowd gave a red card to manager Martin Jol who was seriously
annoyed at the initial dismissal. Much credit must be given
to Ghaly for his very sensible reaction; he simply left the
pitch and looked bemused. One can only remember Mido's completely
unfair red card against Chelsea last season, where he was
banned further for not leaving the pitch quickly enough.
All three red cards will surely be appealed. Spurs, meanwhile,
are still without an away win or even a convincing performance
outside of the Lane.
Blackburn: Friedel 7, Emerton 6, Ooijer 7, Henchoz 7, Gray
7, Bentley 4 (Peter 85' ?), Savage 6, Tugay 7, Pedersen 5,
Nonda 6 (Mokoena 65' 6), McCarthy 7 (Jeffers 87' ?).
Tottenham: Robinson 6, Lee 5, Dawson 6, King 7, Assou-Ekotto
5, Ghaly 6, Zokora 5, Huddlestone 5, Davids 5 (Malbranque
46' 5), Defoe 6 (Berbatov 83' ?), Mido 6.
Red cards: Tugay 60'. Ghaly 90+2'.
Yellow cards: Mido
Goals: Tugay 23', Defoe 62' (pen).
Match reactions will follow on EgyptianPlayers.com...
|
|
