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Hossam Ghaly's Spurs had won seven consecutive games
at home until the defeat against Liverpool. Now, it
is two losses on the trot for the Euro qualification
hopefuls. Spurs lost 3-2 to Newcatle United, despite
being ahead on two occasions.
Read also:
Ghaly only saw a few minutes of action
As was reported on Saturday in the EP
toolbar, it was expected that Hossam Ghaly would
drop to the bench to make way for Aaron Lennon to make
his starting return. This indeed happened, he and Steed
Malbranque interchanging positions throughout the game
from the left to the right side of the midfield. Malbranque
proved very effective, while Lennon, despite bright
moments, showed that he needs time to return fully from
his long injury. In all fairness, Ghaly's last few games
were on the whole more effective than Lennon's input
today.
Meanwhile, Mido is set to return from his groin injury
on the 20th of this month and he is also working on
his fitness. EP wish him a successful return to the
pitches.
Spurs started the match rampant against a weakened Newcastle
side, and tested Shay Given more than once and from
many angles and distances. They ended up scoring less
than quarter of an hour in when Malbranque fed Defoe
an outside of the boot pass from the left into the centre.
Although Defoe looked offside the flag stayed down and
he tucked the ball home.
Newcastle silenced the Lane less than two minutes later
as they scored with their first attack of the game.
Spurs had overwhelmed them till now, but when the ball
fell luckily for Paul Huntington he smashed it low onto
Robinson and in from a tight angle.
The match was fast-paced and exciting, and there were
chances, particularly for Spurs. However, the enjoyable
half was somewhat marred by half-time confrontations
between players, and Pascal Chimbonda and Nicky Butt
came in after the interval with their names in the referee's
book.
After a promising first few minutes from Newcastle after
the interval, Spurs looked unstoppable once more. Malbranque
was at the centre of a superb move, and his ball down
the line led to Chimbonda's low cross into the danger
zone. There, Teemu Tainio had his shot blocked heroically
by Nolberto Solano, only for the rebound to be volleyed
into the side of the net by Dimitar Berbatov.
Spurs started the party tricks; the heel flicks began
and the long range efforts too. But the game was far
from won. Nigerian star Obafemi Martins had hardly touched
the ball in the game, but when he received it on the
edge of the box in the 72nd minute he bore left and
smashed an unbelievable strike into the top corner beyond
the reach of any keeper.
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That stunning goal was followed by a stunning change in score-line.
A minute later Martins produced a perfect weighed pass to
put Nicky Butt within sight of goal. The former Manchester
United midfielder slid the ball beyond Robinson to give Newcastle
a shock lead.
Robbie Keane was put in for a disappointing Tainio, and the
Ireland captain's influence was quick. Hossam Ghaly was also
put on for the final two and a half minutes of normal time,
plus three added ones. He replaced Callum Davenport, and appeared
to be playing sweeper, standing as last man back but running
the ball forward with real urgency whenever it reached him.
Keane had legitimate shouts for a penalty when Solano blocked
his shot off the line, the ball bouncing off the Peruvian's
elbow. Then Jermain Defoe hit a super shot onto the post from
outside the area.
Hossam Ghaly could have been the hero when he made a surging
run forward and received a one-two with Berbatov. However,
instead of taking a rightful shot the Egyptian decided to
play the ball square again to the Bulgarian who was not expecting
it, and didn't make sufficient contact in what should have
been the equaliser.
EP Ratings:
Tottenham: Robinson 6, Chimbonda 8, Lee 5, Dawson 5, Davenport
5 (Ghaly 88' ?), Huddlestone 5, Lennon 6, Tainio 5 (Zokora
79' 5), Malbranque 8 (Keane 75' 6), Defoe 8, Berbatov 7
Newcastle: Given 8, Ramage 5, Huntington 6, Taylor 5, Pattison
5, Solano 8, Butt 7, Milner 6, Dyer 5, Sibierski 6, Martins
8
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