Spurs let victory slip away

Werder Bremen 2 Tottenham 2:HARRY REDKNAPP talked beforehand about never being too old to learn, but this proved to be a painful lesson for his Tottenham Hotspur players in the importance of killing a game.

Having scored twice in the opening 18 minutes, through an own goal and a splendid Peter Crouch header, Spurs allowed the victory that was within their grasp to slip through their fingers as Hugo Almeida punished some suspect defending just before half-time to completely change the complexion of this contest.

Outstanding before the interval, Tottenham retreated after the break as Werder Bremen grew in confidence and the ubiquitous Marko Marin started to control proceedings. It was the Germany international who brought parity shortly after the restart and, as an absorbing match became more and more stretched late on, both teams had a chance to snatch three points. Redknapp will understandably wonder what might have been, but Spurs should take great encouragement from their first appearance in the Champions League.

The natural expectation was that Bremen, set up in an attacking formation, would take the game to Spurs, but that theory was debunked in the blink of an eye as Redknapp’s side raced into a two-goal lead to stun the home support. Redknapp could have been forgiven for looking just as shocked. The Tottenham manager surely could never have imagined that his team would make Bremen, who have qualified for the Champions League group stages in six of the last seven seasons, look so ordinary.

That the opening goal emanated from a Gareth Bale cross was no surprise. The Welsh man had already exposed Clemens Fritz, the Bremen right back, on a couple of occasions when he sprinted on to Benoit Assou-Ekotto’s floated pass.

With the Bremen defence backtracking, Bale delivered the perfect cut-back, skidding a low centre towards the six-yard box that left Petri Pasanen, who had Crouch breathing down his neck, with no option but to make contact and turn the ball past his own keeper.

Spurs were euphoric and better was soon to follow. Jermaine Jenas, who was making only his second appearance of the season, arrowed a wonderful volleyed pass to Rafael Van der Vaart on the left.

The Dutchman took a touch before delivering a diagonal cross that picked out Crouch and, although the striker was some distance from goal, he met the ball perfectly, powering an emphatic header beyond Tim Wiese, the Bremen goalkeeper, and into the far corner.

The game was edging towards the interval and Bremen had created nothing to give Redknapp any cause for concern when Spurs conceded an awful goal. The Brazilian Wesley was given the time on the edge of the Spurs area to look up and float a high cross towards the back post that Hugo Almeida touched home after getting in between Ledley King and Assou-Ekotto. The marking was suspect to say the least, but questions will also be asked of Carlo Cudicini’s decision to stay on his line.

Bremen re-emerged a different team and within two minutes of the restart were level.

Marin cut inside from the left and, as the Spurs defence backed off, Bremen’s playmaker moved into the space that opened up in front of him before hitting a low right-footed shot from about 20 yards inside Cudicini’s near post.

Redknapp responded by replacing Van der Vaart, who had been so influential in the opening 45 minutes, with Robbie Keane.

Spurs roused in the closing stages and Keane and Crouch came agonisingly close to touching in Bale’s cross.

Guardian Service

WERDER BREMEN: Wiese, Fritz, Pasanen, Prodl, Silvestre, Frings, Bargfrede (Hunt 37), Marin, Wesley (Borowski 67), Arnautovic, Hugo Almeida (Wagner 79). Subs not used: Mielitz, Boenisch, Huseinovic, Jensen. Booked: Borowski.

TOTTENHAM: Cudicini, Corluka, Kaboul, King, Assou-Ekotto, Huddlestone, Lennon (Palacios 75), Jenas, Bale, Van der Vaart (Keane 49), Crouch. Subs not used: Pletikosa, Pavlyuchenko, Gallas, Bassong, Kranjcar. Booked: Huddlestone, Jenas.

Referee: M Busacca(Switzerland).