Tottenham 2 - 2 Wigan
Tottenham had to come from behind twice to squeeze a point from an exciting Barclays Premiership encounter with Wigan at White Hart Lane.
On a weekend when their rivals for a European place were either inactive or on FA Cup duty, Martin Jol's side had intended to use this re-arranged Premiership fixture as a platform to move seven points clear of nearest challengers Arsenal.
But Paul Jewell's men had other ideas and warmed up for next week's Carling Cup final clash with Manchester United with a performance that was certainly worth a point.
January addition Andreas Johansson twice put the Latics ahead with a neatly-taken goal in each half but saw those advantages wiped out, first by the recalled Mido and then England hopeful Jermain Defoe.
Spurs had dropped two points at bottom club Sunderland last week so Jol decided on changes and it was Robbie Keane who made way for Mido despite having been on the score-sheet at the Stadium of Light.
The home side started confidently but were caught out in the 10th minute by a few moments of routine, route one fare.
Wigan goalkeeper Mike Pollitt launched the ball down-field, Paul Scharner headed it on for Henri Camara and Johansson to chase and the Swede was able to take full advantage.
Goalkeeper Paul Robinson managed to get a touch but not one that could prevent the ball from crossing the line via his left-hand post and the England international had been left unprotected by a dithering back line that appealed Camara had initially been offside.
Defoe wasted a glorious chance to equalise four minutes later when an awkward touch from Wigan defender Arjan de Zeeuw allowed the striker to get goal side of Stephane Henchoz.
Defoe drilled in a shot from just a few yards out but straight at Pollitt, who blocked bravely with his legs.
Mido showed him how it was done in the 23rd minute with the cheekiest of equalisers to complete a move that had begun with a throw-in on the right flank.
Paul Stalteri fired in a low cross that the Egyptian diverted only slightly with a raised left boot but it was enough to bamboozle first the defender at his back and then the goalkeeper, who saw it flash across him and into the net.
The striker then let his high standards slip by wasting a simple chance to put Spurs in front when he headed Aaron Lennon's cross from the right wide, having first given Henchoz the slip.
Another dimension to Mido's make-up was there for all to see seven minutes before the break when the man who made headlines across the world for his mid-game bust-up with the Egypt coach during an African Nations Cup tie earlier in the month was booked for dissent when a decision did not go his way.
Henchoz did not reappear after the break, with club captain Matt Jackson replacing him at the back.
Camara hooked a bicycle kick just wide from Pascal Chimbonda's cross from the right as the visitors tried to regain the lead.
The former Celtic man was even closer seconds later when a fine run ended with a left-footed effort from inside the box that just cleared the crossbar.
Wigan were enjoying a spell of pressure and eventually it resulted in Johansson's second goal of the afternoon.
The midfielder, forced to play further up field because Jason Roberts was suspended and David Connolly injured, exchanged passes with Camara and slotted calmly past Robinson.
The lead lasted a matter of seconds however as a de Zeeuw error let Defoe in.
Mido had headed on a long ball and the Dutch defender looked odds on to clear. But he failed to do so and Defoe nipped in to clip the ball past Pollitt.
Keane joined the fray for the final 15 minutes, replacing Danny Murphy, who had made his first start since moving from Charlton last month in the absence of midfield lynchpin Jermaine Jenas.
The home side piled on the pressure but Wigan were resilient and almost snatched all three points at the death when Scharner powered in a diving header at the back post that Robinson somehow scrambled away.
There was still time for the England goalkeeper to block from late substitute Lee McCulloch but this time the flag was up for offside anyway.
On a weekend when their rivals for a European place were either inactive or on FA Cup duty, Martin Jol's side had intended to use this re-arranged Premiership fixture as a platform to move seven points clear of nearest challengers Arsenal.
But Paul Jewell's men had other ideas and warmed up for next week's Carling Cup final clash with Manchester United with a performance that was certainly worth a point.
January addition Andreas Johansson twice put the Latics ahead with a neatly-taken goal in each half but saw those advantages wiped out, first by the recalled Mido and then England hopeful Jermain Defoe.
Spurs had dropped two points at bottom club Sunderland last week so Jol decided on changes and it was Robbie Keane who made way for Mido despite having been on the score-sheet at the Stadium of Light.
The home side started confidently but were caught out in the 10th minute by a few moments of routine, route one fare.
Wigan goalkeeper Mike Pollitt launched the ball down-field, Paul Scharner headed it on for Henri Camara and Johansson to chase and the Swede was able to take full advantage.
Goalkeeper Paul Robinson managed to get a touch but not one that could prevent the ball from crossing the line via his left-hand post and the England international had been left unprotected by a dithering back line that appealed Camara had initially been offside.
Defoe wasted a glorious chance to equalise four minutes later when an awkward touch from Wigan defender Arjan de Zeeuw allowed the striker to get goal side of Stephane Henchoz.
Defoe drilled in a shot from just a few yards out but straight at Pollitt, who blocked bravely with his legs.
Mido showed him how it was done in the 23rd minute with the cheekiest of equalisers to complete a move that had begun with a throw-in on the right flank.
Paul Stalteri fired in a low cross that the Egyptian diverted only slightly with a raised left boot but it was enough to bamboozle first the defender at his back and then the goalkeeper, who saw it flash across him and into the net.
The striker then let his high standards slip by wasting a simple chance to put Spurs in front when he headed Aaron Lennon's cross from the right wide, having first given Henchoz the slip.
Another dimension to Mido's make-up was there for all to see seven minutes before the break when the man who made headlines across the world for his mid-game bust-up with the Egypt coach during an African Nations Cup tie earlier in the month was booked for dissent when a decision did not go his way.
Henchoz did not reappear after the break, with club captain Matt Jackson replacing him at the back.
Camara hooked a bicycle kick just wide from Pascal Chimbonda's cross from the right as the visitors tried to regain the lead.
The former Celtic man was even closer seconds later when a fine run ended with a left-footed effort from inside the box that just cleared the crossbar.
Wigan were enjoying a spell of pressure and eventually it resulted in Johansson's second goal of the afternoon.
The midfielder, forced to play further up field because Jason Roberts was suspended and David Connolly injured, exchanged passes with Camara and slotted calmly past Robinson.
The lead lasted a matter of seconds however as a de Zeeuw error let Defoe in.
Mido had headed on a long ball and the Dutch defender looked odds on to clear. But he failed to do so and Defoe nipped in to clip the ball past Pollitt.
Keane joined the fray for the final 15 minutes, replacing Danny Murphy, who had made his first start since moving from Charlton last month in the absence of midfield lynchpin Jermaine Jenas.
The home side piled on the pressure but Wigan were resilient and almost snatched all three points at the death when Scharner powered in a diving header at the back post that Robinson somehow scrambled away.
There was still time for the England goalkeeper to block from late substitute Lee McCulloch but this time the flag was up for offside anyway.
posted by dgarden at 8:17 am
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