Tottenham 1 Blackburn 1
Blackburn's hopes of a direct route into the UEFA Cup were ended by Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe's equaliser in the 1-1 result at a soggy White Hart Lane.
Mark Hughes' side, who were reduced to 10-men following striker Jason Roberts dismissal, needed a win to stay in the hunt for a top-seven finish in the Barclays Premiership - but their European hopes now rest with a possible Intertoto Cup campaign.
The away side were on course for victory when Benni McCarthy opened the scoring to edge him ahead in the battle of the Premiership newcomers with Dimitar Berbatov.
But Berbatov then played his part in Defoe's equaliser, meaning Spurs now need a point against Manchester City on Sunday to play in the UEFA Cup again next season.
Roberts was dismissed after receiving two yellow cards in rapid succession, the first for a tussle with Didier Zokora and a second - apparently harshly - for protesting about the decision to referee Rob Styles.
The match was the 1,000th Premiership match televised on Sky - but there was little in the way of early entertainment before McCarthy struck.
With Jermaine Jenas absent with a slight back problem, Tugay and Aaron Mokoena were able to stamp their authority in midfield, protecting their defence as Spurs looked to strike early as they did earlier in the week against Charlton.
However, aside from Defoe - making his first start in a month - having a sight of goal, Ryan Nelsen and Christopher Samba were initially untroubled.
There was not much at the other end either, and the highlight of the early stages was Morten Gamst Pedersen's clashes on the left flank against Pascal Chimbonda.
The battle of the sharp hairstyles - the Spurs full-back was sporting new ponytails - resulted in the Rovers winger needing treatment for a head injury after one tangle.
Things livened up when Mokoena picked up a yellow card for a foul on Steed Malbranque, with the French midfielder eventually having to hobble off injured just before Rovers broke the deadlock.
The opening goal, in the 32nd minute, came following hesitation in the Spurs defence, leading to Pedersen finding the ball on the left.
His telling cross was met by South Africa striker McCarthy, who had peeled away from Ledley King at the far post to head home his 23rd of the campaign and his 17th in the Premiership.
Roberts looked to double the lead a minute later but his long-range effort was deflected and Paul Robinson saved.
Spurs seemed rocked by the opener and Robinson was then forced to scramble clear when Michael Dawson sold him short with a backpass.
David Bentley was also given an opportunity when Chimbonda ran into trouble on the edge of his own area, but the former Arsenal midfielder chipped over - much to the frustration of the unmarked McCarthy.
Aaron Lennon and Hossam Ghaly came closer towards the break but Brad Friedel did not have to work too hard to keep them out.
In fact, the loudest cheer from the home support up to that point came when Nayim, the former Spurs midfielder who famously lobbed in from the halfway line for Real Zaragoza in the 1995 Cup Winners' Cup final against Arsenal, was paraded at the interval.
There was little for Spurs fans to sing about immediately after the break either, although they appealed when Samba appeared to use his arm while clearing a corner.
After Pedersen had picked up a yellow card for fouling Defoe, Berbatov forced Friedel into a save with the free-kick which home fans optimistically yet wrongly claimed crossed the line as the American claimed at the second attempt.
Martin Jol brought on Robbie Keane in the 59th minute to replace substitute Ghaly, who threw his shirt to the floor in front of his manager. 'Your not fit to wear the shirt,' was the Spurs fans' assessment.
Despite having three strikers with 60 goals between them, Spurs were inches from going 2-0 down when Samba's header from Pedersen's free-kick glanced off the bar to safety.
And it proved a telling moment as Spurs levelled with 23 minutes left - with all three strikers having a hand in the goal.
Keane fed Berbatov, who spun on the edge of the area and fired a shot away, Friedel could only parry and Defoe tapped in.
Rovers boss Mark Hughes introduced strikers Matt Derbyshire and Paul Gallagher for Mokoena and Tugay respectively in the closing stages as he sought the crucial breakthrough.
But it was the hosts who went closest to a winner, with Dawson seeing two efforts go wide, before Robbie Keane hit the post in the first of four minutes of stoppage-time, with Roberts' dismissal the last action of the game.
Tottenham midfielder Hossam Ghaly faces internal disciplinary action for throwing his shirt to the ground when substituted in tonight's 1-1 Premiership draw with Blackburn.
Ghaly was brought on in the first half after an injury to Steed Malbranque but was taken off again as Spurs chased an equaliser after half-time at White Hart Lane.
-You can't do that so we will deal with that,- said manager Martin Jol. -We always deal with that sort of thing, we will deal with it internally.-
The fans provided their assessment by signing: -You're not fit to wear the shirt.-
Jol added: -The fans are entitled to do that. It was out of character but I make the decisions. I was right in hindsight because we played better.-
Blackburn's misery was compounded when Jason Roberts was dismissed for two stoppage-time bookings, with the Rovers striker furious with referee Rob Styles. Roberts was understood to be waiting in the tunnel for the official for an explanation.
Blackburn boss Mark Hughes said: -I was trying to say 'see the bigger picture' to the referee. At that stage, there was no need to send Jason off.
-He would think he said something but Jason is adamant he never swore at the referee. I thought it was completely ridiculous.-
Blackburn can still qualify for Europe through the Intertoto Cup, with Hughes adding: -We've applied for it and it was always an option.-
Spurs will be in Europe with a point on Sunday. They can still finish fifth but could also drop out of the top seven.
-I'm a very happy man if we would be in the top six,- said Jol. -That is the target, you could say we had a fine season.
-We need a point. I would have loved three against Blackburn but they played in an organised way.
-Robbie Keane came on and I felt he was the first player to play it forward and in the end we could have nicked it.-
Blackburn's Morten Gamst Pedersen was demoralised.
He told Sky Sports 1: 'We worked hard in the first half but we let Tottenham in the game in the second half. We let ourselves down in the second half.
'It changed before he [Keane] came on and we have to think about ourselves. We didn't keep the ball and gave it away too many times, myself included.
'It's frustrating but we're going to work as hard as we can and get ready for the last game [at home to Reading] and give our fans a good end to the season.'
Asked why team-mate Jason Roberts' was sent off for two yellow cards late on, the Norway midfielder added: 'That is a good question. He is confused by the decision.'
Mark Hughes' side, who were reduced to 10-men following striker Jason Roberts dismissal, needed a win to stay in the hunt for a top-seven finish in the Barclays Premiership - but their European hopes now rest with a possible Intertoto Cup campaign.
The away side were on course for victory when Benni McCarthy opened the scoring to edge him ahead in the battle of the Premiership newcomers with Dimitar Berbatov.
But Berbatov then played his part in Defoe's equaliser, meaning Spurs now need a point against Manchester City on Sunday to play in the UEFA Cup again next season.
Roberts was dismissed after receiving two yellow cards in rapid succession, the first for a tussle with Didier Zokora and a second - apparently harshly - for protesting about the decision to referee Rob Styles.
The match was the 1,000th Premiership match televised on Sky - but there was little in the way of early entertainment before McCarthy struck.
With Jermaine Jenas absent with a slight back problem, Tugay and Aaron Mokoena were able to stamp their authority in midfield, protecting their defence as Spurs looked to strike early as they did earlier in the week against Charlton.
However, aside from Defoe - making his first start in a month - having a sight of goal, Ryan Nelsen and Christopher Samba were initially untroubled.
There was not much at the other end either, and the highlight of the early stages was Morten Gamst Pedersen's clashes on the left flank against Pascal Chimbonda.
The battle of the sharp hairstyles - the Spurs full-back was sporting new ponytails - resulted in the Rovers winger needing treatment for a head injury after one tangle.
Things livened up when Mokoena picked up a yellow card for a foul on Steed Malbranque, with the French midfielder eventually having to hobble off injured just before Rovers broke the deadlock.
The opening goal, in the 32nd minute, came following hesitation in the Spurs defence, leading to Pedersen finding the ball on the left.
His telling cross was met by South Africa striker McCarthy, who had peeled away from Ledley King at the far post to head home his 23rd of the campaign and his 17th in the Premiership.
Roberts looked to double the lead a minute later but his long-range effort was deflected and Paul Robinson saved.
Spurs seemed rocked by the opener and Robinson was then forced to scramble clear when Michael Dawson sold him short with a backpass.
David Bentley was also given an opportunity when Chimbonda ran into trouble on the edge of his own area, but the former Arsenal midfielder chipped over - much to the frustration of the unmarked McCarthy.
Aaron Lennon and Hossam Ghaly came closer towards the break but Brad Friedel did not have to work too hard to keep them out.
In fact, the loudest cheer from the home support up to that point came when Nayim, the former Spurs midfielder who famously lobbed in from the halfway line for Real Zaragoza in the 1995 Cup Winners' Cup final against Arsenal, was paraded at the interval.
There was little for Spurs fans to sing about immediately after the break either, although they appealed when Samba appeared to use his arm while clearing a corner.
After Pedersen had picked up a yellow card for fouling Defoe, Berbatov forced Friedel into a save with the free-kick which home fans optimistically yet wrongly claimed crossed the line as the American claimed at the second attempt.
Martin Jol brought on Robbie Keane in the 59th minute to replace substitute Ghaly, who threw his shirt to the floor in front of his manager. 'Your not fit to wear the shirt,' was the Spurs fans' assessment.
Despite having three strikers with 60 goals between them, Spurs were inches from going 2-0 down when Samba's header from Pedersen's free-kick glanced off the bar to safety.
And it proved a telling moment as Spurs levelled with 23 minutes left - with all three strikers having a hand in the goal.
Keane fed Berbatov, who spun on the edge of the area and fired a shot away, Friedel could only parry and Defoe tapped in.
Rovers boss Mark Hughes introduced strikers Matt Derbyshire and Paul Gallagher for Mokoena and Tugay respectively in the closing stages as he sought the crucial breakthrough.
But it was the hosts who went closest to a winner, with Dawson seeing two efforts go wide, before Robbie Keane hit the post in the first of four minutes of stoppage-time, with Roberts' dismissal the last action of the game.
Tottenham midfielder Hossam Ghaly faces internal disciplinary action for throwing his shirt to the ground when substituted in tonight's 1-1 Premiership draw with Blackburn.
Ghaly was brought on in the first half after an injury to Steed Malbranque but was taken off again as Spurs chased an equaliser after half-time at White Hart Lane.
-You can't do that so we will deal with that,- said manager Martin Jol. -We always deal with that sort of thing, we will deal with it internally.-
The fans provided their assessment by signing: -You're not fit to wear the shirt.-
Jol added: -The fans are entitled to do that. It was out of character but I make the decisions. I was right in hindsight because we played better.-
Blackburn's misery was compounded when Jason Roberts was dismissed for two stoppage-time bookings, with the Rovers striker furious with referee Rob Styles. Roberts was understood to be waiting in the tunnel for the official for an explanation.
Blackburn boss Mark Hughes said: -I was trying to say 'see the bigger picture' to the referee. At that stage, there was no need to send Jason off.
-He would think he said something but Jason is adamant he never swore at the referee. I thought it was completely ridiculous.-
Blackburn can still qualify for Europe through the Intertoto Cup, with Hughes adding: -We've applied for it and it was always an option.-
Spurs will be in Europe with a point on Sunday. They can still finish fifth but could also drop out of the top seven.
-I'm a very happy man if we would be in the top six,- said Jol. -That is the target, you could say we had a fine season.
-We need a point. I would have loved three against Blackburn but they played in an organised way.
-Robbie Keane came on and I felt he was the first player to play it forward and in the end we could have nicked it.-
Blackburn's Morten Gamst Pedersen was demoralised.
He told Sky Sports 1: 'We worked hard in the first half but we let Tottenham in the game in the second half. We let ourselves down in the second half.
'It changed before he [Keane] came on and we have to think about ourselves. We didn't keep the ball and gave it away too many times, myself included.
'It's frustrating but we're going to work as hard as we can and get ready for the last game [at home to Reading] and give our fans a good end to the season.'
Asked why team-mate Jason Roberts' was sent off for two yellow cards late on, the Norway midfielder added: 'That is a good question. He is confused by the decision.'
posted by dgarden at 1:45 pm
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