UEFA CUP: Tottenham 6 Anorthosis Famagusta 1
Jermain Defoe gave Martin Jol a glimpse of what he has been missing by coming on and scoring twice as Tottenham ran riot to beat Anorthosis Famagusta 6-1 and get back to winning ways.
Defoe has not started a game during Spurs' dismal start to the season and was not even on the bench against Arsenal last Saturday, but he scored with virtually his first touch in the first leg of the UEFA Cup first-round clash.
His impish chip came after Spurs had put themselves within sight of the group stages, with three goals just before the break adding to Younes Kaboul's opener.
The Cypriots were woeful but pulled a goal back, but Defoe scored the sixth in stoppage-time with a curling effort into the top corner.
Dutchman Jol wants the win to spark a run of results to turn Spurs' season as it did a year ago when they defeated Slavia Prague.
Jol impressed with Defoe's 'eagerness'
Spurs went on a two-month unbeaten run after reaching the group stages in their last European campaign, and their sluggish start to the season has been repeated this term.
After going unbeaten at home in the UEFA Cup last season, Cypriot minnows Famagusta were not tipped to cause an upset in London, even if coach Temuri Ketsbaia had pedigree against Spurs.
The Georgian scored against Spurs in 1999 and also featured in a 6-1 thrashing in the same year, but the odds were stacked against him getting a result on his return to England.
Jol had insisted he would not be underestimating Ketsbaia's side, who were unbeaten this season going into the clash and had won the Cypriot cup in their last campaign.
Famagusta were assembled for a fraction of the fee Spurs paid Charlton for Darren Bent, with the striker brought back into the starting XI and Dimitar Berbatov on the bench.
Elsewhere, Jol made sweeping to the side defeated by rivals Arsenal at the weekend, with Aaron Lennon and Benoit Assou-Ekotto back after knee problems and Paul Robinson given a rest.
Arsenal have since swept aside a Sevilla side coached by Juande Ramos, the man Spurs officials met last month when Jol's position was under intense scrutiny.
If Spurs officials are to look at replacements during the next international break, Jol at least has got the club back to winning ways.
Kaboul set them on their way in the fifth minute. Tom Huddlestone swung a corner in and the French centre-back ran across the Famagusta defence and glanced his header inside the unmanned far post.
Spurs always threatened a second - Bent had a decent penalty shout and Robbie Keane forced a save - and the wheels fell off for the Cypriots after the hosts doubled the lead. Michael Dawson grabbed the second when he stabbed home from close range after Pascal Chimbonda headed down Keane's corner. It sparked ugly exchanges between the sets of supporters, with missiles thrown by the visitors.
But the focus was back on the pitch two minutes later when Keane received Ekotto's pass from the left, turned and finished neatly.
Bent added a fourth in the 43rd minute when Lambros Lambrou's clearance went past his own goalkeeper, giving the Spurs striker an open goal.
The Cypriots were struggling to get a shot on goal let alone find the target, but Costas Loumpoutis was upset with the accuracy of a ballboy when a throw hit him in the midriff.
Jol brought on Defoe in the 63rd minute and the striker received a standing ovation. There was an even bigger cheer when he grabbed his goal two minutes later with his first touches.
The out-of-favour striker steadied himself on the edge of the area and delicately chipped into the top corner.
Anton Zlogar pulled one back with 10 minutes remaining when Spurs failed to clear a cross and he poked into the bottom corner.
Defoe added his second at the end of the game when he cut in and curled into the top corner from 25 yards, leaving the goalkeeper motionless.
Jol impressed with Defoe's 'eagerness'
Tottenham boss Martin Jol could not guarantee Jermain Defoe a starting place for the weekend despite the striker coming on and scoring twice against Anorthosis Famagusta.
Spurs were in control against the Cypriots in the first leg of the UEFA Cup first-round clash at White Hart Lane when Defoe came off the bench and made an instant impact.
The 24-year-old, who was not in the matchday squad at the weekend against Arsenal, chipped home the first and curled into the top corner in stoppage time for the second.
However, Jol would not guarantee him a place in the starting XI against Bolton on Sunday.
'Robbie Keane could have scored three, Darren Bent took his goal and Dimitar Berbatov was our top scorer in Europe last season,' Jol said after the 6-1 win. 'If they push me all the time it makes it difficult me.
'Jermain is the best finisher in the league around the box but Robbie is our top scorer in the league.'
Jol brought on Defoe against Fulham earlier in the season and Spurs slipped to a 3-3 draw, but Famagusta had no answer to the England striker.
'Against Famagusta it's probably easier than Fulham but that was what I had in mind against Fulham,' Jol added.
'In hindsight that was a bad substitution - this was a good one.'
The Dutchman added: 'I told the players after the draw was made that we were happy but you never know - you still have to do it.
'We conceded one but there were only positives. Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Aaron Lennon played after injuries, all my strikers scored and I had another on the bench - that is the eagerness you need in the locker.'
Younes Kaboul opened the scoring for Spurs with an early glancing header before a glut of goals put the hosts within sight of the group stages.
Michael Dawson, Robbie Keane and Darren Bent were all on the scoresheet as Spurs got back to winning ways after their dismal start to the season.
Anton Zlogar pulled a goal back but Spurs were always in control as they recorded their second win of the season.
Famagusta coach Temuri Ketsbaia, the former Newcastle favourite, is now concentrating on domestic matters.
'I believe we were playing one of the best teams in the competition,' he said.
'They were better than us from the beginning to the final whistle. 'It was a great effort from us but it means Europe is over for us but we have to concentrate on the league in Cyprus and eventually closing the gap between us and teams like Tottenham.'
Defoe has not started a game during Spurs' dismal start to the season and was not even on the bench against Arsenal last Saturday, but he scored with virtually his first touch in the first leg of the UEFA Cup first-round clash.
His impish chip came after Spurs had put themselves within sight of the group stages, with three goals just before the break adding to Younes Kaboul's opener.
The Cypriots were woeful but pulled a goal back, but Defoe scored the sixth in stoppage-time with a curling effort into the top corner.
Dutchman Jol wants the win to spark a run of results to turn Spurs' season as it did a year ago when they defeated Slavia Prague.
Jol impressed with Defoe's 'eagerness'
Spurs went on a two-month unbeaten run after reaching the group stages in their last European campaign, and their sluggish start to the season has been repeated this term.
After going unbeaten at home in the UEFA Cup last season, Cypriot minnows Famagusta were not tipped to cause an upset in London, even if coach Temuri Ketsbaia had pedigree against Spurs.
The Georgian scored against Spurs in 1999 and also featured in a 6-1 thrashing in the same year, but the odds were stacked against him getting a result on his return to England.
Jol had insisted he would not be underestimating Ketsbaia's side, who were unbeaten this season going into the clash and had won the Cypriot cup in their last campaign.
Famagusta were assembled for a fraction of the fee Spurs paid Charlton for Darren Bent, with the striker brought back into the starting XI and Dimitar Berbatov on the bench.
Elsewhere, Jol made sweeping to the side defeated by rivals Arsenal at the weekend, with Aaron Lennon and Benoit Assou-Ekotto back after knee problems and Paul Robinson given a rest.
Arsenal have since swept aside a Sevilla side coached by Juande Ramos, the man Spurs officials met last month when Jol's position was under intense scrutiny.
If Spurs officials are to look at replacements during the next international break, Jol at least has got the club back to winning ways.
Kaboul set them on their way in the fifth minute. Tom Huddlestone swung a corner in and the French centre-back ran across the Famagusta defence and glanced his header inside the unmanned far post.
Spurs always threatened a second - Bent had a decent penalty shout and Robbie Keane forced a save - and the wheels fell off for the Cypriots after the hosts doubled the lead. Michael Dawson grabbed the second when he stabbed home from close range after Pascal Chimbonda headed down Keane's corner. It sparked ugly exchanges between the sets of supporters, with missiles thrown by the visitors.
But the focus was back on the pitch two minutes later when Keane received Ekotto's pass from the left, turned and finished neatly.
Bent added a fourth in the 43rd minute when Lambros Lambrou's clearance went past his own goalkeeper, giving the Spurs striker an open goal.
The Cypriots were struggling to get a shot on goal let alone find the target, but Costas Loumpoutis was upset with the accuracy of a ballboy when a throw hit him in the midriff.
Jol brought on Defoe in the 63rd minute and the striker received a standing ovation. There was an even bigger cheer when he grabbed his goal two minutes later with his first touches.
The out-of-favour striker steadied himself on the edge of the area and delicately chipped into the top corner.
Anton Zlogar pulled one back with 10 minutes remaining when Spurs failed to clear a cross and he poked into the bottom corner.
Defoe added his second at the end of the game when he cut in and curled into the top corner from 25 yards, leaving the goalkeeper motionless.
Jol impressed with Defoe's 'eagerness'
Tottenham boss Martin Jol could not guarantee Jermain Defoe a starting place for the weekend despite the striker coming on and scoring twice against Anorthosis Famagusta.
Spurs were in control against the Cypriots in the first leg of the UEFA Cup first-round clash at White Hart Lane when Defoe came off the bench and made an instant impact.
The 24-year-old, who was not in the matchday squad at the weekend against Arsenal, chipped home the first and curled into the top corner in stoppage time for the second.
However, Jol would not guarantee him a place in the starting XI against Bolton on Sunday.
'Robbie Keane could have scored three, Darren Bent took his goal and Dimitar Berbatov was our top scorer in Europe last season,' Jol said after the 6-1 win. 'If they push me all the time it makes it difficult me.
'Jermain is the best finisher in the league around the box but Robbie is our top scorer in the league.'
Jol brought on Defoe against Fulham earlier in the season and Spurs slipped to a 3-3 draw, but Famagusta had no answer to the England striker.
'Against Famagusta it's probably easier than Fulham but that was what I had in mind against Fulham,' Jol added.
'In hindsight that was a bad substitution - this was a good one.'
The Dutchman added: 'I told the players after the draw was made that we were happy but you never know - you still have to do it.
'We conceded one but there were only positives. Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Aaron Lennon played after injuries, all my strikers scored and I had another on the bench - that is the eagerness you need in the locker.'
Younes Kaboul opened the scoring for Spurs with an early glancing header before a glut of goals put the hosts within sight of the group stages.
Michael Dawson, Robbie Keane and Darren Bent were all on the scoresheet as Spurs got back to winning ways after their dismal start to the season.
Anton Zlogar pulled a goal back but Spurs were always in control as they recorded their second win of the season.
Famagusta coach Temuri Ketsbaia, the former Newcastle favourite, is now concentrating on domestic matters.
'I believe we were playing one of the best teams in the competition,' he said.
'They were better than us from the beginning to the final whistle. 'It was a great effort from us but it means Europe is over for us but we have to concentrate on the league in Cyprus and eventually closing the gap between us and teams like Tottenham.'
posted by dgarden at 12:38 pm
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