UEFA CUP - Famagusta 1 Tottenham 1
Robbie Keane saved Martin Jol from an embarrassing defeat against Anorthosis Famagusta as Tottenham booked their place in the UEFA Cup group stages in unconvincing fashion in Cyprus.
Fabio De Matos Pereira, known as Fabinho, had given the hosts the lead at the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium.
But Keane came off the bench to level on the night after the Barclays Premier League side had established a 6-1 lead from the first leg two weeks ago.
Losing the tie was never realistic and boss Jol looked as relaxed as he has been all season as Spurs created chances for Jermain Defoe in the first half.
But he was more animated in the second half when Fabinho broke the deadlock - and then brought on Gareth Bale and Keane.
• Keane sick of Jol speculation
After their wretched start to the season when Jol has appeared undermined by his own club, a solid victory would have been welcomed ahead of the trip to Liverpool before the international break.
After defeat to Arsenal last month it was suggested Jol would have until the international break before his future was decided.
At least Keane's strike meant they are unbeaten since their rivals defeated them.
The pitch in Larnaca was bobbly and underprepared, increasing the chances of a similar goalkeeper blunder to Paul Robinson's air-shot for England against Croatia.
Robinson, though, had no trouble putting his foot through the ball and as he looked to quickly get over his blunders against Aston Villa.
He was one of only four players to remain in the side from Monday's epic against Villa when Jol appeared to be on the brink before his side staged their comeback from 4-1 down to draw 4-4.
Kevin-Prince Boateng was given his debut following his summer move from Hertha Berlin, and the young German was quickly in the action as he flew into tackles and sent over crosses from the right.
Aside from a Fabinho shot, Famagusta were struggling to impose themselves on Spurs early on, although they had clearly targeted set-pieces as the visitors' weakness.
It was only Defoe's second start of the season. He had scored twice in the first leg and had plenty of chances to add to his tally.
Darren Bent set him up in the seventh minute after cutting inside his marker on the left and squaring, only for his strike partner to fire high and wide.
Steed Malbranque found Defoe in the six-yard box 10 minutes before the break but he stabbed straight at the goalkeeper, then just before the break the striker struck the post after the Frenchman found him again.
Bent had a frustrating first half, getting flagged incorrectly twice and seeing a dangerous cross cleared when he got behind the defence.
Malbranque also had a chance, meeting Paul Stalteri's cross with a scissor-kick just before the break, with the Frenchman's effort going over the crossbar.
Famagusta came out brightly for the second half and Fabinho fired over the bar from the edge of the area.
They took the lead in the 54th minute when Nikolaos Frousos appeared to control a hanging cross with his arm and pulled back for Fabinho to volley neatly into the bottom corner, giving Robinson no chance. Robinson was booked for his protests.
Malbranque had an immediate chance to level but Zoltan Nagy saved with his legs when the Frenchman ran through.
Temuri Ketsbaia, the Famagusta coach who used to play for Newcastle, brought on former Southampton striker Marians Pahars to keep the pressure on Spurs.
Tom Huddlestone tried his luck from long range, while Vincent Laban fired just wide from the edge of the area after Michael Dawson failed to clear.
Keane came on for Young-Pyo Lee to beef up Spurs' attack and he got his goal in the 78th minute. Bale crossed from the left and Bent dummied, with Keane side-footing into the top corner.
Keane sick of Jol speculation
Robbie Keane is hoping for an end to the uncertainty around Martin Jol's future after coming off the bench to save the Tottenham boss from an embarrassing UEFA Cup defeat against Anorthosis Famagusta.
Losing the tie was never a prospect after Spurs travelled to Cyprus with a 6-1 lead from the first leg but they reached the group stages in unconvincing fashion in Larnaca.
After defeat to Arsenal last month it was suggested that Jol's future at the club could be decided in the next international break.
Although the cracks in their defence have remained, Spurs and Jol have been unbeaten since their rivals beat them. The Dutchman's position, though, has been concerning since club officials met Sevilla's Juande Ramos at the start of the season.
'I'm sick of people even talking about it to be honest,' said Keane. 'We are trying to do a job for the team and to get a result.'
Jol added: 'I'm used to it, I have to cope with it.
'It's been going on for the last six or seven weeks - but I feel in the last month we have done well.'
Only four players remained from the epic clash with Aston Villa on Monday and Jol admitted his side lacked rhythm.
Paul Robinson was given the opportunity to atone for his blunders against Villa and he had no chance with Fabinho's strike in the 54th minute.
Nikolaos Frousos appeared to use his arm to control a hanging cross before he pulled the ball back for Fabinho to volley home.
'I still consider this game as a clean sheet, if you see the goal,' said Jol. 'They had two keepers on the pitch.
'It would have been better if we could have kept a clean sheet because it was one of our targets - the only thing we could gain at 6-1 up.'
Spurs should have extended their lead before Famagusta struck, with Jermain Defoe hitting the post in the first half and also firing straight at the goalkeeper when found in the six-yard box.
The turning point for the visitors came when Jol brought on Keane in the 75th minute.
Within three minutes he had scored, getting on the end of Gareth Bale's cross after Darren Bent had intelligently dummied.
'I have to think positively and for me it's great that Tottenham are in Europe again,' Jol added. 'We had a couple of thousand supporters here and it is always good to see them happy.
'Jermain Defoe had five or six chances on his own, Darren Bent had two big chances. If you don't finish them off you have to settle for a draw.'
Jol has been criticised for his substitutions but bringing Bale and Keane on effectively spared his blushes.
'We had enough time and I knew Bale is good going forward and Keane is a good finisher,' Jol said. 'We needed them both. I wanted to win, that is why I put Adel (Taarabt) on to change things. In the end, we're going to the next round.'
Famagusta coach Temur Ketsbaia was pleased with the reaction of his players after they were trounced at White Hart Lane.
'I'm really proud of my players because they fought against a quality side,' said the former Newcastle striker. 'Maybe they have problems but they have a good team and a good manager.
'I'm happy because we gave 100% and did everything we didn't do in London. We will concentrate on the league now.
'It was not easy for them because they played on Monday and there was a change of climate.'
Fabio De Matos Pereira, known as Fabinho, had given the hosts the lead at the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium.
But Keane came off the bench to level on the night after the Barclays Premier League side had established a 6-1 lead from the first leg two weeks ago.
Losing the tie was never realistic and boss Jol looked as relaxed as he has been all season as Spurs created chances for Jermain Defoe in the first half.
But he was more animated in the second half when Fabinho broke the deadlock - and then brought on Gareth Bale and Keane.
• Keane sick of Jol speculation
After their wretched start to the season when Jol has appeared undermined by his own club, a solid victory would have been welcomed ahead of the trip to Liverpool before the international break.
After defeat to Arsenal last month it was suggested Jol would have until the international break before his future was decided.
At least Keane's strike meant they are unbeaten since their rivals defeated them.
The pitch in Larnaca was bobbly and underprepared, increasing the chances of a similar goalkeeper blunder to Paul Robinson's air-shot for England against Croatia.
Robinson, though, had no trouble putting his foot through the ball and as he looked to quickly get over his blunders against Aston Villa.
He was one of only four players to remain in the side from Monday's epic against Villa when Jol appeared to be on the brink before his side staged their comeback from 4-1 down to draw 4-4.
Kevin-Prince Boateng was given his debut following his summer move from Hertha Berlin, and the young German was quickly in the action as he flew into tackles and sent over crosses from the right.
Aside from a Fabinho shot, Famagusta were struggling to impose themselves on Spurs early on, although they had clearly targeted set-pieces as the visitors' weakness.
It was only Defoe's second start of the season. He had scored twice in the first leg and had plenty of chances to add to his tally.
Darren Bent set him up in the seventh minute after cutting inside his marker on the left and squaring, only for his strike partner to fire high and wide.
Steed Malbranque found Defoe in the six-yard box 10 minutes before the break but he stabbed straight at the goalkeeper, then just before the break the striker struck the post after the Frenchman found him again.
Bent had a frustrating first half, getting flagged incorrectly twice and seeing a dangerous cross cleared when he got behind the defence.
Malbranque also had a chance, meeting Paul Stalteri's cross with a scissor-kick just before the break, with the Frenchman's effort going over the crossbar.
Famagusta came out brightly for the second half and Fabinho fired over the bar from the edge of the area.
They took the lead in the 54th minute when Nikolaos Frousos appeared to control a hanging cross with his arm and pulled back for Fabinho to volley neatly into the bottom corner, giving Robinson no chance. Robinson was booked for his protests.
Malbranque had an immediate chance to level but Zoltan Nagy saved with his legs when the Frenchman ran through.
Temuri Ketsbaia, the Famagusta coach who used to play for Newcastle, brought on former Southampton striker Marians Pahars to keep the pressure on Spurs.
Tom Huddlestone tried his luck from long range, while Vincent Laban fired just wide from the edge of the area after Michael Dawson failed to clear.
Keane came on for Young-Pyo Lee to beef up Spurs' attack and he got his goal in the 78th minute. Bale crossed from the left and Bent dummied, with Keane side-footing into the top corner.
Keane sick of Jol speculation
Robbie Keane is hoping for an end to the uncertainty around Martin Jol's future after coming off the bench to save the Tottenham boss from an embarrassing UEFA Cup defeat against Anorthosis Famagusta.
Losing the tie was never a prospect after Spurs travelled to Cyprus with a 6-1 lead from the first leg but they reached the group stages in unconvincing fashion in Larnaca.
After defeat to Arsenal last month it was suggested that Jol's future at the club could be decided in the next international break.
Although the cracks in their defence have remained, Spurs and Jol have been unbeaten since their rivals beat them. The Dutchman's position, though, has been concerning since club officials met Sevilla's Juande Ramos at the start of the season.
'I'm sick of people even talking about it to be honest,' said Keane. 'We are trying to do a job for the team and to get a result.'
Jol added: 'I'm used to it, I have to cope with it.
'It's been going on for the last six or seven weeks - but I feel in the last month we have done well.'
Only four players remained from the epic clash with Aston Villa on Monday and Jol admitted his side lacked rhythm.
Paul Robinson was given the opportunity to atone for his blunders against Villa and he had no chance with Fabinho's strike in the 54th minute.
Nikolaos Frousos appeared to use his arm to control a hanging cross before he pulled the ball back for Fabinho to volley home.
'I still consider this game as a clean sheet, if you see the goal,' said Jol. 'They had two keepers on the pitch.
'It would have been better if we could have kept a clean sheet because it was one of our targets - the only thing we could gain at 6-1 up.'
Spurs should have extended their lead before Famagusta struck, with Jermain Defoe hitting the post in the first half and also firing straight at the goalkeeper when found in the six-yard box.
The turning point for the visitors came when Jol brought on Keane in the 75th minute.
Within three minutes he had scored, getting on the end of Gareth Bale's cross after Darren Bent had intelligently dummied.
'I have to think positively and for me it's great that Tottenham are in Europe again,' Jol added. 'We had a couple of thousand supporters here and it is always good to see them happy.
'Jermain Defoe had five or six chances on his own, Darren Bent had two big chances. If you don't finish them off you have to settle for a draw.'
Jol has been criticised for his substitutions but bringing Bale and Keane on effectively spared his blushes.
'We had enough time and I knew Bale is good going forward and Keane is a good finisher,' Jol said. 'We needed them both. I wanted to win, that is why I put Adel (Taarabt) on to change things. In the end, we're going to the next round.'
Famagusta coach Temur Ketsbaia was pleased with the reaction of his players after they were trounced at White Hart Lane.
'I'm really proud of my players because they fought against a quality side,' said the former Newcastle striker. 'Maybe they have problems but they have a good team and a good manager.
'I'm happy because we gave 100% and did everything we didn't do in London. We will concentrate on the league now.
'It was not easy for them because they played on Monday and there was a change of climate.'
posted by dgarden at 12:46 pm
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