UEFA CUP - Hapoel Tel-Aviv 0 Tottenham 2
Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov started the day insisting he was happy at White Hart Lane and finished it by scoring in the 2-0 UEFA Cup win against Hapoel Tel Aviv.
The 26-year-old admitted the reports linking him with a move have affected his performances but he showed glimpses of last season's form as Spurs got back on track in Group G after losing to Getafe.
Robbie Keane volleyed the opener at Bloomfield Stadium with Berbatov heading a second to add to the anger of Hapoel fans, whose team are bottom of the Israeli league.
The hosts had Gal Shish dismissed in the second half, with the empty seats reflecting a lack of confidence and the fact the city derby against Maccabi on Sunday is considered a more important match.
Spurs manager Juande Ramos has won the UEFA Cup in the last two seasons with Sevilla but will surely face sterner tests if he is going to make it a hat-trick.
The Spaniard insists getting into the winning habit is his immediate aim before targeting silverware, and he remains unbeaten in his three games since taking over from Martin Jol but it was not the free-flowing football he was known for in Spain.
It was actually the hosts who started brightly and almost took advantage of an unbalanced Spurs defence.
Younes Kaboul's mistakes saw him relegated to the bench and Pascal Chimbonda, a full-back by trade, was in the heart of the defence.
A sloppy pass from him set up Hapoel's first chance, Bebars Natcho slipping the ball to Fabio Junior but the Brazilian could not get power on his volley.
Natcho was found in a promising position on the edge of the area after Spurs failed to clear a cross but he snatched at his shot and screwed wide. He also warmed the hands of Paul Robinson with a long-range volley from 25 yards.
Spurs seized control of the game by taking their first chance in the 26th minute.
It added to Keane's remarkable run of form and he now has 25 goals in his last 33 Spurs games, 10 of them coming this season.
He fed the ball out to Steed Malbranque on the left flank and then met the cross first time on the volley, leaving goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama motionless.
Berbatov added the second five minutes later. His first effort was blocked by Gabriel dos Santos but the rebound spun out to Malbranque, who provided the cross for Berbatov to head home.
Berbatov should have added a second just after the half hour when he burst into the area but his shot was saved by Enyeama. Keane's follow-up effort was deflected wide by Dos Santos, with Spurs appealing for a penalty.
Chimbonda headed just over from a Jermaine Jenas free-kick with two minutes left in the first half as Spurs finished the first 45 minutes strongly.
Barukh Dego had the first chance of the second half when he chipped over Robinson but just wide, then their hopes of getting back into the match faded when they were reduced to 10 men.
Shish had been booked late in the first half for a clash with Berbatov and Aaron Lennon, and he picked up his second yellow card in the 50th minute for a tackle on Lennon.
Malbranque was taken off for Jermain Defoe as Ramos looked at a 4-3-3 formation.
The new substitute was booked for a needless hack at his full-back, but he also fed Keane who got his angles wrong and shot wide with the goalkeeper to beat.
With the game over as a contest, Hapoel fans aimed their frustration at their young coach, Guy Luzon, as well as the owner who was in the directors' box.
Their misery could have been compounded by Darren Bent, who came off the bench and hit the post after rounding the goalkeeper.
Spurs fans were in more cheerful mood but they could not persuade Ramos to wave to them as Jol used to do, perhaps because he did not understand them.
A hat-trick of UEFA Cups for Ramos and they will be speaking the same language.
• Clean sheet thrills Keane
Tottenham captain Robbie Keane was pleased with his side's defensive efforts as they ran out 2-0 winners over a lacklustre Hapoel Tel Aviv.
The sides are UEFA Cup Group G rivals and both came into the match looking for some respite from their disappointing league form.
It was Spurs, starting to find their feet under new manager Juande Ramos, who achieved that goal and Keane, who opened the scoring with a precise volley before Dimitar Berbatov made it two after before the interval, was content with the performance.
He told Five: 'We had a few good chances and we finished the job off in the first half.
'We are very pleased with the win but the most important thing was the the clean sheet.
'We needed to get a good win but we've been conceding goals of late so that was the most important factor.'
The 26-year-old admitted the reports linking him with a move have affected his performances but he showed glimpses of last season's form as Spurs got back on track in Group G after losing to Getafe.
Robbie Keane volleyed the opener at Bloomfield Stadium with Berbatov heading a second to add to the anger of Hapoel fans, whose team are bottom of the Israeli league.
The hosts had Gal Shish dismissed in the second half, with the empty seats reflecting a lack of confidence and the fact the city derby against Maccabi on Sunday is considered a more important match.
Spurs manager Juande Ramos has won the UEFA Cup in the last two seasons with Sevilla but will surely face sterner tests if he is going to make it a hat-trick.
The Spaniard insists getting into the winning habit is his immediate aim before targeting silverware, and he remains unbeaten in his three games since taking over from Martin Jol but it was not the free-flowing football he was known for in Spain.
It was actually the hosts who started brightly and almost took advantage of an unbalanced Spurs defence.
Younes Kaboul's mistakes saw him relegated to the bench and Pascal Chimbonda, a full-back by trade, was in the heart of the defence.
A sloppy pass from him set up Hapoel's first chance, Bebars Natcho slipping the ball to Fabio Junior but the Brazilian could not get power on his volley.
Natcho was found in a promising position on the edge of the area after Spurs failed to clear a cross but he snatched at his shot and screwed wide. He also warmed the hands of Paul Robinson with a long-range volley from 25 yards.
Spurs seized control of the game by taking their first chance in the 26th minute.
It added to Keane's remarkable run of form and he now has 25 goals in his last 33 Spurs games, 10 of them coming this season.
He fed the ball out to Steed Malbranque on the left flank and then met the cross first time on the volley, leaving goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama motionless.
Berbatov added the second five minutes later. His first effort was blocked by Gabriel dos Santos but the rebound spun out to Malbranque, who provided the cross for Berbatov to head home.
Berbatov should have added a second just after the half hour when he burst into the area but his shot was saved by Enyeama. Keane's follow-up effort was deflected wide by Dos Santos, with Spurs appealing for a penalty.
Chimbonda headed just over from a Jermaine Jenas free-kick with two minutes left in the first half as Spurs finished the first 45 minutes strongly.
Barukh Dego had the first chance of the second half when he chipped over Robinson but just wide, then their hopes of getting back into the match faded when they were reduced to 10 men.
Shish had been booked late in the first half for a clash with Berbatov and Aaron Lennon, and he picked up his second yellow card in the 50th minute for a tackle on Lennon.
Malbranque was taken off for Jermain Defoe as Ramos looked at a 4-3-3 formation.
The new substitute was booked for a needless hack at his full-back, but he also fed Keane who got his angles wrong and shot wide with the goalkeeper to beat.
With the game over as a contest, Hapoel fans aimed their frustration at their young coach, Guy Luzon, as well as the owner who was in the directors' box.
Their misery could have been compounded by Darren Bent, who came off the bench and hit the post after rounding the goalkeeper.
Spurs fans were in more cheerful mood but they could not persuade Ramos to wave to them as Jol used to do, perhaps because he did not understand them.
A hat-trick of UEFA Cups for Ramos and they will be speaking the same language.
• Clean sheet thrills Keane
Tottenham captain Robbie Keane was pleased with his side's defensive efforts as they ran out 2-0 winners over a lacklustre Hapoel Tel Aviv.
The sides are UEFA Cup Group G rivals and both came into the match looking for some respite from their disappointing league form.
It was Spurs, starting to find their feet under new manager Juande Ramos, who achieved that goal and Keane, who opened the scoring with a precise volley before Dimitar Berbatov made it two after before the interval, was content with the performance.
He told Five: 'We had a few good chances and we finished the job off in the first half.
'We are very pleased with the win but the most important thing was the the clean sheet.
'We needed to get a good win but we've been conceding goals of late so that was the most important factor.'
posted by dgarden at 2:00 pm
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