Tottenham 2 Birmingham 3
Former Arsenal striker Sebastian Larsson produced a stunning injury-time winner to open Alex McLeish's reign at Birmingham with a 3-2 victory at Tottenham.
Larsson, recalled to the starting line-up by McLeish, fired an unstoppable 93rd-minute shot that inflicted a first defeat on Tottenham under Juande Ramos.
Spurs skipper Robbie Keane turned from hero to villain by scoring twice in three minutes to reel in Birmingham, only to then be sent off for a lunging tackle on Fabrice Muamba.
The Blues were under constant siege when they took a shock lead, blundering defender Younes Kaboul conceding a daft penalty that Gary McSheffrey converted.
Kaboul was substituted at half-time and the error-prone Frenchman must be chipping away at the patience of Ramos
Prior to the goal, Spurs had missed chances through Darren Bent, Dimitar Berbatov and Keane during a one-sided first half.
But Birmingham buckled under the pressure just four minutes after the interval, Johan Djourou conceding a penalty that Keane converted before adding his second shortly after.
In full command, Spurs looked set for victory but Cameron Jerome, returning to the team after a hernia operation, levelled with a brilliant finish.
Spurs were up against it without Keane in the final 22 minutes after he was the victim of an over-zealous decision by referee Phil Dowd and the pressure eventually told with Larsson landing the telling blow.
Ramos started with a three-pronged attack in Bent, Keane and Berbatov. Jermain Defoe was on the bench following his bout of flu.
Bent started in an advanced position alongside Berbatov with Keane lying deeper, but despite the impressive strike force on show the early danger came in Spurs territory.
Jerome floated a pass dangerously across the face of goal but Muamba could not reach the ball.
A poorly struck shot from Berbatov flew into the arms of keeper Maik Taylor, recalled by McLeish, and moments later Birmingham were saved by poor finishing from Keane.
Brilliant interplay between Bent and Keane - started by Kaboul's long ball - saw the Republic of Ireland skipper jink into the area only to sky his shot from close range with just Taylor to beat.
Tenacious work from Aaron Lennon, completed by a cheeky backheal, set up Keane but he picked out Berbatov near the far post and the Bulgarian nodded over.
Another Lennon backheel unlocked Birmingham's defence but this time Keane did not have the legs to capitalise.
Spurs kept up the pressure with Taylor doing well to keep out Bent, but his save ricocheted on to the leg of an unwitting Liam Ridgewell who nearly put the ball into his own net.
Birmingham then surged ahead against the run of play through McSheffrey - with Kaboul helping them into the lead.
Larsson and McSheffrey combined to send the Blues forward charging down the left of the box where he was clipped by Kaboul and he made no mistake from the spot.
Normal service resumed after the Blues had taken the lead with Spurs back on the offensive.
Keane was pulling the strings beautifully behind the front two, releasing Lennon whose bullet pass was cleared by Larsson in the nick of time.
A perfectly placed 37th minute free-kick by Gareth Bale was heading straight for the top right corner but Taylor produced a superb stop.
Berbatov rampaged down the right but his final ball was deflected clear by Johan Djourou as the home side continued to dominate.
Ramos hauled off Kaboul and Bent at half time, replacing them with Tom Huddlestone and Defoe, and four minutes after the break they equalised.
Didier Zokora sent Berbatov racing through and, in a echo of Kaboul's challenge, Djourou tripped the Spurs forward who went tumbling.
Keane rifled home the spot-kick for his 12th goal of the season and just three minutes later the club captain sent Spurs ahead.
A corner was cleared as far as Huddlestone and the midfielder saw Keane's run, finding him with a lofted ball that was prodded into the net.
But Birmingham levelled through Jerome in the 62nd minute, the England Under-21 striker waved through midfield by weak tackles from Michael Dawson and Zokora before finishing neatly.
Berbatov was cleared off the line by Ridgewell and Spurs were dealt another hammer blow in the 68th minute when Keane was given his marching orders.
A diving one-legged lunge on Muamba resulted in a straight red card from referee Dowd.
Defoe looked lively in the final 20 minutes but Spurs, a man down, found themselves stretched as Mikael Forssell hit the crossbar from point blank range.
Paul Robinson made a smart save from Olivier Kapo but then the Blues struck, Larsson breaking Spurs' hearts to register his side's first win at White Hart Lane for 24 years.
Larsson, recalled to the starting line-up by McLeish, fired an unstoppable 93rd-minute shot that inflicted a first defeat on Tottenham under Juande Ramos.
Spurs skipper Robbie Keane turned from hero to villain by scoring twice in three minutes to reel in Birmingham, only to then be sent off for a lunging tackle on Fabrice Muamba.
The Blues were under constant siege when they took a shock lead, blundering defender Younes Kaboul conceding a daft penalty that Gary McSheffrey converted.
Kaboul was substituted at half-time and the error-prone Frenchman must be chipping away at the patience of Ramos
Prior to the goal, Spurs had missed chances through Darren Bent, Dimitar Berbatov and Keane during a one-sided first half.
But Birmingham buckled under the pressure just four minutes after the interval, Johan Djourou conceding a penalty that Keane converted before adding his second shortly after.
In full command, Spurs looked set for victory but Cameron Jerome, returning to the team after a hernia operation, levelled with a brilliant finish.
Spurs were up against it without Keane in the final 22 minutes after he was the victim of an over-zealous decision by referee Phil Dowd and the pressure eventually told with Larsson landing the telling blow.
Ramos started with a three-pronged attack in Bent, Keane and Berbatov. Jermain Defoe was on the bench following his bout of flu.
Bent started in an advanced position alongside Berbatov with Keane lying deeper, but despite the impressive strike force on show the early danger came in Spurs territory.
Jerome floated a pass dangerously across the face of goal but Muamba could not reach the ball.
A poorly struck shot from Berbatov flew into the arms of keeper Maik Taylor, recalled by McLeish, and moments later Birmingham were saved by poor finishing from Keane.
Brilliant interplay between Bent and Keane - started by Kaboul's long ball - saw the Republic of Ireland skipper jink into the area only to sky his shot from close range with just Taylor to beat.
Tenacious work from Aaron Lennon, completed by a cheeky backheal, set up Keane but he picked out Berbatov near the far post and the Bulgarian nodded over.
Another Lennon backheel unlocked Birmingham's defence but this time Keane did not have the legs to capitalise.
Spurs kept up the pressure with Taylor doing well to keep out Bent, but his save ricocheted on to the leg of an unwitting Liam Ridgewell who nearly put the ball into his own net.
Birmingham then surged ahead against the run of play through McSheffrey - with Kaboul helping them into the lead.
Larsson and McSheffrey combined to send the Blues forward charging down the left of the box where he was clipped by Kaboul and he made no mistake from the spot.
Normal service resumed after the Blues had taken the lead with Spurs back on the offensive.
Keane was pulling the strings beautifully behind the front two, releasing Lennon whose bullet pass was cleared by Larsson in the nick of time.
A perfectly placed 37th minute free-kick by Gareth Bale was heading straight for the top right corner but Taylor produced a superb stop.
Berbatov rampaged down the right but his final ball was deflected clear by Johan Djourou as the home side continued to dominate.
Ramos hauled off Kaboul and Bent at half time, replacing them with Tom Huddlestone and Defoe, and four minutes after the break they equalised.
Didier Zokora sent Berbatov racing through and, in a echo of Kaboul's challenge, Djourou tripped the Spurs forward who went tumbling.
Keane rifled home the spot-kick for his 12th goal of the season and just three minutes later the club captain sent Spurs ahead.
A corner was cleared as far as Huddlestone and the midfielder saw Keane's run, finding him with a lofted ball that was prodded into the net.
But Birmingham levelled through Jerome in the 62nd minute, the England Under-21 striker waved through midfield by weak tackles from Michael Dawson and Zokora before finishing neatly.
Berbatov was cleared off the line by Ridgewell and Spurs were dealt another hammer blow in the 68th minute when Keane was given his marching orders.
A diving one-legged lunge on Muamba resulted in a straight red card from referee Dowd.
Defoe looked lively in the final 20 minutes but Spurs, a man down, found themselves stretched as Mikael Forssell hit the crossbar from point blank range.
Paul Robinson made a smart save from Olivier Kapo but then the Blues struck, Larsson breaking Spurs' hearts to register his side's first win at White Hart Lane for 24 years.
posted by dgarden at 2:08 pm
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