Sevilla v Tottenham Hotspur - Match Report

Sevilla Report
By TelfordSpurs
April 6 2007

Uefa Cup Quarter Final First Leg

5^th April 2007

Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium

Sevilla 2 (Kanoute 19 pen, Kerzhakov 36) Spurs 1 (Keane 2)

Attendance 32,000

Sevilla: Palop, Javi Navarro, David (Dragutinovic 68), Daniel, Escude, Renato (Marti 60), Poulsen, Adriano Correia, Kerzhakov, Kanoute, Jesus Navas.
Subs Not Used: Cobeno, Duda, Chevanton, Hinkel, Maresca.

Booked: David.

Tottenham: Robinson, Stalteri, Chimbonda, Dawson, Young-Pyo Lee, Lennon (Malbranque 80), Zokora, Jenas, Tainio (Ghaly 84), Keane, Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Mido, Defoe, Taarabt, Ifil.

Booked: Robinson, Tainio, Young-Pyo Lee, Zokora.

The European adventure continued with this journey into the Andalucian region in the South of Spain to play the holders of the UEFA Cup and the team Spurs are trying to dethrone. Before kick off the Spurs travelling fans sounded in fine voice and nervousness coupled with anticipation were the main emotions felt by Spurs’ supporters. Many predicted a very tough encounter against a team second placed in Spain’s Primera Liga who play a brand of exciting attacking football, so there were few who would have dared to suggest the start that Spurs made.

Right from the kick off our boys clad in the now familiar chocolate and gold “UEFA Cup kit” went at the Sevilla defence and were rewarded within 69 seconds when Robbie Keane kept his cool to slot the ball home at the second attempt following Berbatov’s through ball and Palop’s initial save. The 4000 Spurs fans inside the Stadium and tens of thousands of other back home couldn’t believe the start we had made. Even before the goal Berbatov had broken through the Spanish defence and squared the ball which led to a handball penalty claim. In the 7^th minute Aaron Lennon try to thread a through ball to the goal-scorer but this time he was thwarted by Palop.

Spurs seemed to have the measure of Sevilla in the early stages and then disaster struck, Paul Robinson being extremely harshly adjudged by the referee from Luxembourg to have brought down onrushing winger Adriano. No replays were needed, the decision was obviously a mistake and the Spurs players led by Robbo himself made sure Hamer knew about it. Despite the protestations, ex-Spurs forward Fredi Kanoute kept his cool and slotted home the penalty, sending the Spurs’ keeper the wrong way in the process.

Like the players, the Spurs supporters inside the stadium were certainly letting the referee know their views on the incident, with whistles and boos ringing out from the stands. An edgy atmosphere exploded into scenes of ugly violence as baton wielding Spanish police clashed with the Spurs supporters and the fans retaliating to protect themselves. Although many reports have come out from people in the crowd and the club itself, the cause of the trouble is as yet unclear although the main undercurrent of opinion is that as 24 hours before in Rome, English fans although not blameless had come in for some very heavy handed and extreme treatment from the local police.

On the pitch, the penalty decision along with the theatrics of most of the Sevilla team seemed to both unsettle and infuriate the Spurs players who seemed to lose the vigour and enthusiasm that they displayed to great effect in the early stages. The pressure on the Spurs goal was building and the pressure finally told ten minutes before half time when a weak Dawson headed clearance was nodded back into the box for Kerzhakov to flick past Robinson’s outstretched arms. Spurs needed half time and quickly as the crowd trouble seemed to be affecting the players as much as the football match itself was.

Spurs emerged after half time looking more composed and ready to try and get at the Spanish defence. For a number of reasons the game seemed to peter out into a mixture of stoppages and periods of possession for both teams. The referee was not helping with constant pulling up of play for seemingly innocuous challenges by Spurs players on their Spanish counterparts, who then took to overreacting and much rolling around in “agony”. Spurs did manage some noteworthy efforts as the game wore on including Keane flashing a left footed effort wide, Zokora’s weak shot after a trademark surging run and substitute Malbranque snatching at probably the best chance of the half. Kanoute reminded the Tottenham defence that they would need to stay on their toes with a 12yard header after escaping his marker, Jenas.

The players battled on despite knocks to both Lee and Stalteri and as the game drew to a close, both managers made two substitutions each which only helped to increase the feeling that the game had lost its rhythm and flow. The referee drew to a close what was a very poor night for himself but a satisfactory if not very soured defeat for Spurs, their first in Europe this season.

So the 100% record is gone in Europe and we are behind on aggregate, but with a priceless away goal and the prospect of a full house at the Lane in 6 days time, it is very much game on for Spurs. The boys can be very proud of their efforts and despite a shocking penalty decision managed to match a team widely regarded as one of the best in Europe in every department. Players including Lee, Chimbonda, Tainio and Keane deserve a lot of praise as they stood out as our best performers on the night. Sadly, this game will always be remembered for the trouble in the stands and a huge, match changing error on the pitch rather than for the way the boys from North London equipped themselves against a very good team.