Source: SKY_Sports
Keane spot-kick sinks City
Spurs are still in the hunt to qualify for Europe after a last-gasp 2-1 victory over rivals Manchester City at White Hart Lane.[LNB] The home side dominated the first half and City keeper Shay Given pulled off three great saves to deny Jermain Defoe, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Ledley King.[LNB]But Defoe finally broke the deadlock on 29 minutes when getting behind Richard Dunne to flick on a Tom Huddlestone cross from the right.[LNB]City came out a different side after the break and substitute Valeri Bojinov volleyed home fellow substitute Benjani's header on 65 minutes.[LNB]But Spurs won it with four minutes to go after substitute Fraizer Campbell and Micah Richards tangled in the box and Robbie Keane made no mistake from the penalty spot.[LNB]The victory means the race for seventh place in the Premier League will go to the wire.[LNB]By only conceding one goal, Spurs also established a new league club record for least goals conceded at home in a season - but it was the fact that they edged an action-packed encounter that really mattered.[LNB]After scoring the opener, Defoe was involved in the bizarre incident with the assistant referee on the stroke of half-time.[LNB]Nedum Onuoha challenged him on the touchline and as he rolled off the floor Defoe must have felt a touch. The England striker may have felt it was his opponent but it was actually assistant referee Trevor Massey, with Defoe instinctively flicking out.[LNB]It did not appear deliberate but Massey still required treatment and was replaced by Stuart Attwell at the interval.[LNB]Single-handedlySpurs should have sealed the points by then but Given single-handedly kept his side in the match.[LNB]It was Keane who set up the first chance. Defoe had already had a strike ruled out for offside, then Keane slipped him the ball in the fourth minute.[LNB]The England striker took a touch inside and curled an effort on target, with Given leaping to his left to keep out the shot.[LNB]Given's high standards mean those type of saves are now expected of him, and he was down sharply again when Pavlyuchenko tried his luck from 25 yards.[LNB]The Republic of Ireland shot-stopper pulled another save out of the top drawer when King connected with Huddlestone's corner, with a reflex stop required on the line.[LNB]Given was finally beaten, just before the half-hour mark, by Defoe's impish piece of skill.[LNB]Jermaine Jenas shifted the ball to Huddlestone on the right, the cross came over but was slightly behind Defoe, so the striker back-heeled on the volley beyond Given.[LNB]It was his first goal since a foot injury in January kept him out for 10 weeks, and City may have been disappointed that Elano was not taken off just before the goal.[LNB]The Brazilian was struggling with an eye complaint and was taken off for Pablo Zabaleta just after the opener.[LNB]There had been very little for Oasis singer Liam Gallagher to shout about from the stands, only a poked Martin Petrov effort, a finish that suggested he was a player short of confidence and a right foot.[LNB]Second-halfAlan Hutton came on at the break for Jonathan Woodgate, meaning Spurs made a change as well as the officials.[LNB]Spurs had won their previous four home matches 1-0 and City were determined to break that sequence, with Richards raiding down the right trying to make something happen.[LNB]Felipe Caicedo had sight of goal but his effort was sliced wildly and almost went for a throw.[LNB]City boss Mark Hughes responded by introducing Benjani and Bojinov for Petrov and Caicedo on the hour mark.[LNB]Bojinov equalised in the 65th minute when Stephen Ireland chipped the ball into the penalty area, Benjani headed down for Bojinov to volley home his first goal for the club.[LNB]Pavlyuchenko stabbed an effort horribly wide and was then taken off and headed straight down the tunnel, with Spurs boss Harry Redknapp appearing unimpressed with the Russian.[LNB]Spurs were awarded their penalty when Richards and Campbell tangled, with Keane tucking away the spot-kick.[LNB]Benjani then missed a sitter for City in the dying moments, heading over unmarked from close range.[LNB]
