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  • Bent (80), O'Hara (82)
  • Date:2008-03-22
  • Kick-off:12:45
  • Venue:White Hart Lane
  • Attendance:35998
  • Referee:Dowd, P

Live Commentary

90mins

It's finished 2-0, those two late goals from substitutes Bent and O'Hara winning it for Spurs.

89mins

Hughes goes off, Arnold Mvuemba replacing him

88mins

Approaching injury time and the game is up, Spurs in total control now

85mins

Spurs appear to have won the game now with those two late goals from the substitutes

83mins

Milan Baros also comes on for Pompey, Kanu makes way

83mins

Keane goes off for Teemu Tainio

82mins

The two substitutes have changed the game and suddenly Spurs are two up

81mins

O'Hara makes it 2-0, turning home Bent's cross

80mins

Bent heads Spurs in front from close range

79mins

Pompey have grown in confidence in the second half and are having more of the possession at the moment

76mins

Zokora has to clear Kanu's header off the line after Robinson is caught out of his goal

74mins

Ramos will be hoping those changes fire his side up because it's gone a bit scrappy at White Hart Lane in the second half

71mins

Jamie O'Hara also comes on in place of Lennon

71mins

Spurs make a double change, Dawson goes off for Darren Bent so Zokora reverts to defence

68mins

Richard Hughes' challenge is well timed to deny Hutton

66mins

Huddlestone blocks Kanu's shot as Spurs boss Juande Ramos prepares to make his first substitute

64mins

A lack of clear chances so far in the second half

61mins

Another Lennon run ends with the ball coming back off him for a Portsmouth goal-kick

59mins

John Utaka is booked after clashing heads with Chimbonda but it looked a harsh yellow card

58mins

It's still Spurs who look the more likely scorers with almost an hour played

55mins

Lennon goes up the other end and, after a great run, his shot is just wide

54mins

Johnson breaks forward for Portsmouth but Woodgate does brilliantly to deny him

52mins

The snow has returned to North London as Chimbonda defends well

49mins

Huddlestone's effort from the edge of the area flies narrowly over

48mins

The home fans find their voice as Pompey clear from a Spurs corner

46mins

No changes from either side at the break

45mins

The second 45 minutes begins

45mins

Level at the break but Spurs have had the better of it with Dawson's effort off the bar the closest they have come to scoring

45mins

Huddlestone fires a half-volley just over as one minute of injury time is added

43mins

Portsmouth will be pleased to get in at the break level after a poor display from them so far

40mins

Chimbonda wastes possession and a Spurs attack breaks down

38mins

Spurs will be frustrated that they are not in front yet after wasting several good opportunites as we head towards half time

35mins

Berbatov wastes a good opening for Spurs as he steers his shot wide

33mins

Johnson heads clear another Spurs corner, the pressure continuing to build on the visitors

31mins

That is the best chance of the game so far, Dawson's powerful strike clattering off the bar

30mins

Aubey has to put the ball behind for another corner from which Dawson's strike comes back off the crossbar

28mins

Keane plays Dimitar Berbatov in but the Bulgarian is offside although he continues on and puts the ball in the net anyway, the whistle had long gone though

25mins

Huddlestone wastes a corner for Spurs with a poor delivery

24mins

Spurs have shaded the opening half so far but it remains goalless

21mins

Distin's poor clearance falls to Woodgate but the defender fires it over

19mins

Chimbonda picks up a loose ball and strikes a decent effort just wide, plenty of action though early on at White Hart Lane

17mins

Sean Davis almost chips Robinson but the Spurs keeper reacts well and tips it over

16mins

Keane almost steals the ball from James after the Pompey keeper rolls it out not knowing Keane was behind him, James just manages to clear though

15mins

Huddlestone curls a free kick on target but James gathers it comfortably

14mins

Keane strikes an effort at goal but David James saves well - the first real chance of the game

13mins

Spurs have had the better of the openning minutes

11mins

Pascal Chimbonda was almost in but the Pompey defence again clear well at the last minute

10mins

Distin does well to clear the ball behind for a corner but Spurs don't make the most of it

7mins

Aaron Lennon's cross is cleared by Lucien Aubey

6mins

It's been a lively start to the game as the snow that was falling at kick off subsides

3mins

Tom Huddlestone's free kick is cleared and Pompey launch a quick counter-attack but Spurs defend well

1mins

Steed Malbranque handles the ball and Pompey get an early free-kick

0mins

The action gets underway at White Hart Lane

0mins

Tom Huddlestone comes in for Jermaine Jenas while Michael Dawson replaces Ledley King for Spurs. Pompey make six changes with Lucien Aubey, John Utaka and Richard Hughes all starting. Milan Baros drops to the bench.

Match Preview

Tottenham Hotspur play host to Portsmouth at White Hart Lane, having given their home fans an eight-goal thriller against Chelsea in midweek.

An enthralling encounter ended 4-4, with Spurs skipper Robbie Keane netting a final equaliser two minutes from time.

Head coach Juande Ramos told the club's official website after the game: "At 3-1 down in the second half against a side like Chelsea it's always going to be difficult, but the game was open and the team believed in its possibilities.

"We had to push forward, there was a minimal risk towards our own goal so we pushed on looking for victory and could have scored a fifth goal right at the end."

Ramos has only a few injury problems to contend with, with both Paul Robinson and Ledley King having shaken off knocks to feature against the Blues. However, Ricardo Rocha (groin), Gareth Bale (foot) and Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) remain on the sidelines.

Pompey enter the weekend five points behind Everton and the one definite UEFA Cup qualification spot.

With that battle in mind, Portsmouth defender Sylvain Distin this week spoke out about the need to put their FA Cup run to the back of their minds.

"I think we can still make it into Europe through the league, there are enough games and points up for grabs. I have to say our main ambition is the league. Winning the FA Cup is still a long way away for us," Distin told The News.

Captain Sol Campbell is integral to this ambition, yet a knee injury is likely to force his absence for at least this weekend's fixture.

"Sol is struggling," Pompey manager Harry Redknapp said earlier in the week. "He looks doubtful for the weekend. We'll have to wait and see but I'm not too hopeful."

A Campbell-less defence performed well in the 2-0 win over fellow UEFA Cup hopefuls Aston Villa last weekend and Redknapp confirmed that the back four is likely to remain unchanged.

"Hermann Hreidarsson did well and he can carry on alongside Sylvain Distin," Redknapp revealed, recognising the vital role the Icelandic centre-half plays in the squad.


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Match Report

Darren Bent made a vital impact as a Tottenham substitute as he helped his side record a 2-0 victory over Portsmouth at White Hart Lane.

Bent has been forced to wait for his chance in the first team, but showed his ability when he came off the bench to score the first goal and set up fellow substitute Jamie O'Hara for the second.

The £16.5million club record signing has struggled to force his way past Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane, but insists he is happy to stay at the club and showed Juande Ramos he is ready to fight for his place in the team.

Tottenham started the match brightly and could have opened the scoring after 12 minutes when Keane saw his low drive saved by David James who dived low to his left to keep the effort out.

James was almost embarrassed by Keane three minutes later. The Republic of Ireland international was running behind the shot-stopper in the box and almost took the ball off the Portsmouth keeper who managed to clear the ball to safety in the nick of time.

His opposite number, Paul Robinson, then showed why he is still challenging for an England place when he made a brilliant 16th-minute save.

Sean Davis' chip from the edge of the box produced a superb save from Robinson who did well to tip the ball over the bar.

Pascal Chimbonda almost broke the deadlock in spectacular fashion three minutes later when his spectacular right-foot volley flew inches past the post.

Tottenham striker Berbatov had the ball in the back of the net on 28 minutes but was adjudged to be in an offside position.

The home side continued to create the better chances in the first half and went close to breaking the deadlock in the 31st minute when Michael Dawson turned on the half-volley but smashed his effort against the bar.

Ten minutes after the break, Aaron Lennon then used all his pace to burst clear of the Portsmouth defence but drilled his shot narrowly past the post.

Robinson should have been a lot quicker out of his goal to stop Kanu heading the ball over him, but was thankful that Didier Zokora was in the right place to knock the effort away from danger.

Tottenham finally broke the deadlock in the 80th minute. Berbatov mis-hit his shot into the ground but the ball bounced up for Bent who made no mistake heading the ball past James into the corner of the net.

The home side sealed their victory two minutes later when Bent weaved his way into the box and cut the ball back for O'Hara who fired home from close range.

Tottenham Hotspur

Portsmouth

Corners

72

Fouls

813

Goal attempts

174

Shots off target

80

Offsides

32

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