Pre-match:
Well, having trouble here with the stream. Game kicks off in about 5 minutes, so this kinda sucks. Well shit, changed the stream to the 275kbs version, and it works. Love that the first song I hear is "Glory Glory".
1': Missed the pre-game formation listing. Feed is pretty crappy, but at least it's in English.
4': Modric has looked brilliant in his first two touches and runs in the game. I am pretty sure Bale is on the left mid and Gilberto is our LB for the game. Exciting. O'Hara is in mid too. Spurs possession of the ball is good as well. Fans are loud, love the Lane.
9': And Spartak's first push with the ball almost results in a goal for them. Solid 1-2 link up play by the fowards for Spartak.
Pretty sure our lineup is Gomes (GK), Gunter (RB), Zokora (CB), Dawson (CB), Gilberto (LB), Bentley (RM), Huddlestone (CM), Modric (CM/AM), O'Hara (CM), Bale (LM), Campbell (F)
Spartak has never drew on English soil, 4 wins and 3 losses. That's a fun stat.
15': We are giving the two up top for Spartak too much space to work with. Zokora and Dawson need to communicate better.
21': Forgot Croatian Goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa plays on Spartak. Bale takes a free-kick about 30 yards out, and hits it right into traffic.
22': Ball is played back to Gilberto by our box. Gilberto sees Gomes coming out to try and take the ball, meanwhile both fowards are coming down hard on Gilberto. Gomes stops coming to the ball, Gilberto stops, Russian foward Dzuba gets the first goal of the game. 1-0 Spartak.
23': Ryzhkov almost puts in a second from 20 yards out, just a bit left of the goal though. Past a full-stretched Gomes too.
28': Bentley takes our second corner of the game. Lays off to Luka who passes back to Bentley who still cannot beat the first man. Lame.
30': Bentley takes our 3rd corner. This time beats first man, but beats Dawson too. A lot of possession after the corner, Huddlestone lets off a rocket that is right at Pletikosa.
32': Dzyuba gets another. A long pass is what beats Dawson and Zokora this time. Gomes comes to the top of the box to try and get the ball but to no avail. Dyzuba beats Gomes for a wide open goal. 2-0 Spartak.
35': Get Bentley off the pitch. He's done absolutely nothing this game. He has completely forgotten how to play this year and you can tell it's messing with him. Bring on Lennon, we need a real threat on the wings.
39': Bentley is awarded a corner kick for his free kick attempt. This time he beats the first defender and finds Dawson who heads it over the net. I can already sense the urgency from Spurs to get a goal. Hopefully 'arry has some magic up his sleeve.
43': Free kick, again for Bentley. Another decent effort, again in for Dawson. Spurs want one bad here.
Half-Time: I didn't expect us to be down 2-0 at half. I didn't think we'd get through this game with a clean sheet, but to be down 2-0, shit. Dawson and Zokora are showing their inexperience together, and it isn't helped that Gomes has been caught out of position twice now. Bentley needs to do something soon to help this team. His last two set pieces haven't been bad, but we need a bit more from him to get back in this. Lennon will come on eventually (although he might not even be on the bench, I still don't know). Frazier Campbell hasn't done anything of note in this game. Here's to a better second half, C'mon you Spurs.
45': Lennon comes on for Gilberto. This means Bale is back to LB, while Bentley moves to the LM position and Lennon to RM. I expected Lennon to come on, but to play on the left, not the right. Hopefully 'arry saw something in Spartak's team.
52': Great ball up to Campbell by O'Hara. Solid chance to had Frazier not fallen down. I love how one of the pop up ad's on this stream is giving me the chance to "Win a Free Justin Morneau". I sure know the Indians could use one of those.
60': Over the last 8 minutes we've had two blasts by Huddlestone well over the net halfway into the crowd. Luka Modric had a decent chance, but he really hasn't done much past his first few touches on the ball. Bentley still cannot beat the first man, and when he does, it beats Dawson. I'm debating if I should make tacos or go grab fast food for dinner later. What do you think?
68': GOALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!! Luka Modric with his first ever goal in a Spurs shirt. Great play by Lennon on the cut to beat two guys and deliver a low cross to Modric who boots it past his national teammate Stipe Pletikosa. Great play, great goal! And to think this all came right after horrible play by Zokora.
72': GOALLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!! This time it's T. Hudds! Great cross by Bale to find Huddlestone's head whom pushed it on the right side past Stipe. And just like this, Spurs are looking to push past these group stages with Udinese.
80': We have plenty of chances. Momentum is surely in our favor to get a 3rd this game, right? Campbell is nursing his leg, as the announcers are thinking he pulled something. He got a solid run but legs gave out just meters before the goal, rough. Then a corner just now was sent into Frazier and he was stopped by Pletikosa. I'm really liking this link up play on the left by Bale and Bentley. Maybe David can learn a thing or two about corners from Bale.
90': +3 minutes. I'm alright with the draw, seeing as how we'll get through. Udinese is getting dumped 2-0 by NEC, ha!
Full-Time: Glory, Glory Tottenham Hotspur! Not the prettiest result, but a 2-2 draw will get us through to knock-outs. Great to see Luka get his first goal for us. Highlights will be up later tonight. Sunday has us at St. James Park to take on Newcastle United in league play.
