Europa League
6 December, 2012
Tottenham Hotspur
Brad Friedel
24
Kyle Walker
28
Steven Caulker
33
Jan Vertonghen
5
Kyle Naughton
16
Aaron Lennon
7
Sandro
30
Thomas Carroll
46
Clint Dempsey
2
Jermain Defoe
18
Emmanuel Adebayor
10
Substitutes
Moussa Dembele
19
Gylfi Sigurdsson
22
Jake Livermore
29
Carlo Cudicini
23
Tom Huddlestone
6
Andros Townsend
31
Kevin Stewart
59
Panathinaikos
27
Orestes Karnezis
16
Giourkas Seitaridis
45
Konstantinos Triantafyllopoulos
24
Loukas Vyntra
31
Nikos Spyropoulos
6
Victor Vitolo
17
Jose Zeca
20
Pape Sow
3
Ibrahim Sissoko
7
Charalampos Mavrias
9
Toche
Substitutes
10
Lazaros Christodoulopoulos
14
Bruno Fornaroli
28
Antonios Petropoulos
44
José Manuel Velázquez
22
Stergos Marinos
40
Stefanos Kapino
41
Diamantis Chouchoumis
Referee: Pawel Gil
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Tottenham suffered a little scare in the second half but it wasn't enough to put them off track as they ran out 3-1 winners against Panathinaikos. The game started well for the home side and they looked the more likely to break the deadlock. They did just that on 29 minutes; Clint Dempsey played through Emmanuel Adebayor and the striker was never going to miss from 12 yards. It stayed 1-0 until the break. Into the second half and the visitors got back on terms thanks to the lively Jose Zeca's powerful header. Toche came close to shocking the crowd when he poked just wide on 70 minutes, but Clint Dempsey's fortuitous effort on 76 minutes made sure of Spurs' place in the next round. Jermain Defoe sealed the win with a well-executed finish with eight minutes to play. Full time and Tottenham are deservedly through.
It's all over, Spurs are through and join Newcastle, Liverpool and Chelsea in the next round.
Bruno Fornaroli heads wide of Brad Friedel's right-hand post as Panathinaikos try to make the scoreline look a little more respectable.
The job's done and they know it. Spurs are just playing with Panathinaikos now, passing about freely.
Aaron Lennon's game is up, as he goes off to a standing ovation. Youngster Jake Livermore replaces him.
Kyle Walker makes football look easy. He swings between players with relative ease before cutting the ball back to Defoe who can't direct his effort towards goal. Orestes Karnezis collects for a goal kick.
Panathinaikos know they're not getting anything from this game now, and their play reflects that. They're not putting in half as much effort as they were when it was 1-1.
He really is in the form of his life. JERMAIN DEFOE adds the third goal with the cheekiest of chips. No way back for Panathinaikos now.
Antonios Petropoulos comes on for Toche for the visitors, while Gylfi Sigurdsson gets his shirt on and is ready to come on. Clint Dempsey looks like the man who will be going off for the hosts.
It's the most fortunate of goals from CLINT DEMPSEY. Well, he'll claim it. A great ball from Kyle Walker allows him to wriggle free from his man to head against the bar, but the ball comes flying out and hits Orestes Karnezis on the back. The 'keeper turns round only to see the ball cruelly bounce across the line.
Moussa Dembele ties the laces of his bright yellow boots as he prepares to enter the fray. Thomas Carroll will be the man to make way.
Heart in mouth time for Spurs. A goal-mouth scramble sees the ball drop to Toche who pokes it agonisingly wide. The Spaniard was so close to grabbing his ninth of the season.
Now Nikos Spyropoulos goes into the book for a cynical challenge on a man in white.
To say he's issued over 60 cards this season so far, it's surprised me that it's taken 67 minutes for Pawel Gil to show his first booking. It's Kyle Naughton who goes into his notebook.
The Spurs players are closing the away defenders down very quickly causing them to hoof the ball away, ultimately conceding possession. They're trying harder now.
Worried looks on the faces of the wrapped-up Tottenham fans in the crowd. They know that just one more goal for the visitors would see them advance in their place.
Lazaros Christodoulopoulos comes on to replace Pape Sow. He looks to have been left limping a little after that challenge only moments ago.
Panathinaikos are up for it now. Charalampos Mavrias gets in a great cross after interchanging passes with Victor Vitolo. No one is there to meet the ball in, however. Spurs need to concentrate and not lose focus.
Pape Sow hacks down a Tottenham man and gives away a free kick. What's worse is he's the one who comes out injured. Play is being held up as he gets treatment.
And as I say that, Panathinaikos score. The Greek fans have gone into delerium. JOSE ZECA heads in a magnificent Nikos Spyropoulos cross.
The second half has certainly seen quicker movement around the pitch. It's as though Defoe's effort has woken the visitors up, there's an urgency about their play now.
Clint Dempsey plays the ball into Jermain Defoe and his effort cannons back off the post. Panathinaikos very nearly had a mountain to climb.
Ibrahim Sissoko is running towards the corner flag as he smashes a 30-yard left-footed strike goalwards. Brad Friedel takes the ball comfortably though.
Spurs get the final period of the group stage underway.
Tottenham went into the break 1-0 up thanks to Emmanuel Adebayor's tidy finish after 29 minutes. The home side had looked the better team in the first half as Panathinaikos rarely tested them. On 22 minutes Toche had a good chance but a poor connection meant Brad Friedel gathered easily. The goal came seven minutes later; Clint Dempsey's beautiful pass was touched forward and slotted home by the big Togolese striker. Jose Zeca played over two lovely balls to Toche but Friedel's quick thinking allowed him to thwart the Spaniard on each occasion. Half time and it's Spurs 1-0 Panathinaikos.
The referee blows his whistle and signals the end of the first half.
A cheers goes up as Kyle Naughton jinks between two players and sets Sandro on his way. He's looked better tonight than he has done in a Spurs shirt before.
Ibrahim Sissoko runs forward and he looks confident with the ball at his feet. He plays it to Victor Vitolo who can't continue the attack and the home side can get some composure back into the game.
Spurs get the ball down the right wing with Aaron Lennon and his cross is nodded down by Clint Dempsey to Jermain Defoe, who skies the ball.
Kyle Walker shows great strength to stop Ibrahim Sissoko making a march into the box. The ball is cleared by Thomas Carroll, but it's a poor clearance and Pape Sow tires his luck. Fortunately for Spurs, it's way over the crossbar.
Jose Zeca plays over a near-identical pass to his earlier one to Toche. Brad Friedel comes out but panics and has to claw the ball away to avert all danger.
Moments after that half-chance, Tottenham take the lead. Clint Dempsey plays through a lovely neat ball and a great first touch and finish from EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR sees the hosts go one up.
Jose Zeca curls through a lovely ball for Toche to sprint on to, but the Spaniard is beaten to the ball by the onrushing Brad Friedel.
Clint Dempsey tries his luck from about 40 yards but the ball flies over the bar. He had options in Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermain Defoe but the American chose to have a pop.
Giourkas Seitaridis plays in a very clever free kick that catches everyone off guard. Toche is the recipient but his poor connection doesn't trouble Brad Friedel.
Emmanuel Adebayor concedes possession needlessly resulting in Jan Vertonghen bringing down Ibrahim Sissoko. Moments later when Spurs regain the ball, Sandro's carelessness sees him pass to no one and the ball goes out for a throw in.
Kyle Walker hammers the ball low and hard in hope of catching the 'keeper out, but the wall blocks his effort. The follow-up cross is into the arms of the grateful Orestes Karnezis who is impeded in the process.
Ibrahim Sissoko gives the ball away on the edge of the box to Clint Dempsey, who is hauled down by Victor Vitolo. This is a fantastic position to go 1-0 up.
Toche and Charalampos Mavrias, the two strikers for the visitors, have hardly got out of their own half so far. They're camped quite deep for forwards.
Neither side has carved out a clear-cut chance in these first 12 minutes. To say whoever loses goes out, the strikers don't look that up for it.
Thomas Carroll plays over Spurs' first corner but it's well headed away by the defence. They'll be hoping to keep out the home side for as long as possible having conceded three goals in three of their last four European fixtures.
Panathinaikos are coming forward and seem to like using the left flank. Ibrahim Sissoko has whipped in a few crosses but they've not found a man.
Tottenham's two youngsters try to combine as Steven Caulker plays over a long ball to Thomas Carroll but the midfielder just can't reach it. He would have been in a good position to cross had he picked up possession.
It's a steady start from the hosts as they play the ball around the defence, just waiting for a chance to come forward.
The game is underway. Spurs are kicking from right to left.
Full line-up: Karnezis; Seitaridis, Triantafyllopoulos, Vyntra, Spyropoulos; Vitolo, Zeca, Sow; Sissoko, Mavrias, Toche. Subs: Kapino, Marinos, Chouchoumis, Velazquez, Christodoulopoulos, Fornaroli, Petropoulos.
Full line-up: Friedel, Walker, Caulker, Vertonghen, Naughton; Lennon, Sandro , Carroll, Dempsey; Defoe, Adebayor. Subs: Cudicini, Stewart, Huddlestone, Dembele, Sigurdsson, Livermore, Townsend.
Tottenham head into this fixture knowing that a point will be good enough to ensure their place in the next round of the competition, but to finish top they must win while hoping Lazio fall to defeat in Maribor. An away victory would see Panathinaikos advance at Spurs' expense, something which Andre Villas-Boas and co would surely view as a travesty given they were viewed as one of the favourites for the trophy.
Spurs head into this game in good form having won the last three games at home in all competitions, scoring eight goals in the process – five coming from Jermain Defoe. If the crowd is up for it tonight then the visiting side will find it very hard to get something here, but with a lot pending on this game, either side could crumble under the pressure.
Jermain Defoe seems to be in the form of his life in his second spell back at the North London club and will prove a handful to deal with. Clint Dempsey seems to be discovering the form that earned him the move across London in the summer. Familiar faces in the visitors' side that may cause troubles for Spurs include 6' 3” centre back Jean-Alain Boumsong and ex-Liverpool forward Sebastian Leto. The winger has been in fine goalscoring form.
Polish referee Pawel Gil takes charge of the game tonight, and he's notorious for his brandishing of cards. The official has issued 56 yellows and sent off six players in the 11 games he's refereed so far this season. He's overlooked two games in European competitions this term – both in the Champions League. Something for Spurs fans to think over is that in both these games the home side have won comfortably.