Harry’s Euro entertainers give him pride
FC TWENTE 3 vs TOTTENHAM 3
TOTTENHAM manager Harry Redknapp believes top spot in Group A is just reward for his side’s buccaneering style following the latest chapter in their thrilling Champions League debut campaign.
The north Londoners let the lead slip on three occasions against the Dutch champions, but the result, garnished by Jermain Defoe’s first goals since August, coupled with Inter Milan’s 3-0 defeat in Bremen, ensured Spurs topped a competitive section.
Spurs became the first side to score three or more goals in five consecutive Champions League matches and Redknapp sees no need to alter his side’s gung-ho mentality.
He said: “We’ve gone for it every game. We’ve come in thinking we could win and that’s how we play. We got goals and we concede them.
“We tend to score plenty and seem to give them away too. You want to win all your games so we wanted to win here but it’s important to finish top of the group and we’ve done that so I’m proud of the boys.
“At the start of this I said this was a tough group – we’ve got a team near the top of the Dutch league, Werder Bremen, who are a good side with lots of good players, and we’ve got the holders, Inter Milan. I think it was the toughest group and to top it is brilliant.”
Spurs were handed a dream start in Enschede after only 12 minutes when veteran 40-year-old goalkeeper, Sander Boschker, failed to make contact with Peter Wisgerhof’s backpass and could only look on in horror as the ball trickled over the line.
The lead lasted only 10 minutes, however, when former Wigan midfielder Denny Landzaat converted a twice-taken penalty after Benoit Assou-Ekotto was harshly penalised for handball.
Defoe restored his side’s advantage a minute after the interval, latching onto Aaron Lennon’s disguised pass and firing across Boschker, but Roberto Rosales restored parity with a bullet header 11 minutes later.
England striker Defoe then tapped home from close range just before the hour after Boschker had spilled a Wilson Palacios effort, but again Twente responded almost immediately, with Nacer Chadli curling home an exceptional free-kick.
Defoe added: “We’ll take each game as it comes but we’re playing well and scoring goals. We’re looking good at the moment.”