Eurosport - Sat, 03 Jan 10:22:00 2009
Tottenham Hotspur reached the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 3-1 win at home to Wigan thanks to a Roman Pavlyuchenko brace and Luka Modric header.
Spurs made sure of their triumph in the evening encounter at White Hart Lane after Henri Camara scored an 88th-minute consolation for the Latics, Pavlyuchenko smashing inside the near post in injury time to add to his earlier penalty.
After a goalless first half Spurs substitute Fraizer Campbell was brought down by Wigan reserve goalkeeper Richard Kingson, who was sent the wrong way by the Russian striker.
Modric then reacted quickest after Jamie O'Hara's strike from outside the box came off the inside of the post.
Wigan had looked the better side in the opening period and will count themselves unlucky to have gone out. Their midfield and strikers - minus Amr Zaki and Emile Heskey - were full of tenacity and speed on the counter-attack as Spurs tried to unlock their defence through excellent Croatian Modric.
He featured in central midfield behind two strikers, Darren Bent initially partnering Pavlyuchenko before a first-half injury forced Harry Redknapp to replace the England man with Campbell. Modric missed a good chance to score after only seven minutes as David Bentley asked for the ball on the right side of the penalty area.
Spurs winger Bentley struggled to beat the defender at the near post with many of his crosses, his fortunes contrasting with the effective wide men Antonio Valencia and Wilson Palacios at the other end.
Camara should have scored from Wigan's best chance in the first 45 minutes, nodding a pin-point Palacios cross just wide moments before Modric's effort, while Olivier Kapo proved a good foil for the lightning-fast striker.
Six minutes after the break Spurs won the chance to take the lead when Gareth Bale, who was always looking to attack as a left wing-back, surged forward and fed a ball through for nippy frontman Campbell.
The Manchester United man, on loan for the season, got there just ahead of debutant Kingson - preferred to Mike Pollitt after Chris Kirkland's injury - and was brought down by a swiping hand. The goalkeeper was only shown a yellow card as Campbell was heading away from goal.
Pavlyuchenko sent the Ghana international the wrong way from the spot, the ball creeping just inside the post.
Kingson immediately pulled off a stunning point-blank save to deny Campbell after an accurate cross by Pavlyuchenko, who in the following minutes lobbed him just wide of the post before seeing two shots saved and another chance thwarted by a last-ditch Paul Scharner tackle.
Scharner should have hit the target with a free header inside the box for Wigan and the game looked over when O'Hara's crisp half-volley cannoned back to Modric, who finished into the open goal from nine yards.
Visiting boss Steve Bruce was unhappy that play had continued after Spurs broke when Maynor Figueroa lay hurt in the home penalty box.
Gomes saved a Figueroa shot as Wigan reawakened late on; Camara's finish set up a nervy final few minutes, but Didier Zokora's run took the defender away from the advancing Pavlyuchenko three minutes into time added on - and he fired past Kingson from 25 yards to set Spurs' minds at rest.
Comment 28 - 47 of 47
Reading that it said Modric reacted quickest. If anyone saw the goal you would see he fell over and O Hara's shot hit the post then hit Modrics head Lol. But Modric is still a world-class player well deserved a goal. Pav played amazing and now needs a player like Frasier Campbell just more developed to do all the running around whilst Pav can do all the skillful non-chalant bits.
Hey didn't know Tottenham were into deep sea diving all them experts are something else.
The ref stopped the game for one of Tottenham's players when he received a ball in the groin off one of his own players, but when it came one of Wigan's players being stamped on by one of Tottenham's players it was pityfull. The ref should be made to be accountable and video ref should be brought in!!!!!!!!!!!
Pav looks much better in a two man attack; Frazier did well to get the pen, unlucky with that header fab save by Kingson !! Let's hope this win will be the +ve drive for the league... COYS !!!!!!!!!
thats one banana skin out of the way, lets get ready for the CC semi, Harry get them up and at them from the start........we are far too slow of the blocks, allowing the other side to dictate the pace from the off. COYS
Berbatov has never been satisfied with Spurs...Pavlyuchenko has already proven that Berba is nothing...He is nothing at MU as well...Tevez will kick him out from starting eleven...
Tommy damn right. buying Gudjohnson would be a much better deal than defoe or obviously Bellamy. ahahaha bellamy.
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bellamy? is everyone mad? a two bit little thug...20 million for defoe is beyond ridiculous,how about gudjonson from barca for 10 mill? english players have become so over priced.
harry's the man! he's doing a great job, get rid of bent, jenus, and bale. dont buy defoe back. go for bellamy.
COME ON HARRY(REDKNAPP) YOU WONT GET ANY FORWARDS IN THE UK, ALL THE CLUBS ARE WAITING FOR MAN CITY TO MAKE AN OFFER FOR THEM.GET ARSHAVIN TO PLAY WITH MODRIC IN MIDFIELD,BUY A PROVEN DEFENDER,USE LENNON ON THE RIGHT,BENTLEY ON THE LEFT,GIVE SANTOS A RUN IN THE TEAM WITH PAVLYUCHENKO UP FRONT,OR BUY CAMPBELL FROM UNITED,THEN YOU WILL HAVE A TEAM TO BE PROUD OF.COME ON YOU SPURS, 3 CUPS THIS YEAR.
TOTTENHAM FOR LIFE.
Spurs had a very good outing against Wigan but I think against the Big 4, it would come out like the fly battling against the elephant. Aaw bt that people?
Spurs had a very good outing against Wigan but I think against the Big 4, it would come out like the fly battling against the elephant. Aaw bt that people?
v.g.p (Very Good Player)
Roman Pavlyuchenko the spurs Russian star is a great player. him and modric scoring goals.
today
Well JLubov They did not lose did they. Spurs to go all the way.
Number 27,(they always lose against MAN UNITED) 13 Dec Tottenham Hotspur 0 - 0 Manchester United um dont think so..
THE LIVERPOOL MATCH IS ON SATURDAY...
Great result for Spurs! Now I'd like to see Tottenham in the final - it's long overdue.
what is liverpool out of the fa cup already?
i remember liverpool losing to spurs b4
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