FA Cup - Pavlyuchenko fires Spurs through

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.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 FA Cup - Tottenham's Roman Pavlyuchenko scores the first goal of the third-round game from the penalty spot against Wigan Athletic - 0

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.

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport

Comment 28 - 47 of 47

Sort comments by: Most recent
  1. 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.

    From thegingerbreadmen, on Sun 4 Jan 2:42AM
  2. 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!!!!!!!!!!!

    From anthony m, on Sat 3 Jan 3:39PM
  3. 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 !!!!!!!!!

    From ispurs, on Sat 3 Jan 1:56PM
  4. 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

    From Wayne, on Sat 3 Jan 1:49PM
  5. 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...

    From V. P. T, on Sat 3 Jan 12:28PM
  6. Tommy damn right. buying Gudjohnson would be a much­ better deal than defoe or obviously Bellamy. ahahaha­ bellamy.

    From Tom, on Sat 3 Jan 12:25PM
  7. ALL ENGLISH FOOTBALL
    PREMIER LEAGUE – FA CUP – CARLING­ CUP
    CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – UEFA CUP

    ALL MATCHES ON WEB: ­ PREMIER LEAGUE, FA CUP, CHAMPIONSHIP, LIGA, SERIE A,­ BUNDESLIGA, CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - UEFA CUP AND MUCH MORE
    ­
    ALL THE HIGH-LIGHTS OF PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES

    From , on Sat 3 Jan 11:35AM
  8. 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.

    From tommy_cockles2, on Sat 3 Jan 11:33AM
  9. harry's the man! he's doing a great job, get­ rid of bent, jenus, and bale. dont buy defoe back. go­ for bellamy.

    From nigelyoung615, on Sat 3 Jan 10:12AM
  10. 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.

    From jim, on Sat 3 Jan 9:54AM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    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?

    From DANIEL, on Sat 3 Jan 9:14AM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    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?

    From DANIEL, on Sat 3 Jan 9:13AM
  13. v.g.p (Very Good Player)

    From Nath, on Sat 3 Jan 9:01AM
  14. Roman Pavlyuchenko the spurs Russian star is a great­ player. him and modric scoring goals.

    From Nath, on Sat 3 Jan 8:34AM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    today

    From Nath, on Sat 3 Jan 8:32AM
  16. Well JLubov They did not lose did they. Spurs to go all­ the way.

    From zammitjoseph52, on Sat 3 Jan 8:29AM
  17. Number 27,(they always lose against MAN UNITED) 13 Dec­ Tottenham Hotspur 0 - 0 Manchester United um dont think­ so..

    From petr_foy, on Sat 3 Jan 8:06AM
  18. THE LIVERPOOL MATCH IS ON SATURDAY...

    From Nath, on Sat 3 Jan 7:49AM
  19. Great result for Spurs! Now I'd like to see­ Tottenham in the final - it's long overdue.

    From Paul, on Sat 3 Jan 7:48AM
  20. what is liverpool out of the fa cup already?
    i remember­ liverpool losing to spurs b4

    From united4lifebaby, on Sat 3 Jan 5:27AM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account