FOOTBALL Live

Sunday August 16, 2009 Finished White Hart Lane

2 - 1

Tottenham Hotspur

  • Assou-Ekotto 43’
  • Bassong 58’

Liverpool

  • Gerrard 55’ (pen.)

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  1. Liverpool slump to Spurs defeat

    Liverpool slump to Spurs defeat

    Goals from Benoit Assout-Ekotto and Sebastien Bassong gave Tottenham a 2-1 win over Liverpool in their first game of the season. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Tottenham Hotspur
    • Liverpool
    • 90+4 The final whistle is blown! Spurs start with a win and a big one against title hopefuls Liverpool who, to be honest, looked anything but! 2-1 and it could have been more, although Liverpool will be aggrieved at what they thought was a cast-iron penalty in the second half.
    • 90+3 Torres almost gets in but superb defending by King to dispossess him and bring the ball away. Some afters now between Huddlestone and Torres, Lucas gets involved but that's a silly battle against the big Spurs man. The ref tells them to get a room.
    • 90+2 SPURS SUB: Pavlyuchenko on for Defoe.
    • 90+1 Spurs ride some Liverpool pressure as O'Hara pings a super ball wide left that Defoe chases, he controls but instead of running it down the corner pings in a pointless cross straight to Ayala.
    • 90' Liverpool assistant Sammy Lee is sent off after Stuart Atwell, the fourth official, reports him to Phil Dowd for something he said, no doubt about the non-penalty.
    • 88' Voronin plays it in from the right but a poor ball into the arms of Gomes.
    • 87' Liverpool have another shout for a penalty waved away with Assou-Ekotto accused of handball. The ball hit him on the arm after Voronin played it close range, but his arm was flat across his chest, no way is that a handball.
    • 86' Spurs have a free-kick now with Lennon down on the right. The ball is swung far post, Crouch heads it back and a super volley by OÂ’Hara but blocked and Liverpool clear!
    • 85' Benayoun with a lovely ball into Voronin who is clean through and Asso-Ekotto comes across him and the Ukrainian goes down but no penalty! That looked a foul to me! Big decision from the ref and I think the wrong one.
    • 83' SPURS SUB: Jamie O'Hara is introduced for Modric, one assumes to contain Glen Johnson.
    • 82' Gerrard bends a super ball in that Torres moves in to finish but a touch from King takes it away from the Spain striker and into the grateful arms of Gomes.
    • 81' Wide to insua on the left but Corluka is back to clear. Lennon keeps it in and runs at the gap on the left but Mascherano the fellow Argentine is covering to block the cross for a throw.
    • 80' A promising spell for Liverpool ends with an aimless ball in that is out for a goal kick.
    • 79' The corner is swung over but Corluka gets a head on it and Defoe hoofs away. Johnson into Mascherano, now Torres but Huddlestone hacks clear.
    • 78' LIVERPOOL SUB: Voronin on for Kuyt.
    • 77' Mascherano plays it forward to Benayoun who has space to cut into, he has a crack and it is deflected and with Gomes stranded flies over for a corner.
    • 75' LIVERPOOL SUB: Skrtel comes off holding his head again, Ayala on in his place.
    • 74' Good cross from Assou-Ekotto that Crouch attacks on the edge of the box but straight at Reina.
    • 73' Benayoun sends a superb diagonal ball to complete a one-two with Gerrard, who races down the left and into the box but the low finish is too close to Gomes, who claims easily.
    • 71' Liverpool have had a bit of the ball for the last couple of minutes as Johnson overlaps and sends in a good ball for Torres but the header glances off the side of his scalp and goes well wide.
    • 69' Liverpool's free-kick is cleared with ease and Spurs counter, wide to Lennon who is in, he drills it to the edge of the box, everyone misses it and Modric flies in but his shot is blocked. Reina chases it but cannot prevent a throw. Modric is played in on the left but he fires well wide.
    • 68' SPURS SUB: Keane trudges off, seeming uncomfortable, for ex-Liverpool striker Peter Crouch.
    • 68' LIVERPOOL SUB: Babel comes off for Benayoun.
    • 67' Assou-Ekotto sees yellow for a late challenge.
    • 65' Keane gets the ball in plenty of space from 25 yards and he has a pop with the shot swerving in front of Reina but the Spaniard claims at the second attempt.
    • 63' Benayoun is ready to come on for Liverpool, he is a player who can inject flair and verve to Liverpool's fairly wooden play.
    • 62' High ball from Gerrard aimed for Torres, Gomes claims well and his foot catches Torres in the face accidentally as the Spaniard hit the ground and the Brazilian keeper landed.
    • 61' Gerrard to take and he opts to shoot but Gomes, almost caught out, gets back across to two-hand it over for a corner.
    • 60' Good one-touch play by Liverpool, Babel on the left but he is taken down by Corluka and now Liverpool have a free-kick in a dangerous position.
    • 59' Modric to take the free-kick, 30 yards out on the right. He swings it into the box AND BASSONG FLIES IN WITH A WONDERFUL HEADER INTO THE ROOF OF THE NET! WHAT A HEADER! Poor marking from Carragher but what a way to make your debut. 2-1.
    • 58' Liverpool clear the corner but it is back with Spurs. Now Defoe gets the ball and knocks it past Carragher who takes him out and is booked.
    • 57' Spurs come forward and Defoe is in but his finish is blocked by Carragher flying across, corner.
    • 56' Gerrard steps up and he thrashes it into the roof of the net, straight down the middle with Gomes going to his right, 1-1.
    • 54' Johnson on the right sprints away from Huddlestone and races clear from Asso-Ekotto and he is in the box and Gomes flies out to take him down and it is a penalty! Yellow card to Gomes, a rash decision from him but a great run by Johnson.
    • 53' Palacios on the ball, he bounds forward like a gazelle and hammers a rising drive that Reina flies across to tip over for a corner! Great strike matched by the save.
    • 51' Yellow card for Skrtel for cumulative offending, catching Keane on the Spurs left.
    • 50' Free-kick to Spurs around 30 yards out on the right which is lofted in high but Huddlestone fouls Kuyt.
    • 49' Torres gets a rare touch but it is a bit heavy. Still with Liverpool though, Kuyt on the right slides it across to Torres who lays it off for GERRARD but he drills it just wide!
    • 48' The ref has a word with Mascherano for I think something he said after Modric fouled him.
    • 47' Lennon races forward on the right, he has pace to burn and sprints away from Insua and he cuts inside and this could be a wonder goal but his touch is heavy on the edge of the box and Liverpool survive! He had Keane and Defoe in support too but made the wrong choice.
    • 46' Liverpool get the second half underway.
    • 45+4 Half-time, Spurs lead 1-0 through that stunning Benoit Assou-Ekotto strike.
    • 45+3 Babel on the left surges forward and cuts inside, into Gerrard just on the edge of the box but his one-two return is shocking, way too central for Babel who was on the left.
    • 45+2 Kuyt again almost gets in but Corluka this time closes off his path.
    • 45+1 A long ball sends Kuyt through but he is muscled off the ball by King and it is back with Gomes.
    • 45' Four minutes injury time being played.
    • 44' Huddlestone takes the free kick, it goes straight into the wall, it bounces into the path of ASSOU-EKOTTOOOOOOOO!!! WHAT A GOAL! He killed it with his right and smashed it in with his left foot, across Reina and zipping into the top left, unstoppable from the right-hand corner of the box. Spurs lead 1-0 and deservedly so.
    • 43' Palacios surges forward, getting away from Mascherano despite a push but Skrtel takes him out and it is a free-kick to Spurs on the edge of the D, just to the right.
    • 42' Liverpool make a mess of clearing a routine high ball and it falls to Huddlestone who nods it down TO KEANE WHO IS IN BUT HE PANICS AND HAMMERS IT MILES OVER! Oh dear. Another poor miss by Keane.
    • 41' Babel surges down the left and crosses looking for Torres but straight at Gomes. Kuyt clatters into Assou-Ekotto, who is down in a heap but no booking and rightly so as he barely touched him.
    • 40' Spurs come forward down the right, Palacios swings it in but over the head of Defoe, Keane canÂ’t get there but still with Spurs on the left. Liverpool clear though.
    • 39' Low flat delivery by Gerrard but cleared. Babel knocks it back wide, Huddlestone can clear but mis-hits it out for a throw. Johnson gives it to Gerrard, who crosses but it is blocked by King for another throw. Spurs complete the clearance now.
    • 38' Spurs give it away though and King puts it behind for a corner.
    • 37' Free-kick to Spurs with Torres offside. Liverpool look very, very sluggish.
    • 35' Modric with the corner, he swings it near post and Liverpool stand still while DEFOE FLIES IN WITH THE HEADER BUT IT FLASHES WIDE!!
    • 34' Modric puts the corner in but Liverpool clear. Gerrard gives the ball away, Spurs break with Modric chesting it and surging from halfway, he slides Robbie Keane through and heÂ’s one-on-one but Reina parries the chip behind for a corner!
    • 33' Huddlestone to take then from 25 yards but it hits the wall and spins wide. The crowd bay for handball but just a corner.
    • 32' Lennon knocks the ball past Mascherano but the Argentine is already committed and the two collide and are winded. A harsh yellow card for Mascherano.
    • 31' Lennon goes down the right after Keane's flick wide, he pumps in a deep cross that is set to fly out but Modric at the far post plays a superb first-time ball with the outside of his right AND KEANE IS UNMARKED AND MUST SCORE WITH THE DIVING HEADER FROM SIX YARDS BUT REINA FLIES ACROSS TO BLOCK! Great save but he should have scored.
    • 30' Kuyt gets it on the right and clips it inside for Gerrard who takes a touch and drills it in low but just wide of the far post!
    • 29' Having said that Liverpool made seven in a row before Torres was caught offside.
    • 28' Liverpool are labouring in midfield as are Spurs. I've not yet seen more than four consecutive passes.
    • 27' Good pressure from Spurs, throw on the right, Corluka crosses but Carragher clears, Gerrard on the left tries to go past King but the Spurs skipper hoofs it out for a throw.
    • 26' Spurs play it out of defence, Corluka on the right, in to Bassong who goes long. Now Palacios tries a through-ball to Modric but Mascherano, playing right-back temporarily, clears. Skrtel is back on the pitch.
    • 25' Lennon slides in late on Skrtel, booking for the winger and the Liverpool defender goes off for more treatment to his face. It seems worse than a cut, maybe concussion.
    • 23' Apparently Carra has a two-inch gash on his forehead, which has been sealed temporarily by 12 staples. Hard.
    • 22' Long from Assou-Ekotto, Liverpoo fail to clear and Lennon has a crack but it rebounds off Defoe and wide for a goal kick.
    • 21' Skrtel - who is not happy with his facial injury - commits a foul while hesitating to head the ball. Modric to take from the right but a woeful delivery, low and aimless and lacking direction, it takes a touch off a Liverpool player for a throw.
    • 20' Gerrard on the left, inside to Lucas who rides on tackle and plays it into Torres who tries a flick but forgets that there is no support striker to run on to it.
    • 19' Spurs come down the right but a poor pass down the line by Corluka. Carragher and Skrtel are back on, the former in a fetching head bandage and latter with a patched-up chin.
    • 18' Yes, Johnson and Mascherano are playing centre-back temporarily as Tottenham try to exploit a hockey-style power-play.
    • 17' Play finally resumes, with Skrtel standing on the sidelines to get his chin patched up and, I think, Carragher also off.
    • 16' A delay in play as both players receive treatment, Skrtel seems the worst off after that with a cut shin that took the full weight of Carra's rock-line head. The last thing Liverpool need as both were struggling with injuries before the match.
    • 15' King lofts the ball forward, Mascherano sticks a boot out and the ball flies in the air and Skrtel collides with Carragher, head first as both tried to clear! No communication clearly.
    • 14' Good turn by Modric on the left, a one-two with Palacios, now Keane down the channel but Skrtel outmuscles him and Liverpool have a throw.
    • 13' Johnson on the right, he combines with Lucas, Torres now, wide again to Johnson who crosses in for Torres but nicked away by King! Nice move Liverpool.
    • 12' Liverpool have it on the right but, as is often their way, go all the way back to Reina, who pumps it long into Gomes's arms.
    • 11' Assou-Ekotto and Palacios combine but his shot is blocked, behind for a corner which is not taken too well. Liverpool make a meal of clearing it though and are lucky to get some respite when Huddlestone catches Mascherano.
    • 10' Torres fouls King and seems to have picked up a knock in the process. He shrugs it off though.
    • 9' A pretty tepid start to this match, both sides seem fairly cautious going forward.
    • 7' Bassong clears, lucky to be starting here as he was supposed to serve out the second of a two-match ban for getting sent off against Fulham but, because Newcastle played last weekend in the Championship, he technically already sat it out!
    • 6' High ball from the back catches King and Corluka napping and Babel is in but a horrific first touch plays the ball backwards and Spurs get back to clear.
    • 5' Torres rises to meet a high one but it spins out for a goal kick.
    • 4' Modric to take, King flies in but it skims over his head and drops to Assou-Ekotto on the edge of the box but his shot flies wildly over the bar.
    • 3' A bit of head tennis around the Liverpool box and Keane has it on the byline, nicked away from him by Insua for a corner.
    • 2' Pretty aimless opening two minutes with the ball seeing a lot of airtime.
    • 1' First half underway at White Hart Lane!!
    • - Two minutes applause joyously observed for Bobby Robson.
    • - So Steven Gerrard starts despite being an injury doubt, while Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel are rushed back from injury to prevent Liverpool playing a bunch of 12-year-olds at the back.
    • - Spurs, meanwhile, go with Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe as a little-man-little-man combination up front, big Peter Crouch left on the bench and joined by hard-drinking, law-breaking rocker and occasional footballer David Bentley. Jamie O'Hara returns as a sub after his operation. Tom Huddlestone starts in midfield for Jermaine Jenas, who has a calf injury, while Ledley King plays.
    • - Sebastien Bassong is relishing a push for Europe this season with Tottenham - but he still can barely believe Newcastle were relegated from the top flight last May. Read more here!
    • - Fernando Torres reckons this will be a big test of Liverpool's title credentials.
    • - So, Steven Gerrard plays for Liverpool despite his lingering groin strain, while Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel are both pressed into action. Ledley King is back for Spurs, who opt for Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe up front with Peter Crouch on the bench.
    • - TOTTENHAM TEAM: Gomes, Corluka, King, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Palacios, Huddlestone, Modric, Keane, Defoe.
    • - LIVERPOOL TEAM: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Insua, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Gerrard, Babel, Torres.
    • - HEAD TO HEAD STATS: Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool have met 132 times in the league. Tottenham Hotspur have won 36, Liverpool 62 and there have been 34 draws.
    • - They have met 34 times in the Premier League. Tottenham Hotspur have won eight, Liverpool 16 and there have been ten draws.
    • - Tottenham's only win in their last ten PL matches against Liverpool was 2-1 at White Hart Lane last season, Nov 2008.
    • - Liverpool have scored in their last seven PL matches against Spurs, since a goalless draw at White Hart Lane in Sept 2005.
    • - Liverpool have won two of their last three visits to Tottenham - the last was a 2-0 victory in May 2008 with goals from Andri Voronin and Fernando Torres.
    • - TOTTENHAM STATS: Lost their last three PL opening day matches since a 2-0 win at Portsmouth in Aug 2005.
    • - Have had a terrible start to the Premier League season in each of their last three years. They have only won twice during the first six PL matches of each of these three seasons, losing 12 of their 18 games in total.
    • - Picked up 34 PL points from a possible 45 available at White Hart Lane since Harry Redknapp became manager on Oct 25, 2008 - only Manchester Utd have picked up more home points in the same time. The only team to defeat them at home under Redknapp was from Merseyside - Everton winning 1-0 in Nov 2008.
    • - It is 11 months since they conceded more than one goal in a PL home match. Not conceded more than once in their last 17 PL matches at White Hart Lane since losing 2-1 to Aston Villa in Sep 2008.
    • - Robbie Keane has scored three goals in his last three PL matches for Tottenham against his former club Liverpool. He scored five goals in 19 PL matches for Liverpool last season.
    • - Peter Crouch scored 22 goals in 85 PL matches for Liverpool from 2005 to 2008. If he scores today it will be the fifth different PL team he has scored for after Aston Villa, Southampton, Liverpool and Portsmouth.
    • - LIVERPOOL STATS: This will be their sixth consecutive away match on the opening day of a Premier League season, and 13th in total in their 18 PL seasons. Big Four rivals Manchester United (8), Chelsea (6) and Arsenal (4) have all had fewer away matches on the opening day of a PL season.
    • - Unbeaten in the month of August in the PL for five years. In total, they have won six and drawn four of their ten PL matches in August since losing 1-0 at Bolton in Aug 2004.
    • - Fernando Torres has scored three goals in his three PL matches against Tottenham.
    • - Glen Johnson is set to make his 150th English league appearance.

  • Summary

    • 90' Liverpool assistant Sammy Lee is sent off after Stuart Atwell, the fourth official, reports him to Phil Dowd for something he said, no doubt about the non-penalty.
    • 85' Benayoun with a lovely ball into Voronin who is clean through and Asso-Ekotto comes across him and the Ukrainian goes down but no penalty! That looked a foul to me! Big decision from the ref and I think the wrong one.
    • 61' Gerrard to take and he opts to shoot but Gomes, almost caught out, gets back across to two-hand it over for a corner.
    • 59' Modric to take the free-kick, 30 yards out on the right. He swings it into the box AND BASSONG FLIES IN WITH A WONDERFUL HEADER INTO THE ROOF OF THE NET! WHAT A HEADER! Poor marking from Carragher but what a way to make your debut. 2-1.
    • 56' Gerrard steps up and he thrashes it into the roof of the net, straight down the middle with Gomes going to his right, 1-1.
    • 53' Palacios on the ball, he bounds forward like a gazelle and hammers a rising drive that Reina flies across to tip over for a corner! Great strike matched by the save.
    • 49' Torres gets a rare touch but it is a bit heavy. Still with Liverpool though, Kuyt on the right slides it across to Torres who lays it off for GERRARD but he drills it just wide!
    • 47' Lennon races forward on the right, he has pace to burn and sprints away from Insua and he cuts inside and this could be a wonder goal but his touch is heavy on the edge of the box and Liverpool survive! He had Keane and Defoe in support too but made the wrong choice.
    • 44' Huddlestone takes the free kick, it goes straight into the wall, it bounces into the path of ASSOU-EKOTTOOOOOOOO!!! WHAT A GOAL! He killed it with his right and smashed it in with his left foot, across Reina and zipping into the top left, unstoppable from the right-hand corner of the box. Spurs lead 1-0 and deservedly so.
    • 42' Liverpool make a mess of clearing a routine high ball and it falls to Huddlestone who nods it down TO KEANE WHO IS IN BUT HE PANICS AND HAMMERS IT MILES OVER! Oh dear. Another poor miss by Keane.
    • 35' Modric with the corner, he swings it near post and Liverpool stand still while DEFOE FLIES IN WITH THE HEADER BUT IT FLASHES WIDE!!
    • 34' Modric puts the corner in but Liverpool clear. Gerrard gives the ball away, Spurs break with Modric chesting it and surging from halfway, he slides Robbie Keane through and heÂ’s one-on-one but Reina parries the chip behind for a corner!
    • 31' Lennon goes down the right after Keane's flick wide, he pumps in a deep cross that is set to fly out but Modric at the far post plays a superb first-time ball with the outside of his right AND KEANE IS UNMARKED AND MUST SCORE WITH THE DIVING HEADER FROM SIX YARDS BUT REINA FLIES ACROSS TO BLOCK! Great save but he should have scored.
    • 30' Kuyt gets it on the right and clips it inside for Gerrard who takes a touch and drills it in low but just wide of the far post!
    • - So, Steven Gerrard plays for Liverpool despite his lingering groin strain, while Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel are both pressed into action. Ledley King is back for Spurs, who opt for Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe up front with Peter Crouch on the bench.
    • - TOTTENHAM TEAM: Gomes, Corluka, King, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Palacios, Huddlestone, Modric, Keane, Defoe.
    • - LIVERPOOL TEAM: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Insua, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Gerrard, Babel, Torres.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Tottenham Hotspur

    Manager: Harry Redknapp

    Captain: Robbie Keane

    Starting line-up

    • Gomes Yellow Card
    • V. Corluka
    • L. King
    • S. Bassong Goal
    • B. Assou-Ekotto Goal Yellow Card
    • W. Palacios
    • T. Huddlestone
    • A. Lennon Yellow Card
    • L. Modric Substitution Out (83′)
    • R. Keane Substitution Out (67′)
    • J. Defoe Substitution Out (90′)

    Subs

    • C. Cudicini
    • P. Crouch Substitution In67′
    • D. Bentley
    • A. Hutton
    • J. O'Hara Substitution In83′
    • K. Naughton
    • R. Pavlyuchenko Substitution In90′

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

  • Liverpool

    Manager: Rafael Benítez

    Captain: Steven Gerrard

    Starting line-up

    • J. Reina
    • G. Johnson
    • J. Carragher Yellow Card
    • M. Škrtel Yellow Card Substitution Out (74′)
    • E. Insúa
    • J. Mascherano Yellow Card
    • Lucas
    • D. Kuyt Substitution Out (78′)
    • S. Gerrard
    • R. Babel Substitution Out (66′)
    • F. Torres

    Subs

    • Y. Benayoun Substitution In66′
    • A. Dossena
    • M. Kelly
    • J. Spearing
    • D. Cavalieri
    • A. Voronin Substitution In78′
    • D. Ayala Substitution In74′

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

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