Spurs cruise to easy home win
Martin Jol delighted with win
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Thursday, 02, Nov 2006 10:42
Tottenham came back from a goal down to run out comfortable winners over Club Bruges as strikes from Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane ensured a 3-1 victory.
The White Hart Lane crowd were given an early scare when midfielder Gaetan Englebert was afforded too much space in the penalty area.
But fortunately for the sluggish home defence his shot was tame enough for England goalkeeper Paul Robinson to usher round the post without alarm.
Shortly after, Jermaine Jenas's long-range effort whistled just wide of Stijn Stijnen's upright, before the game burst into life on 14 minutes.
Salou Ibrahim collected Englebert's pass and turned on the edge of the area before letting fly with a fabulous shot across Robinson and into the top corner.
But the Belgian side's lead wasn't to last long as Berbatov lashed home Pascal Chimbonda's cushioned header just two minutes later to level for Martin Jol's side.
Jenas swept a shot wide from just six yards out ten minutes before the break and Robbie Keane missed a similar opportunity two minutes into the second period as Spurs built momentum.
The expected breakthrough came just after the hour when Keane finally found his range with a low drive which flew in past Stijnen's outstretched palm.
Berbatov stung the keeper's palms with a fierce volley, before the Bulgarian deservedly doubled his tally and Tottenham's lead with a simple header on 73 minutes.
He and Aaron Lennon received a rapturous reception as they made way for Mido and Danny Murphy and Jol sought to shut the game down to safeguard the win.
Jeanvion Matondo fired in a couple of ambitious attempts from distance but the visitors were never going to mount any sort of comeback as Tottenham's Uefa Cup hopes continue to grow.