Strikers' braces fire Spurs on
Robbie Keane: Two goal-hero
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Reading's fairytale season continued as Steve Coppell's team held came from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Manchester United in the FA Cup fifth round. |  |
Sunday, 18, Feb 2007 08:07
Two goals apiece from Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov eased Tottenham Hotspur into the next round of the FA Cup after a 4-0 fifth round demolition of Fulham.
The Irishman got the ball rolling with a crisp sixth-minute finish, before going on to put in a man of the match performance and grab another midway through the second-half.
Substitute Berbatov made the game safe with a couple of classy finishes, the latter of which was set-up by the irrepressible Keane.
To add insult to injury, the Craven Cottage crowd saw on-loan striker Vincenzo Montella given his marching orders for a stray arm.
It was from a long clearance from the impressive Paul Robinson that Keane bagged his first, half-volleying past Jan Lastuvka after a headed flick-on from strike partner Mido.
But the Egyptian twice threatened at the wrong end in the opening 45, first from an unorthodox back-pass on the halfway line that had Robinson scrabbling across his goal, and then from a misplaced header.
Fulham put pressure on Spurs only sporadically through the aerial presence of Brian McBride and Heidar Helguson, with Chris Coleman resorting to bringing on Italian Montella and Collins John in an attempt to create more chances.
It was the away team who scored next however, with Anthony Gardner's long pass again being set up for Keane by Mido, with the forward giving Czech custodian Lastuvka no chance with his sublime finish.
Berbatov did not take long to get in on the act after being introduced by Martin Jol, slamming home the rebound from his own shot after it thudded into the post.
In the final minutes Keane flicked the ball on to the Bulgarian, who casually chipped Lastuvka to seal the 4-0 victory, moments before Montella received a straight red after tangling with the Irish striker.