Spurs Euro dreams in tatters
Spurs Euro dreams in tatters
Also In The News
|
Huddersfield surprisingly ended St Helens' 100 per cent record with a 19-16 win at the Galpharm Stadium. |  |
Sunday, 07, May 2006 05:51
Tottenham’s European dreams were shattered at Upton Park as they lost 2-1 to West Ham after a bout of food poisoning had hit the team.
Six first team players were said to have suffered food poisoning last night after eating at the team hotel.
And they looked out of sorts as West Ham dominated the first period.
Carl Fletcher latched onto a lose pass by Michael Carrick, who was clearly struggling, and fired a 25-yard shot past Paul Robinson.
West Ham were so dominant that they could have been three or four ahead until Jermaine Defoe found space in the box on 35 minutes to fire home the equaliser.
The Hammers should have gone ahead in the second half but Teddy Sheringham’s penalty was saved by Robinson. It was left to Yossi Benayoun to seal the points when he fired a wicked shot into the top corner.
It was a sad way to end the season for Spurs, who have held onto fourth spot for most of the year and will now have to settle for the Uefa Cup after Arsenal beat Wigan 4-2.
Martin Jol said he was “gutted” after the game. He had requested that the game be postponed because of the players’ illness, but his request had been turned down by the Premier League.
“It’s disappointing, but I can understand that the game had to go ahead,” he said.
Jol said that Carrick and defender Michael Dawson had been suffering particularly badly, but that he had to send them out for the game.
The players were unable to take on food and water, and Jol advised them to play “economically”.
Police have been called to the team hotel after questions have been raised over the possibility of foul play.