Bayer Leverkusen - 0 Tottenham - 1:Dimitar Berbatov's name rang out from the Tottenham end as he left the field to a standing ovation. He had just scored the goal that confirmed Tottenham's passage to the knockout phase of the Uefa Cup, so it was perhaps to be expected. The surprise was that the Bayer Leverkusen fans drowned out the Spurs support with their own gracious tribute.
The Bulgarian spent five years here, the second ending as a 21-year-old substitute in the Champions League final, and the German fans have not forgotten the contribution that made him worth around €15 million in transfer fees from Tottenham.
His goal last night was his fourth in Europe this season and was the winner in Spurs' sequence of three victories. Their remaining match against Slavia Prague is a dead rubber.
Martin Jol clearly had qualification in mind when selecting what was close to his strongest side, having made six changes from the team that drew at Blackburn. The selection of Teemu Tainio, Aaron Lennon and Pascal Chimbonda was not without risk, with all three returning from injury.
Last night Lennon's youthful enthusiasm was often misplaced. With Gonzalo Castro marking tightly, Lennon's runs were frequently cut off at source. Infuriatingly for his team-mates, that did not deter the England international and he persisted in dribbling at the opposition every time he received the ball.
Just when it seemed Jol might have chided his tyro's excesses, Lennon was afforded possession in a dangerous area and duly delivered. Robbie Keane threaded a through-ball between Castro and the centre-half Juan, Lennon checked inside the full-back and shot from an acute angle. Although Hans-Jorg Butt put his body in the way of the shot it had sufficient power to ricochet across the six-yard box, on the edge of which Berbatov was lurking. As he had predicted the previous day, the striker's finish lacked sentiment for his former employers.
Guardian Service
BEYER LEVERKUSEN: Butt, Madouni, Juan, Ramelow (De Wit 80), Schneider, Rolfes, Barnetta (Schwegler 15), Barbarez, Castro, Voronin, Kiessling (Freier 46). Subs Not Used: Domeschke, Stenman, Haggui, Athirson.
TOTTENHAM: Robinson, Chimbonda, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Tainio, Zokora, Malbranque (Huddlestone 68), Keane, Berbatov (Mido 76). Subs Not Used: Cerny, Lee, Davenport, Ghaly, Defoe. Goal: Berbatov 36.
Referee: Martin Hansson (Sweden)
