Tottenham Hotspur 3 Aalborg 2:Juande Ramos might have been caught between laughter and tears. For 45 minutes the manager smouldered on the touchline as Tottenham offered a passable impersonation of a pub team, to move to within touching distance of humiliation.
They fell two goals behind to smartly organised opposition from Denmark but the deficit could conceivably have been greater. Spurs, though, are nothing if not unpredictable and in the second half, prompted by a Ramos tactical rethink, they hauled themselves off the canvas.
Dimitar Berbatov and Steed Malbranque announced their arrival into the contest and Darren Bent, on as a half-time substitute, converted what proved to be the winner from close-range after the hour. Tottenham's final group tie with Anderlecht next Thursday promises to be less fraught.
Ramos maintains his unbeaten start in north London but his satisfaction was far from total. Aalborg started nervelessly but Thomas Enevoldsen's finish, after a quick throw-in had been worked to him, was a goal he will cherish. The midfielder shrugged off a weak challenge from Robbie Keane and was invited to advance, so he opened up his body and tried his luck with a curling effort from the edge of the area. There was that familiar flash of yellow, as Paul Robinson flung himself in vain and the ball swelled the net.
Ramos has tried to stabilise at the back and before last night he had largely succeeded. But the jitters remain in central defence, where Michael Dawson and Pascal Chimbonda endured torrid evenings. With Aalborg in control Andreas Johansson initiated a swift counter, Rade Prica crossed from the left and Kasper Risgard bundled home from close range.
Ramos might be as yet unacquainted with the English for "riot act" but he knew what was required at half-time. Tom Huddlestone and Bent bounded off the substitutes' bench and with Keane withdrawn to the tip of a midfield diamond, and Didier Zokora moved to sit in central defence, Tottenham were level inside six whirlwind minutes.
First Berbatov prodded past Karim Zaza, and then Malbranque lashed into the net. Spurs sealed their win when Bent turned in Aaron Lennon's centre, after Gareth Bale's free-kick had been parried by Zaza.
TOTTENHAM: Robinson, Lee, Chimbonda, Dawson, Bale, Lennon, Jenas, Zokora, Malbranque, Keane, Berbatov. Subs: Cerny, Tainio, Stalteri, Boateng, Taarabt, Huddlestone, Bent.
AALBORG: Zaza, Olesen, Califf, Jakobsen, Pedersen, Risgaard, Augustinussen, Nomvethe, Johansson, Enevoldsen, Prica. Subs: Jensen, Jacobsen, Olfers, Lindstrom, Mota, Curth, Vilakazi.
Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal)
