Tottenham Hotspur 1 Besiktas 0
A draw of this nature will do little to instil confidence at Tottenham. A one goal victory over Besiktas on home soil was on the cards until the 89th minute and even then it would merely have been a case of job done for Tottenham. Then Vlad Chirirches handled in the box and Demba Ba converted the penalty to snatch the point Besiktas thoroughly merited.
Harry Kane’s goal midway through the first half coupled with Hugo Lloris’s wonderful goalkeeping proved insufficient. Tottenham will be peeved, but boy did they labour against a Besiktas team who, for chunks of this match, looked superior.
Pochettio’s much changed side were lightweight in defence and, though they flickered sporadically in attack, the team was beset by the same lack of confidence that has afflicted them ever since Liverpool punctured their bright start to the season back in August.
Danny Rose, who had been an ever-present in the Premier League under Mauricio Pochettino and who lost his place in the England squad to Kieran Gibbs this week, was among those demoted from the Tottenham team as his Argentinian manager performed his customary squad rotation.
Indeed, Pochettino overhauled the entire outfield lineup compared to the team which drew 1-1 with Arsenal last weekend. Andros Townsend was picked on the right side of an attacking quartet which featured Roberto Soldado in an advanced role with the young Harry Kane in behind.
When Pochettino assessed his attacking options before the match he must have squirmed. His three main strikers, Kane, Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor, have managed just six goals in 17 appearances - and if that statistic itself is not immediately damning, the inadequacy of their threat has been. This was a night to set the record straight. Yet, in the opening exchanges they did anything but.
Instead it was the visitors who looked far and away the more confident side, operating with pace and precision down both channels, the left flank especially, and leaving Spurs bewildered. Facing the rugged and predatory Demba Ba, Tottenham’s backline looked feeble.
Ba almost helped to create a goal in the second minute after Olcay Sahan had pounced on an awful lapse by Vlad Chiriches. Ba levered his marker before Sahan blazed wide. The linesman swiftly flagged for a foul by Ba, which seemed harsh.
Besiktas carved another chance in the 11th minute and again Ba was the target. Though his first touch to collect a pinpoint cross was poor, Federico Fazio, the Spurs centre-back, was still beaten, and Ba leathered a shot against the bar. Lloris had it covered, but he scarcely seemed to believe the Senegal striker could go so close from such an angle.
Tottenham’s attacks were tame by comparison and Soldado and Kane were like ghosts. Then, out of nowhere, Kane struck low into the bottom corner and Tottenham were ahead. It was the 27th minute, and although the 21-year-old’s run and shot from the edge of the box was not spectacular, it was perfectly placed.
Besiktas came again. Lloris made a stunning save with his outstretched boot to deny Sahan, while Kane was denied by a fine save at the other end when he pummelled a shot goalwards from a tight angle. Tottenham were, at least, improving.
Promise in the second half came via the industry of Kane and the skill of Nabil Bentaleb. Kane was at the heart of a slick move which saw Townsend curl a shot over, and momentarily Spurs looked in command. But, again, Besiktas began to dominate possession.
Lloris made a magnificent fingertip save from Sahan after Ba had jinked free of the hopeless Chiriches and slipped a weighted, sideways pass to his partner. In truth, Sahan would have done better to pick a spot low down, where the keeper would surely have had no chance.
Besiktas then resorted to outlandish efforts in their bid to score the goal they deserved: Ba tried a piece of skill befitting Zlatan Ibrahimovic as he cartwheeled his right leg to steer a shot wide when the ball had been behind him, then Sahan mirrored the technique of Wayne Rooney’s memorable goal against Manchester City with a scissor-volley which flew inches wid
Ba would be denied yet again by Lloris before the night was out but then Chirirches was penalised for handball and Ba, after a stunted run-up, left Lloris rooted as he netted the equaliser.
Guardian Service
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Lloris, Dier, Chiriches, Fazio, Davies, Stambouli (Dembele 64), Paulinho (Lennon 60), Bentaleb, Townsend, Soldado (Adebayor 78), Kane. Subs Not Used: Vorm, Kaboul, Lamela, Naughton. Booked: Davies, Bentaleb, Fazio, Chiriches.
BESIKTAS: Zengin, Kurtulus, Sivok, Franco, Ramon, Sosa, Tore (Koyunlu 82), Kavlak (Ozyakup 65), Hutchinson, Ba, Sahan (Pektemek 72). Subs Not Used: Gonen, Koybasi, Uysal, Gulum. Booked: Ba.
Referee: Manuel Grafe (Germany).
