Spurs scrape past Krakow

Spurs celebrate forcing the breakthrough

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Tottenham are into the group stages of the Uefa Cup after a nervy 1-1 draw with Wisla Krakow, handing them a 3-2 aggregate success.

Spurs appeared to be in control when an own goal from Arkadiusz Glowacki put them in front, but Pawel Brozek gave them a scare when he snatched a lifeline for the hosts late on.

With the tie delicately poised at kick-off it came as no surprise that the opening period produced 45 minutes of cagey action.

Spurs failed to create a clear-cut opportunity before the break, while the hosts finally sprang to life moments before the interval.

Heurelho Gomes had enjoyed a quiet afternoon up to that point, but was called into action as Radoslaw Sobolewski and Junior Diaz tested his reflexes with stinging efforts.

However, it took just 13 minutes of the second half to produce a breakthrough, with Spurs opening up a commanding lead.

Gareth Bale's whipped cross from the right appeared to have been met by Fraizer Campbell, but it was actually Wisla defender Glowacki who got the decisive touch to take the ball past a stranded Mariusz Pawelek.

With their European future hanging in the balance Wisla then began to lay siege on the Tottenham target.

Gomes pushed one effort onto the bar, before finding himself off limits on 83 minutes to allow Brozek to lob home an equaliser.

The Krakow danger man went close again moments later as he headed straight at Spurs' Brazilian keeper, while Marcelo fired over in stoppage-time when put clean through.

Hostile

There was a noisy atmosphere generated from the home fans, although with one side of the ground being renovated ahead of co-hosting Euro 2012, it was not as hostile as anticipated.

A huge banner read "God Save The Queen" at one end, although Wisla were hardly making Spurs feel at home, and they should have been ahead in the 20th minute.

Skipper Glowacki lofted the ball through to Mauro Cantoro, but the midfielder rushed his finish and failed to connect when there was plenty of time.

Brozek got closer for the hosts just before the half-hour mark, drilling straight at Gomes after Tomas Jirsak had laid the ball back to the edge of the penalty area.

It was Jirsak's final contribution of the tie, with Wojciech Lobodzinski coming on for Wisla's scorer at White Hart Lane in the first leg.

Jonathan Woodgate, who picked up a needless booking for impeding the goalkeeper, and Ledley King were almost exposed before the interval.

Sobolewski raced through, after being played in by Lobodzinski, but Gomes saved with his feet. The Brazilian goalkeeper also blocked from Diaz when a cross caused confusion.

Pressure

The half-time whistle halted the pressure Wisla were exerting, with Campbell then helping Spurs take control.

He had the first chance of the second half, lashing over from the edge of the area after Luka Modric had wriggled inside from the left and played the striker into space.

Guedes Cleber then had to race back to deny Campbell when Darren Bent flicked on a header - but the man on loan from Manchester United had a crucial role in Spurs' goal in the 58th minute.

Looking to get on the end of Bale's cross from the left, Campbell put enough pressure on Glowacki for the Wisla skipper to put through his own net, with the ball trickling past Pawelek and inside the far post.

Zokora should have added another, which would have been his first for the club, when he carried the ball 50 yards but went wide with his finish.

Brozek then latched onto Diaz's pass and lobbed Gomes with seven minutes left - then he should have sent the tie into extra-time but headed straight at Spurs' goalkeeper.

Some desperate defending saw Spurs safely through, but they will need to perform much better if they are to leave a lasting impression on the competition.