Tottenham face a tough task to progress in the Uefa Cup after losing 1-0 to PSV Eindhoven at White Hart Lane.
Farfan's away goal leaves Tottenham trailing
Tottenham face a tough task to make it through to the Uefa Cup quarter-finals after losing 1-0 to PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of their tie at White Hart Lane.
Spurs struggled to find any fluency in the early stages and were punished in the 34th minute when Gilberto, who endured a torrid debut, was dispossessed by Jefferson Farfan 25 yards out and the PSV forward capitalised with a blistering shot past Paul Robinson.
Robbie Keane almost scored a stunning equaliser on the stroke of half-time but was thwarted by an acrobatic save from Heurelho Gomes, and Tottenham continued to be frustrated as they pressed forward after the interval.
Keane and Berbatov were both denied by Gomes, while Pascal Chimbonda squandered perhaps Tottenham's best chance as he headed over from close range.
However, it was not all one-way traffic as PSV threatened on the break, and the Dutch side will feel confident of finishing the job at home and dumping Spurs out of the competition.
Disappointing debut
Spurs coach Juande Ramos billed this last-16 clash as the barometer of whether his side could win the Uefa Cup - but it was the Dutch champions that looked more likely to be at Eastlands in May.
Although it was a deflating evening for Ramos' players, none were as disappointing as Gilberto; the Brazil full-back was booked, was at fault for Farfan's winner and was was taken off at half-time.
It means consecutive defeats since winning the Carling Cup less than a fortnight ago. Gareth Bale and Chris Gunter, injured and ineligible respectively, paraded the trophy in a lap of honour before kick-off, rather than the entire squad.
"The cup celebrations are well and truly behind us, it is back down to business," wrote Ramos in his programme notes, but the Wembley hangover was still evident when play got under way.
PSV may have lost the experienced players that took them to the latter stages of the Champions League in recent seasons, but the younger players appear to have embraced the club's European traditions.
Fenerbahce's efforts this week have also put into context Sef Vergoossen' men dropping down into the Uefa Cup this campaign - Spurs found them difficult to break down and Farfan caused the hosts constant problems.
He had the first shot of the match, after 15 minutes, but Paul Robinson was able to easily save the tame effort.
Advantage PSV
The Peru international then almost took advantage when Didier Zokora allowed the ball to bounce from a PSV clearance. He raced through and was hauled down by Gilberto, earning the full-back a yellow card on his miserable first clash outing his new club. Farfan's resulting free-kick was deflected wide.
All Spurs had to show for their opening efforts was Jonathan Woodgate's looping header that Gomes claimed after initially looking out of position.
Woodgate was back at the heart of the Spurs defence with Ledley King after recovering from a sprained ankle, while skipper King returned after resting his knee.
Neither were at fault for Farfan's 34th-minute opener.
Aaron Lennon's poor free-kick was cleared and Farfan broke forward. Lennon did get back to intercept but when the ball fell to Gilberto, the full-back took a touch too many and Farfan dispossessed him before finishing powerfully beyond Robinson.
Steed Malbranque tried to reply immediately for Spurs but his effort from the edge of the area deflected wide. He also had a far-post volley saved by Gomes.
Jermaine Jenas then crossed for Woodgate to head just wide of the post.
It could have got worse for them but Edison Mendez had a drive saved by Robinson, and the goalkeeper almost set up an equaliser with the huge kick that followed. Keane controlled the towering clearance and nut-megged his defender but Gomes was equal to his finish.
Gilberto's horrendous evening ended at half-time when he was taken off for Jamie O'Hara as Spurs looked for a way back into the tie, although the substitute was needed to block another Farfan effort on the edge of the penalty area.
Frustrating
Farfan laid on another chance on the hour mark when PSV broke, with King backing away towards his own goal, but Ibrahim Afellay's finish curved wide.
When they raided forward again, the visitors mercifully kicked the ball out of play for Jenas to receive treatment to an injury, with the midfielder carried off on a stretcher and Tom Huddlestone coming on.
Dimitar Berbatov was enduring a frustrating evening but he managed to find Chimbonda at the far post, only for the full-back to head over the crossbar.
King came off for Adel Taarabt as Spurs chased the game, but the Dutch league leaders still threatened and Robinson had to tip a Farfan effort around the post and Jan Kromkamp had an effort disallowed.
Gomes was needed to save from Keane and O'Hara flashed a volley just wide before the end.
| Tottenham Hotspur |
Team Statistics |
PSV Eindhoven |
| 0 |
Goals |
1 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
1 |
| 5 |
Shots on Target |
6 |
| 9 |
Shots off Target |
4 |
| 3 |
Blocked Shots |
2 |
| 4 |
Corners |
7 |
| 14 |
Fouls |
20 |
| 4 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 3 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 76.5 |
Passing Success |
76 |
| 21 |
Tackles |
12 |
| 71.4 |
Tackles Success |
58.3 |
| 55 |
Possession |
45 |
| 51.2 |
Territorial Advantage |
48.8 |
|
