Spurs unconvincing but progress - Sport in brief - Evening Standard
       

Spurs unconvincing but progress

Robbie Keane saved Martin Jol from an embarrassing defeat against Anorthosis Famagusta as Tottenham booked their place in the UEFA Cup group stages with an unconvincing 1-1 draw in Cyprus.

Fabio De Matos Pereira, known as Fabinho, had given the hosts the lead at the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium.

But Keane came off the bench to level on the night after the Barclays Premier League side had established a 6-1 lead from the first leg two weeks ago.

Kevin-Prince Boateng was given his debut following his summer move from Hertha Berlin, and the young German was quickly in the action as he flew into tackles and sent over crosses from the right.

Aside from a Fabinho shot, Famagusta were struggling to impose themselves on Spurs early on, although they had clearly targeted set-pieces as the visitors' weakness.

It was only Jermain Defoe's second start of the season. He had scored twice in the first leg and had plenty of chances to add to his tally, only to spurn them all.

Darren Bent set him up in the seventh minute after cutting inside his marker on the left and squaring, only for his strike partner to fire high and wide. Steed Malbranque found Defoe in the six-yard box 10 minutes before the break but he stabbed straight at the goalkeeper, then just before the break the striker struck the post after the Frenchman found him again.

Bent had a frustrating first half, getting flagged incorrectly twice and seeing a dangerous cross cleared when he got behind the defence.

Famagusta came out brightly for the second half and Fabinho fired over the bar from the edge of the area. They took the lead in the 54th minute when Nikolaos Frousos appeared to control a hanging cross with his arm and pulled back for Fabinho to volley neatly into the bottom corner, giving Robinson no chance. Robinson was booked for his protests.

Keane came on for Young-Pyo Lee to beef up Spurs' attack and he got his goal in the 78th minute. Fellow sub Gareth Bale crossed from the left and Bent dummied, with Keane side-footing into the top corner.

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