Darren Bent missed a penalty as Spurs staved off some heavy pressure to beat Sunderland 2-0.
Bent misses penalty in Black Cats defeat
Tottenham rode their luck on the way to a 2-0 victory over Sunderland as Darren Bent missed a penalty on his return to White Hart Lane.
The hosts took the lead with just over 10 minutes gone as Peter Crouch headed Benoit Assou-Ekotto's cross into the path of Robbie Keane, who bundled the ball home from close-range.
Despite the one-goal deficit, it was Sunderland who dictated the play for much of the first-half, with Andy Reid going closest when his thunderous volley hit the post.
Sunderland had the perfect chance to level the scores at the start of the second-half when Heurelho Gomes brought down Bent in the area.
However, the former Spurs player missed from 12-yards as Gomes guessed right and made a dramatic diving save.
Tom Huddlestone then extended the advantage when his first-time shot from the edge of the area rattled the underside of the bar before flying into the roof of the net.
Problems
Tottenham were boosted by the return of Jermain Defoe, who came back from suspension following his dismissal at Pompey.
Bent caused his former side problems as early as the sixth minute when he carried the ball down the right flank and crossed between Jonathan Woodgate's legs but Jordan Henderson stabbed wide when he met the ball following a late run into the penalty area.
Spurs, however, were ahead in the 12th minute with a goal that had Sunderland's defenders and bench appealing for an offside, although replays suggested Keane was just about level with the last man.
Assou-Ekotto's hanging cross from the left was guided into Keane's path by Crouch, with the flag staying down as the Spurs skipper met the ball with a volley.
Craig Gordon saved that effort but the ball squirmed beyond the Sunderland goalkeeper and was tapped in by the Republic of Ireland international for his eighth goal of the season.
Spurs fans were not satisfied with that and jeered off their team at the break for their failing to build on their lead as Sunderland eased themselves into the match.
They had a couple of sighters on goal straight after the opening goal, firstly when Steed Malbranque tricked Vedran Corluka and laid on a chance that Kieran Richardson planted wide.
Then full-back Phil Bardsley was also off target with an effort from a long way out.
Penalty shouts
There were two penalty shouts in quick succession 12 minutes before the interval. The first was when Gomes dived at the feet of Bent and sent the Sunderland striker sprawling.
Defoe then thought he was fouled at the other end but found himself penalised.
Andy Reid, another former Spurs player in the Sunderland ranks, struck the post before the break with a 35-yard dipping drive that had Gomes beaten.
The Brazilian goalkeeper then had to rush out to block Richardson's finish with his shins after Corluka's back-pass sold him short.
Bent got his chance to level seven minutes after the interval, when he went to ground after knocking the ball past a committed Gomes.
Referee Kevin Friend only gave the Spurs stopper a yellow card when he was the last man, with Gomes parrying Bent's placed spot-kick, an effort that lacked conviction.
Shortly afterwards, Gomes saved twice more, both times from Malbranque, with the Frenchman's first drive requiring a readjustment after a deflection.
At the other end, Huddlestone had a powerful drive deflected to safety by Bardsley, with Gordon taking a knock to his wrist in the build-up.
Gordon's injury saw him replaced by former Spurs goalkeeper Marton Fulop, but the first thing the Hungarian had to do was pick Huddlestone's thunderbolt out of the net.
Niko Kranjcar's ball over the top was held up by Defoe and he laid the ball back for Huddlestone to crash home off the crossbar from the edge of the area.
Gomes pulled off another stunning save to deny Michael Turner before the end.
| Tottenham Hotspur |
Team Statistics |
Sunderland |
| 2 |
Goals |
0 |
| 1 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 3 |
Shots on Target |
7 |
| 4 |
Shots off Target |
8 |
| 8 |
Blocked Shots |
3 |
| 4 |
Corners |
4 |
| 11 |
Fouls |
19 |
| 7 |
Offsides |
5 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 78.9 |
Passing Success |
73.9 |
| 20 |
Tackles |
23 |
| 80 |
Tackles Success |
65.2 |
| 51.6 |
Possession |
48.4 |
| 42.4 |
Territorial Advantage |
57.6 |
|
