UEFA Champions League – first half review: Tottenham Hotspurs versus Werder Bremen
Tottenham started the match off with a bang as they took the lead in the 6th minute at the White Hart Lane. It was a brilliant start to the encounter for Harry Redknapp’s team as the set piece was taken by Bale.
Bale’s over-hit corner kick came all the way out to Lennon on the opposite flank; the Englishman whipped in a cross of his own which found Younus Kaboul inside the Tottenham penalty area, the Frenchman made no mistake in heading the ball into the back of the
net as Spurs took a lead.
It was a fine finish by the defender who also scored in Spurs’ last match at the weekend against Arsenal, a game in which they came back from two goals behind to win the encounter by three goals to two in the second half. Tottenham took
confidence from their early goal as they kept possession against a stern German side, Werder Bremen. Bale looked like Tottenham’s brightest player in the first half as he went past defenders with ease on the other hand; Marko Marin was Bremen’s outstanding
player while trying his best to leave his mark bench.
In the 19th minute of the match, Tottenham suffered a massive blow as Jermaine Jenas pulled up with injury at first the midfielder tried to run it off but eventually he was substituted as Wilson Palacios came on
for the home side. It was the first substitution of the match for Spurs who were clearly shocked by the injury to Jenas in their midfield department.
Gareth Bale was in action for Spurs yet again in the 23rd minute of the match as he crossed the ball; the Welsh wingers pass found Crouch in space as the Englishman laid it off to Pavlyuchenko. The Russian striker
failed to score from the opportunity as he was quickly closed down by Bremen’s defence. Bremen found it very hard to cope with Tottenham’s movement and especially the aerial threat of Peter Crouch. The English center forward maintained total aerial superiority
in the first half of the encounter over Werder Bremen’s defenders.
Tottenham definitely lost momentum after Jenas was substituted as Bremen were given a route back into the match through the midfielder’s injury. The home side gave up possession very easily during the middle stages of the first half as
Palacios found it hard to adapt to the tempo of the match. In the 36th minute of the match, Tottenham had a glorious chance to add to their lead as Pavlyuchenko was played in by Lennon yet again. However, the tall striker failed to
exhibit quick reactions as Bremen’s defence tracked back in time to take the ball off of the Russian national team target man.
In the 41st minute, Fritz was booked by the referee as he tugged back Gareth Bale by keeping hold of his shirt. However Tottenham managed to make their system work just before the half time break came through, as
Luka Modric added another goal to their lead. The Croatian midfielder netted Tottenham’s second goal as he pounced on a knockdown by Peter Crouch. Modric poked the ball into the back of the Bremen net from a close range in one of the last pieces of action
in the first half as the first period ended with the score line at 2-0 to Tottenham.
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