Crystal Palace 0-1 Spurs - Match Report

By K.J. Stewart /

Tottenham Hotspur were the victors at Selhurst Park today in their opening game of the season against newly promoted Crystal Palace. Spurs got things underway with new signing Roberto Soldado kicking off alongside Gylfi Sigurdsson. It was a cagey start from both teams as they found their feet, with neither goalkeeper really being tested in the early stages. The first real chance came in the eighth minute when Mousa Dembele drove forward and found Danny Rose on the left wing. The full back crossed to give Roberto Soldado his first sniff of goal, but the Spaniard headed both high and wide. Spurs started to take charge and, just a minute later, Kyle Walker and Aaron Lennon combined to threaten down the right, but Lennon's final ball was deflected out for a corner which came to nothing. Two minutes later, another Spurs debutant - Paulinho - thought he was through on goal, but the Brazilian was adjudged to have fouled Damien Delaney. In the fourteenth minute, Soldado and Lennon combined to find Dembele on the edge of the box and the Belgian fired a real rasper just over Speroni's crossbar. The game almost suffered its first casualty in the 17th minute. Hugo Lloris launched the ball forward and Joel Ward went up for the header against Nacer Chadli. The full back landed awkwardly and needed treatment on his ankle, but was able to continue.
Palace then threatened for the first time, with a spell of possession in the final third, but Mile Jedinak's final ball was a little too long for Aaron Wilbraham and went out harmlessly for a goal kick. Spurs won a free kick in the 20th minute on the left wing and Gylfi Sigurdsson crossed poorly. His low ball was flicked wide by Roberto Soldado. Three minutes later, Jan Vertonghen broke for Spurs and found Chadli who subsequently found Kyle Walker. The full back played a great through ball to Lennon who won a corner, which was comfortably gathered by Speroni in the Palace goal. Palace tested Lloris for the first time in the 27th minute. Danny Rose committed a foul around 30 yards out. Owen Garven swung the resulting free kick in to the area, which Wilbraham headed straight in to the French goalkeeper's arms. A quiet spell followed but, after a run by Lennon, the ball inadvertently found Sigurdsson on the edge of the Palace box in the 34th minute. The Icelandic star shot on the turn and it required a great save from Speroni to turn it over the bar. Great play from Spurs saw them create a good opening in the 40th minute. A one-two between Lennon and Walker saw the former set free in the box on the right hand side. He played a square ball across the six yard box, which was met my Soldado but gathered by Speroni. Three minutes of added time in the first half were announced during a spell of little action and, in the dying seconds, Aaron Lennon crossed on to Nacer Chadli's head. The Belgian headed well over as the whistle blew for half time, with Spurs having had 64% of the first half possession. Palace kicked off the second half with neither team having made any changes and went forward immediately - a long ball towards Wilbraham played straight in to Lloris' hands. A minute later, Palace were forward again. A pass deflected off Walker to Dean Moxey who crossed low and straight to Lloris. In the 49th minute, Lennon crossed and Moxey's arm went up, blocking the ball, and Mark Clattenburg gave Spurs an opening day penalty - they went all of last season without being given a single one.
New signing Roberto Soldado stepped up and cooly slotted the ball in to Speroni's bottom right, sending the keeper the wrong way. A decent spell of Palace possession and pressure followed, with Vertonghen and Lloris having to stay alert and communicate with each other to clear a dangerous penalty box scramble. Two Palace corners followed, which came to nothing, as Spurs warmed up their newest summer acquisition; Etienne Capoue. Indeed, Capoue replaced Mousa Dembele in the 57th minute for his Spurs debut and the game's first change. Three minutes after his introduction, the French international midfielder saw his first bit of real action and fancied his chances from 30 yards out, but he ballooned his shot badly as it went very high and very wide. Palace made a bold triple substitution in the 66th minute, with Ian Holloway bringing on Jonathan Williams, Marouane Chamakh and Kevin Phillips for Stephen Dobbie, Aaron Wilbraham and Owen Garvan. A couple of minutes later, Walker drove forward for Spurs and set Soldado free. The Spaniard squared it for Sigurdsson who shot from the penalty spot. The Icelandic midfielder guided his effort just wide when it looked easier to score. Palace immediately drove forward in response, with Chamakh finding Gayle, but Lloris gathered. Kevin Phillips found himself free moments later, but Lloris rushed out to challenge the veteran and Spurs managed to clear.
Chadli got possession on the Spurs left, turned his man inside and drove a long shot well wide with his weaker right foot in the 72nd minute. Soldado and Lennon played a wonderful one-two in the 77th minute, with Lennon setting the Spanish international striker on his way. Soldado tried for the cross in to the danger area, but it was blocked out for a corner which came to nothing. Etienne Capoue cut out a poor square pass in the Spurs half and found Soldado. The Spaniard found Chadli who ran at the Palace defence before firing just wide in the 80th minute as Jermain Defoe warmed up for the Lilywhites. Poor control from Aaron Lennon set Kevin Phillips free for Palace. The 40 year old fired well wide as Defoe came on to replace goalscorer Soldado in the 83rd minute. Chamakh won a corner for Palace less than a minute later. A dangerous cross eventually fell to Damien Delaney, but his shot was well saved by Lloris. The ball was cleared to Defoe, who ran for 40 yards before winning a throw-in as Younes Kaboul replaced Danny Rose. Following the throw-in, Walker found Defoe who flicked brilliantly to Chadli on the left hand side of the Palace box. He found Sigurdsson but Speroni did enough to put him off.
Immediately after, Defoe gained possession 30 yards out. He ran through the entire Palace defence and found himself one on one with Speroni, but dragged his shot just wide. Hugo Lloris then came to Spurs' rescue twice in quick succession in the last minute, both times from Dikgacoi. A cross found Phillips, who headed back to him. Lloris got down to save, then saved the rebound too as 3 minutes of injury time were announced. Palace pressed in the added time, but Spurs held out in what was a fabulous game of football to walk away as the 1-0 victors, having had 58% of the game's possession. Referee: Mark Clattenburg. Attendance: 23,285. Crystal Palace Speroni; Ward, Gabbidon, Delaney, Moxey; Dikgacoi, Jedinak, Garvan (Chamakh, 66); Dobbie (Williams, 66), Gayle, Wilbraham (Phillips, 66). Tottenham Hotspur Lloris; Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Rose (Kaboul, 86); Lennon, Sigurdsson, Paulinho, Dembele (Capoue, 57), Chadli; Soldado (Defoe, 83).