Stoke City 1-2 Tottenham: Adebayor late show keeps Spurs in Champions League hunt

Posted Sunday, May 12, 2013 by Goal.com

The Togo international tapped in Clint Dempsey's low cross seven minutes from time to ensure Spurs head into the final day with their Champions League hopes alive

Emmanuel Adebayor turned up the heat on Arsenal in the top-four race as Tottenham recorded a hard-earned and possibly vital win over Stoke at the Britannia Stadium.

Adebayor tapped home Clint Dempsey’s low centre with seven minutes left to complete a stirring Spurs turnaround facilitated by Charlie Adam’s rash dismissal on 47 minutes.

Adam had earlier crossed for Steven N’Zonzi to put Stoke in front, but Dempsey equalised when he capitalised on a misunderstanding between Asmir Begovic and Marc Wilson.

The result means that, whatever the result when Arsenal take on Wigan on Tuesday, Spurs will head into the final day of the season with their Champions League hopes very much alive.

Andre Villas-Boas made two changes to the Tottenham side which drew with Chelsea on Wednesday, with Steven Caulker and Aaron Lennon replacing Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Lewis Holtby, while Stoke also made two changes to the team which drew with Sunderland.

That result had already all but secured Stoke’s survival, but the ferocity of their start suggested they still wanted to give their fans a proper send-off on their last home match of the season.

They pressed Tottenham early and hard, pushing them back and forcing an uncertain visiting backline into mistakes, and inside three minutes they had their reward.

Adam curled an inviting free-kick delivery into the box from the right and N’Zonzi was left all alone at the near post to head past a floundering Hugo Lloris.

The Potters looked vulnerable in defence though and on 20 minutes, moments after seeing an effort correctly ruled out for offside, Dempsey made them pay.

Wilson cleared a ball heading for Begovic but could only deflect it into the path of the Spurs man who, with the Bosnian stranded upfield, lofted the ball into the empty net from 25 yards.

Tottenham – and in particular Gareth Bale – grew in confidence, and as the half drew to a close, but Stoke weathered the storm and the two sides went in level at the break.

The decisive moment came just two minutes after the interval, however, as Adam received a second booking for sliding in rashly on Jan Vertonghen.

Almost immediately Spurs’ control of the game became total, and two minutes later Dempsey directed Bale’s devilish cross just over the bar with Begovic beaten.

Begovic continued to be the only point of significant resistance to Villas-Boas’ men, making crucial interceptions and saves as the visitors monopolised the ball and probed for an opening.

Even the Stoke No.1 was helpless when Tom Huddlestone’s lofted in-swinging free kick found Jan Vertonghen unmarked at the back post, but the defender headed just over.

The introduction of Mousa Dembele on 68 minutes gave Spurs greater guile, and soon after the Belgian threaded the ball into Bale who, having checked onto his right foot, fired inches wide.

Stoke’s threat now came exclusively from set-pieces, and 10 minutes from time Robert Huth headed narrowly over from a Dean Whitehead free kick.

But three minutes later Adebayor prodded home a goal which will make Arsenal fans everywhere feel more than a little uncomfortable as Tottenham climb to fourth.