Tottenham 0 - 0 Hearts (agg 5 - 0)

A youthful Tottenham XI acquitted themselves well as they drew with Hearts to secure comfortable progress into the Europa League group stages.

Trailing 5-0 from the first leg, a much-changed Hearts side, playing for pride, struck the bar early on through Gordon Smith's turn-and-shot.

But Spurs, who fielded six academy graduates, edged the game overall.

Andros Townsend was their star turn, while Harry Kane missed the best chance from the spot after being felled.

It was a lively match for long periods despite effectively being a dead rubber featuring weakened line-ups.

In the end, though, the night was more memorable from a Tottenham point of view for the signings of Emmanuel Adebayor and Iago Falque on season-long loan deals, both announced during play, and the absence of Luka Modric - who did not even feature on the bench as talk of a move to Chelsea continued to circle White Hart Lane.

Still, there was enough potential on show to please both sets of supporters.

Outshining their senior team-mates, the likes of Scott Robinson and Ryan McGowan were full of running for the visitors - and alongside Smith's shot that hit the bar, Daniel Grainger and Mehdi Taouil both had fine efforts from range that forced home keeper Carlo Cudicini into action.

For their part, and with the likes of Jake Livermore and Tom Carroll pulling the strings in midfield, Tottenham were typically crisp and confident in their passing.

But the hosts did not create too many chances, Kane forcing a smart save from the angle before earning a penalty when he was felled by Jamie MacDonald, only for his firm effort to be kept out well by the Hearts keeper low to his right.

Roman Pavlyuchenko also brought a save out of MacDonald with a long-range curler - but the tie had been won long before kick-off at White Hart Lane, a fact that was all-too obvious as the game petered out in the final stages.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp: "They [the youngsters] all did well - and this will only improve them. This is a big stage for them, a massive step up, but it can only do them good.

"As for what my team will be in this competition going forward, well you've got to be careful, you've got to juggle your squad. I'll play the kids at times, but when there are vital games you want to win and keep progressing. It's a balancing act.

"[Transfers?] The chairman's on a couple of transfers at the moment. There's one or two in the pipeline, but we don't need to bring them in by the lorryload here, we've got good players."

Hearts manager Paulo Sergio, after hearing Rangers and Celtic had also been knocked out: "[Scottish football] is not in trouble. I think there are great footballers in Scotland.

"I think there are great teams in Scotland too, stronger than ours, but this is football.

"As for tonight, I have to say thanks to our great supporters who came here. They did very well. They won their game. We didn't win our game but they did."
Live text and stats

Thursday, 25 August 2011

Europa Lge qualifying
Home Team Score Away Team Time
Tottenham 0-0 Hearts FT
(HT 0-0)(agg 5-0)

Hide team line-ups and match stats
Tottenham

23 Cudicini
19 Bassong
20 Dawson (Kaboul 46)
22 Corluka
06 Huddlestone
29 Livermore (Jake Nicholson 76)
31 Townsend yellow card
43 Fredericks (Kranjcar 61)
46 Thomas Carroll
09 Pavlyuchenko yellow card
37 Kane

Substitutes

24 Friedel,
04 Kaboul,
32 Assou-Ekotto,
11 Van der Vaart,
21 Kranjcar,
47 Jake Nicholson,
18 Defoe

Hearts

30 MacDonald yellow card
03 Grainger
06 Webster
17 McGowan
26 Zaliukas
04 Jonsson
12 Templeton
19 Skacel (Mrowiec 72)
18 Novikovas
22 Smith (Suso Santana 83)
27 Robinson (Taouil 79)

Substitutes

25 Kello,
13 Obua,
07 Suso Santana,
11 Driver,
16 Stevenson,
21 Taouil,
31 Mrowiec

Ref: Anastassios KakosAtt: 32,590

Possession

Tottenham 54%
Hearts 46%

Attempts on target

Tottenham 4
Hearts 3

Attempts off target

Tottenham 5
Hearts 9

Corners

Tottenham 5
Hearts 6

Fouls

Tottenham 4
Hearts 9

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Final Result
Full Time
90:00+3:11 The referee brings the game to a close.
90:00+2:27 Mehdi Taouil has an effort at goal from outside the penalty area missing to the wide left of the goal.
90:00+1:54 Effort from outside the penalty box by Andros Townsend goes wide right of the goal.
90:00+1:18 Andros Townsend crosses the ball, clearance made by Marius Zaliukas.
89:25 Daniel Grainger takes the inswinging corner, clearance by Vedran Corluka.
87:36 Mehdi Taouil takes a shot. Carlo Cudicini makes a comfortable save.
85:22 A cross is delivered by Daniel Grainger, Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by Marius Zaliukas goes harmlessly over the crossbar.
85:22 Booking Andros Townsend is shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
85:18 Foul by Andros Townsend on Suso Santana, free kick awarded.
84:09 Effort from just outside the area by Roman Pavlyuchenko goes over the target.
83:56 The ball is delivered by David Templeton, Jake Nicholson makes a clearance.
83:04 Daniel Grainger takes the inswinging corner, Harry Kane manages to make a clearance.
81:59 Jamie MacDonald takes the indirect free kick.
81:59 Substitution Suso Santana is brought on as a substitute for Gordon Smith.
81:59 The offside flag is raised against Roman Pavlyuchenko.
81:12 Niko Kranjcar takes a shot. Jamie MacDonald makes a comfortable save.
80:38 The assistant referee flags for offside against David Templeton. Sebastien Bassong takes the free kick.
80:17 Younes Kaboul gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Gordon Smith. Direct free kick taken by Adrian Mrowiec.
78:00 Indirect free kick taken by Jamie MacDonald.
78:00 Substitution Mehdi Taouil is brought on as a substitute for Scott Robinson.
78:00 The offside flag is raised against Roman Pavlyuchenko.
76:59 Effort from deep inside the area by Roman Pavlyuchenko clears the bar.
75:58 Substitution Jake Nicholson on for Jake Livermore.
74:13 Thomas Carroll crosses the ball, Marius Zaliukas makes a clearance.
73:17 Andros Townsend takes a shot. Blocked by Marius Zaliukas. Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Tom Huddlestone, David Templeton makes a clearance.
72:48 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Niko Kranjcar, Jamie MacDonald makes a save.
71:40 Substitution Adrian Mrowiec joins the action as a substitute, replacing Rudi Skacel.
69:45 Arvydas Novikovas has an effort at goal from just outside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand post.
68:32 Niko Kranjcar has a drilled shot. Blocked by Scott Robinson.
67:41 Headed effort from inside the area by Gordon Smith misses to the left of the target.
64:52 Foul by Eggert Jonsson on Niko Kranjcar, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed by Niko Kranjcar, clearance made by Andy Webster.
60:27 Substitution (Tottenham) makes a substitution, with Niko Kranjcar coming on for Ryan Fredericks.
57:13 Daniel Grainger concedes a free kick for a foul on Andros Townsend. Free kick taken by Sebastien Bassong.
55:46 Rudi Skacel takes a shot. Blocked by Sebastien Bassong. Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Scott Robinson, save by Carlo Cudicini. Daniel Grainger takes a inswinging corner to the near post, clearance by Harry Kane.
53:00 Shot from outside the penalty box by Eggert Jonsson goes wide right of the goal.
52:06 Roman Pavlyuchenko is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Free kick taken by Jamie MacDonald.
51:26 Thomas Carroll fouled by Ryan McGowan, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Andros Townsend.
50:14 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jake Livermore by Arvydas Novikovas. Free kick taken by Tom Huddlestone.
46:35 David Templeton has an effort at goal from just outside the area which goes wide of the left-hand post.
45:01 The match restarts for the second half.
45:01 Substitution (Tottenham) makes a substitution, with Younes Kaboul coming on for Michael Dawson.
Half Time
45:00+0:10 It is the end of the first-half.
40:29 Daniel Grainger delivers the ball, clearance made by Michael Dawson.
37:38 Inswinging corner taken by Daniel Grainger, comfortable save by Carlo Cudicini.
36:00 Daniel Grainger challenges Thomas Carroll unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Tom Huddlestone from right wing, clearance made by Gordon Smith.
30:27 Arvydas Novikovas fouled by Jake Livermore, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Daniel Grainger.
29:42 Tom Huddlestone takes a short corner. Jake Livermore has an effort at goal from outside the penalty area which goes wide right of the goal.
29:26 A save by Jamie MacDonald from penalty by Harry Kane. Tottenham 0 (5)-(0) 0 Hearts.
28:39 Booking Jamie MacDonald is shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
28:28 Penalty awarded for a foul by Jamie MacDonald on Harry Kane.
26:52 Long range effort from Tom Huddlestone misses to the left of the goal.
25:50 Booking Booking for Roman Pavlyuchenko for unsporting behaviour.
25:18 The ball is swung over by Ryan Fredericks, Marius Zaliukas manages to make a clearance.
21:23 Scott Robinson has an effort at goal from outside the box missing to the wide left of the goal.
21:00 Foul by Andros Townsend on David Templeton, free kick awarded. Daniel Grainger delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from right wing, clearance by Michael Dawson.
19:24 David Templeton challenges Andros Townsend unfairly and gives away a free kick. Tom Huddlestone takes the free kick.
15:52 Rudi Skacel takes a shot. Michael Dawson gets a block in.
14:38 Corner taken by Daniel Grainger played to the near post, Harry Kane makes a clearance.
11:43 Gordon Smith takes a shot.
9:50 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Ryan Fredericks by Daniel Grainger. Free kick taken by Vedran Corluka.
8:55 Roman Pavlyuchenko takes a shot. Jamie MacDonald makes a save. Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Tom Huddlestone from the right by-line. A cross is delivered by Ryan Fredericks, Andy Webster makes a clearance.
7:52 The ball is sent over by Andros Townsend, clearance by Andy Webster.
6:35 Ryan McGowan challenges Andros Townsend unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick crossed by Tom Huddlestone, Marius Zaliukas makes a clearance.
5:46 Shot from outside the box by Rudi Skacel misses to the left of the goal.
0:59 Tom Huddlestone takes a outswinging corner to the near post.
0:00 The ref blows the whistle to start the match.

Taken from the BBC