Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Lyon: Brilliant Bale gives Londoners Valentine's Day win

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 14: Gareth Bale of Spurs scores his team’s match winning second goal from a free kick during the UEFA Europa League round of 32 first leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Olympique Lyonnais at White Hart Lane

Gareth Bale scored two dramatic goals in first and second half stoppage time to give Tottenham Hotspur a 2-1 lead at White Hart Lane in their Europa League Round of 32 game against French side Olympique Lyonnais.

Bale scored the first of his two free kicks in the first minute of first-half stoppage time to ecstatic roars in London, before scoring an emotional winner with only seconds to go at the fag end of the game after Samuel Umtiti had levelled for the visitors to give Andre Villas-Boas’ men a slender lead as they travel to France in a week’s time.

As Remi Garde watched from the bench of the club whose arch rivals he once played for and Steed Malbranque made his return to White Hart Lane, the Tottenham Hotspur faithful burst into an emotional rendition of ‘when the Spurs go marching in’.

And why not? Sitting above Lyon coach Remi Garde’s former club Arsenal in one of the four Champions League berths and in excellent form in both domestic and European competitions, times have been good for Spurs under Andre Villas-Boas, who won the Europa League with Porto before his singeing baptism by fire at Chelsea.

The Portuguese tactician had elected to pick a strong team for this game. Hugo Lloris wasn’t afforded the opportunity to face his former side with Brad Freidel returning to action in goal. Kyle Walker, Jan Vertonghen, William Gallas and Benoit Assou-Ekotto all lined up at the back, with Scott Parker afforded a starting berth as he continues his comeback from injury alongside Belgian midfielder Moussa Dembele. Up front, Clint Dempsey, Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon played behind Emmanuel Adebayor, who was playing his first game since returning from international duty with Togo at the African Nations Cup. New signing Lewis Holtby was left on the bench.

Garde also decided to field an equally strong lineup. Remy Vercoutre was protected by youth product Samuel Umtiti, veterans Anthony Reveillere and Milan Bisevac and 23-year-old Dejan Lovren. Former France U-17 captain Gueida Fofana and the returning Steed Malbranque formed a two man defensive screen, ahead of whom played club captain Maxime Gonalons, fellow youth player Alexandre Lacazette and Argentina international Lisandro Lopez, with Bafetimbi Gomis playing as lone striker.

“Tottenham and Lyon met in the second round of the 1967/68 European Cup Winners’ Cup, Louis Hon’s side overcoming Bill Nicholson’s Spurs on away goals, following a 1-0 win at home and a 4-3 defeat at White Hart Lane.”

- Source: UEFA.com

It was the home team who seemed to hit the ground running. Tottenham won a string of corners as the game began, but Kyle Walker’s deliveries didn’t trouble Vercoutre, neither did Bale’s efforts towards goal. Aaron Lennon was full of lively running down the right, but solid defending from the eight-time Ligue 1 winners saw their keeper untroubled.

Lyon saw little of the ball in the opening stages, but their intentions to make it count were commendable but erroneous. Fofana fired over the bar from outside the box and Malbranque’s corners, though meaningful, failed to alter the course of the game.

Both Bale and Lennon seemed to show plenty of determination in their attempts to break the Lyon rearguard. The Wales winger’s free kicks were always targeted at Remy Vercoutre’s goal, but defensive headers away from the likes of Bisevac and Lovren kept the game at 0-0.

Lennon tried to prise apart Lyon more quietly, trying to trick and tease his way past Samuel Umtiti, who received a booking in the 20th minute in trying to deal with the England winger’s running down his left.

Spurs’ best chance of the game came in the 27th minute. Dembele released Adebayor, who sprinted past Bisevac, but his powerful first time effort skidded narrowly wide of Vercoutre’s post. A minute later, good work from Dempsey inside the box allowed Bale to get a shot on target, but his attempt was tame and bounced harmlessly towards the keeper.

With the away fans sensing what was coming, they broke into song in an attempt to galvanize their players. It seemed to have an instant impact as Lacazette won his team a corner and a throw-in in quick succession on the half hour mark.

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 14: Olympique Lyonnais fans cheer on their team

With both sides swapping possession as the minutes ticked by, a Spurs attack in the 35th minute was broken up by Lovren, who found the energetic Lacazette with a first-time through ball. But Les Gones dallied around the edge of the box before Fofana’s wasteful attempted through ball only found Freidel.

Gareth Bale were guilty of going to sleep in the 38th minute as he was presented with a gift in front of the Lyon goal. Excellent work from Lennon and Walker saw the ball straight to the feet of their Welsh team mate, who somehow conspired to fire straight at an off-centre, prone Vercoutre with the goal gaping. Given all the goals he had been firing in in recent weeks, the miss from Bale which saw him holding his head in his hands in disbelief could be summed up in one word.

Incredulous.

Lyon tried to take advantage of that blunder. Gomis drove forward with intent, but his effort was well over the bar. A 40th minute through ball from Malbranque then saw the France international in the thick of things in front of goal, but William Gallas had his countryman covered.

But Bale would atone for his earlier profligacy in first-half stoppage time. Lacazette fouled Dembele outside the 18-yard box. Bale made no mistake in whipping the ball over the Lyon wall before Vercoutre had a chance to react. His heartfelt celebration on Valentine’s Day showed his relief as White Hart Lane exploded into celebratory cheers.

Almost immediately afterwards, Portuguese referee Pedro Proenca blew for half time in an ecstatic North London.

Spurs nearly doubled their lead as the second half began, with Bale clear past an awry Lyon rearguard. Luckily for them, he was adjudged offside.

But that was all the possession Spurs saw in the opening stages of the second half. It was the away side who wee attempting to boss possession now. Bafetimbi Gomis attempted to breach Friedel’s net, but his effort was easily saved by the American.

Lyon’s next effort brought them level.

The impressive Fofana brought the ball forward, and although his cross was headed clear by the Spurs defence, it fell straight to Umtiti, who made no mistake in lashing a spectacular goal into Friedel’s top corner. The most unlikely of goal scorers had scored his first European goal for his club, drawing them level in the 55th minute.

Lyon’s comeback was nearly complete seven minutes later. Lacazette was allowed to run at the Spurs defence, but his effort at goal was batted away by Friedel. Dempsey shouted for a penalty a minute later, but Bisevac’s sliding tackle in the box was clean. In the 65th minute, Bale tried to put his team into the lead, but his stinging drive was punched clear by a well-positioned Vercoutre.

Villas-Boas decided to make the first change of the game. Lewis Holtby came on for Clint Dempsey in the 67th minute.

His first action was to fire a grounded cross across the face of goal, but neither Adebayor at the near post nor Bale at Vercoutre’s far could convert.

With the game still deadlocked at 1-1 after 79 minutes, Lennon was the second Spurs player to come off, with Gylfi Sigurdsson replacing the England winger, who was beginning to fade in the second after an excellent first half.

The Iceland international was given an instant opportunity to make in impact after being put through on goal, but his miscued effort dribbled straight towards Vercoutre.

Garde made his first change of the game a little later, with Clement Grenier coming on for Malbranque in the 82nd minute.

With Lyon defending deep in serried ranks, Spurs were finding it hard to break down the visitors despite all their endeavour as the game entered its final throes. Rachid Ghezzal came on for the Argentine Lisandro, who had been quiet all game in a like for like change two minutes before the end.

Bale powered down the left wing in the 90th minute, but his brilliant centre was met by neither the arriving Adebayor or the lurking Sigurdsson. He then attempted to steal the headlines after shuffling his way past two players and teasing Vercoutre, who was equal to his effort.

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 14: Gareth Bale of Spurs celebrates after scoring his team’s match winning second goal

Jake Livermore came on as Villas-Boas made his last throw of the dice. He too had an instant impact, winning a free kick from Gonalons in the 92nd minute. With just a minute to go, Bale stood over the free kick.

He beat Vercoutre with another free kick with only seconds to go in the game.

There was no time for Lyon to respond. Valentine’s Day at White Hart Lane belonged to Gareth Bale, who has now scored eleven goals in as many games.

Lineups:

Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Olympique Lyonnais (Bale 45′+1 and 90′+2; Umtiti 55′)

Referee: Pedro Proenca

Tottenham Hotspur: Friedel; Walker, Gallas, Vertonghen, Assou-Ekotto; Parker (c)(Livermore 90′+1), Dembele, Dempsey (Holtby 67′), Lennon (Sigurdsson 79′), Bale; Adebayor

Subs not used: Lloris, Naugton, Dawson, Caulker

Olympique Lyonnais: Vercoutre, Umtiti, Bisevac, Lovren, Reveillere; Fofana, Malbranque (Grenier 82′) , Gonalons (c), Lacazette, Lisandro (Ghezzal 89′); Gomis

Subs not used: Lopes, Kone, Dabo, Ferri, Benzia

Stats:

Tottenham Hotspur: Shots (on target): 8 (5), fouls: 11, corner kicks: 6, offsides: 4, yellow cards: 1, red cards: 0, saves: 3

Olympique Lyonnias: Shots (on target): 7 (5), fouls: 10, corner kicks: 4, offsides: 3, yellow cards: 2, red cards: 0, saves: 3

Possession: Tottenham Hotspur 55% – 45% Olympique Lyonnais

Next Fixture:

Tottenham Hotspur: Europa League vs. Olympique Lyonnais, Stade Gerland, 21 February 2013

Olympique Lyonnais: French Ligue 1 Professionnel vs. FC Girodins de Bordeaux, Stade Chaban-Delmas, 17 February 2013