In terms of openings the tables were turned: this time Sevilla had the bright start and, just like Spurs did in the first leg, scored before the defenders knew where they were. Steed Malbranque tried to clear Poulsen’s header from a corner but only managed to slice it into the net, putting Sevilla in the lead after only two minutes. The visitors kept piling pressure on and soon added injury to insult when Kanoute and Kerzhakov outplayed the Spurs defence and the former Spurs striker expertly tricked and put the ball past Paul Robinson on seven minutes.
The bewilderment of being 2 goals down, and therefore 4 goals away from victory, was visible in the home team, who spent the rest of the first half looking shell-shocked. The makeshift defence, with a strangely ineffectual Pascal Chimbonda at left-back and a comparatively effective but out of place Teemu Tainio at right-back, did better throughout and denied Sevilla more goals, even as they kept piling on the pressure in the first half. Offensively the team was in utter disarray and a few near chances was as close as it got for Spurs.
Whatever Martin Jol said to his team in the interval had the desired effect: the team were back on track and recognisable as the attacking side which had reached this stage of the competition unbeaten. Spurs piled the pressure on with some nice moves and the substitution of Didier Zokora, who had had a pretty good game, only looked strange for a few seconds. His replacement, Jermain Defoe, scored with what was practically his first touch of the ball, diverting a Keane volley into the net from close range. A few moments later hope really started spreading in White Hart Lane, as Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane set up Aaron Lennon who pushed the ball past Cobeno.
Sevilla responded and Robinson twice denied Puerta, but the second half saw Spurs with the greater amount of chances. As the ball went narrowly out, into post or even into the arms of Cobeno there were no more goals to be found. The display of the second half turned the game into a less one-sided affair than the first half seemed to suggest and it became a more honourable defeat – even near victory – for Spurs than deemed possible. Even under pressure, however, Sevilla prevailed and showed their quality as one of the best in Europe. The Spaniards have a semi-final to work for, Spurs now simply have to work hard for a new chance in the competition next season.
Tottenham
Robinson, Tainio, Dawson, King, Chimbonda, Lennon, Zokora (Defoe 65), Jenas, Malbranque, Keane, Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Murphy, Ghaly, Taarabt, Barnard, Ifil.
Sent Off: Tainio (90).
Booked: Dawson, Malbranque, Defoe.
Goals: Defoe 65, Lennon 67.
Sevilla
Cobeno, Hinkel, Javi Navarro, Escude, Puerta, Daniel (Renato 55), Poulsen, Marti, Adriano Correia (Aitor Ocio 69), Kerzhakov (Maresca 82), Kanoute.
Subs Not Used: Javi Varas, David, Luis Fabiano, Jesus Navas.
Goals: Malbranque 3 og, Kanoute 8.
Attendance: 35,284
Referee: Konrad Plautz (Austria)
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