BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE – WHITE HART LANE – Sunday September 21st 2008
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
0-0
WIGAN ATHLETIC

Latics had the better of a largely uneventful first half but couldn’t turn attacks into a goal; Scharner had a thirty yarder fizz past Gomez’s post after great work in midfield from Jason Koumas.

Koumas curled a free kick which was well gathered by Gomes two minutes before Zaki nearly converted 5 goals in 5 games.

The best chance to score fell to Scharner in the 43rd minute, Heskey’s brought down the ball before the Austrian blasted a shot from the right side of the box and Gomes had to be on top form to push the ball round the post.

Figueroa had the final attempt of a quite one sided half, firing a free kick just over the bar after Corluka hand balled an Antonio Valencia shot.

The second half saw Spurs come out fighting and the magnificent Boyce and Bramble had to be on top of their game to keep out a Tottenham side that for long periods put lots of pressure on.

The central defenders seemed to have an answer though, for everything that the Londoners had to throw at them and their reward of a clean sheet was more than deserved.

Latics did have their chances though, Boyce saw Gomes pluck his looping header out of the air whilst Kapo went close from a wicked cross from Antonio Valencia.

We survived a penalty shout when Aaron Lennon seemed to dive over Maynor Figueroa’s foot, the referee though waved the appeals away.

Tom Huddleston, Jamie O’Hara and Darren Bent were all thwarted by the excellent Chris Kirkland, who surely must have caught the eye of Mr. Capello’s again.

The game ended in a 0-0 draw, but Latics will rue the chances they didn’t capitalise on in the first half.

Report by Jason Taylor

Referee: Steve Tanner (Somerset)
Attendance: 35,808
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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR WIGAN ATHLETIC
1 Heurelho Gomes 1 Chris Kirkland
39 Jonathan Woodgate 25 Mario Melchiot
22 Vedran Corluka 19 Titus Bramble
3 Gareth Bale 7 Paul Scharner
32 Benoit Assou-Ekotto 31 Maynor Figueroa
4 Didier Zokora 17 Emmerson Boyce
24 Jamie O’Hara 5 Wilson Palacios
5 David Bentley 10 Jason Koumas
8 Jermaine Jenas 16 Antonio Valencia
9 Roman Pavlyuchenko 9 Emile Heskey
10 Darren Bent 13 Amr Zaki
SUBS
21 Sanchez Cesar 12 Mike Pollitt
11 Gilberto 32 Richard Kingson
16 Chris Gunter 2 Ryan Taylor
6 Tom Huddlestone 23 Olivier Kapo
18 Frazier Campbell 18 Daniel de Ridder
7 Aaron Lennon 8 Kevin Kilbane
17 Giovani Dos Santos 27 Henri Camara
TIMELINE
29′ Yellow Card Emmerson Boyce
43′ Yellow Card Vedran Corluka
46′ Player Off Roman Pavluchenko
Player On Frazier Campbell
51′ Yellow Card Jamie O’Hara
63′ Yellow Card Wilson Palacios
64′ Player Off David Bentley
Player On Aaron Lennon
72′ Player Off Jason Koumas
Player On Olivier Kapo
80′ Player Off Gareth Bale
Player On Tom Huddlestone
82′ Player Off Amr Zaki
Player On Henri Camara