Eight Prime Ministers have come and gone since Tottenham last played in the European Cup back in 1962.
The country will decide tomorrow whether Gordon Brown makes it nine but one thing is certain: Tottenham are in the Champions League.
A famous night for Spurs, and at the final whistle after the 1-0 win, Harry Redknapp had the look of a boy from the wrong side of the tracks who had found a key to the local sweet-shop.
Redknapp follows in famous footsteps - in fact those of Bill Nicholson, the manager of the legendary double-winning team.
But there was all-too-familiar heartbreak at Eastlands as football once more proved money can buy you everything except love and a 1-0 win for Manchester City.
Yes, Tottenham will almost certainly have to go through a qualifying round to make it into the group stage; but try telling the Spurs fans who made the trip north not to count their chickens.
The facts were brutally simple: City needed to win at all costs, Tottenham to avoid defeat.
Simple, except a minimum of £25million in Champions League television and bonus money was riding on the outcome, and that's not counting any boost in gate receipts, merchandise sales and improved sponsorship deals.
From the managers' point of view, Robert Mancini had more at stake as it looks a pretty ruthless equation for him too: Champions League qualification or the exit door.
Redknapp, at the moment at least, has one of the safer jobs in football.
An impressive rendition of Nessun Dorma by a local tenor set the bar high for the evening and the football was never found wanting.
None shall sleep, goes the song, and this certainly was rousing stuff with barely a cigarette paper to separate the two sides in terms of chances, creativity, endeavour and brio.
Carlos Tevez was City's beating heart, a pocket powerball of a player who set pulses racing every time he took possession.
Peter Crouch, making his first start since March, was Tottenham's pacemaker, utterly dominant in the air which would have pleased the watching Fabio Capello.
Tevez, whose future is surrounded by as much uncertainty as Mancini's, was bitterly unlucky not to score a dramatic opener in the sixth minute after a stunning run led to a shot that beat the keeper only to hit the unwitting Benoit Assou-Ekotto on the back of the head.
The Argentinian's sublime skill forced a good block from Heurelho Gomes before Crouch decided it was his turn to get in on the act, heading against the post and then setting up Gareth Bale for a thumping drive that missed by six inches.
Occasionally, other players intervened: Ledley King - awesome in defence - having a headed goal ruled out for climbing on Gareth Barry; Adam Johnson's devilish strike from 20 yards bringing a top-class save from Gomes.
The break did nothing to alleviate the tension; indeed it served only to intensify it, epitomised by the sight of Mancini sitting alone in the dug-out, waiting for the teams to emerge, hugging himself tightly like a condemned man in his cell.
There was absolutely no difference in the second half, the match was beautifully poised.
Michael Dawson was forced to hook off his line, loan keeper Marton Fulop made brilliant saves from Jermain Defoe and Crouch - would Gunnar Nielsen have made those, Redknapp may have wondered.
As the hour-glass ran down though, City became increasingly desperate - and furious Tom Huddlestone did not see red for a stamp under the nose of referee Steve Bennett. A lucky boy indeed.
City legs were tiring, Defoe and Crouch a toe-length away from touching in Assou-Ekotto's centre.
Then, more misery for those City fans who have suffered for so long in the shadow of their neighbours: Younes Kaboul powered in a cross-shot, Fulop parried it but only to Crouch who got the goal he deserved.
Eight minutes to rescue their dreams, to rescue Mancini's job maybe, to keep Tevez at City.
Not long enough though. None slept at Eastlands tonight - but now they have to face the music.
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น