PSV Eindhoven 0 Tottenham <i>(agg 1-1; 6-5 on pens)</i>: Berbatov strike in vain as wasteful Spurs pay penalty
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Your support makes all the difference.A Spaniard tilting in a land of windmills has been a wild dream before and last night Juande Ramos's Spurs side crashed out of the Uefa Cup on penalties. They forced extra time through a sweet Dimitar Berbatov strike but it was not enough on a night of desperate, chaotic endeavour with Ramos, the man from Don Quixote country, La Mancha, failing in his attempt to win this trophy a third year in a row.
In the end penalty misses by Jermaine Jenas, who would have earned a place in the last eight had he scored, and Pascal Chimbonda meant Spurs' campaign collapsed in folly and a flurry of substitutions, with Ramos sacrificing Ledley King and Robbie Keane.
In the cold light of day Spurs know they have gone out to a limited team whose goalkeeper, Gomes, had the kind of eccentric match that often marks these affairs. The Brazilian saved brilliantly from Steed Malbranque's volley in the final minute and from Jenas's poor spot-kick.
Spurs will look back on a number of wasted opportunities. Darren Bent, a half-time substitute, should have scored with his first touch and then went on to squander three other chances, passing when he should have shot, having a header tipped over and volleying wide. But Ramos brushed off the defeat. "I've no regrets. We won the match and when you come to penalties, it's a lottery," he said.
Trailing to Jefferson Farfan's goal last week in London, Spurs were handed the initiative by PSV's nerves and should have scored when Berbatov teed up Malbranque, but he slashed wide. When Gomes, for some reason, chested down a header back he presented Robbie Keane with an open goal, only for Carlos Salcido to clear.
As Spurs pressed, space opened up and PSV had chances. Danny Koevermans committed a howler, free on goal and missing Jason Culina's cross while Paul Robinson had to save smartly from Ibrahim Afellay. In the contest's purest moment, Chimbonda whipped in a cross and Berbatov met it full-blooded to beat Gomes. But the goalkeeper had the final say.
PSV Eindhoven (4-3-3): Gomes; Kromkamp, Marcellis, Salcido, Alcides; Culina, Simons, Mendez; Farfan, Koevermans (Lazovic, 72), Afellay (Dzsudzsak, 82). Substitutes not used: Roorda (gk), Zonneveld, Rajkovic, Aissati, Bakkal.
Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): Robinson; Chimbonda, Woodgate, King (Lennon, 61), Lee (Bent, ht); Huddlestone, Zokora, Jenas, Malbranque; Keane (O'Hara, 86), Berbatov. Substitutes not used: Cerny (gk), Tainio, Boateng, Dawson, O'Hara.
Referee: M Trefoloni (Italy).
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