Robinson saves nervous Spurs

Uefa Cup Round of 32 second leg/ Tottenham 1 Slavia Prague 1 : Tottenham completed their passage into the last 16 last night but if the tie was billed as a dress rehearsal for the League Cup final with Chelsea, Juande Ramos must hope his players are much better on Sunday afternoon.

The manager cut an infuriated figure on the touchline in the second half as his team seemed gripped by stage fright. They had looked likely to coast into a meeting with PSV, having led through Jamie O'Hara, but familiar failings returned to undermine them.

The unlikely hero was Paul Robinson. Restored to the line-up at the expense of Radek Cerny he made two fine stops. He denied Jaroslav Cerny in the first half while a diving save in the second from the substitute Milan Ivana was even more eye-catching.

Pascal Chimbonda limped off with a knee injury and he numbered among Spurs' problems for Wembley.

Tottenham sprang out of the blocks and O'Hara put them into an early lead, his low drive from the edge of the area deflecting off Martin Latka to wrong-foot Michal Vorel.

Tottenham should have gone further in front after Vorel could only parry Tom Huddlestone's drive. With only the goalkeeper to beat, Lennon miskicked into the ground. O'Hara caught a left-foot volley sweetly and watched the ball deflect for a corner, and it was from his cross-field pass that Darren Bent looped a header against the bar.

Robinson was called upon once in the first half. Jaroslav Cerny struck with swerve and power but the goalkeeper got down smartly to block. Slavia had never before scored in England but Tottenham are accommodating hosts and they offered them a route back. Daniel Pudil was given space to whip over a cross and the unmarked Matej Krajcik converted at the far post.

Frantisek Drizdal ought to have brought the tie level on aggregate, only to send his free header tamely at Robinson.

Nerves gripped Tottenham. David Strihavka hooked a shot against a post and Robinson had to go full length to paw away Ivana's free-kick. Although Bent saw a deflected shot kiss the bar, Spurs were grateful for the final whistle.

• Guardian Service

TOTTENHAM : Robinson, Chimbonda, Kaboul, Woodgate, O'Hara, Tainio, Huddlestone, Zokora, Lennon, Berbatov, Bent. Subs : Cerny, Lee, Jenas, Keane, Malbranque, Taarabt, Rocha.

SLAVIA PRAGUE : Vorel, Krajcik, Latka, Brabec, Drizd'al, Kalivoda, Hubacek, Suchy, Jaroslav Cerny, Aracic, Pudil. Subs : Vaniak, Tavares, Sourek, Ivana, Belaid, Volesak.

Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden).

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times