SHEFFIELD UNITED 2 X 2 TOTTENHAM (agg- 2-3)

  


  

Sheffield United 2-2 Tottenham (agg 2-3): Christian Eriksen double sets up all-London Capital One Cup final with Chelsea... as Premier League club survive late scare after two goals from Che Adams

• Tottenham Hotspur arrived looking to avoid an upset after winning the first leg 1-0 at White Hart Lane
• Christian Eriksen gave Tottenham another 1-0 lead at Bramall Lane with a sublime free-kick after 28 minutes 
• Sheffield United equalised through Che Adams in the 77th minute to set up a nervy ending
• Adams then scored again less than two minutes later to make it 2-1 on the night and 2-2 on aggregate 
• Eriksen saved the Premier League club in the 88th minute with the winning goal to make it 3-2 on aggregate 

Someone call Chas 'n' Dave. Spurs are on their way to Wembley. They have an Argentine at the controls and Mauricio Pochettino can be forgiven if his knees are still trembling when he gets there.

Tottenham were coasting serenely towards a March 1 date with Chelsea, with a two-goal aggregate lead and only 13 minutes to go against their opponents from League One.

Enter Che Adams, a teenage Arsenal supporter who was signed from Ilkeston and who delivered two goals in 140 seconds which turned everything upside down and brought Bramall Lane to life again. 

For nine minutes, the tie was bound for extra-time and Sheffield United had confidence restored to levels where they could imagine their first major final since 1936.

Enter Christian Eriksen (again) with his second of the night, a clinical finish arrowed inside the post after Harry Kane had split an open defence with a pass.

Eriksen’s first had been a delicious free-kick, curled into the top corner, in the first-half, but it was the second which clinched it.

This was the fourth time this season the Dane has scored in the 87th minute of a match and it meant there was no way back for Sheffield United.

Spurs celebrated as the snow started to settle on the pitch, before they returned south where they can prepare for a rematch of the 2008 final, when they beat Chelsea to win this competition.

It was the last major trophy they delivered to White Hart Lane and this feels a significant step for the club.

It is hard to avoid the feeling that Tottenham lost direction somewhere between the departure of Harry Redknapp and Pochettino’s arrival but they seem to be building with purpose.

They scored five past Chelsea in the Barclays Premier League, earlier this month, and here in in the form of an appearance in the Capital One Cup final is something tangible for supporters to latch onto.

Nigel Clough was proud of his team, even if the nature of defeat had made it harder to swallow.

“To come this close makes it worse in a way,” said the Sheffield United boss, who will turn his attention back to the quest for promotion against leaders Swindon on Saturday, before an FA Cup replay against Preston, next week.

“We’re a club on the up,” added Clough, as he lamented Jamie Murphy’s miss, early in the game, which might have given the night a different complexion had it not been cleared by Kyle Walker on the Spurs goal line.

Goalkeeper Michel Vorm spilled a high cross from the right under pressure from Stefan Scougall. Vorm thought he had been fouled, but referee Mike Dean played on and the ball dropped to Murphy, who had time but was unable to find a way past Walker.

This apart, Tottenham controlled the first-half. Kane moved with menace, slamming one shot into the hands of goalkeeper Mark Howard and another into the outside of the post as he sidled past his markers.

United captain Michael Doyle was deployed as the deepest midfielder but was finding it difficult to contain the fluent movement of Mousa Demebele and Eriksen when he conceded a free-kick on the Spurs right, 25 yards from goal. 

Up stepped Eriksen and swerved the ball with his right boot across keeper Howard and into the opposite top corner of the net. “No goalkeeper in the world would have kept that out,” said Clough.

The execution was stunning - Howard did not get close – and it was a reminder of the quality chasm between the teams and the goal pierced the mood.

Howard used his legs to save again from Kane and the home crowd seemed apprehensive, fearing perhaps this might turn quickly into a heavy defeat. Like their supporters, the belief of Sheffield United’s players seemed to be draining away. They went forward with a little less intent and defended nervously.

Marc McNulty lashed one wide from 20 yards, but Clough needed to get them back in the dressing room, regroup and inject some of the spirit which saw them knock-out West Ham and Southampton on the way to the last four.

Whatever was said, it seemed to work. Sheffield United returned with far greater threat. They managed to lift their supporters, but were kept at distance by Tottenham, who still remained dangerous as they operated more selectively, on the counter-attack.

Up front, the tireless Kane fired another shot wide having been slid clear by a pass from Dembele and then muscled his way through on goal only to be thwarted by Howard, who saved again from the young striker as he took over free-kick duties from Eriksen.

Ryan Mason also went close but they could not find the goal to help them relax. Clough sent on 18-year-old Adams and Michael Higdon for the last 16 minutes. The double change represented his final throw of the dice and it produced an incredible reaction.

Adams quickly converted coolly at the far post from low cross from right-back Ryan Flynn, Spurs wobbled and, minutes later, he struck again.

Again, it came from a cross from the right and this time the shot from Adams hit Eric Dier and deflected past Vorm.

Bramall Lane erupted. The home sensed something to match Bradford’s comeback win at Chelsea, but Eriksen had other ideas, helped by Kane.

Spurs are on their way to Wembley. 

MATCH FACTS AND RATINGS

Sheffield United (4-1-4-1): Howard 7; Flynn 7, Basham 6, McEveley 6, Harris 6; Doyle 5 (Reed 65, 6); Campbell-Ryce 5 (Adams 7.5), Baxter 5, Scougall 5, Murphy 6; McNulty 5 (Higdon)

Subs not used: Turner, Alcock, Kennedy, Wallace.

Bookings: Doyle, Flynn

Goals: Adams (77, 79) 

Manager: Nigel Clough 6

Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Vorm 6; Walker 6, Dier 6, Vertonghen 6, Davies 6; Stambouli 7, Mason 7; Lamela 6 (Townsend), Erisken 8, Dembele 6.5 (Paulinho 65, 6); Kane 7.5.

Subs not used: Friedel, Fazio, Rose, Townsend, Adebayor, Soldado.

Bookings: Walker, Mason, Dembele

Goals: Eriksen (28, 88) 

Manager: Mauricio Pochettino 7

MOTM: Che Adams

Referee: Mike Dean 6.5

Attendance: 30,236