Wembley Cup: Tottenham - FC Barcelona

FULL-TIME 1-1

The teams will share the points in this match. Two teenagers on the scoresheet tonight, Bojan (32 minute) and Jake Livermore (83). A great match with an amazing finish, just when it looked like Barcelona’s youngsters had done enough to get out with a win Spurs pushed themselves into another gear and truly went forward in search of the equalizer. Nineteen-year-old Jake Livermore, who had only been on the pitch a matter of minutes rose to the challenge and grabbed a late goal against who else than Barcelona. Overall a great performance from both sides. Barcelona’s teenagers played brilliant attacking football, and although they could not manage to retain their advantage and secure the win, they played with the colour and verve I expect from Barcelona’s biggest stars.

87th: The game just went up and notch or two (or three), each team is throwing their men forward in search of a final game-winner.

86th: Spurs pressuring for the winner but Barcelona manage to clear the cross sent in from the corner.

83rd: GOAL! 1-1! Spurs win a corner and take it short, Assou-Ekotto whips in a cross which Livermore get onto and heads into the goal.

82nd: Pinto with a terrible goal-kick but Spurs cannot capitalize.

81st: Substitution: Huddlestone and Palacios off, Livermore and Bostock on.

80th: No clear chances either way, mostly a midfield battle at the moment.

74th: Substitution: Luka Modric out - Danny Rose in

72nd: Lennon with pace down the right he puts in a cross but Barcelona’s keeper Pinto can manage to punch it away.

69th: Great passing from the Barcelona youngsters but no final ball but a great sequence of passing from the Catalans, such variation in each attack they are pursuing another goal from each flank and with every cross and slotted ball.

65th: Play is switched out wide to Jeffren who lays the ball up for Keita but he hit it over, but a well-hit striker nevertheless.

61st: A penalty shout in the Barcelona box as the corner comes in and deflects of a defenders knee and then it unknowingly hits his hand. Nothing more than a shout though.

59th: Huddlestone with a powerful half-volley but Marc Muniesa manages to deflect it wide.

57th: Tottenham doing well to possess the ball but mostly in their own half.

54th: Aaron Lennon wins a free-kick on a running down the right flank. Modric serves the free-kick but Marc Muniesa beats Defoe to the header.

50th: Defoe breaks away from the Barcelona defence but Henrique forces him into takes a shot with a tough angle, barcelona can recover.

48th: A slow start to the second half as all fifteen of the subs on the pitch are still settling in to the match.

Substitutions: Barcelona to change their entire squad on comes: Pinto, Dalmau, Henrique, Muniesa, Espasandin, Rueda, Keita, J.dos Santos, Jeffren, Rochina and Oriol. Spurs replace 4 players: Gomes, Keane, Kyle, and Chimbonda.

HALF-TIME Barcelona 1, Tottenham 0. A great first half once it settled a bit. Straight out of the gates it was a midfield affair, with neither team having much of the ball in the final third, but as the game relaxed Barcelona assumed their dominant role with some great passing and possession play. Barça managed to find a goal after 32 minutes due to the strength and determination of the only player for Barcelona on the field that started against Manchester United back in May, Yaya Toure. He took on the whole Spurs defence and seemed to have had finally lost the ball, but Bojan was the first one to react and pounce on the ball and slot it into the corner. Spurs responded with a few dangerous attacks before Barcelona regained possession and slowed the tempo of the game. I feel more goals to come. Barça can definitely get the win but no one can rule out a Spurs side playing with nearly its top squad while Barcelona has many teenagers out on the pitch.

45th: Sanchez has a strike just before half-time, a what a strike. I thought it was destined for the top corner but Carlo Cudicini managed to tip it over the crossbar at full-extension.

41st: Modric slots a ball through the Barça defence but Abidal does very well to recover and reclaim possession. Abidal is definitely feeling the pressure due to Barcelona’s signing of left-back Maxwell from Inter Milan.

38th: Modric hits the bar! and Assou-Ekotto has a great follow up chance, both easily could have been goals. Modric will be kicking himself that he couldn’t keep that one down. So close to an equalizer.

37th: Lennon controls the ball on the right, cuts inside and passes into the feet of Defoe who tries to turn but cannot, he whips it to O’Hara on the left but Fontás does well to block the shot.

34th: Gudjohnsen lofts the ball over the top of the Tottenham defence, Pedro runs on to it and places it in the bottom corner past Cudicini, he is called off side, an extremely close call through my eyes.

32nd: GOAL! 1-0 BARCELONA! Yaya Toure bulldozes through the Spurs defence, Bojan picks up the loose ball and slots it calmly into the far corner.

31th: Barcelona are unable to capitalize on their free-kicks, Pedro’s cannot clear the first defender and Toure’s effort goes nowhere near the goal.

26th: Barcelona are dominating possession they seemly cannot loose the ball, great interchanging play.

2oth: Bojan tries a shot from distance which deflects to Pedro, he manages to step inside of his defender and launches a low shot which Cudicini is able to divert out for a corner.

18th: Pedro lofts in a cross from the right, Gudjohnsen attempts a bicycle kick but cannot connect, then Bojan gets past Huddlestone but shoots over.

16th: Huddlestone does brilliantly with a 40-yard ball to Assou-Ekotto who advances into the final third but cannot find the final ball and his cross goes over the crossbar.

12th Minute: Lennon streaks down the left flank, beats Abidal crosses to Modric, who can’t direct it goalward.

Starting XI’s

Barcelona:

Gudjohnsen Bojan

Assulin Sánchez Toure Pedro

Abidal Cáceres Montoya Fontás

Jorquera

Spurs:

Defoe

Modric

O’hara Palacios Jenas Lennon

Assou-Ekotto Huddlestone Corluka Hutton