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Match Report
Tottenham v Portsmouth 07 February 2004
SPURS EDGE SEVEN-GOAL THRILLER
Tottenham 4-3 Portsmouth
Gustavo Poyet scored a last gasp winner for Spurs in a 4-3 win against Portsmouth that saw debutants Jermain Defoe and Tresor Lomano Lua Lua both open their accounts.
On Wednesday Spurs blew a three goal lead to lose 4-3 to Manchester City, but kamikaze defending by both sides this time ended with Tottenham claiming a morale boosting victory - after Portsmouth had come from behind three times to level.
Substitute Poyet bundled home after great work from Dean Richards to exorcise the demons of the midweek defeat.
Defoe had opened his Spurs account to give his side an early lead - only for the scintillating Eyal Berkovic to benefit from a kind ricochet to level.
Robbie Keane then sent Spurs in ahead at the break with a good turn and shot, but again Pompey came back when another debutant Lua Lua turned and smashed a shot in off the post - with a slight deflection off a defender.
With both sides looking far happier attacking than defending more goals seemed a certainty and so it proved.
Keane grabbed his second of the game with a fine solo run, his blocked shot bouncing cruelly over Shaka Hislop and into the back of the net.
But, Pompey again clawed their way level, when Yakubu Aiyegbeni escaped down the left and cut back brilliantly for Ivica Mornar to smash home.
A thrilling first half had seen Portsmouth give as good as they got - but find themselves behind courtesy of a promising new centre forward partnership.
Keane has been resurgent in recent weeks, and the acquisition of Defoe appears to have given Spurs a fearsome forward line-up, set to be further boosted by the return of Freddie Kanoute.
The partnership quickly showed what it is capable of with Keane unselfishly laying the ball out to Defoe who lashed home with typical aplomb into the far bottom corner to mark his debut with a goal.
Spurs' defence suffered a breakdown in midweek against Manchester City, and Berkovic was causing them major problems.
The Israeli had already shown glimmers in front of goal, although Yakubu's deflected shot had represented the best of Pompey's early chances - drawing a good save from Kasey Keller.
Yakubu turned architect for the equaliser, playing a one-two with Berkovic and cutting back.
Steven Carr reacted well to the pass and tried to clear, but inadvertently kicked the ball into the face of Berkovic, who was delighted to see the ball bulge the back of the net.
Spurs got themselves back ahead almost immediately, when Keane sold Arjan de Zeeuw a perfect dummy and lashed a shot home to the delight of the White Hart Lane faithful.
There were to be four more goals in the second half - but on this occasion Spurs fans were the ones celebrating the last gasp winner.
Report From  , For full report and stats, click here.
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