{"id":73570,"date":"2014-12-12T06:00:56","date_gmt":"2014-12-12T06:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=73570"},"modified":"2014-12-11T22:41:57","modified_gmt":"2014-12-11T22:41:57","slug":"tottenham-lost-floodlight-failures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2014\/12\/tottenham-lost-floodlight-failures\/","title":{"rendered":"Tottenham lost after floodlight failures"},"content":{"rendered":"
Tottenham missed the chance to top their Europa League group as they fell to a narrow defeat against Besiktas.<\/p>\n
The match was marred by long stoppages as the floodlights failed twice in the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.<\/p>\n
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said: “It is difficult to explain [the floodlight failures]. We had a chat with the referee and you need to accept the situation.<\/p>\n
“It’s frustrating if that happens, it was laughable. It’s not good for reputation of the competition.”<\/p>\n
Pochettino’s side dominated the first period, with Nacer Chadli having a goal ruled out and Roberto Soldado missing an excellent chance.<\/p>\n
But the hosts improved in the second half and Cenk Tosun scored the decisive goal from Olcay Sahan’s low cross.<\/p>\n
It was the second straight Europa League match in which Spurs have had to contend with temporary abandonments, after their game against Partizan was halted three times due to pitch invasions.<\/p>\n
On that occasion, Tottenham kept their composure to win, but in Istanbul they could not find the goals needed to retain their advantage at the top of the group.<\/p>\n
It means they could face one of the Europa League group winners or seeded Champions League teams in the next round – including Zenit St Petersburg, managed by former Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas.<\/p>\n
The game was first disrupted after eight minutes – with fans creating an improvised illumination with their smartphones during the ensuing stoppage.<\/p>\n
When the players returned to the pitch, Spurs – who welcomed back defender Kyle Walker after nine months out with an abdominal injury – seized the ascendancy and fashioned several good chances.<\/p>\n
Soldado spurned a golden opportunity when he scuffed a Younes Kaboul knockdown straight at Tolga Zengin, before Nacer Chadli was denied a goal due to a marginal, but correct offside decision.<\/p>\n
Besiktas were missing leading goalscorer Demba Ba through injury and they appeared toothless during the first half, but after the interval their back-up strikers proved their worth.<\/p>\n
Tosun thundered a superb effort against the crossbar but Mauricio Pochettino’s side did not heed the warning and two minutes later they were behind.<\/p>\n
From Gokhan Tore’s cross, Sahan knocked the ball across the six-yard box and Tosun converted.<\/p>\n
Former Fulham winger Kerim Frei then wasted a golden chance to settle the match, firing into the side netting after a superb one-two with Jose Sosa.<\/p>\n
The lights went out again after a minute of injury time, but Spurs could not find a crucial equaliser when the match briefly resumed.<\/p>\n
Tottenham missed the chance to top their Europa League group as they fell to a narrow defeat against Besiktas. The match was marred by long stoppages as the floodlights failed twice in the Ataturk Olympic Stadium. Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said: “It is difficult to explain [the floodlight failures]. We had a chat with the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":73571,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[29,3],"yoast_head":"\n