Rochdale hold Spurs, book replay at Wembley
What a difference a few days can make.
After coming from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Juventus in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, Tottenham made 11 changes to its team yesterday and was held 2-2 by English third-tier team Rochdale in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
‘‘It was an amazing game and an amazing event for us,’’ Rochdale manager Keith Hill said of his bottom-of-the-table team. ‘‘We took the opposition on and we know how good they are.
‘‘I can’t describe my emotions. It was special. I’ve never had a moment like that.’’
Rochdale had decided to dig up and re-lay the bumpy, almost grassless pitch that was used in the previous round against Millwall _ and the reason became clear early on against Tottenham.
Not for this team the typical third-tier fare of long-ball football. Hill’s Rochdale stroked the ball around to excellent effect to nullify the gulf in class between the sides and secure a lucrative replay later this month at Spurs’ temporary Wembley home.
It was no more than Rochdale deserved when Ian Henderson capped a sweeping move on the stroke of halftime with a low shot from 12m to score his sixth goal in as many FA Cup matches this season.
Eight-time FA Cup winner Tottenham, which left the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen out of its starting lineup, stepped up a gear in the second half and Lucas Moura, signed from Paris Saint Germain in the midwinter transfer window, equalised in the 59th minute.
Moura, making his first start for Tottenham, lifted the ball over goalkeeper Josh Lillis after a clever series of passes from the visiting team.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino then sent on Kane and Alli for the closing stages and the England pair combined to put their team in front with three minutes to go.
Alli was sent flying by a challenge from Harrison McGahey and Kane stepped up to rifle Tottenham in front from the penalty spot with the 34th goal he has scored for his club this season.
Then, just as Rochdale’s dreams of a trip to Wembley seemed to have died, substitute Steve Davies pounced on a leftwing cross and drove in a stoppage-time shot to the delight of the Spotland crowd.