(AP Photo/Akira Suemori)

Tottenham make Sunderland pay full penalty

By NEIL RICHARDS,

(AP) -- LONDON (SE) - Darren Bent missed a penalty on his return to White Hart Lane as Robbie Keane's close-range effort and Tom Huddlestone's rocket-shot earned Tottenham a 2-0 victory over Sunderland.

Bent, whose unhappy spell at Tottenham ended in August when he was offloaded to the Wearsiders in a 10-million pound switch, earned the spot-kick with what looked to be a dive over the outstretched arm of Heurelho Gomes.

But justice appeared to be done when his tame shot was well-saved by the Brazilian diving to his left. Home boss Harry Redknapp, who once famously said his wife could have scored a chance squandered by the striker while playing for Spurs, could have been forgiven had he managed a smirk to himself on the bench.

Spurs were booed off at the interval despite leading from Keane's untidy 12th-minute strike. But they improved in the second half and after Gomes's heroics made the game safe with Huddlestone's fierce drive from the edge of the area.

The stunning goal capped an excellent all-round performance from the midfielder which could scarcely have been better timed with England manager Fabio Capello watching from the stands and the Italian due to name his squad on Sunday for the friendly with Brazil.

Few in the 35,955 crowd, however, would have disagreed with Steve Bruce's post-match assessment that his was the better side.

"Since the beach ball incident against Liverpool we seem to have run out of luck," the Black Cats boss said. "We have played great today and have created chances.

"Our Achilles heel, if I am critical, is that we failed to take those chances. But the football we played and the way we approached the game was terrific."

Redknapp added: "That's how it goes, you have to claw out a result sometimes. It was three vital points in the end.

"The 'keeper did what he does. He was fantastic today, Gomes, and looked a world-class 'keeper."

Bent had been eager to make an impression against his old club and almost created the opening goal on nine minutes. The England striker collected an excellent ball down the inside-right channel from Kieran Richardson and crossed low into the six-yard box but Jordan Henderson's shot drifted wide of the post.

Spurs were in front three minutes later. Richardson gave the ball away this time and Benoit Assou-Ekotto made good ground down the left before delivering a cross to the far post. Peter Crouch won the knockdown and Keane bundled the ball past Craig Gordon at the second attempt, though replays suggested he may have been offside.

The goal knocked Sunderland out of their stride but they regrouped well and once again began to carry the greater threat, so much so that the Spurs fans started to jeer their own side despite them having the lead.

Richardson was off target from a George McCartney cross from the left and Phil Bardsley's 30-yard angled drive was not too far wide of the far post.

Sunderland had claims for a penalty just after the half-hour as Bent tumbled under the challenge of Gomes. The forward did not appeal and referee Kevin Friend waved play on.

Andy Reid came within inches of snatching an equaliser seven minutes before the break, his ambitious 30-yard lob beating Gomes but coming back off the upright.

Tottenham's goalkeeper, though, was to have an excellent afternoon and he made a brave save to deny Richardson, who was gifted a clear strike on goal after Vedran Corluka's headed back-pass fell woefully short.

Gomes was the hero again seven minutes after the restart, making a smart save from Bent's disappointing penalty which was hit far too close to him.

By contrast, Black Cats' goalkeeper Gordon had had a quiet afternoon before being called upon on 58 minutes. The Scot showed great courage to dive at the feet of Jermain Defoe and while he was writhing around in agony Huddlestone put the rebound wide.

Although Gordon continued after treatment his shoulder injury proved too severe and he was replaced by Hungary international Marton Fulop, whose first meaningful act was to pick the ball out of his own net after being beaten by a spectacular strike.

Niko Kranjcar – on as a substitute for the largely out-of-sorts Keane – slipped the ball into Defoe and he slid the ball along the edge of the box for Huddlestone, who drilled in a shot off the underside of the crossbar.

Gomes, who had made one good save to deny Steed Malbranque, made an even better one to keep out a late headed effort from Michael Turner and ensure Spurs kept only their second clean sheet of the season in the league.

Updated November 7, 2009