LONDON - Tottenham Hotspur continued their revival under coach Juande Ramos today with a 2-0 victory at Manchester City in an English League Cup soccer quarterfinal despite playing most of the match with 10 men.
They join Arsenal in the semifinals after two goals from Eduardo da Silva
gave the Premier League leaders a 3-2 extra time victory at Blackburn Rovers despite fielding an unfamiliar line-up and also ending with 10 men.
Everton beat West Ham United in their quarter-final last week while Chelsea and Liverpool meet tomorrow.
Jermain Defoe gave Tottenham a fifth-minute lead at the City of Manchester Stadium, tapping in an Aaron Lennon cross, but the visitors were reduced to 10 men after 20 minutes when makeshift central defender Didier Zakora was harshly shown a red card for a sliding tackle on Elano.
City, who have won 10 out of 10 home matches in the Premier League this season, struggled to create chances and rarely troubled Tottenham's England keeper Paul Robinson.
Steed Malbranque sealed victory for Ramos' side after a swift counter-attack eight minutes from time.
Arsenal, who beat north London rivals Tottenham in the semifinals last season before losing to Chelsea in the final, outclassed Rovers in the first half with Abou Diaby and Eduardo putting them 2-0 up inside half an hour.
Roque Santa Cruz pulled a goal back for Rovers on the stroke of halftime and he took his tally to five in two games with a 60th-minute header to make it 2-2.
Arsenal had Brazilian midfielder Denilson sent off for a rash challenge on David Dunn near the end of normal time as tempers flared.
Croatia international Eduardo showed his class in the first period of extra time, striding on to a defence-splitting pass from Alexandre Song and shooting low past Brad Friedel.
Blackburn's Christopher Samba nearly snatched a late equaliser with a header against the post.
- REUTERS
