Deadbat
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It was one of those magical nights under the lights at the Lane as the Blades deservedly beat Premier League high flyers Tottenham Hotspur thanks to Iliman’s Ndiaye’s superb individual goal. United put in a disciplined performance with some excellent work off the ball and gradually grew into the game and got stronger and stronger. With both sides bringing their better players on towards the end of the contest, it was Ndiaye, not Kane, who proved to be the difference with the late winner at the Kop end. United now face Blackburn Rovers at home and have a great chance of getting through to the FA Cup semi finals for the first time since 2014.
Both teams made a number of changes but with United taking out 8 players from the side that beat Watford. Andre Brooks came in for his debut with a young-looking midfield and front line with the experience provided from the veteran Billy Sharp.
Spurs still had a very strong side with the likes of Son Heung Min, Richarlison and Moura at the top of the field. Kane was kept in reserve if Spurs needed to use him.
The game began with the Blades clearly set up to keep a solid shape and concentrate on not giving anything away. McAtee and Brooks were trying to support Sharp when United had the ball but off it settled into a midfield 5. Brooks won an early corner that Ahmedhodzic headed over the bar. Spurs tried to move the ball around and create but were struggling to make much headway. The visitors had a lot of the ball and whilst the Blades were not offering much as an attacking force, the home side were extremely disciplined off the ball with Doyle and Osborn’s work rate a feature of the early proceedings. The back three were also fully switched on with Robinson’s committed challenges, Ahmedhodzic’s reading of the game and Basham’s sweeping up when he needed to. The rain lashed down but this seemed to galvanise the Blades and the crowd even more who responded to every tackle and challenge.
Spurs finally created a chance and Son’s effort saw Foderingham make the save and then Sarr had a go but this was also relatively comfortable for the Blades keeper. United were continuing to move across and cover spaces and gaps and Spurs could not really find any headway at all. They did finally get in but Richarlison fired a fair way over. The best effort maybe came from a cross that bounced off the bar from Moura when he was not probably going for goal. The Blades responded and Sharp’s flick on saw confusion at the back and the error from Hojberg was pounced on by Coulibaly but with McAtee on for the pass, the Malian opted to go for goal but screwed his effort badly wide. The half time whistle came not long after and United were certainly well in the contest despite starting a somewhat scratch line up.
After the break Baldock picked up a yellow for a foul on Son who looked to get away but then Sarr was also booked for a late tackle on Doyle. Perisic had a header over from a corner but United were having a lot more of the ball and Doyle’s industry was impressive but the determination of the Blades to win the loose balls saw them moving further up the field. United now were not only keeping the same discipline they showed in the first half but were actually starting to become more of the aggressor. Lowe and Berge came on for Coulibaly and Baldock with Osborn switching to the right side of defence. Kane then came on for Richarlison as Spurs tried to find something in a game where they had been desperately disappointing and barely threatened Foderingham’s goal.
Ndiaye then came on for the tiring Brooks and it was not long before he had an impact. United had kept the ball down the left with Ndiaye involved initially after Berge’s cross had fell to him but Spurs could not get it clear and it was moved back into the box. NDIAYE managed to wriggle away from his first defender and jink past another before firing a low shot through the legs of another and surprised Forster at his near post. The noise that greeted the goal would have been heard far over the city centre as the Senegalese international wheeled away in jubilation. It was a moment of individual brilliance.
The crowd senses the upset was now most definitely on and in turn responded to the team even more. Kulusevski came on for Moura and Fleck for McAtee as the game moved into the final 5 minutes of the game. Lowe was given a booking for a late tackle but Spurs were not really creating anything.
Osborn superb skills saw him juggle the ball twice before finding a red and white shirt and then Basham from on the floor won the ball and also kept possession. Robinson made a crunching tackle on Son to stop Spurs even threatening a chance. There was 5 minutes of stoppage time to be played but Perisic’s header at the back post as he isolated on Osborn was well over before the final chance came when the cross to the far post saw Kane well placed but his header was a long way off target and drifted wide to cheers from most of the crowd. United managed the time really well and the final whistle came to jubilation around Bramall Lane. After the players were deservedly given a standing ovation from most of the fans who had remained in the ground, the draw was made giving United another home draw and a great chance of progressing to Wembley in the semi finals.
Both teams made a number of changes but with United taking out 8 players from the side that beat Watford. Andre Brooks came in for his debut with a young-looking midfield and front line with the experience provided from the veteran Billy Sharp.
Spurs still had a very strong side with the likes of Son Heung Min, Richarlison and Moura at the top of the field. Kane was kept in reserve if Spurs needed to use him.
The game began with the Blades clearly set up to keep a solid shape and concentrate on not giving anything away. McAtee and Brooks were trying to support Sharp when United had the ball but off it settled into a midfield 5. Brooks won an early corner that Ahmedhodzic headed over the bar. Spurs tried to move the ball around and create but were struggling to make much headway. The visitors had a lot of the ball and whilst the Blades were not offering much as an attacking force, the home side were extremely disciplined off the ball with Doyle and Osborn’s work rate a feature of the early proceedings. The back three were also fully switched on with Robinson’s committed challenges, Ahmedhodzic’s reading of the game and Basham’s sweeping up when he needed to. The rain lashed down but this seemed to galvanise the Blades and the crowd even more who responded to every tackle and challenge.
Spurs finally created a chance and Son’s effort saw Foderingham make the save and then Sarr had a go but this was also relatively comfortable for the Blades keeper. United were continuing to move across and cover spaces and gaps and Spurs could not really find any headway at all. They did finally get in but Richarlison fired a fair way over. The best effort maybe came from a cross that bounced off the bar from Moura when he was not probably going for goal. The Blades responded and Sharp’s flick on saw confusion at the back and the error from Hojberg was pounced on by Coulibaly but with McAtee on for the pass, the Malian opted to go for goal but screwed his effort badly wide. The half time whistle came not long after and United were certainly well in the contest despite starting a somewhat scratch line up.
After the break Baldock picked up a yellow for a foul on Son who looked to get away but then Sarr was also booked for a late tackle on Doyle. Perisic had a header over from a corner but United were having a lot more of the ball and Doyle’s industry was impressive but the determination of the Blades to win the loose balls saw them moving further up the field. United now were not only keeping the same discipline they showed in the first half but were actually starting to become more of the aggressor. Lowe and Berge came on for Coulibaly and Baldock with Osborn switching to the right side of defence. Kane then came on for Richarlison as Spurs tried to find something in a game where they had been desperately disappointing and barely threatened Foderingham’s goal.
Ndiaye then came on for the tiring Brooks and it was not long before he had an impact. United had kept the ball down the left with Ndiaye involved initially after Berge’s cross had fell to him but Spurs could not get it clear and it was moved back into the box. NDIAYE managed to wriggle away from his first defender and jink past another before firing a low shot through the legs of another and surprised Forster at his near post. The noise that greeted the goal would have been heard far over the city centre as the Senegalese international wheeled away in jubilation. It was a moment of individual brilliance.
The crowd senses the upset was now most definitely on and in turn responded to the team even more. Kulusevski came on for Moura and Fleck for McAtee as the game moved into the final 5 minutes of the game. Lowe was given a booking for a late tackle but Spurs were not really creating anything.
Osborn superb skills saw him juggle the ball twice before finding a red and white shirt and then Basham from on the floor won the ball and also kept possession. Robinson made a crunching tackle on Son to stop Spurs even threatening a chance. There was 5 minutes of stoppage time to be played but Perisic’s header at the back post as he isolated on Osborn was well over before the final chance came when the cross to the far post saw Kane well placed but his header was a long way off target and drifted wide to cheers from most of the crowd. United managed the time really well and the final whistle came to jubilation around Bramall Lane. After the players were deservedly given a standing ovation from most of the fans who had remained in the ground, the draw was made giving United another home draw and a great chance of progressing to Wembley in the semi finals.