Rubin Kazan 1-0 Spurs: Natcho too hot to handle

Sebastien Bassong took the blame for Tottenham's failed bid to help Harry Redknapp's recovery.

The Spurs boss was at home recovering from minor heart surgery while his No.2 Kevin Bond saw midfielder Berbas Natcho hit the winner.

It meant there was no opportunity to send home another three Europa League points from Russia with love.

And it leaves Tottenham third in their group on goal difference.

Bassong's foul on midfielder Aleksandr Ryazantsev conceded the free-kick that led to Rubin's winner.

The Frenchman said: "I should have cleared the ball and I took an extra touch. An extra bad touch. And I fouled him. I didn't see him coming and when I found out he was coming it was too late because I had a bad touch.

"I was praying it wouldn't be a goal but it was. What can I say? I told the lads, 'Sorry, I should have cleared it. I'm sorry.'

"We can still finish top of the group. There are two games left. We'll get the chance to put things right.

"We've got a strong squad and quality players so there is no reason why we can't finish first or second."

Bassong also revealed the Spurs players had no idea Redknapp had swerved the game to have his op.

The first they heard was when they arrived at Stansted to fly on Wednesday.

"I first found out about it at the airport," said Bassong. "He didn't tell us. I didn't know.

"Someone told me he wasn't coming. Then, a couple of hours later, someone told me he was in hospital."

Keeper Carlo Cudicini added: "It's true. We didn't know. "You ask questions when you don't see the manager. So we are surprised. Of course we wish him all the best for his recovery.

"Personally, I know nothing. I know he wasn't well a few days before this game, but if he had the chance to watch this game he will have watched it."

Had Redknapp tuned in, he would have seen Cudicini make a stack of superb saves to ensure the scoreline did not become an embarrassment.

The Italian could do nothing, however, about the decisive goal from talented midfielder Bebras Natcho.

It was the worst possible punishment for that Bassong foul just outside the box.

Natcho's free-kick was far too hot for the wall to handle, bending over and into the bottom corner.

Rubin would, and should, have had filled their boots before and after that effort. But they were simply unable to find a way past Cudicini, who was in inspired form.

First, winger Alan Kasaev put an effort from the 18-yard line just over the bar from wideman Gokdeniz Karadeniz's cross.

Then Cudicini, at full stretch, pushed a screamer from Natcho out for a corner.

Ryantsev was next to test the Spurs keeper, with his effort pushed to safety.

And so it went on, with Rubin totally dominating possession, until shortly before half time when Jermain Defoe shrugged off a couple of challenges and put the ball in across the six-yard box.

Roman Pavlyuchenko, the man who moans about not getting enough game-time, showed us just why his appearances are rare when he failed to get a decisive touch.

Rubin have won just two of their last 14 European games and many supporters had decided the local basketball team UNICS Kazan - who were playing Barcelona at the same time - were a better bet.

But their lads proved them wrong in the second half as they made the breakthrough and continued to rain down chances on the Spurs goal.

Ryantsev again burst into the box on the hour and drew yet another magnificent save from Cudicini.

Karadeniz missed with a free header after that and substitute Nelson Valdez somehow found the body of the keeper when he should have burst the back of the net.

Bond revealed afterwards that Redknapp could yet make a shock appearance at the Spurs HQ - on Friday!

"I left my phone in the changing room and will give him a call on the way home," said Bond.

"I spoke to him earlier in the day and he was in fine form. He is threatening to come in [on Friday] - perhaps for a bit of extra training for the lads!"

Spurs have now failed to score in their last three European away games.

But they should surely beat Shamrock Rovers away in Dublin after their next group game - another winnable home tie against the Greeks of PAOK Salonika.

In the meantime, if Redknapp really does want to make a swift recovery, he should delete this match from his Sky Plus, burn the video, smash the CD and focus on Fulham on Sunday.

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HOW THE GROUP STANDS

                             P W D L  F  A    Pts

PAOK Salonika      4 2 2 0  7    4    8

Rubin Kazan         4 2 1 1  6    3    7

Tottenham            4 2 1 1  4   2    7

Shamrock Rovers  4 0 0 4  3 11    0