UEFA Cup

Latest news on uefa cup

Aston Villa Ajax and Hamburg look for places in knockout stage of Uefa Cup

Aston Villa Ajax and Hamburg can progress from Uefa Cup groups stages if results go their way.

Tottenham Hotspur given the edge in Holland thanks to a Jamie O'Hara header

Harry Redknapp's side positioned themselves for a further advance into the Uefa Cup with victory in Holland.

Manchester City dominate Shalke and send warning to all Uefa Cup rivals

It may not be just United that are aiming to bring European silverware back to the northwest next May.

NEC Nijmegen 0-1 Tottenham

Jamie O'Hara's first-half goal earns Spurs a deserved Uefa Cup win that puts them on the brink of reaching the last 32.

Schalke 0-2 Man City

Manchester City book their place in the last 32 of the Uefa Cup with an impressive victory at Schalke.

Peter Crouch seeks home comforts in Uefa Cup as Portsmouth look to upset AC Milan

Peter Crouch hopes Fratton Park will be discomforting enough for AC Milan for Portsmouth to cause an upset.

Uefa Cup: Tottenham 4-0 Dinamo Zagreb

Tottenham Hotspur's renaissance under Harry Redknapp continues. A comprehensive victory last night over the Croatian champions, in which Darren Bent scored his first hat-trick for the club and Tom Huddlestone capped an encouragingly commanding midfield performance with a spectacular goal, kept Spurs' Uefa Cup hopes alive and fanned the feelgood factor that has returned since Redknapp replaced Juande Ramos last month.Whereas Ramos's team selection suggested he, to the consternation of most of the club's supporters, assigned this tournament greater importance than the Premier League, Redknapp was at pains before last night's game to restore the natural order of things by insisting domestic survival took precedence over any European exploits. Yet he knows the two are not mutually exclusive and his eagerness to prolong the momentum generated by a successful start meant the Spurs manager deployed a strong side last night, resting Ledley King as his only concession to the impending trip to Manchester City.Spurs' new confidence was evident in a vibrant start and, perhaps even more encouragingly for the locals, there was also abundant proof that they are finding the fluidity they have lacked. David Bentley and Aaron Lennon raced frequently down the wings, aided by enterprising full-backs, while Luka Modric continued to revel in the free role Redknapp has given him just behind the striker. Huddlestone and Didier Zokora patrolled the middle with power and impressive poise.Within minutes of the opening it all seemed too much for the disappointing visitors. After only four minutes Alan Hutton raced down the right then slashed the ball across goal with such venom that the retreating Mario Mandzukic diverted it in a panic against his own post.Four minutes later Modric caught the side that sold him last summer by surprise, his quick free-kick teeing up Huddlestone for a 20-yard shot which curled fractionally wide. As Modric himself drew a fingertip save moments later, suspicions grew that the Croatians who would prove most troublesome to Tottenham on the night might be the 200 or so Zagreb fans who periodically sent dense plumes of smoke over the pitch by igniting flares. When stewards intervened midway through the first half violence briefly broke out before the arrival of a clutch of policemen.Those fans were soon subdued even further when Spurs scored after half an hour. Bentley flicked the ball cleverly forward to Modric, who flashed it into the centre where Huddlestone miscued, only for the unmarked Bent to slam the ball in off the underside of the crossbar from 15 yards.Huddlestone made a more elegant contribution to Bent's second, which arrived only three minutes later. Some 35 yards from goal the giant midfielder surveyed his options before calmly stroking the ball through to Bent, who had again escaped the defenders and from just inside the area slotted the ball under Ivan Kelava.The visitors lacked Tottenham's pace and dynamism but their sure technique meant a comeback could not entirely be discounted. A Bosko Balaban free-kick which sailed over the bar was the closest they came to scoring in the first period but at the start of the second Jonathan Woodgate had to react bravely to block a dangerous drive from Mandzukic.Spurs' retaliation was swift. On 59 minutes, moments after Bent had turned down a hat-trick invitation by nodding wide from close range, Bentley floated a corner towards the edge of the box and Huddlestone smashed a low drive past the keeper. As the Croatians' spirit dipped, Spurs began to strut, Huddlestone and Zokora now controlling midfield with a swagger seldom seen under Ramos.Fittingly, Huddlestone was the architect of the fourth, topping off a seemingly effortless move by rolling the ball through to Bent. This time, with only the keeper to beat, the striker accepted his hat-trick and hit his ninth goal of a season which is suddenly not looking so desperate for Spurs.Further promise of a better future came in the 79th minute when John Bostock became, at 16 years and 295 days, the youngest player ever to feature in Tottenham's first team. He almost marked the occasion with a goal, but perhaps a misleading air of perfection would have been conferred if his spectacular long-range effort in the 85th minute had found the net rather than whistled past the post.Uefa CupTottenham HotspurDinamo Zagrebguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Bent stars as Spurs hammer Zagreb

Tottenham get their Uefa Cup campaign back on track as Darren Bent grabs a hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb.

Villa grab important away win

Aston Villa take a big step towards qualification from Uefa Cup Group F with a narrow win at Slavia Prague.