WEMBLEY COUNTDOWN: Pavlyuchenko strike set Spurs on their way

Round by Round TOTTENHAM opened their Carling Cup campaign in late September with a 2-1 win over Newcastle at St James Park with goals from Roman Pavlyuchenko and Jamie O Hara (1). Pavlyuchenko (2) was to the fore again in November when Spurs entertain

Round by Round

TOTTENHAM opened their Carling Cup campaign in late September with a 2-1 win over Newcastle at St James' Park with goals from Roman Pavlyuchenko and Jamie O'Hara (1).

Pavlyuchenko (2) was to the fore again in November when Spurs entertained Liverpool. The in-form Russian and Frazier Campbell bagged a brace apiece in a comfortable 4-2 victory.

The Lilywhites then booked their place in the last four, coming from behind to see off Championship side Watford 2-1 in the quarter-finals at Vicarage Road in December. Pavly-luchenko scored a first-half penalty and Darren Bent (3) grabbed the winner 14 minutes from time.

In the semi-final first leg at the Lane in January, Tottenham seemed to have one foot in the Wembley final when they trounced another Championship outfit Burnley 4-1, with second-half goals from Michael Dawson (4), O'Hara, Pavlyuchenko and a Michael Duff own goal.

But in the second leg at Turf Moor 15 days later, Spurs looked to have blown their chance of back-to-back Carling Cup final appearances when they trailed Burnley 3-0 after 90 minutes. The scoreline remained the same with just three minutes of extra-time to play but Pavlyuchenko (5), who had netted in every round, scored in the 118th minute. Jermain Defoe made sure of Tottenham's Carling Cup final date against Manchester United, firing home a second two minutes later, to book a return trip at the new Wembley.

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