Swansea City vs. Tottenham Hotspur: Final score 3-1, Adebayor brace sees Spurs win comfortably

It had been something like four decades since Tottenham Hotspur last won five consecutive away games in the league, but four straight plus a visit to scuffling Swansea City meant that that target was within reach for Tim Sherwood and company today. They seized their opportunity, dispatching the Swans through a brace from Emmanuel Adebayor and an embarrassing own goal by Chico Flores, running out 3-1 winners and drawing closer to that all-important top four spot.

The opening goal came very much against the run of play. Swansea had the better of the chances in the first half, with Wilfried Bony looking particularly dangerous against the combination of Michael Dawson and Vlad Chiriches. Bony hit the post with a well-struck long range effort, was denied a penalty after a shove in the back, and then wasted a free header from Angel Rangel’s cross after escaping the attentions of the Spurs defence. But the Swnas couldn’t score, and the visitors landed a sucker punch 35 minutes in.

The Swans were undone by a simple cross. Aaron Lennon knocked the ball back to Christian Erikson, who powered in a first-time delivery towards the back post, where both Nabil Bentaleb and Emmanuel Adebayor were making runs. The ball evaded the former, but Adebayor was on hand to guide a gentle header past Gerhard Tremmel, giving Tottenham a 1-0 lead.

Swansea’s problems were exacerbated when they lost Jonjo Shelvey to injury just after halftime, the midfielder forced off for Roland Lamah 51 minutes in. And Lamah had a major contribution to Spurs’ second, allowing Kyle Walker to flash in a low cross which, thanks to a calamity in the Swansea back line, ended up being turned past Tremmel by Chico Flores for an own goal.

Spurs were by now in complete control, and they should have extended their lead when Mousa Dembele broke through the defence only for the midfielder to place a shot just wide of the far post with Adebayor screaming for the ball. The striker got his chance a minute later, however. Left back Danny Rose refused to make the same mistake as Dembele, feeding Adebayor with a deft pass and watching as the 29-year-old slot in his second.

Bony got a consolation goal with 13 minutes to go, firing past Hugo Lloris after being picked out by Lamah’s cross, but it was too little too late to derail what was ultimately a very comfortable Tottenham win.

Goals: Adebayor 35’ 71’, Flores (og) 54’.