Premier League: Tottenham 1 Swansea 0

16 December 2012 16:49

Jan Vertonghen fired a superb winner 15 minutes from time to take Tottenham into the Champions League places with 1-0 victory.

The Belgian centre-back's first league goal saved a Spurs team that had until that moment lacked attacking verve in an unremarkable game at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Yet they got the job done against in-form Swansea, Vertonghen sweeping in a half-volley with his weaker right foot from Kyle Walker's free-kick as Spurs climbed to fourth.

Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas will be equally relieved that his players were able to keep a clean sheet and avoid their habit of conceding in the last 10 minutes against a Swansea side that offered little in the final third.

The pre-match talk was of an open game between two attacking teams, but neither side played with any purpose during a drab opening period in which the hosts created the better chances but rarely tested Swansea goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel.

In the 12 minute, Michu brilliantly blocked Jermain Defoe's goalbound effort before Swansea defender Chico Flores denied Emmanuel Adebayor in similar fashion.

At the other end, Michu went close with a stunning effort from just inside the Spurs half that had Hugo Lloris scrambling before the ball drifted just over the crossbar.

Swansea came out for the second half with more purpose and should have broken the deadlock two minutes after the re-start.

Wayne Routledge skipped into the Tottenham penalty area and crossed for Nathan Dyer, who should have scored from five yards but headed wide.

Adebayor forced Tremmel into action and Walker shot off target before Spurs opened the scoring in the 75th minute just when a goalless draw looked likely.

For all the pretty passing on display, it was a rudimentary set-piece that did the job. Walker whipped in a free-kick that glanced off a Swansea player's head before landing at Vertonghen, who swept home with his weaker right foot.

Defoe could have doubled the scoreline late on after being put through by substitute Gylfi Sigurdsson, but the striker was denied by Tremmel.

There was late drama as Lloris took out Michu as the Spurs goalkeeper won the ball with a powerful punch, a number of players getting involved in a melee but the Spaniard was able to continue.