FULL-TIME! Spurs complete the Europa League groupstage with a 100 per cent record after picking up a sixth win from as many games. There was little riding on the match with both of these sides already through to the next round, but Spurs put in a professional display and never looked in danger of dropping points. It finishes 4-1 to Andre Villas-Boas' side and now focus switches to the Premier League's busy Christmas period. Thanks for joining me. I hope you enjoyed the action.
90' +2
Good try by Lamela to make it 5-1 as he gets into the left side of the area and hits a powerful, low shot towards the bottom-far corner, but Pomazan produces a fine save to deny the Argentine.
89'
The officials have announced that there will be three minutes of stoppage time.
88'
K. Naughton gets yellow.
86'
Corners haven't been Spurs' strongest weapon tonight and another one goes by without much ceremony.
85'
A. Gatagov enters the game and replaces A. Razak.
Townsend's wait and run lend to much expectation, but his attempted curling shot hits the wall and goes out for a corner.
84'
Townsend impresses again, but he is stopped in his tracks just outside the area. He immediately picks the ball up to stop anyone else taking the free-kick. There was something very child-in-a-playground about that!
81'
Friedel is forced to awake from his second-half slumber as Anzhi finally create a chance. Burmistrov cuts across the edge of the penalty area and shoots left-footed, which Friedel palms away. The goalkeeper then keeps out the follow-up effort on the rebound. Impressive, considering he has been in relative hibernation since half-time.
80'
B. Angbwa enters the game and replaces K. Agalarov.
78'
S. Coulthirst enters the game and replaces Soldado.
A heavy fall for Naughton has left the full-back in a heap on the floor. He appears to be in some discomfort and needs medical attention.
Minute
Description
75'
Good save by Pomazan as he flies across his goal to tip Holtby's long-range effort around the post. Corner for Spurs.
74'
In the meantime, replays seem to suggest that Jucilei was harshly dealt-with as Fredericks appeared to trip himself up.
72'
Nearly a fifth for the hosts! Fredericks hits an early cross in from the right and Lamela arrives late to meet it with a header, but his attempt goes just over.
70'
Penalty goal scored by Soldado for Tottenham Hotspur!
GOAL!!! Soldado gets his first Spurs hat-trick! The Spaniard stepped up and confidently stroked the ball to the left, beating Pomazan despite the goalkeeper guessing the right way.
69'
Penalty for Spurs! Fredericks charges into the area with an excellent run and he goes under the challenge of Jucilei. The referee initially waves play on, but his assistant behind the goal changes his mind.
67'
Spurs are completely dominant here. A fourth goal for them look likely.
65'
C. Eriksen enters the game and replaces M. Dembélé.
Dembele goes off for Christian Eriksen, with the weekend match against Liverpool probably in the back of Villas-Boas' mind.
64'
Spurs really are putting some fine passing moves together in this second half. Townsend is crucial again as he roams inside from the right before playing a reverse pass up the flank for Soldado. The forward hammers a cross into the middle, but Anzhi clear their lines.
62'
Fredericks has been really positive since coming on as a right-back. Once again he finds himself in advance of Townsend, who feeds the young defender into the final third. He curls a great cross into the centre and Soldado flicks it towards the far side of the goal with a header, but Pomazan gets down to make the save.
60'
The excellent Holtby is everywhere at the moment. This time he intercepts a pass out from the defence by Anzhi and passes to Sigurdsson, who takes a touch and fires over from the edge of the area. Good effort.
57'
Once again, Spurs get the ball to Townsend as soon as they can. The England international runs past the booked Grigalava, who offers little resistance, and Townsend wins a corner.
56'
Wild tackle by Fredericks on the right as he charges through the Anzhi midfielder.
54'
L. Holtby has scored a goal for Tottenham Hotspur! Assist by A. Townsend.
GOAL!!! And there is number three for Spurs! Townsend does well as he cuts inside and chips the ball into the danger area. Holtby charges through the defence to bring the pass down and flick it up and over Pomazan. Lovely finish.
53'
The right flank appears to be Spurs' favoured channel of attack as Townsend again tries to weave his magic. He then plays Fredericks in on the overlap and his cross his Grigalava before going out for a corner.
52'
I. Maksimov gets yellow.
50'
Townsend cuts inside from the right and crosses deep to the far post. Soldado is lurking in the vicinity, but it's a little too heavy.
49'
Anzhi have seen a lot of the ball in these early stages, but they haven't done much with it yet.
46'
R. Fredericks enters the game and replaces D. Rose.
We are back underway for the second half.
45' +2
HALF-TIME: The referee blows his whistle to end a fairly entertaining first half. Spurs have generally dominated and they were well-worth the two-goal lead which Roberto Soldado had given them, but Anzhi have looked dangerous on rare occasions they've attacked. Another Anzhi goal could make this very watchable.
45' +1
This match was starting to look like a foregone conclusion. Perhaps not now after that.
44'
Ewerton has scored a goal for Anzhi! Assist by N. Burmistrov.
GOAL!!! Anzhi pull one back! Burmistrov's corner is sent in with fearsome pace and Brazilian defender Ewerton knocks it past the helpless Friedel.
43'
Good pressure from Anzhi. Grigalava produces a brilliant cross from the left, but no team-mates are able to divert it towards goal. Maksimov does well to keep the move alive before Jucilei's eventual header is tipped over by Friedel.
41'
So close to a third for Spurs! Sigurdsson shows great awareness to pick out the unmarked Townsend in acres of space to the left. The winger bursts into the area and chips the ball over Pomazan, but his effort goes narrowly wide.
38'
Spurs invite a little bit of pressure on to themselves, but they look so comfortable when Anzhi venture forward. It doesn't take long for the hosts to steal possession back once again.
35'
Townsend fires the free-kick into the area. Anzhi goalkeeper Pomazan fails to deal with it and the ball looks set to bounce over the line for a goal, but Agalarov smacks it way in time.
34'
G. Grigalava gets yellow.
Good run down the right by Townsend, who has switched flanks, and Grigalava callously hacks him down. Yellow card, unsurprisingly.
33'
Soldado is the latest Spurs player to take a whack around the throat area, but he should be fine.
31'
The same two players combine again. This time Sigurdsson brings the ball down and tries to help it on its way towards Soldado, but Jucilei steps in to clear the danger.
29'
Townsend does well to get past two defenders down the left before crossing into the centre. Sigurdsson gets his head on it, but he directs the ball wide of the mark.
27'
Sigurdsson is almost released into the area as Soldado flicks Lamela's pass on first-time, but it was just slightly too heavy for the former Reading man.
24'
Dembele is back on fairly quickly as play continues.
23'
Brief pause in play now as Moussa Dembele seeks medical attention after receiving a swift elbow to the throat from Razak. It didn't appear to be deliberate, but it still hurt the Belgian.
22'
Spurs penalty claims turned down! Townsend's delivery from the left appears to strike Ewerton on the arm inside the area, but the referee gives nothing.
21'
Grigalava is lucky to escape a booking himself this time. Lamela takes the ball over the half-way line, but he is halted when the defender pushes him over.
20'
L. Holtby gets yellow.
Careless tackle by Holtby as he slides across and takes out Serderov. Yellow card for the German.
19'
Sigurdsson's delivery is headed away and eventually the Iceland international gets the ball back, but he is offside.
18'
Corner for Spurs now after Townsend's low cross is sliced out of play by Grigalava.
16'
Soldado has scored a goal for Tottenham Hotspur! Assist by É. Lamela.
GOAL!!! Spurs double their lead at White Hart Lane! Clever play by Lamela as he cuts in from the left and slips an excellent pass into the area for Soldado, who in turn slots into the bottom-far corner of the goal.
15'
Anzhi are seeing plenty of the ball in these early stages, particularly with Jucilei, but they are quick to give it back to Spurs on most occasions.
12'
Townsend knocks the ball past Epureanu and attempts to collect it on the other side with only the goalkeeper left to beat, but the Anzhi defenders shows good speed to retrieve possession.
10'
Good move by Spurs. Soldado drifts out to the right and pokes a pass into the edge of the area for the advancing Naughton. After running on to the ball, the full-back drills a cross into the area, but Pomazan palms it away.
8'
How will Anzhi respond to that? The Russians have not scored in any of their last seven league matches.
7'
Soldado has scored a goal for Tottenham Hotspur! Assist by G. Sigurðsson.
GOAL!!! Spurs take the lead! Sigurdsson whipped in a delightful free-kick and Soldado found the far side of the goal with a glancing header.
6'
Townsend marches down the left in a threatening manner but it brought down right on the edge of the area by on-loan Manchester City midfielder Abdul Razak.
4'
Brilliant opening for Anzhi again! The busy Jucilei produces a trademark burst to intercept in the centre before surging into the Spurs half. He draws in Capoue before slipping a pass to Maksimov. The left-sided player eventually gets a shot away when one-on-one, but Friedel makes the save.
3'
Half-chance for the visitors as Grigalava pushes Friedel away and gets his head on the ball from close range, but his effort goes over. The Spurs goalkeeper clearly felt he should have had a free-kick there.
2'
Good delivery into the area by Maksimov, but Spurs nod it away. Anzhi win a corner almost immediately, however.
1'
Anzhi get the action underway, kicking from left to right.
The visitors earn the match's first free-kick on the left wing as Naughton brings down his opponent.
Hello and welcome to the live text commentary of the Europa League tie between Tottenham and Anzhi Makhachkala. My name is Ryan Benson and I shall be describing the action for you.
First of alll; the teams. The Spurs side is: Friedel; Naughton, Capoue, Fryers, Rose; Dembele, Holtby; Lamela, Sigurdsson, Townsend; Soldado. SUBS: Archer, Dawson, Fredericks, Chadli, Dombaxe, Eriksen, Coulthirst.
Anzhi, meanwhile, have named just five players on their bench as the struggling club are highly depleted. Their team is: Pomazan; Ewerton, Grigalava, Epureanu, Maksimov; Burmistrov, Agalarov, Jucilei, Sobolev; Razak, Serderov.SUBS: Angbwa, Gatagov, Tagirbekov, Adeleye, Dzhenetov
This match is academic, really. Both of these sides are through to the next round, with Spurs sitting top on 15 points, while Anzhi have eight points. Third-placed Sheriff cannot catch the Russian side.
Anzhi may have recorded two wins in the Europa League, but domestically they are enduring a terrible campaign. After 19 matches in the Russian Premier League they are still winless. All of their eight points have come from draws and they look destined to be relegated. Spurs will be hopeful of putting a few past them tonight.
The players are now on the pitch as Spurs appear in their usual home strip. Anzhi come out in their yellow/green faded kit. They will have moths and insects all over them in that bright number.
Commentary
More…