Spurs grateful for gambler Defoe

PORTSMOUTH 0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Defoe was deadly. He was also cussed and selfish and at times spiky, but he made the difference by engineering Spurs' first goal - panicking Andy Griffin into turning the ball past his own goalkeeper in first-half injury time - and then wrapping things up by striking a superb goal when his side needed it most.

For Spurs, even with their bloated 36-strong squad, it is a question of Defoe plus one in attack. England will also benefit. Unless Michael Owen is careful, and despite Sven Goran Eriksson's unstinting support, the 23-year-old's brio may just seize a World Cup place too.

Defoe certainly expects to take part in Wednesday's friendly in Denmark and on this form he is likely, as ever, to hit the ground running.

"First game of the season and it's nice to get off to a good start," he said, with a hungry glint in his eye.

The Spurs head coach Martin Jol spoke of his forwards being "rusty" - excusable in the teeming rain perhaps - but he surely meant to exempt last term's top scorer and the man who can fulfil the ambitions that forever follow Spurs. Defoe, after his 50th club appearance, certainly thought so.

"It's nice to think we can finish in the top six," he said.

Jol, missing Edgar Davids and Ledley King because of injury, revealed that he had received a pre-match text from the chairman Daniel Levy. It told him that he had the squad to cover all eventualities. Even so, he is trying to improve it further by adding Newcastle United's Jermaine Jenas.

The absence of Robbie Keane fuelled speculation that Spurs may be trying to tempt Newcastle into a player plus cash deal - but Jol was insistent that the Irishman had merely turned his ankle. He said Keane would miss Ireland's friendly against Italy on Wednesday.

Portsmouth's manager Alain Perrin would have balked had Milan Mandaric sent him a similar message to the one Jol received. Perrin is a fine manager and was candid enough to admit that the season had started too soon for his squad. Too many players were injured, unsettled or simply off the pace. Handing debuts to seven was always a risk, and Perrin will spend this week scouring Europe for three more players.

Chief among those is a striker and Perrin admitted he had missed out on Marseilles' Pegguy Luyindula, who is off to Auxerre. Maybe Portsmouth will rekindle an interest in Spurs' Frédéric Kanouté, who remains convinced he is for sale, although they would not want to pay the asking price.

Added to Portsmouth's concerns is the persistent rumour that Lomana LuaLua, who faded into frustration after a bright start, is also unsettled. On Saturday he was being linked to Spurs by the Fratton Park faithful. Confusing times.

Portsmouth could have cut through if they had taken their opportunities. Despite Laurent Robert's delivery from crosses and set pieces being a constant threat, they failed. The closest they came was a deflected 35-yard shot from another impressive debutant, Gregory Vignal.

Before that, Wayne Routledge, who was disappointing, had wasted an early Spurs chance, lacking composure and blasting the ball straight at Sander Westerveld.

Defoe showed how it should be done. He ran on to Mido's hopeful pass and with Westerveld committed swept the ball past two Portsmouth defenders from a tight angle.

"I gambled," he said. It's what strikers do. Perrin could only watch in envy. What type of striker was he looking for?

"A new one," he said, "who can score lots of goals."

Goals: Griffin og (45) 0-1; Defoe (64) 0-2.

Portsmouth (4-4-2): Westerveld; Griffin, O'Brien, Stefanovic, Vignal; Mornar (Pericard, h-t), Hughes, Viafara (Taylor, 69), Robert; Karadas (Mbesuma, 74), LuaLua. Substitutes not used: Ashdown (gk), Skopelitis.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2) Robinson; Stalteri, Dawson, Gardner, Edman; Routledge (Mendes, 71), Carrick, Tainio, Reid; Defoe, Mido (Kanouté, 82). Substitutes not used: Cerny (gk), Naybet, Kelly.

Referee: B Knight (Kent).

Booked: Tottenham Hotspur Tainio, Reid.

Man of the match: Defoe.

Attendance: 20,215.