Spurs win Carling Cup final
Premier League round-up
SPL review
Eduardo undergoes surgery
Palace place Kuqi on transfer list
Millwall sign Savage
Tottenham Hotspur beat Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley to lift the Carling Cup. Chelsea took the lead on 39 minutes when Didier Drogba scored from a 20-yard free-kick but Spurs deservedly equalised with 20 minutes left as Dimitar Berbatov coolly slotted home a penalty kick. The winner came in extra-time when Petr Cech punched a Jermaine Jenas free-kick straight onto Jonathan Woodgate’s head and the ball deflected into the net. This is the fourth time that Spurs have lifted the League Cup and is their first triumph since 1999 - the last time they won a major trophy. In addition, Spurs boss Juande Ramos has still never lost a cup final as a manager after five triumphs in Spain with Sevilla.
In the Premier League, Aston Villa beat reading 1-2 at the Madjeski Stadium. Gareth Barry missed a spot-kick for the visitors on 32 minutes but Ashley Young (45) and Marlon Harewood (83) put them in control. Nicky Shorey pulled one back for Reading with a 25-yard free-kick in injury time but it was not enough to stop Steve Coppell’s men from slumping to their eighth successive defeat. Meanwhile, Blackburn Rovers beat Bolton Wanderers 4-1 at Ewood Park. Benni McCarthy opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 25 minutes but Kevin Davies equalised for the visitors five minutes after the re-start. McCarthy scored his second from another penalty on 67 minutes, David Bentley added a third after 71 minutes and Morten Gamst Pedersen completed the scoring with the last kick of the game.
Rangers are four points clear of Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premier League after beating Gretna 4-2 at Ibrox. Earlier in the afternoon, Celtic had cut the gap to one point after beating St Mirren 0-1 at Love Street, courtesy of an 87th minute free-kick from Shunsuke Nakamura. Kilmarnock beat Aberdeen 3-1 at Rugby Park to record their first win in 15 matches.
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Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva underwent surgery for a double compound fracture of his leg last night after suffering a horrific injury during a 2-2 draw against Birmingham City at St Andrews.
Crystal Palace striker Shefki Kuqi has been transfer-listed and fined two weeks’ wages for gesturing to fans after being substituted during the 0-2 Championship defeat by Wolverhampton Wanderers at Selhurst Park yesterday. Palace boss Neil Warnock said: “He has apologised to me and the fans - after the horse has bolted. I will be transfer-listing him immediately. I don’t accept things like that, so that is the end of the matter. I have told him that I realise he was disappointed, it is not nice at times, but you cannot go off like that.”
Millwall have signed 26-year-old striker Bas Savage until the end of the season. Savage recently left Brighton & Hove Albion after failing to agree a new deal.
Nathan Davies