Keane caps glory week

THEY say a week is a long time in football. For Robbie Keane, it has been a week he will want to bottle up and savour for the rest of his life.

Being named the new captain of your country, scoring for your country and then signing a new four-deal with your club was obviously not enough for the Republic of Ireland international.

So, he capped it all off with two goals and an assist to ensure Tottenham not only beat sixth-placed Blackburn, but left themselves in pole position for the fourth and final Champions League spot - with just 10 games remaining.

“It couldn’t have gone better. Obviously I am delighted,” said Keane. “It’s been a memorable week. To captain your country is a great privilege and to cap it off to sign a new contract and winning is great.”

Keane’s manager Martin Jol was equally pleased for his star striker.

“For someone like him at 25 years of age with everything in front of him, for him to stay over here is great and it’s something we have to relish.”

Tottenham still have a lot of work to do if they are to end the season with a place in next year’s Champions League.

In fact Blackburn, who entered yesterday’s game just three points behind Tottenham, could justifiably feel aggrieved not to have left White Hart Lane with a point - if not all three.

“We are scratching our heads and cannot believe we have lost that game,” Blackburn manager Mark Hughes said. “The best team lost today.”

Touches of brilliance coupled with a striker’s instinct in front of goal sent Tottenham into a two goal lead. Keane’s first, on nine minutes, came from a fortuitous throw-in, awarded to the home side, despite the fact that it was Mido who appeared to touch the ball out of play.

Keane then collected the ball in the box and dinked it over both Robbie Savage and Andy Todd before volleying past Brad Friedel.

The cartwheel celebration duly followed as Tottenham fans showed their appreciation for a man who emphasised his desire to stay with the club, on Friday, by signing a four-year contract.

Keane’s second goal showed a different side to his game. Mido swung in a low free kick, four minutes before the break, which Friedel did well to push away.

But Keane was on hand six yards out, to poke the ball home from three yards. The script was written and the headlines were made. It was to be Keane’s day to wrap up a marvellous week.

But Blackburn had other ideas. A minute before the interval, Craig Bellamy outpaced Ledley King, down the right, to cross for Florent Sinama-Pongolle, who headed in to halve the deficit.

Hughes’ men showed moments of passing brilliance after the break and their persistence paid off midway through the second half.

After Paul Robinson acrobatically tipped David Bentley’s long-range thunderbolt over the bar, England defender King misjudged the flight of the ball and allowed Sinama-Pongolle an opening, down the right.

The on-loan Liverpool striker crossed and Bellamy fired in an equaliser.

For all Blackburn’s rallying, they obviously forgot about Keane.

Just two minutes after getting level, Keane’s pinpoint pass sent sub Aaron Lennon free down the right and he crossed for Mido to tap in at the far post.

Keane almost grabbed a hat-trick when he latched onto Michael Carrick’s precise through ball.

But the Republic of International had probably already used all of his luck up in one week as his dipping volley sailed just over the bar.

TOTTENHAM: Robinson, Stalteri, Dawson, King, Lee, Jenas, Carrick, Davids (Lennon 59), Tainio (Murphy 77), Mido, Keane.

BLACKBURN: Friedel, Neill, Todd, Nelsen, Gray, Emerton (Kuqi 83), Reid, Savage, Bentley, Bellamy, Sinama-Pongolle.

Referee: H Webb (S Yorkshire).