Balotelli sees off title rivals

MARIO BALOTELLI — who else? — decided an extraordinary meeting between title contenders Manchester City and Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium yesterday, his 94th-minute penalty earning the Premier League leaders an eight-point cushion over their London rivals.

The Italian struck with a coolly-taken spot kick, dithering and sending Brad Friedel the wrong way before placing his shot into the bottom left-hand corner after winning the decision himself, a clear foul from Ledley King being spotted by referee Howard Webb.

To make matters worse for Harry Redknapp’s side, seconds earlier they looked as if they were about to claim the winning goal themselves as the impressive Gareth Bale sprinted away from the defence and squared to the far post where Jermain Defoe, at full stretch, could only poke his shot the wrong side of the post.

It was an extraordinary finale to an extraordinary half which had featured four goal in nine minutes — Samir Nasri and Joleon Lescott putting City in control before Defoe and Bale levelled for the visitors.

After 55 minutes, David Silva collected the ball just inside the Spurs half and suddenly found the necessary space to advance and thread through a pass for Nasri to convert an unstoppable first-time shot from just inside the area.

Within minutes, Silva had won a corner, taken on the left by Nasri and flicked on by Edin Dzeko at the near post. The ball was met by Lescott who tussled with Scott Parker and converted into an open goal in the process of falling over.

It was a slightly bizarre way to take control of such an important contest but nothing compared with the manner in which Spurs dragged themselves back into the game.

A long pass from Younes Kaboul on the hour forced centre-half Stefan Savic into a disastrous backwards header which was intercepted by Defoe, who controlled the ball on his chest as he rounded Joe Hart and rolled the ball into an empty goal.

Spurs then drew level as Aaron Lennon ran at Micah Richards before squaring to the unmarked Bale who placed a magnificent 22-yard, left-foot shot over Hart and into the top right-hand corner of the City goal.

What a contrast with a first half, in which the high stakes probably helped explain a period which, while high on technically excellent football, was low on real chances for either side.

City’s Sergio Aguero came closest to breaking the deadlock, after strong challenges from Micah Richards on the right wing saw the England defender win two tackles and free his teammate. Aguero bore down on goal only to be denied by the legs of keeper Friedel.

Aguero also scampered after a quickly-taken Gareth Barry free-kick and appeared to have been harmlessly shepherded out of the area by Kaboul only to somehow turn back an impressive pass which Silva hit narrowly wide of the mark.

Spurs were struggling even more than City to trouble the opposing goalkeeper, however, and when Lescott fouled Bale just outside the City area, the free-kick appeared to be in a promising position for the visitors, until they came up with a set-piece which saw Kaboul sky a hopeless shot high and wide.

The goals ensured the second half would be an entirely different proposition and, even after them, the contest was far more open.

First, City threatened from a series of corners before a 25-yarder from Luka Modric drifted over, Gael Clichy was forced to head over with Lennon about to connect with a Bale cross and Lennon himself worked open a shooting opportunity before firing tamely at Hart.

Balotelli, a second-half replacement for Dzeko, would have the final say, however, and in keeping with this most memorable of seasons from the Italian, also had time to earn a booking and stamp on the head of Scott Parker as the pair tangled that the referee decided was accidental but which Redknapp said should have seen the striker sent off.