My buddy Tor (studying with me this semester at the Uni of Iceland , but hails from Washington and Oregon State) and I walk down the length of White Hart Lane (an actual street btw). It had to be one of the most miserable walks I've had in London: endless drizzling and the agonizing suspense building up within me as we inch toward the stadium's halo in the distance. 

We get closer and we soon join the masses heading off to the stadium. We pick up some fresh Spurs gear and our tickets and circle the stadium. The stadium's outside reminded me of the Vila Belmiro (Santos FC's stadium in Brazil), only set in an English neighborhood. Tor and I eventually split up as he took a seat in the upper west stands; meanwhile, I sat at field level: Seat 15, Row 1! 10 yards in front of me Robinho, Tevez, and Adebayor were warming up for Manchester City.

My first impression of the stadium was just awe. The perfect carpet-like pitch glistened with raindrops reflecting the stadium light. Typical English night, +5 degrees Celsius. Spurs supporters pack the stadium and I am sitting near the corner where I can clearly hear and see the Spurs and City fans taunting each other in respective unison.....Attendance: 35,891.

Fast forward. Whistle blows and we're off. In the first 10 minutes, City maintains plenty of possession but aren't able to penetrate past the Spurs' back four. Tottenham is content on playing direct, trying to catch City on the counter attacks. Peter Crouch has the best opportunity in the opening 15 with a floating header off of a corner kick, which hit the top of the City net.

The slick pitch gives both teams some problems. City is anticipating Tot Hot's longball game catching crouch and Defoe offside multiple times.

After Crouch's header gave Niko Kranjcar a half decent effort on goal, the Spurs supporters start to get behind their side. The stadium fills with the chant: "When the Spurs go Marching in."

Spurs start playing wide and to leave little Aaron Lennon (really short in real life) to go against veteran Sylvinho. Lennon proves too quick. His change of pace is electric as he was able to get to the byline 99% of the time. Although only half of his crosses connected with a teammate, it was enough to open the score. Niko Kranjcar jumps on the loose ball after city fails to clear Lennon's cross. 1-0 Spurs. The stadium erupts and the East end Spurs supporters chant "Niko! Niko!"

Tweet, tweet. Halftime.

The 1st half was eventful but Tottenham had more threatening chances. They were favoring Lennon on the right and creating great opportunities. City, on the other hand, was having trouble making combos with their front players Robinho, Adebayor, Ireland and Tevez. Their fluidity and chemistry as a front unit was lacking and was overshadowed by individual efforts (ie. Tevez and Robinho both with long range shots).

There was an uneasy start to the 2nd half for both teams, each trying to set the tempo. In the 54th Gomez took a free kick 20 yards in his own half following Adebayor's foul. Gomez drives the ball to Crouch at the top of the box who heads it into the on-running path of Defoe who hits it first time into the right corner of the net. 

10 minutes later, City try to make some subs to shake up the lineup and get something back. Robinho (who didn't do much at all this game, and I was super bummed at this because he was one of the players I was excited to watch that night) out for Roque Santa Cruz (who did look he might give Spurs trouble in the back, but was shut down on various occasions). De Jong out for Petrov (who is more of an attacking-minded central midfielder).

City start to control the middle of the 2nd half. They put the ball on the ground and look as if they might come back but they weren't taking enough risks to score. They were trying to dribble into the goal.

Late in the 2nd, a foul on Tevez leads to a free kick from 20 yards out. Petrov tries to bend it past the wall, far post, and Gomez comes up with the brilliant save. Petrov put plenty of "zing" on it too. Adebayor has one last chance to get City one back, but the long ball takes a bounce before he can get to it and he sails it over the net. The whole back stand yells "wanker." They've been giving him crap all game, boos and the lot.

With less that 5 minutes left, Tot Hot is controlling possession confidently and are swinging it around to the corners to milk the clock. One play leads to a corner. Kranjcar plays short to Lennon and overlaps him. Lennon threads a silky ball between the 2 defenders to the on-running Kranjcar. His first touch is around Adebayor and his second is a toe poke through the legs of Given. Spurs are up 3-0. Great individual skill by Kranjcar!

The game winds down and the Spurs' fans begin to taunt the City fans. "Cheerio, Cheerio," giving City fans an extra polite wave goodbye...the way only the English can. Three tweets. Game over. City drop 2 places to 7th and Spurs stay in 5th. Good comeback for Spurs who had a shite game against Wolves a few days earlier.

I stay in the stadium another 20 minutes just to breathe in the last bit of soccer atmosphere and get some more pics of the stadium.

What a game and What an experience for my first ever EPL game!