Undoubtedly the romantic lustre of these European nights has dimmed a touch for Tottenham. The 'Taxi for Maicon' song that rang out after Bale's Champions League demolition of the Inter Milan right-back seemed, suddenly, a long time ago. But few could accuse Villas-Boas of not taking the contest seriously.
The Portuguese chose to play both his front-line strikers, Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor, as he chased a repeat dose of the glory he enjoyed in this competition with Porto in 2011. The disciplined 4-4-2 system appeared a giant technical advance upon the days of Harry Redknapp, who once urged Roman Pavlyuchenko to "F------ run around a bit!"
The ruse worked, as Bale displayed the type of flair to restore entertainment at Tottenham and to restore his manager's reputation. The Welshman proved almost impossible for Maribor to mark on the left flank, surging clear of Martin Milec at will. His forays yielded reward with a whipped cross from the left, all but telegraphed on to the right boot of Defoe, who clipped the ball coolly beyond goalkeeper Robert Handanovic.
Mission accomplished? Not a bit of it. Maribor were an obdurate bunch, and just before half-time they struck with a classic counterpunch. Kyle Naughton, under pressure from Robert Beric, was far too casual in stroking the ball back to Hugo Lloris, and before he could gather his senses the striker had dispossessed him and guided the ball into the empty net. It was the daftest of errors and for Lloris, given a rare start in goal, not exactly the tonic he required after France coach Didier Deschamps admitted that he was "finding life difficult" in North London.
Mercifully for Lloris, the sense of helplessness did not last and Tottenham's superiority soon told. The pass that Tom Carroll contrived was one of which Jack Wilshere would have been proud, directed perfectly between right-back and centre-back and falling at the feet of Defoe, who controlled his strike exquisitely despite the acute angle.
Even better was to come in the 75th minute, as he swept the ball powerfully past Handanovic from Bale's deft cross across the face of goal. The ovation for Defoe, once affectionately dubbed 'The Little Man' by Redknapp, was rapturous.
Match details
Tottenham (4-4-2): Lloris; Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Naughton; Lennon (Yago 90), Huddlestone, Carroll, Bale (Mason 86); Defoe (Dempsey 82), Adebayor.
Subs: Cudicini (g), Livermore, Sigurdsson.
Booked: Bale, Carroll.
Maribor (4-2-3-1): Handanovic; Milec, Rajcevic, Bordig, Mejac; Mertelj (Dodlek 89), Filipovic; Cvijanovic (Mezga 69), Tavares (Komazec 76), Ibrahimi; Beric.
Subs: Viler (g), Pridigar, Potokar, Vidovic.
Booked: Mejac.
Referee: A Munukka (Finland).
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