Defoe hat trick gives Spurs FA Cup win at Leeds

Posted Thursday, February 04, 2010 by AP

LONDON (AP)—Jermain Defoe scored three goals, leading Tottenham into the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 3-1 victory over third-tier Leeds on Wednesday night.

Defoe put Spurs ahead in the 37th minute of the fourth-round replay, but Luciano Becchio tied the score in the 45th at Elland Road. Defoe got the go-ahead goal in the 73rd, then added his 20th goal of the season in stoppage time.

Tottenham next faces Bolton. Leeds had eliminated Premier League champion Manchester United in the third round.

In the Premier League, Jonathan Greening scored his first goal for Fulham in the 74th minute for a 1-0 victory over last-place Portsmouth at Craven Cottage. Greening scored at the far post after Damien Duff dispossessed Algeria’s Nadir Belhadj and put the ball across the six-yard box.

The Cottagers (8-10-6), who moved up to 10th place with 30 points, had been 0-5-1 in the league since beating Manchester United on Dec. 19 and had lost five consecutive league matches.

Portsmouth (4-16-3) has lost five of seven and appears headed for relegation.

Scotland

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP)—Rangers will face St. Mirren in the League Cup final on March 21 after beating St. Johnstone 2-0 on goals by Steven Davis in the 26th minute and Lee McCulloch in the 38th.

Rangers lost last year’s League Cup final to Celtic.

Italy

MILAN (AP)—Diego Milito scored off a pass from Mario Balotelli in the 34th minute, and Inter Milan defeated Fiorentina 1-0 in the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinals. The second leg is scheduled for April 14.

Spain

MADRID (AP)—Sevilla beat Getafe 2-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals as Luis Fabiano scored in the 45th minute and Pedro “Mario” Alvarez had an own goal in the 80th.

Atletico Madrid hosts Racing Santander in the second semifinal on Thursday. The return legs will be played next week.

France

PARIS (AP)—Brandao tied the score in the 86th minute and got the winning goal in the 104th as Marseille rallied to beat Toulouse 2-1 and reach the French League Cup final against defending champion Bordeaux or Lorient on March 27.

Andre-Pierre Gignac put Toulouse ahead with a headed goal off Albin Ebondo’s cross in the 58th.