MICHAEL DAWSON was a Colossus in Athens for 76 minutes last night.
By PAUL JIGGINS
Then he came Acropolis — and left Tottenham’s hopes of a first Europa League win this season in ruins.
The defender celebrated his return to the side by heading them in front before the break.
But his lapse in concentration 13 minutes from time allowed Jose Toche to plunder Panathinaikos a point they did not deserve.
Forget Greek mythology, this result was a mystery.
None of this capital city’s famous mathematicians and philosophers would be able to work out how Tottenham never nailed all three points.
For three quarters of this match, Andre Villas-Boas’ men battered their hosts like the local calamari.
AVB said: “I think the whole team felt a bit disappointed because the first half was so positive and we were so much in control of the situation.
“So our disappointment comes from doing so well in first half and not doing so well in the second half.
“We congratulated the players at end because had it been other way round, the whole perspective would have been different. But we understand we could have put this game to bed — we just couldn’t get that second goal.”
The night looked like being a major triumph for Dawson after he was handed a rare start.
Daws seemed to be heading out of White Hart Lane in the summer when AVB accepted QPR’s £9million offer for him — just days after he was named club captain.
The move collapsed and Dawson’s days appeared to be numbered when he did not feature in Tottenham’s first six games of the season. But he returned to lead the team at Carlisle in the Capital One Cup last week before playing the final few minutes of the historic 3-2 win at Manchester United on Saturday.
And last night he was determined to show his new manager just what he has been missing as he put Spurs in front in the 35th minute.
After Jan Vertonghen had been fouled within yards of the corner flag, Tom Huddlestone whipped in an inswinging free-kick which Dawson rose superbly to glance beyond keeper Orestis Karnezis.
It was no more than the North Londoners deserved.
The visitors should have been awarded a second-minute penalty when Steven Caulker’s header struck Andre Pinto on the upper arm. Jermain Defoe went close on a couple of occasions as the Greeks struggled to cope with his pace and movement.
Dawson was not the only player making a rare start.
Keeper Hugo Lloris made only his second appearance since arriving in a £12m deal from Lyon on deadline day.
And despite having nothing to do in the opening minutes, he displayed his excellent concentration levels by coming to collect a Giourkas Seitaridis cross in the 15th-minute to maintain Tottenham’s momentum.
Panathinaikos, hit hard by the economic crisis in Greece, are an unfamiliar fourth bottom of their league having not won their previous six matches.
They almost fell further behind in the 38th minute when Huddlestone’s fierce half-volley was beaten away by Karnezis.
Lloris showed the first signs of it not being totally Tottenham’s night when he flapped at a Seitaridis cross two minutes before the break.
Dawson then had to spare his keeper by sliding a cross behind for a corner.
But Tottenham still looked dangerous going forward and Defoe missed a couple of chances to extend their lead.
First he blazed a 55th-minute shot over after latching on to Clint Dempsey’s through ball.
Then the in-form England striker saw a shot from outside of the box deflected wide of the Panathinaikos goal.
Tottenham were made to pay for not killing off the game when Dawson was caught flat-footed on the edge of the area as Toche despatched a Seitaridis pass.
The draw leaves Spurs third in Group J ahead of the double-header with Slovenians Maribor.
But AVB rightly insists all is not lost. He added: “It’s completely open. It will be after the next two games when groups tend to be put into perspective.
“After the fourth game you tend to know who will go through or whether there is any competition for that second place.
“In a group like this, normally 10 or 11 points are enough to qualify.”
DREAM TEAM
STAR MAN – MOUSA DEMBELE (Spurs)
TOTTENHAM: Lloris 7, Walker 7, Dawson 7, Caulker 7, Vertonghen 7, Huddlestone 7 (Sandro 5), Dembele 8, Lennon 7 (Townsend 5), Dempsey 7 (Sigurdsson 5), Bale 7, Defoe 7. Subs not used: Cudicini, Gallas, Falque, Mason. Booked: Bale, Walker.
