Tottenham on target for Uefa Cup quarter-finals

LONDON - HERO Robbie Keane believes Tottenham Hotspur are on course to reach the Uefa Cup quarter-finals.

He scored twice in the English club's 3-2 win over Sporting Braga in the first-leg last-16 match in Portugal on Thursday.

Spurs looked in total command when Keane and Steed Malbranque put them 2-0 ahead after 72 minutes.

But the Portuguese club were given a lifeline when Paulo Jorge scored from the rebound after Paul Robinson saved his penalty, harshly awarded for a foul by Anthony Gardner.

Then Brazilian Ze Carlos put the home side level with a near-post header, following a free kick.

Spurs seemed content to take a draw back to White Hart Lane - a result manager Martin Jol had felt would be satisfactory.

But the irrepressible Keane had other ideas in stoppage time.

He ran into acres of space to reach Didier Zokora's pass and drill the ball past goalkeeper Paulo Santos.

'To score three times away is excellent, and we're confident we can build on that at home,' he told the BBC.

'We made it difficult for ourselves by conceding two goals, but we now fancy our chances at White Hart Lane.

'We came here to get a few goals, which we did, but on our ground we fancy ourselves against anyone.'

Meanwhile, midfielder Kieron Dyer was taking nothing for granted after Newcastle's 4-2 home win over AZ Alkmaar.

His side looked to be cruising into their third Cup quarter-final in four years when they went 4-1 up by half-time. But a 72nd-minute strike from Danny Koevermans has raised the Dutch side's hopes.

'The tie is very finely poised as they have got two away goals, so a 2-0 win will see them through,' said Dyer.

'But we have got the pace to frighten them, and I fully expect us to cause them problems in the second leg.'

The speed of Obafemi Martins was a huge factor in unsettling the Alkmaar defence, and he helped himself to the third and fourth goals.

Dyer got the second, before a Gretar Steinsson own goal.

Shota Arveladze was unmarked to head AZ back into the game at 3-1.

And then Koevermans forced the ball over the line, after Shay Given had saved a Moussa Dembele penalty.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE