Tottenham Hotspur have beaten strugglers Crystal Palace 2-0 at White Hart Lane this afternoon, thanks to second-half goals from Christian Eriksen and Jermain Defoe.
Promising youngster Nabil Bentaleb created the hosts' first chance of the game as he let go with a left-footed shot from outside the box, which was saved down to the keeper's right.
The visitors were then handed an easy chance to take the lead when Mousa Dembele gave away a penalty, but Puncheon blazed his kick high and wide of the goal.
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Puncheon almost redeemed himself minutes later when he put in a teasing delivery, which was somehow headed over from close range by Palace forward Marouane Chamakh.
Cameron Jerome did his best to make the most of a scrappy first half as he took down a headed pass from Chamakh and was unfortunate to see his effort kept out by the sprawling Hugo Lloris.
Bentaleb almost turned the half on its head when his left-footed effort from outside the box crashed into Julian Speroni's post as the sides went into the break level.
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Tottenham took the lead five minutes into the second half when Eriksen latched onto a flick-down from Emmanuel Adebayor before converting comfortably with his left foot.
Substitute Defoe looked to increase Tottenham's lead as he let go with a powerful effort, which was kept out by a diving Speroni.
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Palace looked to respond as Jonathan Parr played in Jerome, yet the striker couldn't convert his effort from a tight angle as the ball went wide of the mark.
Spurs were able to seal their victory in the 72nd minute as soon-to-be Toronto striker Defoe converted a typical poacher's effort from the centre of the box to put Spurs 2-0 ahead.
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Mile Jedinak could have grabbed a late consolation goal for Palace, but he was wasteful having headed wide from only a few yards out in the closing stages of the game.
Christopher Dodd
