10 for 10: Our games of the decade – 2013

What a decade! Book-ended by incredible performances and hat-tricks in the Champions League, it’s been an amazing 10 years for the Club we all love – all culminating in the historic move to our world-class new stadium and the Champions League Final in 2019.

What games have defined the decade? There are too many to mention, from that triumphant night at the Etihad in May, 2010, to walking out at the Wanda Metropolitana in Madrid in June, 2019, via that night at the Amsterdam Arena and the opening of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It’s a decade that has seen it all at Spurs and in this special festive feature over 10 parts, we’ve selected our matches of the past 10 years. It’s not a definitive list – as we all know, the game is about opinions – but here’s our take on the 2010s. Here’s to the 2020s!

10 for 10 - 2013

West Ham 2-3 Spurs (Bale 3, 90, Sigurdsson 76)
Premier League
Upton Park, 25 February, 2013

The second of a trilogy of last-minute away wins at Upton Park provided the best goal, an absolute stunner from Gareth Bale.

Following the thrilling 4-3 win (3-2 down, 4-3 up) and Paul Stalteri in 2008, and before Eric Dier in 2014, Bale inspired this victory on another incredible night at the old Boleyn ground.

It was a typical, all-action derby. Bale struck low from 20 yards to put us ahead but West Ham responded via Andy Carroll's penalty on 25 minutes. Steven Caulker produced two world-class saves from Jussi Jaaskelainen, who also denied Gylfi Sigurdsson and Emmanuel Adebayor.

Was it going to be one of those nights at our old rivals? It certainly felt that way when Joe Cole popped up out of nowhere to put the Hammers 2-1 up just before the hour. Fear not though. Sigurdsson levelled it up from Bale's free-kick on 76 minutes before the spectacular finale.

As time ticked into 90+, Bale took off over halfway, only to be upended midway in West Ham's half. On the floor for a second, he picked himself up, took a pass from Tom Carroll, shifted left and belted a 35-yarder into the top corner. Cue scenes both on the bench and in the away end!

It was Bale's sixth goal in four matches in a run of seven in five around that time. He ended the season with 25 goals in 44 appearances.

"Sensational... you won't get sick and tired of watching that," said the commentator. Never a truer word spoken!

The win lifted us up to third on the night and we went on to finish fifth, a point outside the Champions League spots.

Asked if it was his best Spurs goal, Gareth told Spurs TV afterwards: "It's up there. It was a great goal but the most important thing was getting up to third (in the table). It was great to score the winner but the whole team takes the credit. We spoke before the game, we were determined to go into third and we showed our character, team spirit and determination. Everyone put in a shift."

Team: Lloris, Walker, Caulker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Dembele (Carroll 75), Parker (Livermore 88), Lennon, Bale, Holtby (Sigurdsson 76), Adebayor.

Other contenders...

14/3/13 - Spurs 3-0 Inter - a complete performance in the Europa League - although we had a scare in the second leg!
21/4/13 - Spurs 3-1 Manchester City - three goals in seven minutes against the team in second kept us in the hunt for the top four.

Games so far...

2010 - elation at the Etihad
2011 - memories in Milan
2012 - theatre of dreams