Champions League: Inter Milan v Tottenham full time report
Inter Milan 4 Tottenham 3
Inter Milan demonstrated their true class as they brushed aside the challenge of Tottenham at the San Siro tonight, despite a mini-comeback from Tottenham in the second half.
The final scoreline suggests Tottenham had a chance, but the damage was already done by Inter early in the first half.
The reigning holders of the Champions League were already thinking about the three points after only 15 minutes of play as they found themselves three goals up after Javier Zanetti, Samuel Eto’o and Dejan Stanković put the Italian side in command. Eto’o added a fourth soon after, while Tottenham were struggling to cope with 10 men after the dismissal of ‘keeper Heurelho Gomes.
Looking like it could be six or seven, Tottenham showed some composure, and Gareth Bale scored an amazing hat-trick to put Inter under pressure right at the end of the game.
If Tottenham thought they were in for a hard match at the start of play, then they were absolute right, as Inter played some scintillating football and showed why they were the reigning European champions.
Only a minute into the game it was already one-nil to the home side, with Zanetti beginning and ending the move. The Inter captain linked up with Philipe Coutinho, and while he didn’t have the ball, he made his run into the box to be picked out with a pin-point pass from Eto’o. With only a minute gone, it was the perfect start for Benitez’s men.
It wasn’t the ideal start for Tottenham, and it got worst for them, as Gomes was sent off for fouling Jonathan Biabiany after he caught Benoit Assou-Ekotto sleeping at left-back. Gomes finally realised he had been dismissed, and his replacement Carlo Cudicini had no chance in keeping out the resulting penalty from Eto’o.
Stanković quickly made it 3-0 as he finished off a neat one-two exchange with Eto’o on the edge of the box, leaving Cudicini stranded and Tottenham looking rather embarrassed.
In-between the fast goals Inter were scoring, Peter Crouch had the chance to reduce the score, but his header didn’t trouble Inter ‘keeper Julio Cesar.
Eto’o continued his scoring prowess after he skimmed William Gallas to slot in goal number four for Inter and plenty of misery for Tottenham.
Bale restored some pride for Tottenham as he scored a fantastic goal on 52 minutes. The Welshman burst from the half way line to dribble past Lúcio and Maicon and finish superbly.
The only bright spark from Tottenham was Bale, who has come on leaps and bounds over the last 18 months.
Davide Santon on as a half time substitute called Cudicini into action with a save low down to his right. Tottenham were playing a bit better, but Inter looked as though they could score at anytime they wanted to.
Coutinho was having a good game, and considering he made his full debut only four games ago, he nearly grabbed a goal, just dragging his shot wide, but great signs of things to come from the 18-year old.
Wesley Sneijder was controlling the game in the middle of the park, and based on their first half rout, Inter had Tottenham exactly where they wanted them.
Coutinho once again had another chance to get a well-deserved goal seven minutes from time, but the Brazilian’s shot just whistled over the bar.
Bale added a spectacular second goal after he picked the ball up again, ran at the defence and drilled his shot into the bottom right corner, and then he scored a hat-trick just a few minutes later after Aaron Lennon picked him out.
Tottenham’s man-of-the-moment Rafael van der Vaart was missing tonight through suspension after his red card against FC Twente, but even if he had been there on the pitch, it wouldn’t have made a difference as Inter were totally dominant.
With the game lost at half time, Bale emerged from the San Siro tonight with his head held high.
Inter are now on seven points in the group, with Tottenham in second on four.
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