Champions League: Inter Milan vs Tottenham Hotspur - first half report
Tottenham Hotspurs were given a football lesson by the defending European champions at the San Siro; Inter Milan ran all over Spurs and welcomed them to the league of the big boys with a 4 nil hammering in the first half. It was
a horror first half for Harry Redknapp’s team who were quickly reduced to 10 men as their goalkeeper was sent off early.
Spurs were carved open in the first minute as a lovely Inter move got them in front - Javier Zanetti started it, Philippe Coutinho found Samuel Eto'o, he played it back to Zanetti on the left of the area and his lovely shot curled
into the far corner. It was stunning and Spurs did not know what had hit them.
It got worse minutes later; it was utter mayhem at the San Siro. Jonathan Biabiany was played in by Wesley Sneijder; he got to the ball before Heurelho Gomes, nicked it past the keeper and was taken out inside the penalty area.
The referee had little choice but to send him off, Luka Modric was subbed for Carlo Cudicini and Inter had a penalty to try to double their lead.
Samuel Eto'o stepped up and slammed it into the right-hand corner of Carlo Cudicini's net - it did not matter that the keeper went the right way. Spurs were in some trouble against the Champions.
It soon turned into an annihilation, Inter put together another gorgeous move - Maicon found Dejan Stankovic on the edge of the Spurs box, he played a brilliant one-two with Samuel Eto'o and the midfielder shot low into the bottom
right-hand corner of Carlo Cudicini's net. He had been on for four minutes and conceded two goals one of which was from the penalty of course.
Finally there was an opening for Tottenham. Aaron Lennon went this a-way and that a-way down the Spurs right and curled over a head-me-in cross to the back stick for Peter Crouch - but the giant striker got underneath it and his
header flew miles over Julio Cesar's crossbar.
Inter though were not done, and Coutinho played a no-look pass to Samuel Eto'o inside the Spurs box to the left, and he got in front of William Gallas to poke under the body of Carlo Cudicini - it hit the Italian's right boot and
flew into the net. It was a catastrophe for the new boys in Europe.
The half time whistle could not have come sooner for Tottenham, the half ended at 4-0 and looking at the way things are going it will have to be massive damage limitation from the English team or else a cricket score may be in
prospect.
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