Champions League Play-Offs Second Leg, Spurs Send Young Boys Back To School With A 4-0 Thrashing At White Hart Lane
Tottenham Hotspur scored 4 past the Young Boys to make it to the group stages of the Champions League. Spurs faced an embarrassing 3-2 defeat against the Switzerland side a week ago and their ability to make it to the next stage of the Champions League was being questioned, but they more than made up for it by winning 6-3 on aggregate at White Hart Lane.
Peter Crouch was the hero for Tottenham as the English striker scored a hat-trick. His hat-trick in a European competition made it only the second time a Spurs player has achieved this in a European top competition. Jermain Defoe, who chose to play with an injury, is the second player who’s achieved that feat.
Gareth Bale continued with his good form as he presented the opposition with a constant threat, aiming for the goal and creating chances. His efforts, combined with Tottenham’s determination, has confirmed the Spurs a place in the main draw, which will be held Thursday and will contain Europe’s elite - Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Inter and the like.
Play maker Luka Modric was missing due to a groin problem, though striker Defoe, who had a similar problem and is scheduled for surgery later this month, chose to play through the injury. He partnered with the goal scoring hero Peter Crouch and together, the duo ripped the Young Boys defence apart.
Young Boys had presented an unchanged side, which had claimed a victory over Spurs. But that was not to be the case tonight. Even though Spurs got off to a slow start, they soon got into it and dominated the game from thereon in.
A failed clearance to a corner resulted in an intervention from Bale, who cut in from the right to provide an accurate cross which connected with Crouch’s header and ended up in the far corner. Five minutes into the game and Spurs had what they needed to go into the next round.
Young Boys defender Ammar Jemal was unfortunate enough to get in the way of a long range effort from Benoit Assou-Ekotto, after which he required medical attention. That caused for significant added time in the first half.
A second Tottenham goal came in the 32nd minute; this time it was Defoe who scored. The controversial goal was believed to have come after a handball, but despite appeals, the goal was given. Bale’s through ball accurately reached him, but he was thought to have controlled it before drilling it in with his left foot in the near post.
Towards the half-time mark, the Swiss side regained possession and worked towards dominating the match. However, their efforts can be summarized as ambitious shots that never quite hit the target. Xavier Hochstrasser’s chip from the edge of the area came pretty close, but in the end just fell inches short of the far post.
Spurs made a surprising goalkeeper switch at the beginning to the second half; Heurelho Gomes was replaced by Carlo Cudicini. There were reports that Gomes had picked up a slight injury during the beginning of the first half and could not continue with the game.
The Italian goalkeeper did a good job, picking up from where his predecessor had left off. He made some important saves to deny the Young Boys. On the opposite end of the pitch, things were the same as the Young Boys goalkeeper Marco Wolfli made some important saves including a very noticeable effort to deny Defoe a second.
However, he couldn’t keep Harry Redknapp’s men out for long, as Peter Crouch scored his second goal on the hour mark. Like the last two times, the provider was Bale, his corner providing for an excellent opportunity for the Englishman to score.
Bale earned himself a hat-trick of assists and almost managed to get on the score sheet himself, but his header from Lennon’s cross ended straight at the keeper. But Tottenham did not have to wait long for a fourth goal, which came 13 minutes from time.
Bale was brought down in the box, which earned Lulic a red card and Tottenham a penalty. Crouch was the obvious choice and he proved why that was so. He sent the goalkeeper the wrong way and finished with the ball in the back of the net and a hat-trick to his name.
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