Tottenham 4 Young Boys 0 (agg 6-3): Perfect Peter - Crouch hat-trick seals £30m place in Champions League elite

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIPLCQO2egQendofvid

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By Matt Lawton

Perfect Peter: Crouch eases thr nerves with a fifth-minute header


The Young Boys of Berne might feel they lost their innocence as well as a rather important European match at White Hart Lane on Wednesday night but that was of no concern to Tottenham.

Champions League football is coming to this part of north London, and while replays of the second goal will make Jermain Defoe wince with embarrassment, nobody aside from the visitors seemed to care here.

After seeing Peter Crouch demonstrate exactly why Harry Redknapp is so reluctant to sell him with the first of three nicely taken goals, Defoe put this qualifying tie beyond the reach of the unfancied Swiss team with something that momentarily revealed the more cynical side of top-flight football

It was naughty, the England striker using his left arm as deliberately as Thierry Henry to control Gareth Bale’s ball forward before driving a marvellous left-foot shot in off Marco Wolfli’s right-hand post. The Swiss were furious, and understandably so.


Lift off: Peter Crouch celebrates his early strike


‘It was a decisive goal,’ said their coach, Vladimir Petkovic, even if he was generous enough to congratulate Spurs on their victory. In the end it did not seem that significant.

With two more goals from Crouch, scored with another header and from the penalty spot, came confirmation that the better side had progressed into the group stages.

But the controversial goal that crushed the visitors’ spirit and left them needing to score twice to regain the upper hand was the turning point of this encounter.

In fairness to Tottenham, they did play well. There was a spell in the first half when the Swiss applied pressure but, after the difficulties Redknapp’s men endured on that plastic surface last week, this was quite a riposte.


Redknapp seemed to enjoy himself once his side had established control. He could dare to dream about Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, even of spending more money in the transfer market now they can look forward to a potential £30million windfall for qualifying.

Amid the wild celebrations, there was relief, too. After doing so well to secure fourth spot in the Barclays Premier League last season, not least with that stunning display at Manchester City, it would have been such a waste had they not seen off their inferior opponents.

But, until Roman Pavlyuchenko eased the damage of 28 astonishing minutes in Berne, they were in serious danger of blowing their chance.

Crouch scored the decisive goal at Eastlands in May, and on Thursday night must have been satisfying given the headlines he has had to cope with in the last few weeks.

He was superb, exposing the frailties of a poor Young Boys back four with a fine exhibition of attacking football.

It should at least be enough to secure a place in the England squad which a watching Fabio Capello plans to name this Sunday.


Hot shot: Jermain Defoe fires home the second


He scored his first after only five minutes, levelling the aggregate score but putting Tottenham’s noses ahead on away goals with a super header.

Bale, again outstanding, delivered a perfect left-foot cross from the right and Crouch pounced on the far edge of the sixyard box, skilfully guiding his header beyond the reach of goalkeeper Wolfli’s dive.

With Ledley King back in central defence — Redknapp could not risk his fragile knees on the artificial pitch last week — the home side looked much more comfortable at the back.


Concern: Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes receives treatment


The Swiss passed the ball well but struggled to penetrate Tottenham’s defence this time, even after an injury to Heurelho Gomes. No sooner had Carlo Cudicini been ordered to warm up, though than Defoe scored the controversial, 32nd-minute goal.

The French referee’s radio had failed in the pouring rain, so cutting a line of communication to his assistants, which perhaps partly explains his failure to punish the infringement. Petkovic jumped from the bench and his players surrounded referee Laurent Duhamel but to no avail.

Defoe continued to trouble the Swiss, nearly scoring again after accelerating on to a nice Aaron Lennon pass, only to drag his shot wide. But it mattered not, Crouch adding his second and the third of the night after 61 minutes with another excellent header.


Up and away: Peter Crouch heads home the third
Bale, now rated by Redknapp among the finest left-sided players in the game, took the corner and the towering striker did the rest.


Contest over, he completed his hat-trick 17 minutes later, again thanks to Bale, whose darting run invited Senad Lulic to commit the foul that resulted in his dismissal for a second yellow card. Crouch tucked the spot kick home.

It was another major milestone for Redknapp. Now he is joining the pantheon of English managers who have tackled club football’s most illustrious competition.

‘I watched those games against teams like Benfica here as a kid,’ he said. ‘And this is great for the fans. But I’m just going to go home tonight and have a bacon sandwich and a cup of tea.’

Quite right, too.



source: dailymail
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