Crouch stuns AC Milan as Tottenham win first leg

Posted on February 16, 2011 by SoccerPunter

Tottenham’s dream European adventure continued at the San Siro on Tuesday night as Peter Crouch grabbed the only goal in a 1-0 victory over AC Milan.

Despite playing without the injured Gareth Bale, the hat-trick hero when Spurs last played in this stadium in a 4-3 defeat to Inter Milan, Spurs put in a controlled and professional performance that belied their relative inexperience on this stage.

Crouch struck 10 minutes from time on a lightning counter attack in a half otherwise dominated by the hosts.

It puts the English side in a strong position ahead of the second leg at what will surely be a white hot White Hart Lane in three weeks time.

“What a performance from us. We stood tall to a man, Sandro, Steven Pienaar, Michael Dawson, Heurelho Gomes… I could go on,” said Spurs manager Harry Redknapp.

“I said to the lads, too, at half time to get it to Aaron Lennon whenever we could because he tore the left-back apart all night – and his role in the goal was fantastic. It’s a great night for the fans and a great night for Tottenham.”

Given that Tottenham are playing in their first season in the Champions League under its current format and Milan are seven-time kings of Europe, it was surprisingly the visitors who settled quickest.

They opened up their hosts after just five minutes with a fine move as a long cross from Vedran Corluka found Crouch, who controlled the ball on his chest but then slipped at the crucial moment and was crowded by Gennaro Gattuso before firing off a rushed shot.

On 11 minutes another great move from Spurs saw Corluka put Aaron Lennon in behind Luca Antonini but Christian Abbiati dived out to punch his cross off Crouch’s head.

More good work from Spurs ended with Rafael van der Vaart scuffing a shot from 20 yards.

Abbiati had to come off with a head injury and was taken to hospital, to be replaced by Marco Amelia.

Milan’s only chance of note was a Zlatan Ibrahimovic free-kick that didn’t trouble Heurelho Gomes.

Just before half-time Van der Vaart tried his luck from distance but Amelia tipped it over the bar.

And just after the restart he beat the goalkeeper with a clever chip that sailed just wide of the post.

Milan finally threatened on 50 minutes as Gattuso stood the ball up and Mario Yepes met it with a bullet header that Gomes saved brilliantly with one hand.

Mathieu Flamini was then very lucky to stay on the field for a horror two-footed lunge with studs showing on Corluka, receiving only a yellow card.

Corluka had to be replaced with Jonathan Woodgate.

On the hour Gomes then made another point blank save from a Yepes header.

Milan were bossing the game by this stage and Flamini had a shot charged down that looked headed goalwards.

Spurs then hit Milan with a rapier counter-attack as substitute Luca Modric sent Lennon scampering away and he skinned Yepes, who tried in vain to bring him down, before squaring for Crouch to slot into an unguarded net.

Michael Dawson threw himself in front of a Robinho effort as Milan made an injury time rally.

And Ibrahimovic had the ball in the net with an acrobatic volley that was disallowed for a marginal offside.

The game ended with ugly scenes as Gattuso appeared to aim a headbutt at Spurs assistant manager and former Milan player Joe Jordan, igniting a scuffle involving several players and staff.

“They lost their heads at the end there – they were rattled for sure – and I guess that’s a good sign,” added Redknapp.

“I know who I’d pick between Joe Jordan and Gennaro Gattuso anyway… Joe all night long. All night long.”