Spurs through to Champions League with 4-0 Win

A hat-trick from Peter Crouch helped Tottenham on their way to victory over the Swiss side Young Boys in the Champions League group stages yesterday.

Tottenham were behind 3 – 2 from the first leg of the qualifying match, but Crouch brought them level when he headed in a cross from Gareth Bale. There was some controversy surrounding the second goal as Jermain Defoe appeared to have used his arm to control the ball before kicking it home.

Crouch smashed a header in for his second and scored a penalty to make the hat-trick after Senad Lulic was sent off for fouling Bale.

Spurs will not be looking to the Champions League draw as they progress to the next stage for the first time since the 1961/62 season.

There place was not looking certain going into the second part of this match and there was a chance all their hard work in the Premier League last season was going to go to waste, however, they found the inspiration they needed to beat Young Boys.

Harry Reknapp the Tottenham boss was hoping his side would attack the Young Boys’ goal from the start and his team started with such energy that it didn’t take long for them to take the lead.

It was Crouch’s goal against Manchester City last season that secured his side a place in the Premier League top four and here he was left unmarked to knock in a header at the far post off a cross from Bale.

Tottenham were showing really dynamism in their play, something that was noticeably lacking in the first leg of this game. They dominated the field and had a bit of luck as Defoe added to the score line in what is his final game before he has surgery for a groin injury.

It seemed as if Defoe used his arm to control a pass from Bale, he even paused guiltily after scoring, however, the official behind the Young Boys goal didn’t notice so the goal was allowed. Defoe made another attempt at goal which just went wide.

Spurs only worry here seemed to be keeper Heurelho Gomes who signalled he wanted to come off due to an injury, however, Redknapp kept him on. This nearly proved costly when Xavier Hochstrasser sent a shot just wide of Spurs’ goal; Gomes looked as though he would have really struggled to save it had the shot been on target.

A miss communication between Gomes and his defenders left Mark Costanzo with clear cross to Henri Bienvenu, but his header went over the bar.

These chances for the Swiss side kept their fans going, but all hopes died when Crouch scored his second goal. The Swiss goal keeper had no chance when Crouch beat Ammar Jemal to a cross from Bale to head the ball home.

Having set up three goals for Spurs, Bale was awarded a penalty after he was brought down by Lulic. Crouch took the shot and the goal keeper went the wrong way, this completed Crouch’s hat-trick and saw Spurs place in the next stage of the competition confirmed.