Spurs swept aside Young Boys at the Lane, 4-0 to progress on aggregate (6-3) to the CL first round. Gareth Bale continues to burnish his credentials as one of the most exciting players to come out of Britain in recent years.
He had a hand in each of the goals today. Peter Crouch was on the receiving end of Bale’s crosses and a PK courtesy when the Welshman was brought down by Lulic to score his hattrick.
The other goal was scored by Jermain Defoe who got away with a handball. He fires his shot into goal and then slyly looks around to see if it would be called back. Video clearly showing his handball. A mysterious figure with a sinister looking instrument (a cattle prod?) in hand on the sideline was the subject of much conjecture.
Spurs were helped to a large extent by some inept defending by Young Boys who lived up to their name by their naive and nervy display. But a raucous home crowd will surely celebrate a most famous victory that sees them enter their first CL competition since its modern inception.
Defoe himself will be out with surgery for a groin problem which will take two months to heal – so this game will occupy a special place in his heart.