Crouch on fire as San Siro erupts

EXTRAORDINARY scenes at the San Siro, as Tottenham maintained their fairytale first season in the Champions League by beating AC Milan, currently top of Serie A, on their own turf.

Peter Crouch scored the all-important goal after an electrifying run by Aaron Lennon to put Spurs in the driving seat for the second leg of this last-16 game, which Gennaro Gattuso will mss.

The Milan midfielder received a yellow card to rule him out, but he could face further action after appearing to attack Joe Jordan, Tottenham’s assistant coach and former Milan striker, after the final whistle. But nothing could take away this remarkable result for Harry Redknapp’s team.

Redknapp said: “It was a fantastic performance, the lads were brilliant.

“We hit them on the break and got the goal and it was well-deserved.”

Asked about Flamini’s challenge on Corluka, Redknapp said: “That is a red card all day. How has he not got a red card for that?

“It’s an absolute disgrace, they (UEFA) should look at that, surely, and do something about it. It’s a dangerous, dangerous tackle. They lost their heads a bit at the end.”

Angry scenes at the full-time whistle surrounded Gattuso’s head-butt on Spurs coach Joe Jordan.

Redknapp joked about Gattuso’s spat with Jordan: “There would be only one winner there — Joe! I’d have my money on Joe. Of all the people to pick on, don’t pick on Joe.”

To say Spurs had a better start to this game than the one here against Inter would be a considerable understatement. Back in October, Tottenham were four goals and one man down inside 35 minutes, after Heurelho Gomes was sent off.

It was a completely different story last night, as Spurs started the stronger and Milan lost a man, when their goalkeeper, Christian Abbiati, departed in the 18th minute, the victim of a buffeting or two from Crouch.

Tottenham could have been ahead at half-time but for some tame finishing after promising approach work, and also a fine save from Marco Amelia, Abbiati’s replacement, who tipped over a drive from Rafael van der Vaart.

Whereas Spurs were ragged against Inter, here they were composed, creating tidy passing patterns.

Wilson Palacios and the tall Brazilian Sandro were given the task of holding central midfield, no easy task against the likes of seasoned campaigners such as Gattuso and Clarence Seedorf.

Indeed the contrast between Van der Vaart and his fellow Dutchman Seedorf was one of many fascinating sub-plots. Both had free roles behind the attack, and both were full of inventiveness.

But whereas Seedorf’s legs have slowed, Van der Vaart was able to cover vast swathes of the pitch.

Crouch was Tottenham’s battering ram, laying the ball off for the little Dutchman when he got the chance, while Lennon supplied the bullets from the right and Steven Pienaar was busy on the left.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic tried to fulfil a similar role for Milan, who preferred to play it to his feet, with Seedorf and Robinho looking for openings.

Ibrahimovic was denied an opening by an offside flag in the 10th minute, though it looked close, and then took an elbow from Michael Dawson.

But referee Stephane Lannoy waved away the Swede’s penalty appeals after a clumsy challenge from Sandro.

Tottenham left the field at the break much happier, and it was Milan coach Massimilliano Allegri who felt changes were necessary, and replaced Seedorf with Pato.

But it was Spurs who almost took the lead, as Van de Vaart tried an audacious chip on the turn from 20 yards that sailed inches wide, before Milan hit back as Mario Yepes had two headers saved superbly by Gomes.

Between the two incidents, however, came an injury to Vedran Corluka that caused uproar. The Croatian was committed to a clearance, but as Mathiu Flamini came flying in with both feet up, the Croat was flung into the air. A fracas ensued, but the former Arsenal midfielder escaped with only a yellow card, while Corluka left on a stretcher, to be replaced by Jonathan Woodgate.

The game turned much more feisty, Pienaar up-ending Thiago Silva and Gattuso shoving Crouch, having already done the same to Jordan.

As the tackles flew in and Milan gained momentum, Redknapp sent on Modric to replace Van der Vaart. Still the Italian side poured forward, and Dawson and then Woodgate had to make important blocks.

But then came the breakthrough. Modric broke up an attack and fed the ball to Lennon. The England winger was midway inside his own half but set off at full speed. As Yepes went across to challenge, Lennon flicked the ball past him and ran on to square the ball for Crouch to sweep home.

Spurs were left to play out the final minutes against a deflated Milan side, who had a goal disallowed in stoppage time when Ibrahimovic pushed Dawson before finding the net.

The final whistle was greeted by extraordinary scenes as Gattuso made a b-line for Jordan. But nothing could take the gloss off this astonishing win.

Milan subs: Amelia for Abbiati (18), Pato for Seedorf (46).

Tottenham subs: Woodgate for Corluka (59), Modric for Van der Vaart (61), Kranjcar for Pienaar (76).