Tottenham Hotspur FC

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Crouch fires Spurs into group stage

25 Aug 2010 - 21:53:48

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Peter Crouch's hat-trick eased Tottenham into the lucrative group stages of the Champions League following a 4-0 play-off second leg victory over Young Boys.

Spurs began the second leg needing to overturn last week's 3-2 first-leg deficit following a surprise defeat in Switzerland.

However, the outcome never looked in doubt after Crouch opened the scoring in the fifth minute.

The England striker was left in acres of space on the back post when Gareth Bale was given a second chance to send over a corner and he converted with ease after the Wales winger's cross picked him out perfectly.

The home side were dominant and Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Tom Huddlestone both missed chances before Jermain Defoe doubled the advantage.

Defoe controlled a ball over the top from Bale with his arm but played on and crashed a left-foot shot into the net off the inside of the post.

Young Boys was a shadow of the side that raced into a three-goal lead on their controversial artificial pitch in the first leg.

Spurs were forced into a personnel change when goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes had to be replaced by Carlo Cudicini at half-time after appearing to strain his groin midway through the first half.

But the home side picked up where they left off as Crouch killed off the game in the 61st minute.

The big striker rose powerfully to meet Bale's corner and found the back of the net with a firm header from the edge of the six-yard box.

The 6-3 aggregate rout was completed in the 77th minute when Crouch stroked home a penalty after Senad Lulic felled Bale in the box and earned a second yellow card for his clumsy challenge.

The north London club will now anxiously await the outcome of Thursday's draw in Monaco to discover which major names from European football will be next on the menu in their Champions League adventure.