Final score

20 October 2010 20:45

Inter
35' Eto'o
14' Stankovic
11' Eto'o (P)
2' Zanetti
Tottenham
46' (2nd half) Bale
45' (2nd half) Bale
7' (2nd half) Bale
Referee: Damir Skomina / Linesmen: Arhar , Stancin / Fourth official: Toseski / Assistants: Jug, Peric
Minute Text commentary
46' Half time. Inter 4-0 Tottenham Hotspur.
46' Coutinho turns on the style and brings a roar from the home crowd after running rings around Hutton. His final shot hits the side-netting, but the angle was tight.
45' One minute of stoppage time.
44' Maicon twice tests Cudicini with two rocket shots from an acute angle.
43' Coutinho one-twos with Biabiany and fires a crisp low shot at Cudicini. The Italian keeper spills the Brazilian's shot before smothering the ball to deny Biabiany.
40' Bale gets past Maicon and crosses for Crouch. Walter Samuel is perfectly positioned and the Argentine intercepts.
35' Six goals in three 2010/11 Champions League games. That's not bad going for Samuel Eto'o.
35' GOAL!!!!!! Coutinho plays in Samuel Eto'o and the Cameroonian sees his shot go in off Cudicini. It's his 14th of the season, and Inter's 4th against Spurs. INTER 4-0 TOTTENHAM.
32' Coutinho does the same with his through ball for Stankovic.
29' Sneijder overhits his long pass for Biabiany. Cudicini gathers.
28' Lennon floats a cross over to Crouch, who heads over at the far post.
27' Sneijder's free kick is headed clear. The loose ball falls to Stankovic, who volleys wide.
26' Huddlestone fouls Coutinho in a central position about 30 yards out.
25' Stankovic steals in at the near post and sees his flicked header go wide. Moments later the Serbian has a shot saved by Cudicini.
24' Bassong tackles Eto'o on the byline and it's a corner to Inter.
22' Eto'o runs on to Zanetti's through ball and hits his first-time shot over the bar.
20' Bassong fouls Samuel as he jumps in the area to meet Bale's left-wing corner kick.
19' Crouch commits a foul on Maicon in the area as he receives Lennon's cross from the right.
17' Chivu is booked for a foul on Lennon.
16' Coutinho's deflected shot from distance is saved by Cudicini.
15' An uphill task has now become a mountain to climb.
14' And there's number three!!!!!!! Dejan Stankovic plays the sweetest of one-twos with Eto'o before firing past Cudicini. INTER 3-0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR.
12' Two goals down against the European champions at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza translates into an uphill task for ten-man Tottenham.
11' GOAL!!!!!! Samuel Eto'o scores from the penalty spot. It's his 13th goal of the season. INTER 2-0 TOTTENHAM.
10' Redknapp replaces Modric with Carlo Cudicini, who used to play in this stadium for AC Milan.
8' Gomes is shown a straight red card for his foul on Biabiany. Nightmare start for Spurs.
8' PENALTY! Sneijder floats into the area for Biabiany, who is brought down by Tottenham keeper Heurelho Gomes. Ref Damir Skomina points to the spot.
6' Lennon crosses low for Modric. Dejan Stankovic intercepts.
2' That was Javier's first goal for Inter since his effort in a 1-1 Serie A draw at home to Roma on 27 February 2008.
2' GOAL!!!!!!! Javier Zanetti scores!!!!! The Inter captain lays off to Coutinho, the Brazilian passes to Eto'o and the Cameroonian plays in Zanetti, who continues his run into the area and curls beyond Gomez and into the far corner. What a start! INTER 1-0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR.
1' After a 2-2 draw at Twente and a 4-0 victory over Werder Bremen, our defence of the Champions League title continues at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza tonight against Tottenham Hotspur.
1' Spurs kick off. FORZA INTER!!!!!
1' Tottenham Hotspur: 1 Gomez; 2 Hutton, 13 Gallas, 19 Bassong, 32 Assu-Ekotto; 7 Lennon, 8 Jenas, 6 Huddlestone, 14 Modric; 3 Bale; 15 Crouch.<br> Subs: 23 Cudicini, 4 Jounes, 5 Bentley, 9 Pavlyuchenko, 10 Keane, 12 Palacios, 21 Kranjcar.
1' Inter: 1 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 6 Lucio, 25 Samuel, 26 Chivu; 4 Zanetti, 5 Stankovic; 88 Biabiany, 10 Sneijder, 29 Coutinho; 9 Eto'o.<br> Subs: 12 Castellazzi, 2 Cordoba, 11 Muntari, 19 Cambiasso, 23 Materazzi, 27 Pandev, 39 Santon.
1' We share top spot in Group A with the Londoners, who drew away to Werder before thrashing Twente at home in Matchday 2. A win against Spurs tonight will see us closer to securing early qualification to the knockout phase.
Minute Text commentary
47' Full time. Too late for Tottenham. Inter win 4-3.
46' Incredible. Gareth Bale hits a low shot past Julio Cesar for Spurs' third. INTER 4-3 TOTTENHAM.
45' Two minutes of added time.
45' GOAL Gareth Bale scores an identical goal to his first, firing low past Julio Cesar and into the far corner. INTER 4-2 TOTTENHAM.
44' Palacios is booked for a foul from behind on Lucio.
43' Hutton gets into a shooting position just outside our area and blazes his left-footed shot over the bar.
41' Julio Cesar catches Bale's inswinging right-wing free kick.
38' Coutinho receives square from Sneijder and unleashes a right-footed rising drive that is just over Cudicini's bar.
35' Spurs replace their captain Tom Huddlestone with Wilson Palacios and Robbie Keane takes the armband.
34' Wesley Sneijder tries to surprise Cudicini from the halfway line. A bit over-ambitious.
31' Lennon's weak cross-shot from just outside the box is easily saved by Julio Cesar.
30' Inter bring on Ivan Cordoba for Jonathan Biabiany.
25' Coutinho receives a short pass from Eto'o and sees his deflected shot caught by Cudicini.
22' Ex-Inter forward Robbie Keane replaces Peter Crouch.
18' Coutinho slots wide of Cudicini's right-hand post after receiving from Maicon just outside the box.
16' Goran Pandev replaces Cristian Chivu.
15' Assou-Ekotto blazes over the bar as Spurs come looking for a second.
10' Santon hits a low shot on target at Cudicini's near post. The Spurs keeper tips round for a corner.
7' GOAL. Gareth Bale goes on a storming run down the left and gets past Zanetti before arrowing a low shot past Julio Cesar and into the bottom right corner. INTER 4-1 TOTTENHAM.
5' Dejan is replaced by Davide Santon.
4' Walter Samuel makes a headed clearance from Lennon's cross.
2' Stankovic has sustained an injury and he throws his boot to the ground in frustration.
1' Inter get us restarted in Milan.
Zanetti
7.14
7.14
Cordoba
4.61
4.61
Stankovic
7.88
7.88
Julio Cesar
4.41
4.41
Samuel
5.62
5.62
Maicon
4.62
4.62
Biabiany
6.88
6.88
Chivu
5.07
5.07
Santon
5.11
5.11
Lucio
5.17
5.17
Eto'o
8.43
8.43
Sneijder
6.87
6.87
Pandev
4.62
4.62
Coutinho
7.22
7.22
Average rating 5.97
12 shots on target 3
5 shots off target 3
9 fouls committed 8
3 corners 2
1 offsides 2
39:29 ball possession 27:29
Inter v Tottenham

The two teams meet in a competitive fixture for the first time.

Inter v English clubs

The Nerazzurri have faced English opposition on 30 previous occasions in the classic European competitions, winning 11 games, drawing 6 and losing 13. Inter host an English club for the 16th time after 7 victories, 5 draws and 3 defeats. Added to this are four Anglo-Italian tournament games (1 Inter win, 2 draws and 1 defeat).

Tottenham v Italian clubs

Tottenham play against an Italian side for the fourth time in classic European competitions after a win, a draw and a defeat, having conceded in all three games for a total of four goals. In the Anglo-Italian tournament, Spurs played home and away to Torino, winning 2-0 in London and 1-0 in Turin.

Inter unbeaten at home in almost 2 years

Inter have not lost a competitive match at home since 26 November 2008 when they were beaten 1-0 by Panathinaikos in the Champions League. In their following 50 home games the Nerazzurri have won 38 and drawn 12.

Inter chasing fourth clean sheet

Inter have kept three clean sheets since Mirko Vucinic's injury-time winner in the 1-0 defeat to Roma on 25 September 2010, winning 4-0 at home to Werder Bremen (Champions League), drawing 0-0 with Juventus (Serie A) and winning 1-0 away to Cagliari (Serie A). The Nerazzurri haven't conceded at home since Floro Flores' goal in the 2-1 win over Udinese on 11 September 2010.

Inter's sixth game in Europe on 20 October. Boninsegna and that can in 1971

Inter have played five European matches on today's date: 20 October. The first, a European Cup last sixteen tie away to Borussia Moenchengladbach, went down in history. In the 19th minute Inter's Boninsegna was hit by a can thrown from the stands, with the Germans leading 2-1. Boninsegna was replaced by Ghio and the game ended 7-1 to Borussia. Inter lodged an appeal with UEFA, who ordered a replay on a neutral ground in Berlin, which ended 0-0. Inter qualified for the quarter-finals, thanks to a 4-2 win in Milan. In their other 20 October fixtures, Inter have won two games (1-0 at home to Apollon Limassol in the 1993/94 UEFA Cup and 5-1 at Valencia in the 2004/05 Champions League), drawn one (2-2 at home to Dynamo Kiev in the 2009/10 Champions League) and lost one (0-1 away to AZ 67 Alkmaar in the 1982/83 Cup Winners' Cup).

Tottenham's away form in European Cup/Champions League

Spurs have conceded in all six of their past European Cup/Champions League away games, letting in a total of 14 goals.

DA IMPLEMENTARE
wins(2) draws(0) defeats(0)

MILAN - Defending European champions Inter beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza to take command at the top of Champions League Group A.

Javier Zanetti gave the Nerazzurri a dream start against Harry Redknapp's men, with Samuel Eto'o scoring twice and Dejan Stankovic also hitting the target to give Inter a mammoth 4-0 lead at the break against Spurs, reduced to ten men after the dismissal of goalkeeper Gomes.

Gareth Bale scored for the visitors shortly after the restart, adding two more in the closing minutes, but fortunately for Inter there was no time for a fourth.

Rafa Benitez kept faith with the starting eleven that saw off Cagliari in Sardinia and had to wait less than two minutes to see his team take the upper hand.

Zanetti laid off to Coutinho and continued his run into the box to collect Eto'o's pass and curl beyond Gomes for his first goal in black and blue since his effort in against Roma on 27 February 2008.

Worse was to follow for Spurs when their Brazilian keeper Gomes was sent off for a penalty foul on Biabiany. Redknapp brought on Cudicini for Modric and Eto'o stepped up to the spot to score the second.

A disastrous opening spell for the visitors became catastrophic when Stankovic added number three before the 15-minute mark.

The Serbian combined swiftly with Eto'o and fired past Cudicini for his 32nd goal in black and blue.

Eto'o rubbed salt into Tottenham's open wound ten minutes before the break, latching on to Coutinho's through ball and seeing his shot go in off Cudicini for his fourteenth of the season and sixth of the 2010/11 Champions League campaign.

The Nerazzurri lost Stankovic to injury just after the restart, forcing Benitez to shuffle his pack. His team barely had time to regroup when Bale went on a pacy run down the left and took the ball past Zanetti before arrowing a low shot past Julio Cesar and into the far corner.

Inter held on to their three-goal cushion until the last minute of normal time, Bale reducing the arrears with a carbon copy of his first goal.

The Welsh winger then completed his hat-trick in stoppage time with another crisp low shot to make the result look a lot less embarrassing, but on the night there was no doubting Inter's dominance.

Inter 4-3 Tottenham Hotspur (HT: 4-0)

Scorers: Zanetti 2, Eto'o (pen) 11, 35, Stankovic 14, Bale 52, 90, 90+1.

Inter: 1 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 6 Lucio, 25 Samuel, 26 Chivu (27 Pandev 61); 4 Zanetti, 5 Stankovic (39 Santon 52); 88 Biabiany (2 Cordoba 75), 10 Sneijder, 29 Coutinho; 9 Eto'o.
Subs not used: 12 Castellazzi, 11 Muntari, 19 Cambiasso, 23 Materazzi.

Coach
: Rafael Benitez.

Tottenham Hotspur: 1 Gomez; 2 Hutton, 13 Gallas, 19 Bassong, 32 Assu-Ekotto; 7 Lennon, 8 Jenas, 6 Huddlestone (12 Palacios 80), 14 Modric (23 Cudicini 10); 3 Bale; 15 Crouch (10 Keane 67).

Subs not used
: 4 Jounes, 5 Bentley, 9 Pavlyuchenko, 21 Kranjcar.

Coach
: Harry Redknapp.

Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia).

Booked: Chivu 17, Palacios 89.
Sent off: Gomez 8.

starting lineups

Julio Cesar 1 Gomez
Maicon 13 Hutton
Lucio 6 Bassong
Samuel 25 Gallas
Chivu 26 Assu-Ekotto
Zanetti 4 Lennon
Stankovic 5 Jenas
Biabiany 88 Huddlestone
Sneijder 10 Modric
Coutinho 29 Bale
Eto'o 9 Crouch

substitutes

Castellazzi 12 Cudicini
Cordoba 2 Kaboul
Muntari 11 Bentley
Cambiasso 19 Pavlyuchenko
Materazzi 23 Keane
Pandev 27 Palacios
Santon 39 Kranjcar