MX23RW : Friday, December 13 11:54:01| >> :60:1493:1493:

Live Commentary: Inter Milan (4) 4-1 (4) Tottenham Hotspur - as it happened

Sports Mole brings you live text updates from the San Siro as Inter Milan take on Tottenham Hotspur in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie.
2

Tottenham Hotspur edged into the Europa League quarter-finals despite losing 4-1 to Inter Milan this evening.

Spurs took a 3-0 lead into the match from the first leg, but Inter overturned that deficit courtesy of goals from Antonio Cassano, Rodrigo Palacio and a William Gallas own goal.

The match went in to extra time, during which Emmanuel Adebayor scored to make it 4-3 to Spurs on aggregate. Ricky Alvarez equalised on the night for Inter, but Spurs held out to secure the win on away goals as the tie ended 4-4.

You can read how a thrilling night of European football unfolded with Sports Mole's live play-by=play updates below.


Sort:
Newest
Oldest
Good afternoon! Thank you for joining Sports Mole for tonight's match between Inter Milan and Spurs, let's get straight down to business!

Well, I barely need to say that Tottenham are clear favourites to qualify tonight. They completely outclassed Inter in the first leg, and will be looking to do so again tonight. On Inter's part, they will need to improve drastically if they are to stand any chance of progressing tonight.

This one isn't quite a foregone conclusion, however. The San Siro is a notoriously hard place to come to and, should Inter grab an early goal, anything could happen. We saw Tottenham's North London rivals Arsenal almost overturn what was effectively a three-goal deficit away to Bayern Munich last night, so stranger things have happened!

One big plus point for Inter is the absence of Gareth Bale. The Welsh winger is in fine form and seems to play particularly well against Inter Milan. His last visit to the San Siro saw him score a hat-trick in a thrilling 4-3 defeat, so he will be gutted to miss out tonight. Having said that, manager Andre Villas-Boas admitted that losing him for this match would be better than losing him later in the tournament as this one should really be wrapped up already.

If Inter do get a head of steam up, however, they will be delighted that Bale is not around to lead a counter charge. Spurs are by no means, as some are suggesting, a one-man team, but Bale is certainly a big loss to them.

TEAM NEWS: Some interesting team news has emerged from the San Siro. Villas-Boas, in the absence of Bale, has decided to go for both Jermain Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor up front together. I thought he was going to persist with a 4-5-1 formation, trying to pack the midfield in order to stop Inter playing as they did in the first leg. He has gone for the more attacking option, however, and that is good to see!

Perhaps Villas-Boas is thinking that attack is the best form of defence. They were so much better than Inter in the first leg that I suppose they can afford to take a couple of risks. If Spurs get a goal, especially the first goal, then you'd have to think that it was all over.

TOTTENHAM STARTING XI: Friedel; Walker, Gallas, Vertonghen, Naughton; Dembele, Parker, Livermore, Sigurdsson; Defoe, Adebayor

TOTTENHAM SUBS: Lloris, Caulker, Huddlestone, Assou-Ekotto, Carroll, Holtby, Lennon

Check out the in-play odds with William Hill

Just waiting for the Inter team news to come in, I'll bring it to you as soon as possible. In the meantime, let's look at that Spurs side in a little more detail.

It's no surprise to see Friedel return between the sticks - he has been Tottenham's Europa League keeper all season and Villas-Boas has stuck with him once again tonight. Jan Vertonghen is in fine form in defence for Spurs, but not in the way you might expect for a defender. He has scored three times in his last two games, which is a record that not even Gareth Bale can compare with! He netted in the first leg of this match, so Inter will be wary of his recent taste for goals.

In the middle, Livermore is called into the starting lineup, which will give him a chance to gain some valuable experience. Matches against Inter Milan at the San Siro don't come along too often, so he will savour every minute of it tonight. The likes of Dembele and Sigurdsson provide ample support for Defoe and Adebayor and Sigurdsson's recent form should soften the blow of Bale. Aaron Lennon also returns to the bench after missing the Liverpool game, so Spurs have an impact sub if they need it.

TEAM NEWS: I promised you the Inter team news and here it comes! They have made a few changes from the first leg, starting Palacio, Guarin and Jonathan. Cassano remains up front, but the likes of Palacio and Guarin should give him more support than he had last week.

INTER MILAN STARTING XI: Handanovic; Jonathan, Juan, Chivu, Zanetti; Gargano, Kovacic, Cambiasso, Guarin; Palacio, Cassano

INTER MILAN SUBS: Alvarez, Ranocchia, Benassi, Belec, Pasa, Belloni, Colombi

Inter created very little going forward in the first leg. They had two really good chances but a final result of 3-2 would have been harsh on Spurs. Palacio and Cassano will give them more of an attacking element, while Kovacic and Guarin are also capable of creating problems for the Spurs defence.

The hosts need to come out flying tonight. If Tottenham can get to half time with a clean sheet, you'd have to say that Inter's chances are over. However, if Inter can get one, maybe even two, in the opening 45 minutes then they will fancy their chances of pulling one back. They must get a good balance, however, as conceding a goal would mean that they would have to score five. With Spurs being so good on the counter attack, that is a very real possibility for Inter, so Andrea Stramaccioni must get it spot on.

They are not coming into this match in the best form either. Their loss to Bologna at the weekend was their third in their last six games, while they have only won four times in their last 12.

This has left the Italian giants struggling in the league. They currently sit fifth in the table and face a big struggle to qualify for Champions League football next season. Remember, it was less than three years ago that Inter actually won that trophy. A big enough win today could act as a boost for the final part of the season.

Nervous about the result? Want to 'Cash in your bet'? See how with William Hill.

As far as Tottenham are concerned, their recent form has been exemplary apart from Sunday's loss to Liverpool. Spurs shot themselves in the foot in that match, tasting defeat for the first time in nine games in all competitions. It was the first time they had lost in the league since December 9.

They still sit third in the Premier League table, however, and look set to return to Champions League football next season.

It was in the Champions League, of course, that these two teams had a pair of classic matches just over two years ago. I have already mentioned the first match at the San Siro, in which Bale scored a hat-trick, but the second match was also a good one, ending 3-1 to Tottenham.

Tottenham's 3-0 win last week means that Spurs have scored three times every time that they have played Inter in recent years. If they can keep that record up tonight then they will be cruising through to the next round of the competition.

Both of these sides are among the favourites to go on and win this tournament. Of course, Spurs had their odds slashed after the first leg but if Inter can pull off an unlikely comeback, who could still stand in their way of winning the competition?

Well, the Russian trio of Rubin Kazan, Zenit St Petersburg and Anzhi Makhachkala will be tough to shift, as will Tottenham's compatriots Chelsea and Newcastle. We also still have the likes of Lazio and Fenerbache in the competition, both of whom could challenge.

However, my favourites for the trophy are still Spurs. I think they have more quality than anyone else left in the competition - as shown by the first leg of this tie - and I wouldn't be surprised to see them back it up with a good run in the Champions League next season too. The only thing that might derail their challenge is the fight for a top four spot in the Premier League.

I apologise in advance to all Spurs fans if that is the kiss of death for their side! Tonight should be a fairly comfortable night for Tottenham but they need to be professional throughout as they still have a job to do.

PREDICTION: I am sure that Inter will put in a better performance this week than they did last week, but I don't think it will be enough. They were so thoroughly outclassed in the first leg and I can't see them doing the same to Spurs. An early goal could change everythig, but I can't see Tottenham blowing such a lead. I'm going to go for 2-1 Inter on the night.

Inter will be desperate for that early goal. The longer it remains 0-0 the more comfortable Spurs will get. If they can set about Tottenham early on and make sure they don't get themselves into a rhythm then they might just stand a chance. The odds are certainly against them tonight but anything can happen in football!

Acculmulator going well? Want to take your money now? Check out William Hill's 'CASH IN MY BET' service!

We're five minutes from kickoff at the San Siro. A huge night awaits for one of these sides. If Inter progress it will surely go down as a famous night in the club's illustrious history, while a Spurs win would see them move one step closer to a Europa League title. Trophies have been few and far between at White Hart Lane, so every single one is cherished.

There is some nagging thought in my head that Inter could get back into this one. It may be wishful thinking that we will see a great European night but one could well be on the cards. It is up to Spurs to stop it and they are more than capable of doing so.

A reminder of the scale of the task that faces Inter tonight: A 3-0 win would force extra time and then penalties if the aggregate scores are still level after 120 minutes. If Spurs score, Inter would have to score at least five goals.

There are thousands of empty seats at the San Siro tonight, the Italian public obviously don't have high hopes for this one.

Inter get us underway in this one and they immediately look to go on the attack.

The hosts' initial forays forward are easily rebuffed and, on a counter attack, Sigurdsson is fouled. He gets up to take the kick himself, but his cross is cleared by Chivu.

Inter are obviously keen to get forward at every opportunity, but Tottenham are doing well in keeping the ball away from them in these very early stages.

Guarin is racing around trying to get the ball back. It's good to see some desire from the Inter side, that was something that was lacking last week. He eventually commits a foul, but Inter have definitely not given up on this tie just yet.

A long ball forward looks like setting Guarin through down the right, but Vertonghen gets across to put in a strong tackle. There have been hints of space opening up for the hosts already today but they have been quickly closed down thus far.

Adebayor shows a good change of pace that we would associate more with Lennon or Bale as he pushes the ball through the legs of Chivu and collects it the other side, but Inter get back to clear it away.

Bet £25 and get a £25 FREE bet with William Hill. Click here to join now. T&Cs apply, new customers only

Another hint of an opening for Cassano as he races down the left. The Tottenham defence want a flag, but don't get it. They recover well to prevent Cassano from making anything of the opening, but these are promising signs for Inter.

Defoe finds space to shoot on the edge of the box as he cuts inside onto his stronger right foot. His effort is deflected out for a corner, and he perhaps should have looked for a pass rather than a shot there.

CHANCE! A long spell of possession from Tottenham is greeted by whistles and boos by the few Inter fans who have turned up tonight. Eventually Inter win it back and send Cassano through on goal. Palacio is calling for the ball in the middle but Cassano goes for goal himself, hitting it straight at Friedel. Should have made more of that one.

YELLOW CARD! We're 14 minutes in and we already have a yellow card for timewasting! A few of the Tottenham players leave a free kick for each other and Livermore is the man who picks up the booking.

PENALTY CLAIM! Cassano is begging for a penalty as he gets the wrong side of Gallas and goes down under the Frenchman's challenge. He seemed to go down fairly easily when he was in a great position to shoot with only Friedel to beat. Correct decision not to award a penalty and Cassano should be ashamed, why didn't he go for goal?!

GOAL! Inter 1-0 Tottenham (Antonio Cassano)

Suddenly the impossible becomes possible! There is that early goal that Inter needed, and now they just need two more. Palacio swings a ball in towards the back post where Cassano is waiting unmarked. He puts his header straight into the ground but it bounces up and into the roof of the net. Game on now!

SAVE! Sigurdsson finds space to shoot from the edge of the box and his effort is not a bad one, forcing Handanovic to dive and push it away. It was at a comfortable height for the Inter keeper.

That first goal could prove to be vital in this tie. Had Spurs got it then it was game over, but you can sense the belief starting to grow inside the San Siro.

To be fair to Spurs, they are still looking to push forward in search of a goal. They are not parking the bus.

Check out the in-play odds with William Hill

OFF THE BAR! Oh that is a matter of inches from being 2-0 to Inter and really game on! Cassano has all the time in the world to pick a pass over the Tottenham defence, who are playing a very high line. Palacio races on to the pass and lifts the ball over Friedel on the half-volley. The American is helpless as the ball is lifted over him, but grateful to see it bounce off the top of the bar. It was a very clever effort from Palacio but he still probably should have scored.

Villas-Boas could be thinking of moving one of his strikers back into midfield here. The time that Inter have on the ball in the middle of the park has led to all of their chances so far, so stopping the source must be a priority for Spurs.

The problem with that, however, is that Adebayor and Defoe are both out-and-out strikers. Who would you drop back and would they have the discipline to carry out that role?

Again Inter are looking for the lofted ball behind the Tottenham defence. They are penalised for being offside on this occasion but, unless something changes, I can see them getting more joy from that tactic tonight.

That is better from Tottenham. They string together a huge sequence of passes before slipping Defoe in down the right side of the penalty area. They finally lose possession when the striker tries to find Adebayor with a square pass, but it was a good spell for Spurs.

Dembele is so strong on the ball and never goes down easily. He showcases this again by protecting the ball from Cambiasso, bouncing off the original tackle before being fouled by the second. Free kick in a good position to cross.

CHANCE! It's not a sitter by any means but Kyle Walker would have wanted to do better there. Sigurdsson whips the free kick in and Walker rises highest in the box. He isn't under much pressure, but just can't get enough on his header as he glances it wide.

Tottenham will be happy enough to get into the break just 1-0 down I'd think. It would leave Inter still needing at least two goals in the second half, and would also give Villas-Boas a chance to make some defensive tactical changes to tighten up.

Adebayor almost races away with a big touch past Chivu that he tries to race on to. He doesn't count on 39-year-old Javier Zanetti matching him for pace, however, and the experienced full-back deals with the danger.

SHOT! Guarin receives a throw in from Palacio and winds himself up for a strike from range. His effort goes a long way off target, however.

Nervous about the result? Want to 'Cash in your bet'? See how with William Hill.

YELLOW CARD! From the resulting goal kick Friedel takes too long from the referee's point of view and is given a yellow card for time wasting.

Half chance for Inter as Palacaio races down the right. As he enters the box he goes shoulder to shoulder with Vertonghen, showing good strength to hold off the Tottenham man. Cambiasso is racing in at the back post but Palacio's cross just eludes him.

There will be two minutes of added time at the San Siro.

SAVE! Another clipped ball over the top finds Guarin, who cuts inside past his man before firing a shot towards Friedel's near post. The American is alert enough to push it away, but that is good from Inter.

CHANCE! What a chance for Spurs to put this game to bed! A mix-up in the Inter defence allows Adebayor through on goal, but he tries to dink the ball over Handanovic with his weaker left foot. He puts too much on it and sends it over the bar, letting Inter off the hook. He should have done a lot better there.

HALF TIME: Inter Milan 1-0 Tottenham (1-3 on aggregate)

Well, well, well what an intriguing second 45 minutes we have ahead of us here! Inter have been the better team and have threatened on a umber of occasions. Antonio Cassano's goal means that they need two more at least to stand any chance of going through, but they are creating quite a few chances so they will confident of being able to do exactly that.

Inter have also hit the crossbar through Rodrigo Palacio, and the lofted through ball has been their most potent weapon so far today. Spurs are playing with a very high line and Inter are taking full advantage. Will Villas-Boas make a change at the break in order to try and stem the tide? The danger is coming from Inter midfielders being afforded the space to pick up a pass over the top, so taking off a striker and bringing on a midfielder may well be the answer for Villas-Boas.

Adebayor had a gilt-edge chance at the end of the half to equalise things on the night for Spurs. More importantly, it may well have killed the tie off as it would have left Inter leaving four second-half goals rather than just two. He really should've done better with it.

Of course, the tie is still in Tottenham's hands. Ask either manager and they would say that they would rather be in Tottenham's position, but another goal for Inter would really make things tense for Spurs. They have employed their usual tactics, which could well be too attacking for the situation that they find themselves in. It may be a good thing for the neutrals but I'm not sure how wise it is for Tottenham!

Acculmulator going well? Want to take your money now? Check out William Hill's 'CASH IN MY BET' service!

Perhaps Villas-Boas has given his side instructions to look for an away goal until Inter get within one goal of them. I can't imagine that he would persist with these tactics if Inter were to get a second but, at the same time, he knows that a goal would all-but kill this tie off. It's another dilemma for Villas-Boas to ponder.

Inter only have one choice now: attack. If they can get a goal within 10 or so minutes of the restart then they will give themselves a great chance. They will need to be wary of Tottenham's quality on the counter attack so can't throw all caution to the wind just yet, but they have nothing to lose in this second half.

The teams are on their way back out for this second half, and what a second half it could be. This could go down as one of the great European comebacks if Inter can pull it off!

We're back underway at the San Siro, Tottenham kick us off.

Palacio thinks that he has been sent through on goal right at the start of this half but he drifted just a yard offside. That one was close, but Palacio will keep working that high line of Tottenham's.

Adebayor and Defoe try to link up on the edge of the Inter box but the latter's return pass is intercepted. They are two misfiring strikers at the moment and have played that way tonight.

CHANCE! Vertonghen loves a foray forward at the moment! He nicks in ahead of Guarin to win the ball and launches a counter attack, whihc Adebayor continues by showing power and pace in equal measure to beat Juan. His pullback is towards Vertonghen, but his shot is blocked.

GOAL! Inter Milan 2-0 Tottenham (Rodrigo Palacio)

Huge, huge goal for Inter! They now have the best part of 40 minutes to get one goal and force extra time! Cambiasso slipped the ball through to Palacio, who once again beat the offside trap to run through on goal, and he calmly slots it past Friedel. This wasn't in the script for Tottenham! It really is game on now!

Lewis Holtby is getting ready to come on and that is certainly to prevent those through balls being played from midfield. They are what have hurt Spurs tonight.

Bet £25 and get a £25 FREE bet with William Hill. Click here to join now. T&Cs apply, new customers only

TOTTENHAM SUB: There is the change. Holtby comes on for Defoe, and Villas-Boas had no choice but to make that sub. He probably should have made it earlier, if not started like that.

How finely poised is this one now? An Inter goal without reply would send it into extra time, while a Tottenham goal would leave Inter needing three more. Needless to say, the next goal could be the decider.

Adebayor tries to release Holtby down the right, but Zanetti is across to clear the danger. The 39-year-old has played more games for Inter than any other player and just continues to advance his legend there.

Vertonghen has come through the back of Cassano, conceding a free kick about 30 yards out. Good chance for Inter to test Friedel...

...Cassano whips it in rather than shooting. His cross finds the head of Cambiasso, but it is not an easy chance and the midfielder sends his effort over the bar.

Palacio looks to race past Vertonghen on the right and is bundled over, but neither the linesman or ref give a free kick. It seemed like a foul to me but, if not, then it was top defending by the Belgian centre-back.

A quick throw in finds Palacio on the wrong side of Vertonghen inside the box. He tries to hook it into the middle where Cassano is waiting, but Friedel dives on it to halt the attack.

Spurs have responded very well since conceding that second goal. The introduction of Holtby, which has allowed Dembele to move into the middle, has really changed things for the English side and starved the Inter midfield of time and space.

Jonathan has plenty of time to whip a ball into the box but, with three to aim at, overhits it and makes it easy for Tottenham to clear the danger.

SHOT! Zanetti is now sprinting into the opposition area, does this man never stop?! He is slipped in down the left after Holtby just let him run, and he drills a ball towards the far post which Friedel gets in the way of. He was looking for a ball across goal but there was no-one available.

Check out the in-play odds with William Hill

TOTTENHAM SUB: Spurs make an attacking change, which is interesting to see. On comes Lennon for Livermore, which presumably will see Holtby tuck in and Dembele move back alongside Parker.

INTER MILAN SUB: Off comes Guarin for Inter, to be replaced by Ricky Alvarez. He missed Inter's best chance of the first leg so he'll be hoping for better finishing if a chance comes his way in this one!

Holtby gets goalside of Kovacic with a clever turn, but his cross is blocked by Chivu, who loops the ball into the air for Handanovic to claim.

Zanetti is fouled by Walker right on the edge of the box. It's not very central, but Cassano will fancy himself from here. It's a very good shooting position.

GOAL! Inter Milan 3-0 Tottenham (William Gallas og)

Oh my goodness, what a way to draw level in this tie! Cassano's free kick is not good, but takes a deflection off the wall and then another off Gallas, who has left a leg dangling out. Whether it is awarded to Cassano or Gallas is one for the dubious goals committee, but Inter won't care right now, they've levelled this one up! Unbelievable!

YELLOW CARDS! The referee has shown Kyle Walker a yellow card for simulation, and it's a harsh one this time. Holtby has also picked up a yellow for what I can only assume is dissent.

INTER MILAN SUB: Marco Benassi comes on for Kovacic. A real chance for the youngster to make himself a hero here, can Inter grab an unlikely fourth?!

How silly must those thousands and thousands of Inter fans who didn't turn up feel now? They have missed one of the great European comebacks and it could get even better. Even better for the fans who did make the trip that they have been rewarded for their loyalty.

Holtby and Adebayor try to get a shot away on the edge of the box, but each time they are denied by good Inter defending. Cassano races up the other end and wins a free kick for his side, which he will take.

Nervous about the result? Want to 'Cash in your bet'? See how with William Hill.

He plays it short and eventually Inter work it into the box, and Palacio finds himself with a bit of space at the back post. He doesn't have as much time as he thinks and Lennon gets back to stick a foot in and deny the striker.

Palacio whips a dangerous low ball into the box which Naughton has to put behind. Very good cross and now Inter have a corner. They look most likely to score a late one here.

SAVE! Great effort from Naughton. He picks up the tempo and cuts inside on his right before letting fly from range. Handanvic is at full stretch to keep that one out.

Another reminder of what is still capable of happening: If it all stays the same then we will have extra time. If Inter score without reply then they go through, and if Tottenham score then Inter need five. This is so finely balanced!

Cassano has just collided with the referee, and he remains down. The ref bounces straight back up but the player has stayed down! Cassano has had his history with refs and that isn't going to endear them to his anymore.

SHOT! A Cassano cross is cleared by the Tottenham defence, but only as far as Alvarez. His first time strike takes a couple of deflections, threatening to wrong-foot Friedel, but the American recovers to collect.

SHOT! Palacio takes the ball in his stride and bundles his way through a number of challenges before going for goal from the edge of the box with his left foot. He doesn't catch it right, however, and it flies over the bar.

We will have three minutes of added time here. As it stands, we will go into extra time, will we see any late drama?!

CHANCE! What a chance for Inter! They won't get a better chance to win this one. Gallas fails to deal with a ball through, only succeeding in diverting the ball into the path of Cambiasso, who finds himself clean through on goal. The midfielder is not a natural finisher and that really tells as he drags it inches wide. So close!

END OF 90 MINUTES: Inter Milan 3-0 Tottenham (3-3 on aggregate)

Acculmulator going well? Want to take your money now? Check out William Hill's 'CASH IN MY BET' service!

We will have extra time at the San Siro. What a thrilling match this has been so far and we are in store for at least another 30 minutes of it. Full credit to Inter who have fought back from three goals down to bring the tie back level.

Tottenham should not have made such hard work of this one, however. They have been architects of their own downfall really. Villas-Boas got his tactics all wrong and Inter took full advantage. Fair play to the manager for trying to stay positive, but sometimes parking the bus is the best option for his side.

Away goals still apply in extra time, remember. That means that if Spurs get a goal, Inter would need two more.

Inter Milan get us back underway in this one.

CHANCE! Parker slips the ball in to Lennon who has made a diagonal run behind the defence. Just as he pulls the trigger, however, Zanetti is there with a last-gasp challenge. More great defending from the veteran.

CHANCES! Two huge chances in quick succession for Tottenham to get a vital away goal! First, Vertonghen leaps highest in the box to win a header, but Handanovic gets down well to shovel his downward header out for another corner. From that corner, Gallas has a clear header and he powers it towards goal but can't get it on target as he sends it wide. Two really good chances for the away side there.

A good start for Spurs to extra time, then. At no point in this tie have they sat back and invited pressure onto them. Instead they have looked to attack at every available opportunity.

GOAL! Inter Milan 3-1 Tottenham (Emmanuel Adebayor)

HUGE goal for Spurs! Dembele finds space to shoot on the edge of the box and hammers a low effort in. Handanovic gets down well to parry, but it goes straight back into the danger zone where Adebayor slides in to convert into the empty net. Spurs are rewarded for their good start to extra time and Inter now need two goals!

This extra time period is almost unrecognisable from the first 90 minutes as Inter are struggling to get time on the ball. Spurs are dominating at the moment.

Bet £25 and get a £25 FREE bet with William Hill. Click here to join now. T&Cs apply, new customers only

That has certainly silenced the home fans and now all the noise from the San Siro is coming from the away fans.

Cassano gets into a good position down the left after a good pass from Cambiasso. He tries to work space to cross, which he does well, but Friedel is there to hold on to the ball before it can reach any Inter players.

TOTTENHAM SUB: There is a long stoppage as Naughton is down. He will not be able to continue and is replaced by Steven Caulker.

CHANCE! An Inter corner is too long but put back into the area but Juan. Palacio eventually gets his head on the ball and has a good chance to beat Friedel, but he heads it into the ground and in the end it is easy for the Spurs keeper.

We will have two minutes of stoppage time in this first half of extra time.

In fact, we will have more than that as Dembele has stayed down since that Palacio chance. He took a knock to the head as Palacio got up to nod that one goalwards.

Dembele is groggy but looks like he may be able to continue. That is great news for Spurs as they have made all three subs.

SHOT! Caulker fails to deal with the ball, allowing Palacio to fire a vicious shot in at goal, but it is from a pretty tight angle which makes it fairly comfortable for Friedel.

Cassano clips a beauty of the ball in towards Gargano in the box, but the midfielder can't bring it down and the danger is cleared. Inter are still threatening, but time is running out for them.

HALF TIME OF EXTRA TIME: Inter Milan 3-1 Tottenham (3-4 on aggregate)

Check out the in-play odds with William Hill

Now is surely the time to park the bus for Spurs. A goal would give Inter new hope and would make for an incredibly tense finale.

We're back underway at the San Siro.

SAVE! Cassano immediately looks to pull a goal back for Inter as he curls an effort towards the far corner, only for Friedel to leap full stretch to tip it wide. Good effort and an even better save.

INTER MILAN SUB: There is confusion as to who exactly is coming off for Inter, but eventually it is Jonathan who is replaced by Ranocchia, who goes straight up front despite being a natural centre-back.

The match is being interrupted by a number of stoppages at the moment, which is good from Tottenham's point of view as Inter cannot string together a good period of possession.

GOAL! Inter Milan 4-1 Tottenham (Ricky Alvarez)

Unbelievable! What a finish we are in for now! Cassano works space, as he has done all night, to clip a superb ball into the back post where Alvarez is waiting, unmarked, to nod it beyond Friedel, who got a hand to it but couldn't keep it out. What a final 10 minutes we have on our hands here, and what a match!

Remember, Tottenham still lead this tie on away goals, so as things stand are still going through. It is pretty much next goal wins right now.

Gargano and Sigurdsson collide as the latter looks to come forward and you can be sure that he will stay down for as long as possible here. Free kick to Spurs.

YELLOW CARD! Juan picks up a booking in his desperation to win the ball back from Adebayor.

Nervous about the result? Want to 'Cash in your bet'? See how with William Hill.

YELLOW CARD! Adebayor now gets his name in the book for kicking out at Gargano when the Inter man was looking to break out from defence.

Inter win a corner and take it very quickly, floating the ball towards Ranocchia at the back post. He rises higher than Caulker but can't direct his header anywhere near the goal.

Cassano looks for a similar pass to the one that led to Inter's fourth goal, but this time Alvarez misjudged the flight of the ball and it goes out for a goal kick. Cassano looks like he will hold the key to any late drama for Inter here.

Cassano and Palacio link up on the left and the latter tries to drill a ball ino the box but it is cleared behind for a corner...and here comes to keeper!

The ref is not happy with some action inside the box, adding even more to the suspense.

CHANCE! The keeper has come up but for some reason they play the corner short! They eventually get it into the middle and it finds Ranocchia, who rises highest but sends his header way over the bar when he should have done better. Big chance!

We will have two minutes of added time here. Two minutes for Spurs to hold on or two minutes for Inter to get another!

Cassano races towards the edge of the box but he is caught by the fresher legs of Lennon and dispossessed. Less than a minute left now!

FULL TIME: Inter Milan 4-1 Tottenham Hotspur (4-4 on aggregate - Tottenham win on away goals)

What a thrilling, gripping and nail-biting game of football! Superb advert for the game as Inter came back from 3-0 down on aggregate to send the match into extra time. Spurs got the all-important away goal in the 96th minute but Inter responded with yet another goal. They couldn't get the one more they needed, however, as Spurs held on to secure their place in the next round of the Europa League.

Acculmulator going well? Want to take your money now? Check out William Hill's 'CASH IN MY BET' service!

Inter's performance in this match was so much better than they managed last week and they thoroughly deserved the win on the night. Over the two legs, Tottenham deserved to go through, but Inter really made them work for it.

Spurs, on the other hand, were not as good as they were last week. They weren't particularly bad, but they were too attacking for the situation they found themselves in. Playing two strikers rather than five midfielders from the start was a mistake, I think, and it led to a number of Inter's goals as their midfield could pick out passes to the front two.

Right, that's it from me tonight. Thank you for joining Sports Mole for a fantastic night of European football - who says that teams don't take the Europa League seriously?! There was so much drama packed into the 120 minutes tonight and it will go down as one of the great Europa League ties for sure. I will leave you with Jack Prescott's match report so you can relive this thrilling night of football! Be sure to check out Chelsea and Newcastle, both of whom are in European action right now and you can find live coverage of their matches on site now. From me, though, it's goodbye and good night!

ID:74179: cacheID:74179:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:68670:
Written by
Barney Corkhill
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Spurs striker Jermaine Defoe celebrates his opener against Aston Villa on December 26, 2012
Read Next:
Team News: Defoe, Adebayor start for Spurs
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
1.15am
Rams
@
49ers
Tables header RHS

League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
1Lazio651016
2Athletic Bilbao651016
3Anderlecht642014
4Lyon641113
5Frankfurt641113
6Galatasaray633012
7Man Utd633012
8Rangers632111
9Spurs632111
10FCSB632111
11Real Sociedad631210
12Ajax631210
13Bodo/Glimt631210
14Roma62319
15Olympiacos62319
16Ferencvaros63039
17Plzen62319
18AZ62228
19Fenerbahce62228
20Porto62228
21Union SG62228
22Braga62137
23Elfsborg62137
24PAOK62137
25Midtjylland62137
26M. Tel Aviv62046
27Hoffenheim61326
28Besiktas62046
29Slavia Prague61144
30FC Twente60424
31Malmo61144
32Ludogorets60333
33Qarabag61053
34RFS60242
35Nice60242
36Dynamo Kiev60060


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!