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Champions League Roundup, Feb. 15


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Updated Feb 15, 2011 7:10 PM ET
Peter Crouch's valuable away goal for Tottenham secured a 1-0 victory at AC Milan and Raul Gonzalez also scored on the road in Schalke's 1-1 draw at Valencia as the Champions League last-16 phase began Tuesday.
Aaron Lennon launched an electrifying counterattack from inside the Tottenham half before sweeping the ball across for Crouch to score in the 80th minute.


"When I beat the first defender and saw Crouchy was free I was always going to put it across to him," Lennon said.
A heated second-half ended at the San Siro with Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso charging toward the Tottenham bench and headbutting assistant coach Joe Jordan having been involved in an earlier altercation.
"(Gattuso) always seems to get involved, he got involved with me as well as Joe Jordan," Crouch said.
The night's other match in Valencia was calmer despite Schalke midfielder Lukas Schmitz being sent off for a second booking toward the end.
Raul marked his return to Spain for the first time since his offseason move from Real Madrid by extending his Champions League record to 69 goals when he canceled out Roberto Soldado's first-half goal for Valencia.
The second batch of last-16 matches is on Wednesday when Barcelona is at Arsenal AS Roma hosts Shakhtar Donetsk.
Tottenham returned Tuesday to the scene of one of the most startling results in Europe this season. The competition newcomers recovered from 4-0 down at the San Siro to narrowly lose 4-3 against Inter Milan in the group stage.
But this time, Tottenham was without speedy midfielder Gareth Bale, who scored a hat trick against AC Milan's rival.

Tue., Feb. 15
AC Milan 0-1 Tottenham | Recap
Valencia 1-1 Schalke | Recap
Wed., Feb. 16
Arsenal vs. Barcelona | Preview
AS Roma vs. Shakhtar Donetsk | Preview
Tue., Feb. 22
Copenhagen vs. Chelsea
Lyon vs. Real Madrid
Wed., Feb. 23
Marseille vs. Manchester United
Inter Milan vs. Bayern Munich
CL Scores | Tables | Fixtures

Spurs were aggrieved not to have been awarded a penalty in the opening minutes when Alessandro Nesta appeared to lean and use his arm to block Rafael van der Vaart's cross.
After a tight first half, Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes pulled off fine saves from two Mario Yepes headers to keep his side in the match.
Mathieu Flamini was fortunate not to be sent off after a two-footed challenge on Tottenham defender Vedran Corluka, who was carried off and later re-emerged on crutches with his right foot wrapped up.
"How has he not got a red card for that?" Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp said. "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."
After Crouch's sixth goal in eight European matches this season, Zlatan Ibrahimovic thought he had equalized in stoppage time, but his overhead kick was ruled out for a two-handed push into the back of Tottenham captain Michael Dawson.
"It was a great game of football," Crouch said. "I thought we limited them to not many chances and I think we were the better side. It's a fantastic achievement. I just had to keep up with Azza (Lennon) at the end (for the goal)."
Raul now leads AC Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi by one goal in the overall UEFA tally, having scored 71 goals in European competitions.
The latest came at the Mestalla Stadium when he held off defender David Navarro before slotting a shot inside the far post beyond outstretched goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.
Substitute Junmin Hao came close to grabbing a winner for Schalke in the 90th but he was denied by Guaita's fingertip save.
Valencia went ahead in the 17th minute at home when Soldado redirected Jeremy Mathieu's deep cross past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer at the near post.
Valencia hasn't beaten Schalke in three games at the Mestalla, with all ending in draws. Its last win over a German opponent on home soil was in 1996.
 
Tottenham beats AC Milan 1-0 at San Siro


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Updated Feb 15, 2011 6:58 PM ET
Peter Crouch's late goal gave Tottenham Hotspur a 1-0 win at Serie A leader AC Milan in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie on Tuesday.
Crouch scored with 10 minutes remaining after Aaron Lennon had broken clear from his own half.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic thought he scored an injury time equalizer, but his overhead kick was ruled out for a push on Spurs captain Michael Dawson.


The Milan players' frustration boiled over at the final whistle and Genaro Gattuso appeared to headbutt Tottenham assistant coach Joe Jordan - a former Milan player - before both sets of players began scuffling.
Milan captain Gattuso, who had earlier shoved Jordan during the match, was also booked in the 75th minute and will miss the return leg at White Hart Lane.
It was an unseemly end to a match in which Tottenham again impressed at the San Siro, having recovered from 4-0 down to 4-3 against Inter Milan in the group stage earlier in the season.
Crouch was picked up front, with Jermain Defoe on the bench, and Harry Redknapp had clearly set up his side to target Crouch's height as a way to trouble the Milan defense.
The England international came close to scoring in the fifth. Vedran Corluka crossed from the right, Crouch won the ball in the air, but his shot lacked power and was easily held by Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati.
The pair nearly combined again four minutes later when Alessandro Nesta failed to head clear, but Abbiati reached Corluka's cross as Crouch was poised to head on goal.
Abbiati stopped Tottenham again in the 11th. Corluka released Lennon on the right and the goalkeeper pushed away his cross, with Luca Antonini clearing the danger.

Tue., Feb. 15
AC Milan 0-1 Tottenham | Recap
Valencia 1-1 Schalke | Recap
Wed., Feb. 16
Arsenal vs. Barcelona | Preview
AS Roma vs. Shakhtar Donetsk | Preview
Tue., Feb. 22
Copenhagen vs. Chelsea
Lyon vs. Real Madrid
Wed., Feb. 23
Marseille vs. Manchester United
Inter Milan vs. Bayern Munich
CL Scores | Tables | Fixtures

Corluka and Crouch then combined to set up Rafael van der Vaart for a shot, which Abbiati held. It was Abbiati's last major contribution though. Shortly afterward he was stretchered off after colliding with Crouch while challenging for a ball in mid-air and replaced by Marco Amelia.
Finally Milan created a chance, but Spurs goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes blocked Ibrahimovic's powerful effort from the left.
The Swede then felt he should have had a penalty after he went down under a clumsy challenge by Sandro, but referee Stephane Lannoy waved away Milan's appeals.
Tottenham continued to keep the host pinned back and Van Der Vaart had a shot tipped over the bar for a corner by Amelia.
Alexandre Pato replaced Clarence Seedorf at the break, but Tottenham had the first chance of the second half as Van Der Vaart chipped narrowly wide.
Milan hit back immediately. Gattuso crossed from a poorly cleared corner and Gomes scooped Mario Yepes' powerful header out from under the bar.
The match began to increase in tempo and Mathieu Flamini was booked for a foul on Corluka that led to the Croat being carried off on a stretcher. He returned to the bench on crutches with his right foot bandaged.
The Brazilian again denied Yepes in the 60th diving to his right to block the Colombian's header after Thiago Silva had whipped in a corner.
Spurs scored when Lennon led a counterattack from his own half. After rounding Yepes and drawing Nesta, he squared across goal for Crouch to have the simple task of slotting the ball low past Amelia into the corner of the goal.
In injury time Dawson came to his side's rescue when he flung himself at Robinho's shot before Ibrahimovic's acrobatic effort was ruled out.
 
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