Champions League nights await Spurs, Ajax

Tottenham, inspired by a Peter Crouch hat-trick, crushed unheralded Swiss outfit Young Boys and former European champions Ajax overcame Dynamo Kiev in Champions League play-off action last night.

Joining this pair in the lucrative group phase were French side Auxerre, Slovakian outfit Zilina, and FC Copenhagen.

Yesterday’s play-off winners go into today’s group stage draw along with Tuesday’s triumphant quintet – Sporting Braga, Werder Bremen, Partizan Belgrade, Hapoel Tel-Aviv and Basel.

These 10 play-off qualifiers go into the pot in Monaco with the 22 European heavyweights who gained automatic admission to the group phase.

Spurs are making their Champions League debut and their first foray into Europe’s top flight competition for half a century.

Yesterday’s 4-0 rout saw the north Londoners safely through 6-3 on aggregate to ensure last season‘s performance in pipping big-spending Manchester City to fourth in the Premier League hadn’t been in vain.

Crouch settled Spurs’ nerves’ in the rain at White Hart Lane with a fifth minute opener, with his fellow England international Jermain Defoe adding a second after the half hour with a little help from his left hand.

Tottenham, the first English side to taste European glory with a 1963 Cup Winners Cup triumph, emerged for the second half with Carlo Cudicini replacing injured Heurelho Gomes in goal.

The Italian didn’t have a great deal to do however with Crouch completing his first European hat-trick, his third goal coming from the penalty spot, to set the home fans dreaming of more memorable Champions League nights to come over the winter.

“We came out and played exceptionally well tonight,” said Crouch.

“To have the chance to play Inter or Real Madrid at White Hart Lane...that’s why we worked so hard last year, we want massive games.”

FC Copenhagen scraped into the group phase, overcoming Norwegian neighbours Rosenborg 1-0 leaving the tie balanced at 2-2 with the Danish capital side going through on away goals.

In yesterday’s other ‘derby’ encounter Zilina, who had scraped past Birkirkara in the second qualifying round, beat Czech rivals Sparta Prague 1-0 for a resounding 3-0 aggregate win.

The game was marred when 16 people were injured in violent clashes between fans and police before the kick-off.

Auxerre, who finished a surprising third in the French first division last season, earned their place in Thursday’s draw with a 2-0 second leg win over 2008 UEFA Cup winners’ Zenit St Petersburg from Russia for a 3-2 aggregate victory.

Dutch giants Ajax booked their ticket after goals from Uruguayan captain Luis Suarez and Mounir El Hamdaoui saw them through 3-2 on aggregate against Dinamo Kiev.

Play-offs, second legs

Auxerre vs Zenit SP 2-0 (Auxerre win 2-1 on aggregate); FC Copenhagen vs Rosenborg 1-0 (agg: 2-2; FC Copenhagen through on away goals); MSK Zilina vs Sparta Prague 1-0 (Zilina win 3-0 on aggregate); Tottenham vs Young Boys 4-0 (Tottenham win 6-3 on aggregate); Ajax vs Dynamo Kiev 2-1 (Ajax win 3-2 on aggregate).

Played On Tuesday

Hapoel Tel Aviv vs Salzburg 1-1 (Hapoel win 4-3 on aggregate); Sheriff vs Basel 0-3 (Basel win 4-0 on aggregate); Anderlecht vs Partizan Belgrade 2-2; Sevilla vs Braga 3-4 (Braga win 5-3 on aggregate); Sampdoria vs Werder Bremen 3-2 (aet; Werder win 5-4 on aggregate).