After 45 minutes plus one minute of stoppage time, it’s 1-0 Real Madrid over ten-man Tottenham Hotspur. An early goal from Emmanuel Adebayor from a corner set the tone, and Spurs’ disaster continued when Peter Crouch picked up two yellow cards in eight minutes and was duly dismissed. Aaron Lennon was taken sick right before the match and his replacement Jermaine Jenas has re-defined ‘anonymous’, and although Gareth Bale has looked dangerous on the ball the home sides are in complete and total control. One of the few things that’s gone right for the visitors is Pepe’s yellow card for a foul on Bale - the centre back is now suspended for the return leg.
Real Madrid Vs. Tottenham Hotspur, 2011 UEFA Champions League: Advantage Real At Half Time
Tottenham might have had a tiny bit of luck, too. Right at the end of the half, Real Madrid had just had a clear-cut penalty kick denied by referee Felix Brych after a shot from Angel di Maria, with Michael Dawson making a point blank block using both arms. For whatever reason (pity?) the host’s appeals were waved away by the referee, and Adebayor had similar luck when he went tumbling in the box a few minutes later. 2-0 would have been a more fitting scoreline considering Madrid’s dominance here, but it’s hard to see the hosts being anything but pleased with the way the first half went.
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