London: AC Milan advanced to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the primary time since 2012 because the Italian champions held out for a 0-0 draw at 10-man Tottenham to win 1-0 on combination.
A Eu removal scorching at the heels of an go out from the FA Cup manner Tottenham’s 15-year wait to win a trophy will prolong for a minimum of some other season.
Antonio Conte’s go back to the touchline didn’t encourage a reaction from his aspect as Tottenham have been toothless in assault and needed to play the general 12 mins a person down as Cristian Romero used to be despatched off for 2 bookable offences.
Kick-off used to be not on time by means of 10 mins after the later arrival of either side because of site visitors congestion, however it took a long way longer for the competition to get going.
Conte used to be again in price after taking extra time after the primary leg to get well from gallbladder surgical operation.
The Italian used to be his standard animated self and used to be proven a yellow card by means of referee Clement Turpin for his protestations at a reserving for Clement Lenglet.
Then again, his avid gamers lacked the similar power as Spurs didn’t upward push to the instance.
Milan produced the only piece of creativeness befitting of a Champions League knockout tie earlier than the destroy as a well-worked free-kick discovered Junior Messias, however the Brazilian dragged his shot broad.
Spurs had misplaced 4 in their earlier six video games, together with defeat to second-tier Sheffield United within the FA Cup.
The house improve may now not disguise their frustration because the half-time whistle used to be met with a smattering of boos.
Conte used to be not able to impress a reaction on the destroy as Spurs wanted stand-in goalkeeper Fraser Forster to stay them within the tie.
Brahim Diaz scored the one function of the primary leg and his jinking run throughout the Spurs field simply lacked the end as Forster’s outstretched leg deflected the ball to protection.
Spurs a minimum of pressured Mike Maignan right into a save 25 mins from time as he tipped over Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s strike.
Conte gambled by means of switching to a entrance 4 for the general 20 mins with Richarlison becoming a member of Harry Kane, Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min up entrance.
However there used to be nonetheless valuable little carrier for Kane and hope of a Tottenham fightback disappeared with Romero.
The Argentine frequently treads a superb line along with his self-discipline and noticed purple for the 3rd time in his Spurs occupation after lunging in on Theo Hernandez.
Kane got here closest to an equaliser when his header from a Son free-kick used to be effectively stored by means of Maignan low to his proper in stoppage time.
Milan must have made positive of victory at the evening in addition to on combination however Sandro Tonali wasted some other superb probability by means of going for function himself with teammates in improve earlier than Divock Origi’s effort got here backpedal the interior of the submit.
Nevertheless it didn’t subject because the seven-time Eu champions held company to finish greater than a decade of ready to achieve the ultimate 8.