Tottenham routs Inter at White Hart Lane
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tottenham is well-positioned to advance to the quarterfinals of the Europa League after picking up a 3-0 defeat of Inter Milan at White Hart Lane on Thursday.
Spurs found themselves with a two-goal lead inside the opening 18 minutes as Gareth Bale and Gylfi Sigurdsson put the English side in a comfortable position.
Bale's goal, his 14th in as many games across all competitions, came from a glancing header to the back post after just six minutes. Sigurdsson made it two on the stroke of 18 minutes with his second goal in three games.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tottenham extended its lead just eight minutes into the second half when Jan Vertonghen sent a corner kick past Samir Handanovic with a powerful header. The Inter 'keeper got a hand to the shot but was unable to keep it out.
The only snag for Andre Villas-Boas' men came in the 15th minute when Bale was cautioned for simulation, meaning that the Welshman will miss the next match through yellow card accumulation.
But the three-goal advantage certainly puts Tottenham firmly in the driver's seat, leaving Inter with a mountain to climb when the two sides square off at the San Siro on March 14.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The two remaining English clubs involved in Europa League action were not quite as fortunate as Spurs on Thursday.
Chelsea, reigning European champions, suffered a 1-0 loss at Steaua Bucurest as Raul Rusescu's converted a penalty kick in the 34th minute, and Newcastle was held to a 0-0 draw by Anzhi in Russia.
Lazio looks a strong bet to progress to the quarterfinals after the Italian side picked up a 2-0 win over Stuttgart at the Mercedes Benz Arena on Thursday. Honorato Campos Ederson and Ogenyi Onazi produced the goods to give the Serie A club a comfortable edge with two vital away goals.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Elsewhere in Europa League action on Thursday, Fenerbahce garnered a 1-0 win at Viktoria Plzen, Benfica needed a first-half own goal from Cedric Carrasso to earn a 1-0 win over Bordeaux, Basel scored twice in the final eight minutes to claim a 2-0 victory over Zenit and both Levante and Rubin Kazan were reduced to 10 men in a 0-0 draw in Valencia.