Woes for Tottenham continue, AC Milan rout Heerenveen: UEFA Cup

LONDON, Oct 24: Udinese inflicted more misery on hapless Tottenham Hotspur with a 2-0 UEFA group stage victory on Thursday over the London side who contributed to their own downfall through poor goalkeeping and ill-discipline.

Competition favourites AC Milan brushed aside Heerenveen 3-1 to make a confident start in Group E while Sevilla, winners in 2006 and 2007, eased to a 2-0 home win over VfB Stuttgart in Group C.

In-form Udinese’s victory over Spurs increased the pressure on under-fire Spanish coach Juande Ramos, whose side prop up the Premier League and failed to finish with 11 men for the second successive match.

Udinese, second in Serie A, were gifted the chance to take the lead midway through the first half when Tottenham keeper Heurelho Gomes failed to clear a backpass and then fouled Fabio Quagliarella to stop the Italian striker gaining possession.

Fellow Italian international Antonio Di Natale swept home the penalty. Spurs, who had two players sent off in their defeat by Stoke City at the weekend, were reduced to 10 men just before the hour when Jamie O’Hara was booked twice in a minute.

A swift break secured the Group D points for Udinese four minutes from time with Simone Pepe firing home.

Milan took a full-strength squad to Heerenveen and Carlo Ancelotti’s side made class count, stamping their authority on the game with two goals in the first 23 minutes.

An own goal from defender Calvin Jong-A-Pin, who diverted in Kaka’s cross, and a rare appearance on the scoresheet by midfielder Gennaro Gattuso put Milan in control.

Filippo Inzaghi made it 3-0 after 69 minutes, prompting Ancelotti to bring off Inzaghi, Kaka and Shevchenko and replace them with Ronaldinho, Marek Jankulovski and Alexandre Pato.

Sampdoria completed a fine night for Serie A sides, winning 2-1 at Partizan Belgrade in Group C.

CSKA Moscow’s talented teenage playmaker Alan Dzagoyev scored twice as the 2005 winners opened their Group H campaign with a 3-0 win at home to Deportivo Coruna.

Aston Villa got the better of Ajax Amsterdam in a pulsating clash between two former European champions as they edged their Group F rivals 2-1 at Villa Park.

Hamburg won 2-1 in Slovakia against Zilina in Group F with Croatian internationals Mladen Petric and Ivica Olic getting their goals, while 1997 winners Schalke 04 brushed aside Paris St Germain 3-1 in their Group A tie in Gelsenkirchen.

Thursday’s collated group stage results:

Group A

Schalke 04 3 Paris SG 1

FC Twente 1 Racing Santander 0

Group B

Galatasaray 1 Olympiakos 0

Hertha Berlin 1 Benfica 1

Group C

Sevilla 2 VfB Stuttgart 0

Partizan Belgrade 1 Sampdoria 2

Group D

Udinese 2 Tottenham 0