An Emmanuel Adebayor brace helped take Real Madrid within touching distance of their first semi-final appearance in the Champions League for eight years with a 4-0 first leg victory over 10-man Tottenham Hotspur at the Santiago Bernabeu. Madrid took the lead in the second minute through Emmanuel Adebayor’s headed effort, inflicting the worst possible start for the English side which had already seen the withdrawal of Aaron Lennon from the starting eleven before kick-off. Tottenham’s evening deteriorated further when Peter Crouch was sent off for two bookable offences inside the opening 20 minutes. Madrid doubled their lead soon after half-time when Adebayor was left unmarked in the area to head home his and his side’s second goal with noticeable ease. Angel Di Maria scored the goal of the night when his venomous effort screamed into the top corner to extend Madrid’s lead to 3-0. Ronaldo added insult to injury in the dying minutes when his half-volley crept under Gomes’ outstretched hand gifting Madrid their fourth goal of the night. Los Blancos forced an early corner after good work from Mesut Oezil. The German midfielder proceeded to swing in a corner for the unmarked Adebayor to head home despite Luka Modric’s last ditch efforts to clear it off the line. Tottenham navigated the next ten minutes looking to steady the ship and they had successfully managed it until Crouch lunged in recklessly earning himself his second yellow card. Madrid showed their class within minutes of Spurs being reduced to ten men with Angel Di Maria lifting a ball into Oezil with world class precision only for William Gallas to recover admirably. Whenever Spurs managed to get on the ball Madrid used their extra man to squeeze the game forcing the Londoners into the mistake. Tottenham did manage to find a sudden burst of energy when Heurelho Gomes released Gareth Bale down the left; the Welshman didn’t need a second invitation to stride forward at pace. Xabi Alonso came across to put the ball out for a throw which Bale took immediately. The throw found Rafael Van der Vaart, who controlled it giftedly in the six yard area before Carvalho nicked the ball off his toe. Revitalised by the chance for Van der Vaart, Michael Dawson sent a wonderful diagonal ball into Bale’s path. The winger took it down on his chest with ease and cut across Sergio Ramos but could only hammer his shot into the side netting. Real Madrid looked to re-establish their assertiveness on the game and they came within inches of doubling their lead. Sergio Ramos crept in unnoticed at the far post and directed a wonderful half-volley header to Adebayor who was a whisker away of putting the ball into the net. Los Blancos played simply beautiful football before the half-time whistle, perhaps being guilty of attempting one too many passes. Marcelo opted to lay the ball off for Adebayor after Madrid had played some scrumptious one touch football but the striker’s shot was blocked valiantly by Dawson. The defender was in the thick of the action moments later when he appeared to block Angel Di Maria’s shot with his arm in the penalty area but the referee remained unmoved, much to the amazement and disappointment of the Bernabeu faithful. The second-half began as the first ended, Real Madrid camped in the Spurs half. Jermaine Defoe was introduced at half-time for the tiring Van der Vaart but the Englishman first touch didn’t come until the 53rd minute, illustrating the Spanish side’s dominance. Los Blancos doubled their lead soon after when they worked a quick corner-kick. Marcelo sent in a beautiful cross which Adebayor diverted past a wrong-footed Gomes with a looping header in the 57th minute to score his 10th goal in 10 games against Spurs. Tottenham’s best chance of the second half fell to Bale who latched onto Pepe’s poor control but the Welshman failed to get his shot away. Adebayor looked to complete his hat-trick of headers when he reached a deep cross only to see his dipping header palmed over by a brilliant save. Gomes was called into further action when Ronaldo fired a shot towards goal which the Brazilian unorthodoxly parried away to safety. The ‘keeper, though, could do nothing to keep out Di Maria’s wonderful strike moments later. The Argentine cut in from the right flank onto his preferred left foot and rifled an unstoppable shot into the opposite corner. Defoe looked to profit on a Pepe mistake late on but the defender recovered well before the opportunity could develop. Ronaldo’s half volley epitomised Tottenham’s night when his skidded effort evaded Gomes’ weak hand to put los Blancos four goals to the good ahead of the return leg at White Hart Lane in a week’s time. Tottenham, the miracle workers will not resign this tie until the full-time whistle but Harry Redknapp's men will realise more than a miracle is required if they are to progress further in the debut season in the Champions League. Source: Goal.com