(CNN) -- Titleholders Inter Milan gave newcomers Tottenham a Champions League lesson on Wednesday night before the English club's young winger Gareth Bale underlined his status as one of football's most promising prospects.
Inter moved three points clear at the top of Group A after leading 4-0 inside 35 minutes, but needed to withstand a late onslaught as Wales international Bale scored a second-half hat-trick.
The Italians went ahead after just 68 seconds as captain Javier Zanetti calmly sidefooted past Heurelho Gomes from a Samuel Eto'o pass, and the Brazilian goalkeeper was sent off six minutes later for bringing down winger Jonathan Biabiany.
Eto'o buried the resulting penalty once Gomes finally departed, having been twice shown a red card, as the Cameroon striker beat replacement keeper Carlo Cudicini for his 13th goal in 12 games this season.
Inter midfielder Dejan Stankovic made it 3-0 in the 14th minute with a shot from the edge of the area as Inter's crisp passing once again bamboozled the Tottenham defense.
Eto'o, reveling in his central role in the absence of the injured Diego Milito, scored his second with a shot which deflected under Cudicini's body after he ran on to teenager Philippe Coutinho's measured throughball.
CNN
