Bienvenu 13       Pavlyuchenko 83

                                                                                                      Hochstrasser 28

Tottenham partially overcame a nightmare first half-hour in the Champions League to go into next week’s second leg against Swiss side Young Boys as favourites to advance to the competition’s group stage.

Harry Redknapp’s men were three goals down in 28 minutes against a side whose greater match fitness and familiarity with the artificial surface at their Stade Suisse home stood to them in the early stages.

Young Boys went ahead on four minutes. Thierry Doubai’s long-range effort deflected off an offside Ammar Jemal to Senad Lulic, who made no mistake with his left-foot finish.

They doubled their advantage nine minutes later, Henri Bienvenu taking full advantage of Michael Dawson’s woeful control, racing clear of Spurs’ captain and slotting the ball cleverly past keeper Heurelho Gomes.

Xavier Hochstrasser converted Moreno Costanzo’s sliderule pass to make it 3-0 on 28 minutes. But Sebastien Bassong’s 42^nd minute header from Gareth Bale’s corner gave Spurs a half-time lifeline.

Spurs were better after the interval, although Young Boys substitute Christian Schneuwly fired over twice from good positions inside the penalty area.

And the previously ineffectual Roman Pavlyuchenko hammered home Robbie Keane’s perfectly-weighted pass on 83 minutes to set up a cracking second leg.