UEL: Spurs start Europa League campaign with a win
Tottenham Hotspur 3 - 0 Qarabag
Tottenham kicked off their Europa League campaign with an impressive win against Qarabag, despite being reduced to 10 men just seven minutes into the match.
This was great preparation as Spurs will face an important few weeks in different competitions. For this match, there was a 35-minute delay to the start due to various travel disruptions across London.
A closer look at what happened
Spurs suffered an early setback when defender Radu Dragusin was sent off for a last-man foul on Juninho, who was through on goal.
Nevertheless, five minutes later Brennan Johnson found the net, capitalising on Qarabag's sloppy attempt to play out from the back. Dominic Solanke set up the 23-year-old, who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner, marking his third goal in as many games.
Tottenham doubled their lead in the 52nd minute through Pape Sarr, who controlled a loose ball at the far post before firing it home.
Qarabag were awarded a penalty just three minutes later after Yves Bissouma fouled Elvin Cafarquliyev, but Toral Bayramov's poorly taken spot-kick bounced off the crossbar.
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| Spurs fans and players celebrate |
Despite creating numerous chances, the Azerbaijan Premier League champions lacked the finishing touch, with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario making some important saves. In contrast, Spurs displayed clinical finishing at the other end, and Solanke sealed the victory in the 68th minute after Qarabag keeper Mateusz Kochalski parried Son Heung-min's long-range effort into his path, allowing him to finish confidently.
Tottenham's strength in depth
Manager Ange Postecoglou gave 18-year-olds Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray their second starts for Spurs. However, Dragusin's early red card forced Postecoglou to substitute Bergvall for defender Destiny Udogie. The young Swede, who turned down a move to Barcelona to join Spurs in the summer, looked disappointed on the bench as his chance to impress was cut short.
Despite the challenges, there were plenty of positives for Postecoglou to take away. His young players gained valuable experience, Spurs kept a clean sheet despite being a man down, and summer signings Solanke and Johnson both netted confidence-boosting goals.
However, Tottenham's all-out attacking style often left them exposed to counter-attacks. Qarabag might have wondered what more they could do to score, with Juninho having a goal disallowed for offside, Bayramov going close on several occasions, and Vicario pulling off a superb save to deny Cafarquliyev's long-range shot.
One concern for Spurs could be the sight of Son Heung-min limping off in the second half. Tottenham will be hoping he's fit for their Premier League clash against Manchester United on Sunday, followed by a trip to Hungary to face Ferencvaros next week.
The best reaction
Greg, a Spurs fan currently living in Halifax, told us: "Great start to our Europa League campaign. Seeing Brennan Johnson and Solanke score was great and the icing on the cake. We move on to Sunday now."
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