Consent Preferences Spurs Odyssey Europa League Match Report - Spurs v Elfsborg, 30.01.25
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February 28, 2025

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Spurs v Elfsborg, 30.01.25

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE
(Matchday 8)
THURSDAY 30TH JANUARY, 2025
(8PM)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3(0) ELFSBORG 0(0)

Scorers:-
Scarlett, 70
Ajayi, 84
Moore, 90+4

Attendance:- 57,337

Referee:- Sebastian Gishamer AUT
Assistants:- Roland Riedel & Santino Schreiner AUT
Fourth official:- Walter Altmann AUT
VAR:- Alan Kijas AUT
Assistant VAR:- Dragomir Draganov BUL

Teams:-
Spurs (4-3-3):- 40. Austin; 23. Pedro Porro, 14. Gray, 37. Van de Ven (sub 6. Dragusin, 46) (sub 44. Scarlett, 66), 33. Davies; 29. Sarr, 30. Bentancur (sub 8. Bissouma, 46), 15. Bergvall; 47. Moore, 9. Richarlison (sub 63. Ajayi, 81), 7. Son (Capt.) (sub 21. Kulusevski, 46)
(Armband to Davies)

Subs not used:- 20. Forster, 41. Whiteman (GKs); 59. Casanova, 79. Hardy; 57. Kyerematen, 64. Olusesi; 42. Lankshear

Booked:- Bergvall (foul on Hedlund)

Elfsborg (5-4-1):- 31. Pettersson; 15. Hedlund, 8. Holmen (Capt.), 4. Henriksson (sub 12. Holten, 86), 2. Yegbe, 23. Hult (sub 11. Gudmundsson, 86); 18. Qasem, 27. B. Zeneli, 7. Thomasen (sub 19. Kaib, 81), 20. Rapp (sub 26. Richtner, 81); 14. Abdullai (sub 17. Frick, 80)

Subs not used:- 1. Uppenberg, 30. Bundgaard Sorensen (GKs); 5. Aronsson, 13. Larsson, 29. Ibrahim Buhari; 28, Ostman; 9. A. Zeneli

No bookings

The kids are alright!

Spurs v Elfsborg, 30.01.24

Three young academy products (two of whom came off the Spurs bench in the second half) won the game, together with the headlines as they each scored their first senior goals for the club.

20-year-old Dane Scarlett was recalled from his loan at Oxford this month and now he has appeared for Spurs, he won't be going out on loan again this season. Dane made his senior debut in November 2020 and last appeared for the first team at the end of last season. He set the ball rolling when he headed in Kulusevski's cross in the 66th minute.

To be honest, Elfsborg never looked like scoring and Scarlett's goal was probably enough to settle the result. However, debutant 19-year-old Damola Ajayi scored a very neat goal on his club debut (assisted by Scarlett) before Mikey Moore (still only 17 remember) scored his first senior goal almost on the stroke of full time. The kids are alright!

Spurs finished fourth in the 36-team league table with 17 points and have earned themselves a little respite with two free matchdays and a pass to the Round of 16. We have only got to play 6 games in February now!

Mickey van de Ven made a welcome return and got 45 first half minutes under his belt. Archie Gray played to his right and Ben Davies was at left back. The back four formation changed a couple of times in the second half. Dragusin, Bissouma and Kulusevski had been held on the bench, and all came on after the interval. Dragusin only lasted 20 minutes worryingly twisting his knee. He must be a doubt for Sunday's game at Brentford.

Mikey Moore spent the first half playing on the right and had some useful combinations with Pedro Porro.

It's all about levels, of course, But Son had his best half of the season against Hedlund, easily beating his man and offering decent crosses and passes. Elfsborg had clearly come to defend a point and soon reverted to a 5-4-1 formation, which Spurs struggled to circumvent, although they did create a few chances and gave goalkeeper Pettersson a couple of challenging saves to make.

There were a few empty seats tonight. As usual on these occasions, the game was preceded by a light show and Underworld's "Born Slippy," famously used in the nineties film "Trainspotting".

Spurs kicked off and played towards the North Stand. Within the first minute Mikey Moore excited us with a dribble and a cross, but Son's shot was picked up by the goalkeeper.

Bergvall started on the left tonight and after his crossfield pass to Pedro Porro, who advanced and crossed, Richarlison headed wide at the back post. Son was fouled by Hedlund just outside the box on the left of the area. Son's free kick was cleared and out for a corner, taken by Son with Ben Davies heading wide. The Austrian referee Mr. Gishamer indicated that Davies had committed a foul anyway.

Davies was on the end of another move after passes by Son and Richarlison. He went down in the box, but no foul was awarded. Ben and Son combined, winning a corner after which Son's inswinging kick was headed past the far post by a defender. This corner was taken short by Pedro Porro to Bergvall, but he failed with his cross/shot.

Son had a right-footed cross held by the keeper, and after a good dribble round Hedlund and a cross it was Pedro Porro who met the cross in the box but headed straight at the goalkeeper. Porro was well over the target with a shot hit from at least thirty yards. Richarlison had a shot saved after another Son cross. "Richie" was given another chance by his captain but put this shot just wide of the far post.

Pettersson made a very good save to deny Mikey Moore at the near post after another Son corner.

Van de Ven's first half was quite gentle and uneventful. Goalkeeper Brandon Austin was having an easy game too.

After the second half substitutions, Dragusin played to the right of Gray and Mikey Moore switched to the left flank with Kulusevski's arrival.

Pettersson made an early save from a powerful Davies shot before the visitors did have their best chance to score. Rapp got the better of Pedro Porro and fed Zeneli whose cross was met and put over by Abdullai with a cheeky overhead effort. The full contingent of travelling fans was vocal throughout the game.

Spurs v Elfsborg, 30.01.24

Elfsborg fans pictured before kick-off

Pettersson saved Bergvall's diving header from a Pedro Porro cross. Elfsborg had another attack when we discovered that Yegbe is their long throw merchant, but the Spurs defence was untroubled. Shortly after this Dragusin seemed to twist his knee when landing awkwardly after a challenge near the touchline. After treatment he tried to continue but had to be replaced by Scarlett. This led to Ben Davies coming inside and Pape Sarr covering the left back position. Dane played centrally with Moore reverting to the right and Richarlison on the left. Kulusevski now played the central midfield role.

Dane Scarlett scored within four minutes of coming on. "Deki" crossed from the right and Dane met the cross with a perfect near-post header. It was a great goal, and the crowd roared as Dane raced to the south-east corner flag to celebrate. All three scorers would celebrate in a similar fashion.

Bergvall hit a shot to the keeper after a Mikey Moore cross. Ajayi had been waiting for a while to replace Richarlison. Now he played towards the right and Mikey switched sides again. Ajayi also scored within four minutes of joining the action. He picked up a pass towards the right and with one thought in mind cut inside, sharing a nice one-two with Scarlett before planting a super low shot inside the keeper's left post. It was a super goal, worthy of veteran strikers, never mind this 19-year-old.

The game was up for Elfsborg who were to be eliminated from the competition. Spurs had secured their place in the last 16 when they will be seeded against one of four teams - Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, AZ Alkmaar or Midtjylland.

The icing on Spurs' cake was delivered by Mikey Moore who took on a midfield header by Bergvall to race goalward, scoring with a low, well-placed shot inside Pettersson's right post. Mikey thus became the youngest ever English scorer of a goal in major European competition beating the record held by a certain Jimmy Greaves (for a London XI when at Chelsea) in October 1957.


Europa League Placings

           Pos  P   W  D  L   F-A  GD  Pts
Spurs       4   8   5  2  1  17-9   8  17
Elfsborg   26   8   3  1  4   9-14 -5  10

Europa League Placings in full

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