UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE
(Matchday 1)
THURSDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER, 2024
(8.35pm)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3(1) QARABAG 0(0)

Scorers:-
Johnson, 12
Sarr, 52
Solanke, 68

Attendance:- 51,757

Referee:- Willy Delajod FRA
Assistants:- Erwan Finjean & Philippe Jeanne FRA
Fourth official:- Thomas Leonard FRA
VAR:- Benoit Millot FRA
Assistant VAR:- Alan Kijas AUT

Teams:-
Spurs (4-3-3):- 1. Vicario; 14. Gray, 6. Dragusin, 37. Van de Ven, 33. Davies; 29. Sarr, 8. Bissouma (sub 30. Bentancur, 71), 15. Bergvall (sub 13. Udogie, 12); 22. Johnson (sub 21. Kulusevski, 46), 19. Solanke (sub 47. Moore, 85), 7. Son (Capt.) (sub 16. Werner, 71)
(Armband to Vicario)

Subs not used:- 20. Forster, 40. Austin; 23. Pedro Porro; 10. Maddison; 42. Lankshear

Booked:- Bissouma (foul on Jafarguliyev)

Sent off:- Dragusin (7) (preventing goal-scoring opportunity with foul on Juninho)

Qarabag (4-2-3-1):- 99. Kochalski; 2. Silva (sub 30. A. Huseynov, 79), 13. Mustafazade, 55. B. Huseynov (Capt.), 44. Jafarguliyev; 6. Romao (sub 15. L. Andrade, 68), 66. P. Andrade; 27. Bayramov (sub 11. Addai, 67), 7. Benzia, 10. Zoubir (sub 8. Jankovic, 79); 18. Juninho

Subs not used:- 97. Buntic, 12. Mammadzada; 21. Kaschchuk, 90. Akhundzade, 24. Isaev, 20. Almeida; 22. Gurbanli

Booked:- Jafarguliyev (foul on Gray)

Chaos inside and outside The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

On a sodden, windswept night when train lines and roads were closed, making travel to the Tottenham Stadium difficult, Qarabag arrived late, and kick-off was delayed until 8.35pm. That left most of the 51,757 (a good turn-out in the circumstances) fans in the ground worried about how or whether they would get home. Within seven minutes of the start, home fans were worried about the result after Radu Dragusin was shown a red card for preventing goal-scoring opportunity when he fouled Juninho.

Despite that major set-back the ten men forgot they were one short and attacked regardless, ultimately winning comfortably. The scoreline does not tell the tale though, as Spurs' passing fell short too often and the visitors often caught us out at the back with a turn of pace when Spurs over-committed in attack.

Dragusin was a forced change as Cristian Romero had to serve a suspension for a red card shown in our last European game against Milan in March 2023. That situation will be reversed next week in Hungary!

Ange Postecoglou did not take the opposition lightly, fielding a strong side which included Archie Gray at right back and Ben Davies on the other side of Dragusin and Van de Ven. Davies (along with Son) had been in the Spurs squad the last time we hosted Qarabag in September 2015. The Azerbaijani captain Badayi Huseynov had also played in that game, as had unused sub Richard Almeida.

There was a short light show before kick-off. The visitors kicked off and played towards the South Stand. Qarabag had a reasonable contingent of fans urging them on.

That early decision against Dragusin seemed a bit harsh with the incident taking place some 30 yards away from goal. I don't think that decision would have been made by a Premier League referee. Qarabag won a corner after their free kick which Spurs cleared. Lucas Bergvall was sacrificed in favour of Destiny Udogie, with Ben Davies moving inside to partner Van de Ven. It was Udogie who too often forgot himself and found himself without the ball in the opposition half leaving his defence under pressure.

Despite the adversity, Spurs took an early lead when lively Dominic Solanke stole the ball in midfield and laid it off for Brennan Johnson, slightly ahead of him to the right. Johnson scored for the third consecutive game with that trademark goal across the keeper's right hand and inside the far post.

Udogie made a very good tackle to prevent the threat made by Bayramov after 18 minutes. Elfin Jafarguliyev was shown Qarabag's only yellow card for a challenge on Archie Gray. Johnson was onto a long clearance and got past the advancing keeper but put his shot just the wrong side of the post.

Archie Gray showed great skill and strength to bring the ball out of defence. He tried but failed to find Solanke with his pass. Solanke tracked back to help clear the counter threat offered by the opposition. Jafarguliyev sent in a low and dangerous cross which Vicario pushed away from danger on the stretch. Vicario was alert to a similar cross soon after and was kept busy all night.

Dejan Kulusevski took over from Johnson after the interval. No doubt both will be required on Sunday at Old Trafford. Son made an early advance after picking the ball up in midfield. He tried to tee up Solanke, but that ball was cleared.

Vicario was in action again and had to push away another Jafarguliyev cross from the left. Good combination play on the right from Gray and Kulusevski gained us ground on the right and a corner after Kulusevski's cross. Following the corner, taken by Kulusevski, the ball reached Sarr beyond the back post and he rifled in a shot which may have gone into the net off the helpless Patrick Andrade on the line. We could breathe more easily!

Mind you, it wasn't long before Bissouma fouled Jafarguliyev in the box and was booked. Referee Willy Delajod awarded a penalty but that was skied by Bayramov. We could breathe again!

Vicario saved again from Juninho before Spurs countered with Son finding Solanke whose shot was saved by Kochalski. Vicario's best save of the game was probably that from Bayramov, tipping a 25-yarder over the bar. The Spurs number one then held a header by Zoubir after a cross from the right. Juninho had a shot that went out of play off the post.

Spurs increased their lead and put the game well beyond Qarabag after Kochalski spilled Son's shot from the left of goal and Solanke was there to sweep up. Worryingly, Son needed treatment and limped off to be replaced by Timo Werner.

The rest of the game saw Spurs mainly on the back foot, defending their lead. Vicario pushed a Benzia free kick around his left post. A shot by Zoubir hit the side netting. Vicario made another great save from a powerful shot by Jafarguliyev, after which Juninho headed the ball into the net after a cross from the right. However, both Juninho and a team-mate had clearly been offside.

Kulusevski made one or two forays forward to try and ease the pressure on our goal, and we held onto a good opening win in our eight-game Europa League phase campaign.

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