Tottenham Hotspur beat Qarabag 3-0 in their Europa League opener, even though they were down to 10 players for most of the game because Radu Dragusin was sent off early. Brennan Johnson, Pape Matar Saar, and Dominic Solanke all scored, but Qarabag missed a few chances and a penalty in the second half.
Spurs Defeat Qarabaq FK In Europa League Opener
The match in north London was delayed for nearly 40 minutes as Qarabag struggled to reach the stadium on time because of traffic. Spurs then got off to a rocky beginning, as Dragusin received a red card just seven minutes in for bringing down Juninho. The reaction from Ange Postecoglou’s squad was nothing short of remarkable. Five minutes after Dragusin was sent off, Johnson scored the opener for Spurs through Solanke’s assist. Qarabag had a chance to equalize, but Tottenham made it to halftime without conceding.
In the second half, Spurs doubled their advantage through Saar from a corner kick. Qarabag had a chance to score in the second half from the penalty spot but Toral Bayramov’s effort soared over the bar, leaving the visitors frustrated. Moments later, Solanke found the back of the net, slotting home a rebound to extend Tottenham’s lead to three goals. Although Spurs looked good on the night, Son Heung-min’s limping will leave Postecoglou worried.
Ange Postecoulou Happy With Spurs Response After Red Card
When speaking after the match, Ange Postecoglou said: “Not an ideal [start]. I thought we started really sloppy, I don’t know if the delay got to us or whatever. Radu paid the price. The reaction was good but I was not happy with the start. Brennan was great. Even with 10 men we still pressed, which we wanted to do. He’s got some confidence in him, which is great. He’s done really well the last three games. I felt we needed the second, the way the game was going. It was great for Pape, who I thought was really good today. That was his first 90 minutes but it was really strong.”
The Australian Manager further said: “Dom has been great for us. He had the long drought of two games without a goal but he’s been fantastic for us. Not just the goals but the general link-up play. A strong performance. It’s important that we got off to a win tonight, especially being at home you really have to win. Any game away in Europe is a challenge. Good to get the win tonight. Big challenge for us going to Old Trafford on Sunday but one we’re looking forward to.”
What Next For Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur face Manchester United on Sunday at Old Trafford. Spurs will be looking to continue their winning streak and Manchester United will be hoping to get back to winning ways. The North London club is currently 10th in the league table, with two wins in the opening five fixtures.
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