Ange Postecoglou had talked about how keenly Tottenham felt their absence from European competitors final season – a “actual hole in our calendar”, because the supervisor put it. And so what was an additional 35-minute wait?
It was an evening of transport chaos across the stadium, overland trains suspended, roads blocked and kick-off delayed. It set the tone for a wild tie towards Qarabag, Tottenham’s Europa League curtain-raiser that includes a crimson card for his or her centre-back Radu Dragusin inside seven minutes and numerous shut shaves in entrance of their purpose. How did they handle a clear sheet? Guglielmo Vicario was a giant a part of the explanation.
Spurs made their punches rely on the different finish and when Dominic Solanke made it 3-0 within the 68th minute, they might coast to victory. Which isn’t a line that chimed with a lot of what had gone earlier than.
Brennan Johnson, although, made it three targets in three video games with the opener and Pape Sarr received the second, leaving the membership’s followers to enjoy a enjoyable event. It is going to be an extended street to the ultimate in Bilbao. Spurs are up and working.
The Qarabag bus had been caught within the grinding site visitors, having wended its approach from the workforce lodge in Stratford – a mere 12 miles away, hardly the Baku past. The Azerbaijan champions solely arrived contained in the stadium at 7.45pm, removed from very best for them. Or Spurs.
“Think about you’re caught in site visitors for greater than two and a half hours,” stated Gurban Gurbanov, the Qarabag supervisor. “There have been no police to escort us and after we arrived, we have been instructed in 40 minutes we needed to begin. Clearly it had a big effect on us.”
There have been early errors on either side, large ones, beginning with Dragusin’s sending-off after he inexplicably allowed the ball to run away from him because the final man with Juninho making use of the stress. Dragusin was in hassle when he was robbed by the Qarabag striker, who threatened to run clear on purpose. When Dragusin pulled at Juninho’s shorts, the referee, Willy Delajod, knew what he needed to do.
Tottenham have been undaunted. Postecoglou received Future Udogie on at left-back (the unlucky Lucas Bergvall withdrawn from midfield) to reform the again 4, albeit one which was by no means going to play as such. It’s not Postecoglou’s type. Archie Grey continued to push up from right-back. Udogie did the identical. Ben Davies ran upfield with the ball at his toes from his new place of left centre-back.
It stated loads about Spurs that that they had carried on taking part in with 10 males for what appeared like an age after Dragusin’s dismissal and as Udogie warmed up. They didn’t put the ball out. They might even lose it at one stage, taking part in with hearth. Tottenham would do loads of that, the examples quite a few.
Spurs’s breakthrough got here instantly after the Udogie for Bergvall change and it was a private catastrophe for the Qarabag defensive midfielder, Júlio Romão. Spurs introduced an aggressive press and Ramão become Solanke, who superior earlier than taking part in in Johnson on the overlap. The primary-time end was low and true.
Johnson may need scored once more when he received onto an extended ball from Grey and evaded the goalkeeper, Mateusz Kochalski, who had made a rash bolt from his line. Johnson rolled extensive of the empty internet. However the the rest of the primary half was a narrative of Spurs taking dangers on the again and getting away with them, leaving themselves with males down towards the Qarabag counter, backing themselves to get better.
Signal as much as Soccer Each day
Kick off your evenings with the Guardian’s tackle the world of soccer
Privateness Discover: Newsletters might comprise data about charities, on-line advertisements, and content material funded by outdoors events. For extra data see our Privateness Coverage. We use Google reCaptcha to guard our web site and the Google Privateness Coverage and Phrases of Service apply.
after publication promotion
Toral Bayramov air-kicked underneath stress from Udogie after surging by means of and no person may perceive how Juninho rolled extensive of the far put up from an Elvin Jafarguliyev cross when unmarked in entrance of purpose. Patrick Andrade shot wildly when properly positioned and there was additionally the second when Juninho robbed Davies and Spurs wanted Vicario to go away his line and make a saving one-on-one sort out.
Postecoglou launched Dejan Kulusevski for Johnson at half-time and it was the Sweden winger whose inswinging nook set in movement the second purpose. Kochalski got here and flapped underneath minimal stress – he was impeded extra by one in every of his personal gamers – and Sarr normal a candy connection on the volley, too candy for Andrade on the road.
Spurs have been in no temper to make issues simple. Was it not an thought for them to defend correctly? Yves Bissouma conceded a penalty with a slipshod problem on Jafarguliyev just for Bayramov to blaze excessive and Qarabag had a fistful of additional probabilities, primarily after forcing turnovers. Their ending was dismal.
Spurs didn’t really feel secure at 2-0 however Solanke, who had been denied by Kochalski on 58 minutes, enabled them to breathe extra simply. Not for the primary time, Kochalski wobbled, patting a Son Heung-min shot straight to Solanke. It was a tap-in for the striker.
Jafarguliyev noticed Vicario tip away his high corner-bound blast and when Juninho lastly had the ball within the internet, the offside flag clearly needed to go up. Qarabag may have performed all night time and never scored.
