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Tottenham overcame the seventh-minute dismissal of Radu Dragusin to open their Europa League campaign with a 3-0 win over Qarabag.
The kick-off was delayed by over 35 minutes due to traffic congestion with the Azerbaijan visitors only arriving at the stadium a quarter-of-an-hour before the original start time.
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But it was Spurs who looked sluggish early on, particularly Dragusin who saw red for a tussle with Qarabag striker Juninho.
The hosts were superb with 10 men, however, and Brennan Johnson put them 1-0 up five minutes after the red card.
Pape Matar Sarr doubled Spurs’ advantage seven minutes into the second half and Qarabag’s chances of a comeback were effectively ended when Toral Bayramov blazed a 58th-minute penalty over the bar.
Dominic Solanke completed a wonderful night for Ange Postecoglou’s men after 68 minutes.
There were plenty of stand-out performances from the home side. Dragusin’s was not one of them.
A nightmare start for Radu Drăgușin 😬
The Spurs defender is shown a red card inside the opening ten minutes 🟥
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/Sq475Axs7u
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 26, 2024
The Romania centre-half was caught flat-footed when receiving a back pass, allowing Juninho to get through on goal and a clumsy challenge from behind saw referee Willy Delajod have no option but to send him off.
Lucas Bergvall was sacrificed by Postecoglou with Destiny Udogie coming on.
Johnson grabbed the 50th goal of his senior career to set the 10 men on their way shortly afterwards. Solanke won the ball in midfield before setting the Wales international through on goal and he finished calmly.
Brennan Johnson’s fine form continues 🤩
Just moments after Radu Drăgușin is sent off, Spurs take the lead!
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/T1RNbFX4gy
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 26, 2024
Johnson could have made it 2-0 after 27 minutes but shot into the side-netting after Qarabag goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski came flying off his line.
Qarabag ought to have equalised before the break. Elvin Cafarquliyev crossed from the left and Juninho somehow put his shot wide when it seemed easier to score.
Spurs went 2-0 in front after 52 minutes when Sarr was on hand to volley home at the far post after Kochalski had flapped at substitute Dejan Kulusevski’s right-wing corner.
Another big moment for Qarabag came and went six minutes later. Yves Bissouma felled Cafarquliyev inside the box but Bayramov’s powerful spot-kick hit the bar and flew over.
Toral Bayramov won’t want to watch this penalty miss back 🫣
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/CDt5tZFhF1
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 26, 2024
Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario saved well to deny Abdellah Zoubir while, at the other end, Solanke was denied by Kochalski.
Juninho hit the post as Qarabag continued to threaten but their hopes were finally extinguished when the hapless Kochalski pushed Son Heung-min’s shot straight into the path of Solanke and he made no mistake.
Vicario saved well from Yassine Benzia and Jafarquliyev while Qarabag’s night was summed up when Juninho saw a header chalked off for offside.
