September 27, (THEWILL) – Tottenham Hotspur marked their return to the UEFA Europa League with a 3-0 victory over Qarabag FK, despite playing with 10 men for most of the match.
The game, which started late due to travel issues for the visitors, saw Radu Dragușin sent off in the seventh minute for a foul on Juninho. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Spurs took the lead five minutes later when Brennan Johnson capitalised on a Qarabag error.
Dominic Solanke intercepted a poor pass and set up Johnson, who finished clinically. The home team doubled their advantage in the 52nd minute through Pape Matar Sarr, who volleyed in after a corner from Dejan Kulusevski.
Qarabag missed a chance to get back into the game when Toral Bayramov skied a penalty just before the hour mark. The visitors continued to create opportunities but failed to convert, with both Bayramov and Juninho missing clear chances. Tottenham punished this wastefulness in the 68th minute when Solanke tapped in a rebound from Son Heung-min’s shot to make it 3-0.
The scoreline flattered Tottenham, as Qarabag had several good moments, including a disallowed goal for offside late in the game. Manager Ange Postecoglou’s attacking style produced an entertaining match, but questions remain about its long-term viability. Nevertheless, this result marks Spurs’ third consecutive win.
This Europa League campaign victory provides a boost for Spurs after an underwhelming start to their domestic season. The team’s ability to overcome the early red card and dominate the match will give fans hope for future success in both European and Premier League competitions.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
