Spurs creep past Ferencvaros in the Europa League

Goals either side of half-time from Pape Sarr and Brennan Johnson were enough to get Spurs their second win in two games in the competition this season despite a late Barnabas Varga consolation for the home side.

An inexperienced Spurs side made a slow start and Ferencvaros thought they had taken the lead in the 18th minute when Varga nodded home, but VAR ruled that there had been an offside in the build-up.

Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario then displayed lightning-quick reflexes one minute later to claw out Varga's stabbed effort from close range. The Premier League club grew into the match and broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute when Sarr was the only player in the Ferencvaros box to keep his cool.

The home side failed to clear the danger on two occasions before defender Stefan Gartenmann eventually lost his bearings and did not realise the ball was behind him as he ran back towards his own goal, allowing Sarr to pounce and slot home from inside the six-yard box.

The visitors had chances to put the match to bed in the second half, but Timo Werner could only find the side netting after rounding the 'keeper in the 64th minute and Johnson struck the crossbar from distance.

As Ferencvaros started to threaten, Johnson got his fifth in as many games with a left-footed finish that kissed the post on its way into the back of the net in the 86th minute. Spurs needed the two-goal buffer as Varga directed a whipped cross past Vicario in the 90th minute to set up a nervy finale for Ange Postecoglou's charges.

 

October 3, 2024

Elsewhere Anderlecht came from behind against La Liga's Real Sociedad to earn a 2-1 win in the Basque country, thanks to first-half goals from Luis Vazquez and Theo Leoni following Pablo Marin's early opener.

Lazio hammered Nice 4-1 under the rain in Rome and Ajax drew 1-1 at Slavia Prague. Latvia's RFS came from two goals down at home to Galatasaray to snatch a 2-2 draw.

In the Conference League, Cercle Brugge cruised to a 6-2 victory at home to Swiss club St Gallen as Legia Warsaw surprised Real Betis 1-0 in the Polish capital. Larne became the first Northern Irish team to play in the competition proper of a European competition but succumbed to a 3-0 defeat in Norway against Molde.

Later on Thursday, Manchester United will aim to get their first win in the Europa League this campaign but face a difficult trip to Porto. And Chelsea will welcome Belgian side Gent to Stamford Bridge in what will be the English giants' first-ever Conference League match.

 

October 3, 2024