TNT Sports

man Spurs as Turkish giants triumph in UEFA Europa League

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Tottenham Hotspur missed the chance to top the UEFA Europa League table as they fell to a 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray at RAMS Park.

Ange Postecoglou’s side were so often masters of their own downfall as Victor Osimhen, the on-loan Napoli striker, bagged a brace to add to Yunus Akgun’s stunning opener.

Teenager Will Lankshear notched his first senior goal but was then sent off for a second bookable offence, and Dominic Solanke made an instant impact off the substitutes’ bench with a delicate backheeled finish from Pedro Porro to halve the deficit and keep Spurs in touching distance.

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However, the visitors kept crumbling under the intense pressure from the raucous home support, who whistled furiously in an attempt to tease out mistakes.

Errors continued to plague the inexperienced Spurs side - which had seven changes made to it after Sunday’s 4-1 victory over Aston Villa - as their insistence on playing out from the back had them punished twice, but it really should have been more.

Okan Buruk's hosts were ahead inside just six minutes when former Leicester City loanee Akgun half-volleyed a beauty into the top corner after Archie Gray had nodded away a free-kick, and it seemed as though Spurs' young starlets would falter under the intimidation and deafening noise around the stadium.

They responded brilliantly, however, with their first foray forwards resulting in an equaliser - scored by the teenager Lankshear - after great persistence from Son Heung-min down the left, before Gray picked up the pieces on the underlap.

The deputising left-back got his head up to find Brennan Johnson peeling away at the far post, and the Wales international had the awareness to pick out Lankshear with a ball across the face of goal, which the junior striker prodded into the back of the net.

Back-up goalkeeper Fraser Forster was in fine form to halt Osimhen on 25 minutes when he was slotted through by the rampaging Gabriel Sara, and the Nigerian thought he had the Turkish side's second when he nodded past the English shot-stopper, only to be denied by the flag.

Osimhen, however, would get on the scoresheet just two minutes later, with more sloppiness from the visitors playing out, and Dries Mertens latched onto the loose ball, sliding in the loanee to poke it past the onrushing Forster to re-establish Gala's lead.

Forster was on hand to thwart Osimhen once more as Radu Dragusin was again caught dawdling on the ball, and just one minute later, Osmihen doubed his tally for the evening, with Spurs' concentration waning as the attack reached its second phase. Mertens picked the ball up down the right, bending in an inviting ball that Osimhen buried.

Postecoglou was forced into action at half-time, hauling off Son and Johnson for Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, but the changes had no impact on the game's momentum as the pendulum swung even further in Gala's favour, the hosts piling on the pressure.

Mauro Icardi latched onto another loose ball in Spurs' final third but lashed over, before a penalty-box melee ensued as Mertens fired a shot at Bentancur. From the resulting corner, Akgun stung the palms of Forster with a vicious effort from range, before Osimhen missed a golden opportunity for his hat-trick as he directed a header high and wide from a delicious Mertens delivery.

The Turkish side could have been made to rue their profligacy as Solanke emerged off the bench to snatch what would turn out to be just a consolation for Tottenham, who were down to 10 after Lankshear was sent off for two yellows: first elbowing Kaan Ayhan, and then mistiming a challenge on Gabriel Sara tight to the touchline.

Icardi had the ball in the visiting net on 76 minutes after he linked up nicely with substitute Hakim Ziyech to slice through the wide-open Spurs defence, but the former Inter Milan forward, who was stretchered off later in the encounter, was flagged for offside.

The north London outfit slip down to fifth in the league table with the defeat, and they will need to dust themselves down quickly with tricky tests against Roma and Rangers coming thick and fast.

Galatasaray, meanwhile, top the tree on 10 points - at least temporarily - and they travel to AZ Alkmaar next.

TALKING POINT - WILTING UNDER PRESSURE

Postecoglou was forced into wholesale changes for this one after injuries to two of his first-choice players.

Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, his go-to centre-back pairing, were left at home on the treatment table, while it seemed as though those defensive problems may worsen when Pedro Porro felt his hamstring in the dying embers here.

This was an audition for some of Spurs' second string to impress, but it will be a case of chance missed in Postecoglou's eyes, with the Australian forced to turn to those he had planned to rest in a desperate attempt to salvage something.

Dominic Solanke of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD4 match between Galatasaray A.S. and Tottenham.

Image credit: Getty Images

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - VICTOR OSIMHEN

Two goals, and a brilliant performance. The Nigerian ran the Spurs defence ragged, terrorising them with his physicality and his pace in behind.

He showed his deadly goalscoring knack in the penalty area with two extremely well-taken finishes. He was very unlucky not to walk away with the match ball.

PLAYER RATINGS

Galatasaray: Muslera 6, Ayhan 6, Sanchez 6, Bardakci 6, Yilmaz 7, Torreira 7, Sara 7, Akgun 7, Mertens 8, Osimhen 9, Icardi 7. Subs: Ziyech 6, Jelert 6, Demirbay 6, Batshuayi 6, Kutlu 6.

Spurs: Forster 7, Porro 6, Dragusin 4, Davies 5, Gray 5, Bergvall 5, Bissouma 5, Maddison 5, Johnson 6, Lankshear 6, Son 6. Subs: Kulusevski 6, Bentancur 6, Solanke 6, Sarr 6.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

KEY STAT

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Tottenham 4-1 Aston Villa – Premier League result as Dominic Solanke nets brace for Spurs, while Brennan Johnson and James Maddison also score for hosts

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TNT Sports will show over 500 matches from the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Conference League, as well as exclusive Premier League games across the 2024-25 season.

The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination.

Any matches that fall within the Saturday blackout window in the UK cannot be shown live. The blackout window prohibits matches being shown on television between 14:45 and 17:15 in the UK.

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SOLANKE SCORES DOUBLE TO SEE OFF VILLA

Dominic Solanke scored a second half brace as Tottenham Hotspur moved within two points of the Premier League top four with a 4-1 win against Aston Villa.

Ange Postecoglou had to battle back from Morgan Rogers first half opener after the Villa man capitalised on defensive errors from a corner.

However, Spurs eventually made their possession and attacking intent tell with Brennan Johnson pulling the hosts level four minutes into the second half.

Postecoglou made the controversial decision to take Heung-Min Son off before the hour mark with the game level.

However, Solanke netted twice inside four minutes to put Spurs out of sight and substitute James Maddison completed the win 4-1 with an excellent free-kick at the death.

Postecoglou will be worried by the injuries of Cristian Romero and Richarlison who both came off injured.

Villa head to Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday, meanwhile Spurs are in Europa League action on Thursday with a trip to Galatasaray

Image credit: Getty Images

GOAL! TOTTENHAM 4 (MADISON) ASTON VILLA 1

Solanke is barged to the ground by Diego Carlos before refusing his opponent’s hand. That results in Carlos pushing the Spurs man back to the ground and pushing between the players.

Madison swings the resulting free-kick around the wall into the net completing the victory.

RICHARLISON INJURED

In providing the assist for the third goal Richarlison has picked up an injury and is replaced by Maddison.

Spurs make a second change as Udogie is taken off for Gray

TNT Sports

Tottenham v AZ Alkmaar LIVE - Europa League latest as Ange Postecoglou makes surprise changes

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While our focus will be on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium tonight, there's so much action happening across the continent (and beyond) tonight, including five other British teams in action.

To keep up with all of it, including the Vitoria SC goal that's just hit the back of the net to give them the lead - and Paul Scholes hitting out at INEOS - check out our UEFA live blog:

Not both as direct swaps, it must be said. But here's your Tottenham team for tonight...

Tottenham currently sit in seventh place ahead of the weekend’s games, but they are still tipped by some to challenge for a top-four finish in the Premier League.

AZ are third in the Eredivisie as they look to pull off a rare title run in the Netherlands league.

They won their most recent Europa match 3-2 against IF Elfsborg, but lost their opening tie against Athletic club. Tottenham, meanwhile, defeated Qarabag 3-0 at home, and triumphed in Hungary over Ferencvaros.

It’s been a spectacular week of European football and that continues tonight across the UEFA Europa League and Conference League, including in north London where Tottenham face AZ Alkmaar!

Spurs have the chance to go top of the league phase with victory tonight - depending on goal difference - as one of just five perfect teams left in the competition.

While Ange Postecoglou has rotated his side with an eye on the fierce battle for European places in the Premier League, this side should still have the firepower to down AZ Alkmaar at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with the Dutch side sitting mid-table after a win and a loss so far.

TNT Sports

Mohammed Kudus red card: Peter Crouch says West Ham forward 'lost his head' with slap on Tottenham's Micky van de Ven

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TNT Sports expert Peter Crouch said West Ham United forward Mohammed Kudus "lost his head" in a sending-off incident which saw him hit Tottenham Hotspur players Micky van de Ven and Pape Matar Sarr in the face.

The incident was a moment of frustration in a difficult afternoon for Julen Lopetegui's side. Kudus' opening goal in the first half was ultimately cancelled out by a superb second-half Spurs flurry as the north London side romped to 4-1 victory.

The Hammers' matters were made worse by Kudus' dismissal four minutes from time. The 24-year-old initially kicked Van de Ven twice on the ground before confronting the Spurs defender with a slap to the face.

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A mass brawl soon broke out, and Richarlison also ended up on the ground after Kudus was pushed into the Brazil striker by Spurs' Pape Matar Sarr, to which the West Ham player retaliated by lashing out again.

Crouch ultimately felt Kudus "lost his head" in the incident, and praised Van de Ven's reticence in the aftermath.

"Completely lost his head," Crouch said. "I think Van de Ven did well to not react, because he stamped on him a couple times before, tried to kick the ball at him, stood on him a couple times then he gets a slap in the face.

"Richarlison goes down, somehow, it's all kicking off. He had to go. It was a complete loss of his head."

"I think the referee wanted to be sensible and not send anyone off because you have to have eyes on the back of your head there to see everything that's going on.

"So he's thought, I haven't seen it 100% so I'll give a yellow, then VAR goes 'you have a look at what he's done,' and he's given him no option.

"If players do that with VAR you're going to get sent off."

West Ham have suffered a difficult start to the season under their new manager Lopetegui, and their task of making a surge towards the more fruitful end of the Premier League table has been made harder by the three-match suspension of Kudus that will ensue.

Les Ferdinand said it will be a blow for West Ham as the Ghana international was their "best player", and feels the ban should not be extended any further than three matches.

"The frightening thing is he did all that and he was probably their best player and they're going to lose him for three games now," he said.

"I think the sending off is enough punishment, it was slaps - it wasn't anything else."

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THE INCIDENT - IN THE WORDS OF FLETCHER, MCCOIST

Upon the incident, TNT Sports commentators Darren Fletcher and Ally McCoist engaged in a fierce debate over Kudus' punishment.

Fletcher: "I'll be amazed if he stays on the field. "

McCoist: "I'll be delighted if he stays on the field."

Fletcher: "But I'll be surprised."

McCoist: "It's a right hand to the face, it's not a punch, it's a push away. I know you're looking at me that way, it could be a red card."

* Madley brandishes yellow card

McCoist: "I'm pleased about that."

Fletcher: "You can't do that Ally and stay on the field I'm sorry, in days gone by when Glenn [Hoddle] was playing in this derby for Tottenham and Billy Bonds was on the other side I get it it's fine, we used to sit and have Sunday roast and watch it and say brilliant stuff but you can't do it anymore."

McCoist: "You've gone all soft on me."

* Replays show the full incident

Fletcher: "The only one I can forgive him for is Richarlison because he doesn't know he's behind him."

McCoist: "He's going to get a second yellow for that."

Fletcher: "Has to."

McCoist: "I'll be honest, I know you're looking at me, I'm probably old school. Give him a booking, let's get on with the game."

Fletcher: "I'm with you, but they're not going to do that. It just reminds me not to have a night out with you in Glasgow. If you consider this to be all fair in love and war."

* Madley brandishes red after VAR review

Fletcher: "Eventually, the right decision is taken. He just lost his mind from initially kicking Van de Ven twice on the ground to everything else that went on around him."

TNT Sports will show over 500 matches from the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Conference League across the 2024/25 season. The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination.

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Tottenham 0-0 West Ham live: Premier League updates from the London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

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TNT Sports will show over 500 matches from the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Conference League, as well as exclusive Premier League games across the 2024-25 season.

The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination.

Any matches that fall within the Saturday blackout window in the UK cannot be shown live. The blackout window prohibits matches being shown on television between 14:45 and 17:15 in the UK.

TWO CHANGES FOR SPURS; WEST HAM OPT TO STICK

Tottenham captain Heung-Min Son is back following a three-game absence with a hamstring issue as Ange Posecoglou makes a couple of tweaks to the side that threw away a two-goal lead versus Brighton.

Yves Bissouma also comes in while Richarlison is fit to feature on the bench.

West Ham go with the same line-up that started the convincing win over Ipswich last time out.

EXCLUSIVE: HAMMERS BOSS SETS ACHIEVABLE TARGET AFTER TOUGH START

Julen Lopetegui has told TNT Sports that turning West Ham United into a "competitive" team is his "main aim" as The Hammers prepare to return to Premier League action.

More from the Iron's boss via the tab below.

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