Match report as Tottenham beat Ferencvaros to earn second Europa League victory; Pape Sarr nets opener for Spurs after hosts have goal ruled out for offside; Johnson comes off bench to scores his fifth goal in five games; Barnabas Varga bags late goal for hosts
Friday 4 October 2024 09:21, UK
Brennan Johnson scored his fifth goal in five games as Tottenham won 2-1 at Hungarian side Ferencvaros to earn their second Europa League victory.
Johnson came off the bench in the second half to continue his red-hot streak although Spurs' latest triumph in Europe, with a much-changed team from their 3-0 win at Manchester United that featured first starts for youngsters Mikey Moore and Will Lankshear, wasn't straightforward.
Pape Sarr gave Ange Postecoglou's youthful side the lead against the run of play in the 23rd minute with a close-range finish that fell kindly to him in the box after two ricochets. The hosts had seen Barnabas Varga's header ruled out for a tight offside and forced Guglielmo Vicario into a spectacular reaction save.
Pedro Porro hit the foot of the left post before the break and in the second half 19-year-old striker Lankshear volleyed inches over at a corner. Timo Werner continued Spurs' wastefulness in front of goal, hitting the side-netting after trying to round the goalkeeper.
However, Johnson injected quality and confidence to the final third. His powerful, first-time shot that was heading for the top-left corner struck the crossbar and moments later he slotted home in off the left post with four minutes to play.
The hosts, to their credit, pushed Spurs until the end with Varga finally getting his goal and beating Vicario with a smart finish from a low cross in the 90th minute.
The future looks bright for Tottenham. For the first time since February 2009, Spurs started four teenagers in a major European match - and they didn't disappoint.
Archie Gray, 18, once again showed his versatility by partnering Cristian Romero at centre-back and then later when moved to left-back. Lucas Bergvall, at the same age, looked composed in midfield while Will Lankshear, 19, put himself in goal-scoring positions.
But it was the 17-year-old Mikey Moore who shone brightest. The winger was fearless even after being on the receiving end of a strong challenge within minutes of kick-off.
"His ability to deal with pressure and keep the ball in really tight areas and make good, really clear decisions" impressed manager Ange Postecoglou the most.
He added: "I couldn't be happier for him but also pretty pleased that he's part of our football club." Spurs have a gem.
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou said:
"We made quite a number of changes to the team, including bringing the young boys in but I thought they handled it really well.
"We defended well, played some good football, created some good chances, maybe could have had a couple more and most importantly won an away European tie which is a credit to the lads."
On Mikey Moore: "He was outstanding. For a 17-year-old to play 90 minutes in a European away tie, he handled it superbly - I knew he would. It'll help his growth. I didn't feel like I needed to take him off, he still looked strong at the end and was still contributing."
