Europa League: 'Happy to qualify' says Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino described Tottenham’s passage through to the knock-out stage of the Europa League as ‘job done’, after his side had beaten Partizan Belgrade 1-0 at White Hart Lane on Thursday.

Benjamin Stambouli netted the only goal four minutes after the break in a match marred by three separate pitch invasions – all during the first half.

The third and final break in play four minutes before half-time was followed by the players being taken off the pitch for 10 minutes by referee Yevhen Aranovskiy.

The result means Spurs have qualified from Group C with one match remaining, although they could still be pipped to first place by Turkish club Besiktas.

Pochettino said: "I am very pleased with the team and the players.

"I think it was difficult in the first half to play (due to the disturbances) but in the second half we were better and created a lot of chances.

Live Ford Super Sunday

"It is true that maybe we deserved to score another goal but in the end the job is done.

"It is important to go to through to the next round in the Europa League. It is a very good thing."

Pochettino also admitted it was tough for his side to concentrate through the stop-start first-half which saw the game interrupted three times and eventually suspended.

"You never know maybe what can happen on the pitch, but the behaviour from these people was only to go in and to show I don't know who or what," Pochettino added.

"I am very disappointed but I think all the club, our supporters, and all people that love the game of football too are because this is a very strange situation.

"It is very disappointing but it's important now that we are focused on the next game on Sunday and to be calm and focused on Sunday when we have a very tough game with Everton."

Tottenham conclude their Europa League fixtures with a trip to Besiktas on December 11.