FUTURE IS BRIGHT AS SPURS SEAL LAST-16 SPOT
Tottenham Hotspur were bailed out by three academy graduates as they sealed a spot in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League with a 3-0 victory over Elfsborg.
It was largely a low-key affair at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with an atmosphere to match, and Spurs struggled to create a meaningful chance until Pape Matar Sarr saw his shot well saved on 33 minutes after good work out wide by Son Heung-min.
The match of the final league phase stagnated in the second half, until the introduction of Dane Scarlett – who made an instant impact to breathe life into the match.
The 20-year-old, who spent the first half of the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Oxford United in the Championship, immediately pounced on an excellent Dejan Kulusevski cross to head home his first goal for the club, just four minutes after being introduced as a substitute.
And six minutes from time, 19-year-old debutant Damola Ajayi put the result beyond doubt as he fired home after a neat one-two with fellow academy team-mate Scarlett.
To seal what ended up being a heartwarming evening in north London, Mikey Moore capped off the scoring with the last meaningful kick of the game, embarking on a fantastic solo run before squeezing an effort into the far corner.
The result saw Elfsborg exit the European competition, as Spurs enjoyed a well-earned break ahead of their knockout tie.
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