Tottenham Hotspur booked their berth in the Europa League’s last 16 with a 3-0 victory over Swedish side Elfsborg on Thursday, with youngsters Dane Scarlett, Damola Ajayi and Mikey Moore netting their debut goals for the London club.
The victory saw Spurs finish fourth in the eight-game league phase and spares Ange Postecoglou’s injury-hit team the two-legged knockout round. It was not all good news for the manager as defender Radu Dragusin had to leave the pitch with an apparent knee injury.
Elfborg were eliminated after falling six places to 26th, two spots below safety.
Spurs thoroughly dominated the game but struggled to break down a well-organised defence, before Scarlett finally broke the deadlock in the 70th minute when Dejan Kulusevski curled the ball into the middle of the six-yard box and the 20-year-old striker headed it into the bottom corner.
The 19-year-old Ajayi netted in the 84th minute when he played a one-two with Scarlett before slotting the ball into the corner.
“It was amazing,” Scarlett told TNT Sports. “I have been waiting for that moment for a long time. I feel really good now, ready to kick on, very happy.”
Moore, 17, celebrated his first goal in a Spurs shirt seconds before the final whistle, driving forward and then beating his man before lashing a shot into the far corner.
Spurs thoroughly dominated from the whistle but were stymied by the visitors’ unforgiving back line and by goalkeeper Isak Pettersson, who made a couple of dramatic saves to stop first-half shots from Moore and Pape Sarr.
Dragusin, a second-half substitute, lasted only 17 minutes before injuring his knee. He received treatment on the pitch and then tried to resume playing but seconds later was signalling the bench.
Spurs had no defenders left on the bench when the Romanian centre-back went off. Striker Scarlett went on instead and Postecoglou shuffled his formation.
“It was important to just get the job done tonight,” Spurs defender Ben Davies told TNT Sports. “We know those games can be banana skins the longer they stay 0-0. You can feel the anxiety around the place and it just builds.
“Thankfully this guy comes on and changes the game,” he added, throwing an arm around Scarlett. “He came on in a game that was quite tough at times and he changed it for us. Dane’s worked so hard over the last few years that I have been here with him.”
Elfsborg silenced the Spurs crowd early in the second half when Jalal Abdullal’s overhead kick from close range flew narrowly over the bar.
