Galatasaray 3-2 Tottenham: Osimhen brace downs 10-man visitors

By Sports Desk November 07, 2024

Victor Osimhen's first-half brace sent Galatasaray top of the Europa League table after they edged a five-goal thriller against 10-man Tottenham. 

The defeat marked Spurs' first of their European campaign, and they could drop out of the top eight should results go against them later on Thursday. 

Galatasaray took the lead with six minutes on the clock in stunning fashion. Archie Gray's headed clearance was collected by Yunus Akgun, who rifled a left-footed effort into the top corner. 

But Spurs drew level through a surprise inclusion in their starting line-up as Will Lankshear notched his first senior goal with a simple finish from Brennan Johnson's cross.

However, after seeing an effort ruled out a minute earlier for offside, Osimhen put the hosts back in front, prodding the ball home after sloppy play from Radu Dragusin. 

Osimhen then doubled his tally six minutes before half-time, combining again with Dries Mertens, this time planting the Belgian's teasing delivery beyond Fraser Forster. 

It went from bad to worse for Ange Postecoglou's side on the hour-mark when Lankshear was shown a second yellow card for a mistimed challenge on Gabriel Sara. 

Hopes of a Spurs comeback were revived in the 69th minute when substitute Dominic Solanke neatly flicked Pedro Porro's cross into the net, but Galatasaray held on for the win. 

Data Debrief: Turkish delight

While the score-line suggests a tightly contested affair at Rams Park, Galatasaray were worthy winners against Tottenham. 

Okan Buruk's side registered 28 shots compared to Tottenham's five, ending the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 3.28 to their opponents' 1.87. 

But having ended the night on a sour note, Tottenham's Lankshear followed in the footsteps of a former Spurs great. 

At 19 years and 201 days, he became Tottenham's youngest goalscorer in a major European since Harry Kane (18 years and 140 days) scored against Shamrock Rovers in the 2011-12 Europa League.

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    Amad Diallo scored twice as Manchester United finally earned a maiden victory in the Europa League this season with a 2-0 triumph over PAOK.

    The Red Devils drew their opening three matches of the league phase but the excellent Amad netted twice in the second half after a fine individual display at Old Trafford.

    The winger was unfortunate not to have a first-half penalty after a trip from Abdul Baba, while his deep cross for Rasmus Hojlund was headed straight at the goalkeeper from close range.

    Andre Onana then tipped Mady Camama's dipping half-volley over shortly before the break but Amad broke the deadlock when he brilliantly looped his header over Dominik Kotarski from Bruno Fernandes' delivery.

    Andrija Zivkovic almost responded immediately before Alejandro Garnacho had strong shouts for another spot-kick from Jonny Otto's challenge waved away before Amad tested Kotarski one-on-one.

    United had a huge let off when Tarik Tissoudali was left unmarked in the area and woefully straight at Onana, but Amad settled any nerves with a brilliant bending 20-yard effort into the left-hand side of the goal with 13 minutes remaining.

    Data Debrief: No Greek tragedy as Amad ensures there's no unlucky number seven

    Prior to their victory over the Greek side, United were winless in six consecutive European matches (D4, L2), matching their worst stretch since 1980 to 1983. It means they have still never gone seven without a win in European fixtures.

    Moreover, it maintains a formidable home record against Greek opposition for United, who have now won seven straight matches on their own turf against teams from Greece at an aggregate score of 22-1.

    Amad was, of course, influential in the victory and his opening goal marked his first in the Europa League since netting against Milan on March 11, 2021.

    It marked his first ever brace for United, while five of his goals across all competitions for the club have now come at Old Trafford.

  • Spurs youngsters will learn from Galatasaray defeat, says Postecoglou Spurs youngsters will learn from Galatasaray defeat, says Postecoglou

    Ange Postecoglou believes Tottenham's youngsters will have learned a lot from their 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray in the Europa League on Thursday. 

    Yunus Akgun's stunning opener was cancelled out by 19-year-old Will Lankshear's first senior goal for Spurs, before Victor Osimhen's brace put the hosts in control at the break. 

    Lankshear, however, would be sent off for a second bookable offence on the hour-mark, though Spurs did reduce the deficit through Dominic Solanke with a man less. 

    Postecoglou named several inexperienced European players in his starting line-up, with 18-year-old's Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall also starting at Rams Park. 

    But the Spurs boss believes that his younger players will learn from the experience against Okan Buruk's side. 

    "Look, Will took his goal well, he worked hard for the team. Obviously, he hasn't had a lot of experience in senior football, so he would have learnt a lot today," Postecoglou said.

    "The red card, it was a bit of overenthusiasm at that moment to give away a foul, but he'll learn from that. The same with Lucas. Giving him an understanding of the levels here.

    "It is not easy when you are playing away in Europe. You can only allow them to learn that by exposing them to it.

    "I thought Archie was great. It was a tough game for us defensively at different times, but I think we'll get so much growth out of him because he's not playing in his position.

    "I guess for three teenagers in the starting line-up, I think they'll learn a lot from it, and hopefully it helps with their development."

    At 19-years-old and 201 days, Lankshear is now Tottenham’s youngest goalscorer in major European competition since Harry Kane (18-years-old and 140 days) netted against Shamrock Rovers in the 2011-12 UEFA Europa League.

    However, he became the third-youngest player to both score and be sent off in a Europa League game after Aleksandar Mitrovic for Partizan Belgrade in November 2012 (18-years-old and 67 days) and Federico Chiesa for Fiorentina in December 2016 (19-years-old and 44 days).

    Despite the score-ine, Spurs were comfortably second-best against Galatasaray as they suffered their first defeat in the competition this season. 

    They faced 28 shots from their opponents, their most in a game under Postecoglou. 

    It is the most efforts faced by an English team in a Europa League group stage match since Everton faced 39 shots against Wolfsburg in November 2014.  

    And Postecoglou believes his side only had themselves to blame for the defeat, citing a number of mistakes as their undoing in Turkey. 

    "I just felt it was self-inflicted. We had real simple solutions out there to keep the ball. It wasn't that hard. We showed it with 10 men," Postecoglou added.

    "We just needed to be stronger on the ball and play the kind of football we play every week.

    "Maybe it was a little bit the changes I made and the environment and atmosphere, but the moments that stick out to me was giving the ball away.

    "We were playing through them quite easily with 10 men but with 11 men we had nowhere near that conviction and that was disappointing."

  • Clement explains Tavernier omission in Rangers draw with Olympiacos Clement explains Tavernier omission in Rangers draw with Olympiacos

    Philippe Clement explained captain James Tavernier was omitted from Rangers' 1-1 Europa League draw with Olympiacos due to fear of him playing too many games.

    The 33-year-old skipper was utilised as a second-half substitute in a game where Cyriel Dessers cancelled out Ayoub El Kaabi's opener at the Karaiskakis Stadium on Thursday.

    It was a call that raised a few eyebrows given the criticism Tavernier has faced this season, but Clement said it was just about managing the experienced full-back's minutes.

    In quotes reported by BBC Sport, Clement said: "That's never an easy decision, but I want more than one captain in the group.

    "If you come at a certain age you can't play 60 games at the same level. We knew that before the season. It's about competition for spots.

    "It's about one team, winning together. That's Rangers - one team, one family, going for one goal."

    Rangers now have seven points from four games in Europe's secondary competition, sitting just outside the top eight in the table.

    Clement, however, was disappointed not to travel home with the win despite being impressed with the performance.

    "A very strong performance as a team, sticking to the plan, being very disciplined and using the spaces," he added.

    "Disappointed we didn't win the game, that's the next step we need to take. But I saw a lot of positive things and I need to praise the whole team for that.

    "I don't want players happy with a point. We went for the three points and that's the mentality I want to see against any opponent.

    "Our midfield was massive today. Our defence was really solid. Jack [Butland] didn't have to make many saves."

    Rangers are now unbeaten in their last five away matches in the Europa League (W2 D3), equalling their longest such run in the competition’s history (also five unbeaten between October 2020 – March 2021).

    Up next in the competition is Ligue 1 side Nice, who drew 2-2 with Enschede on Thursday. 

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