Match Report: Tottenham 3-0 IF Elfsborg thanks to three of our own

Tottenham Hotspur secured a top-eight finish in the Europa League as the group stages come to an end with a 3-0 win over IF Elfsborg – and it was all thanks to three of their own.

Tottenham are through to the Europa League knockouts

Amidst all the gloom surrounding the club, this game was a much-needed positive. Spurs needed just one point to qualify for the round of 16, but three points were even better. That means fewer games for Ange Postecoglou’s side and no Europa League fixtures throughout February—an opportunity for some well-earned rest.

Looking at the line-ups, the first boost came before kick-off. Micky van de Ven returned to the starting XI for the first time since early December after missing all of November through injury.

Fans were apprehensive, worrying that playing him too soon could lead to another setback, just like when both he and Cristian Romero started against Chelsea and ended up injured. But this time, the plan was that Van de Ven would play only the first half. Thankfully, he got through it without any problems.

As for the bench? It was packed with youngsters, but no complaints there—you’ll soon see why. Let’s have a look at the match report.

First half: Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 IF Elfsborg

As expected, Spurs came flying out of the blocks, pressing high and dominating possession (83%). The first chance arrived inside the opening minute, thanks to a surging run from Mikey Moore down the right.

Despite their dominance, clear-cut chances were rare. Pape Matar Sarr and Moore tested the Elfsborg keeper, who pulled off some fine saves. But if there was one standout from the first 45 minutes, it was Heung-min Son.

The Spurs skipper rolled back the years, producing dribbles that took fans straight back to his prime 2021/22 days. Some of his crosses failed to find their mark, but the quality of his footwork was a joy to watch. He completed 10 dribbles and won 11 duels, the most in the match, despite playing only one half.

Van de Ven was another bright spark. You could very well see the difference he brought to the Spurs’ defence.

At half-time, Spurs were in control but needed to turn their dominance into goals. Elfsborg had managed just 17.2% possession and one shot, with an xG of 0.01 compared to Tottenham’s 0.95.

Second half: Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 IF Elfsborg

After all the praise for Son and Van de Ven, if you were told they were both subbed off at the break yet Spurs still went on to score three goals, you’d probably laugh. But that’s exactly what happened.

The second half continued at the same tempo, but there was an early setback. Radu Dragusin, who replaced Van de Ven at half-time, suffered an off-the-ball injury, seemingly to his ankle, forcing him off just 20 minutes later.

With no defenders on the bench, Postecoglou had no choice but to bring on 20-year-old Dane Scarlett, recently recalled from his loan spell. Initially, the decision seemed odd, but as they say—the rest is history.

In the 70th minute, Scarlett announced himself in style. Dejan Kulusevski whipped in an eye-watering left-footed cross, and the young forward guided a brilliant header into the net—his first-ever goal for Tottenham.

10 minutes later, another academy prospect, Damola Ajayi, made his senior debut. It took him just three minutes to etch his name in the hearts of the fans. Linking up with Scarlett in a smooth one-two, the 19-year-old drove into the box and slotted home his first goal for the club. A dream debut.

By this point, even the harshest critics of Postecoglou’s substitutions had fallen silent.

Then, in stoppage time, Mikey Moore decided to join the fun. With news emerging that Spurs had reached an agreement with Bayern Munich for Mathys Tel, Moore sent a reminder that it wasn’t needed. Winning the ball 35 yards out, he took on two defenders before driving a precise finish into the bottom corner. Three academy graduates. Three first Spurs goals. You couldn’t have written a better script.

Takeaways and conclusions

What experienced, world-class players failed to do, Spurs’ academy products did with ease. Three homegrown talents, all scoring their maiden goals on the same night—perfect proof of why young players can be trusted. Postecoglou’s substitutions take much of the credit here.

Yet, there was one downside to the night. Just as Van de Ven returned from injury, Dragusin was forced off. More updates on the Romanian’s condition will follow in the coming days, but the early signs aren’t promising.

Son’s first-half display was another huge positive. Some had questioned whether he was being overworked, but this was the Son of old—dribbling past defenders for fun and proving he still has plenty left in the tank.

I used to complain about two opposition players marking Spurs’ wingers and fullbacks when they were deep in the opponent’s half, but then Son sent both his markers into a trance with those dribbles.

With transfer deadline day looming, the atmosphere among fans could have been much worse. If Daniel Levy has anyone to thank for that, it’s three young players—two of whom are still teenagers.

Tottenham are healing. Next up, Brentford on Sunday. COYS.

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