Tottenham Hotspur’s flawless start to the UEFA Europa League came to an end on Thursday night, as they suffered a 3-2 defeat against Galatasaray at Rams Park in Istanbul, Türkiye.
The match was a thrilling encounter, with Victor Osimhen shining for the hosts by scoring twice. Will Lankshear netted his first goal for Spurs before being sent off in the second half.
Galatasaray took an early lead when Yunus Akgun unleashed a stunning half-volley that sailed past the Tottenham goalkeeper. Spurs responded swiftly, with Brennan Johnson laying off a perfect pass across the goal for Lankshear to tap in, leveling the score.
Defensive lapses cost Tottenham dearly in the 31st minute. Radu Dragusin was caught off guard at the back and dispossessed by Mauro Icardi. The loose ball was picked up by Dries Mertens, who slipped it to Osimhen. The Nigerian striker made no mistake, finding the bottom corner to restore Galatasaray’s lead.
Osimhen doubled his tally just six minutes before halftime, putting Galatasaray firmly in control. The situation worsened for Spurs when Lankshear received his second yellow card and was sent off on the hour mark. Despite being down to ten men, Tottenham showed resilience. Substitute Dominic Solanke back-heeled Pedro Porro’s cross into the net, bringing the score to 3-2.
In other matches, Manchester United secured their first victory in the tournament by defeating PAOK 2-0 at Old Trafford in Manchester, England. Amad Diallo was the hero for United, scoring both goals under the guidance of interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy. This win marked a turnaround after the team had drawn their previous three games under Erik ten Hag.
Diallo opened the scoring five minutes into the second half, connecting with a looping header from Bruno Fernandes. He sealed the victory with a solo effort thirteen minutes from time.
Meanwhile, Lazio edged Porto 2-1 at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy, maintaining a perfect record with four wins from four matches. Alessio Romagnoli headed Lazio into the lead at the end of the first half, but Porto’s Stephen Eustaquio equalized. As the match seemed destined for a draw, Pedro netted an injury-time winner, converting a cross from Gustav Isaksen.
These results have significantly impacted the standings, adding excitement to the UEFA Europa League as teams vie for top positions in their respective groups.
Reference(s):
Tottenham suffer 1st loss at UEFA Europa League to Galatasaray
cgtn.com
