Tottenham vs Qarabag LIVE: Europa League result and final score as 10-man Spurs win chaotic contest

Tottenham Hotspur started their Europa League campaign with an impressive 3-0 home win over Qarabag despite playing 83 minutes with 10 men.

After kick-off was delayed due to the late arrival of Qarabag’s team bus, Radu Dragusin’s night lasted only seven minutes when he received a red card.

It failed to significantly knock Ange Postecoglou’s team off their stride though, with Brennan Johnson able to score for a third successive match five minutes later before Pape Sarr doubled the hosts’ advantage in the 52nd minute.

Qarabag did regularly threaten and Tural Bayramov fired a spot-kick over after Sarr’s strike, which all but ended the visitors’ hopes and Dominic Solanke made it back-to-back goals with 22 minutes left to ensure Tottenham earned a third win in a row before Sunday’s trip to Manchester United.

Ange Postecoglou, speaking to TNT Sports:

“Not an ideal [start]. I thought we started really sloppy, I don’t know if the delay got to us or whatever. Radu paid the price. The reaction was good but I was not happy with the start.

“Brennan was great. Even with 10 men we still pressed, which we wanted to do. He’s got some confidence in him, which is great. He’s done really well the last three games.

“I felt we needed the second, the way the game was going. It was great for Pape, who I thought was really good today. That was his first 90 minutes but it was really strong.

“Dom has been great for us. He had the long drought of two games without a goal but he’s been fantastic for us. Not just the goals but the general link-up play. A strong performance.

“It’s important that we got off to a win tonight, especially being at home you really have to win. Any game away in Europe is a challenge. Good to get the win tonight.

“Big challenge for us going to Old Trafford on Sunday but one we’re looking forward to.”

A very pleasing sight for Spurs fans: Solanke and Johnson now have five goals between them in their last three games.

A 10:30pm finish does not help Tottenham ahead of their trip to face Manchester United on Sunday (4:30pm).

After that, Ange Postecoglou’s side play their second match of the Europa League away to Ferencvaros in Budapest next Thursday, before another trip to Brighton a week on Sunday.

Here’s Dominic Solanke, speaking to TNT Sports:

“Very happy to get the win, the boys fought hard. Going down to 10 men, it could have been a difficult game. It shows the spirit of the boys.

“I’m still to get fitter. I had an injury at the start of the season that knocked my rhythm but hopefully I can growing, keep scoring and helping the team.”

A wild win for Spurs. 3-0 fails to sum it up but Totteham were clinical and Qarabag were not, the visitors surely will come away with regrets after playing against 10 men for almost the entire match and having several chances.

But for Spurs, this was an impressive, battling performance. The only concern really is whether Son has picked up an injury after limping off in the 70th minute. Postecoglou’s side head to Manchester United on Sunday on the back of three straight wins but will be desperate for their captain to be fit.

90+3 mins: Loads of great performers for Spurs tonight but Micky van de Ven has been immense in the heart of a patched up defence; Vicario and Archie Gray too.

90 mins: Tottenham are managing to this see out. It’s going to go down as an impressive win after playing with 10 men since the seventh minute. And after being under pressure, Postecoglou’s side are heading for a third win in a row in all competitions.

Into three minutes added on.

84 mins: Spurs bring on Mikey Moore for some late minutes, replacing Solanke.

A goal and an assist for Solanke tonight. The striker is settling nicely.

77 mins: Surely this time for Qarabag... no! Juninho is half a yard offside when he heads past Vicario.

Just before, the goalkeeper produced a brilliant stop to keep Tottenham’s clear sheet. Cafarguliyev hit that well but Vicario was equal to it.