Big win in Wolfsberger AC first leg - match report and debrief

A solid away performance ensured we take a healthy advantage back to N17 after a 4-1 win against Wolfsberger AC in the first leg of our Europa League round of 32 tie on Thursday evening.

The match was our first-ever competitive fixture to be played in Hungary, with the game switched from Wolfsberg to the Puskas Arena in Budapest due to travel restrictions from the UK to Austria as a result of COVID-19.

First-half goals from Heung-Min Son, Gareth Bale and Lucas Moura put us in control at the interval before Michael Liendl pulled one back from the penalty spot for the ‘home’ side, but we regained our three-goal lead when substitute Carlos Vinicius added a fourth in the 87th minute.

It was an excellent first-half display as we almost put the game to bed before the break. The opener came with 13 minutes on the clock when Bale’s cross from the right was met by a stooping, glancing header from Son which beat Alexander Kofler in the Wolfsberger goal. Bale then doubled our advantage in the 28th minute, latching onto Matt Doherty’s pass down the inside right channel, cutting back onto his favoured left foot to beat Jonathan Scherzer before flashing home.

Wolfsberger were always a threat and went close shortly after but Hugo Lloris superbly tipped Dario Vizinger’s header onto the crossbar and we took full advantage by adding a third 11 minutes before the interval. It was all the work of Lucas, who picked the ball up out on the left and went on a mazy run past four defenders before beating Kofler with a composed finish.

The Austrians gave themselves a foothold in the game from the penalty spot on 55 minutes after Moussa Sissoko had tripped Christopher Wernitznig and Liendl coolly converted from 12 yards. And they almost added a second when Liendl’s cut-back found Wernitznig whose shot from just inside the area crashed against the crossbar and bounced down on the goal-line before Lloris gathered.

It was end-to-end at that stage and we needed to stay resolute to deny WAC another goal, while always looking dangerous ourselves and a deserved fourth came two minutes from time. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s cross was headed goalwards by Erik Lamela and Vinicius stuck out a leg to divert the ball home to put us well in control of the tie ahead of next Wednesday’s second leg in north London.

Job done in Budapest

Wolfsberger might have been the lowest ranked team left in the Europa League, playing in the knockout stages of a European competition for the first time in their history, but they were here on merit and we knew they could be a dangerous opponent. That made our first-half display all the more impressive as we jumped out of the blocks quickly and raced into a three-goal lead which should go a long way to deciding the outcome of this tie.

Son’s 18th goal of the season – equalling his tally from last term – put us ahead and we went close again through Dele Alli, whose clever nutmeg on Michael Novak gave him a sight of goal but his effort from a tight angle flicked off the goalkeeper for a corner, which Eric Dier headed over from a good position.

It was an entertaining game and WAC had chances of their own, two good ones either side of Bale’s goal which made it 2-0, with Lloris saving from Dejan Joveljic and Vizinger, the latter a fantastic stop.

Lucas’ fine individual goal capped a great team performance in that first period as he weaved his way past centre-backs Dominik Baumgartner and Luka Lochoshvili and slotted past Kofler, while the half ended with Lloris saving Liendl’s low curling effort and Wernitznig sending a 20-yard free-kick just over.

Five minutes after the restart, we almost nabbed a fourth when Bale and Dele linked up, with the former’s shot pushed away by Kofler and it suggested another dominant half of football. But we were rocked back by Liendl’s penalty, a goal which visibly lifted the Austrian side and they were unlucky not to reduce the deficit to a single goal when Wernitznig hit the woodwork. A second goal for WAC would have made for a nervy ending but we managed to snuff out their most threatening attacks and had plenty of the ball in offensive areas ourselves, without quite managing to work Kofler again until Vinicius’ late strike gave the scoreline even more of a healthy look.

Another Euro goals haul

We set a record at the Puskas Arena on Thursday as we became the first English club to score three or more goals in three consecutive away matches in Europa League/UEFA Cup competition.

Our quadruple against Wolfsberger follows the three-goal haul in the 3-3 draw away in Austria against LASK and the 3-1 win at Bulgarian side Ludogorets in our previous two away fixtures, both in the group stage.

Victory in Budapest continued Jose Mourinho’s impressive personal form in this competition. Our Head Coach has now won each of his past 13 knockout ties in the UEFA Cup or Europa League – all seven in 2002/03 with Porto, all five in 2016/17 with Manchester United, including finals – and this game.

Meanwhile, Jose made six changes to the team that started against Manchester City on Saturday.

Doherty, Toby Alderweireld, Harry Winks, Sissoko, Dele and Bale came in for Japhet Tanganga, Davinson Sanchez, Hojbjerg, Tanguy Ndombele, Lamela and Harry Kane. Youngsters Dane Scarlett, Marcel Lavinier and Jamie Bowden were all on the bench.

Reaction on Spurs TV

'4-1 away is a very good result'

Jose said after the match: "A positive result was not enough, a draw with goals, not the point, we had to come and win, to play with ambition, which we did.

"The result at half-time, 3-0, is short, it should be more. Then again, good control of the game, lots of chances in lots of situations, the result could be different, and I believe the last goal put almost a period on this tie, because 4-1 away is a very good result."

Match data

Goals: Wolfsberger AC – Liendl 55 (pen); Spurs – Son 13, Bale 28, Lucas 34, Vinicius 88.

Yellow cards: Wolfsberger AC – Sprangler; Spurs – Dele, Sissoko, Hojbjerg.

Referee: Ali Palabiyik (Turkey).

Venue: Puskas Arena, Budapest.

Weather: Clear sky, moderate breeze, eight degrees.