Five star Johnson secures victory in Budapest

Brennan Johnson made it five goals in five games as we secured a valuable away victory in Europe with a 2-1 win against Ferencvaros in the UEFA Europa League in Hungary on Thursday evening.

The flying forward's fine finish was indicative of a player in form as he shifted onto his left foot from the right angle and curled a low shot in off the far post. That made it 2-0 four minutes from time in the rain at the Groupama Arena but the Hungarian champions - unbeaten at home in 14 matches - fought until the end, with Barnabas Varga sliding home a cross from Cristian Ramirez as the clock ticked into five minutes of added time.

There were no more scares as we made it two wins out of two in the league phase of the new-look competition, following our MD1 win against Qarabag last week.

Earlier, Pape Matar Sarr, like Johnson, made it two goals in two in the UEL when he opened the scoring from close range after 23 minutes. The result made it five wins in five our last matches in three different competitions - Coventry in the Carabao Cup, Brentford and Manchester United in the Premier League and Qarabag and Ferencvaros in the UEL.

All eyes were on the teamsheet as Ange made seven changes to the team that started at Old Trafford and included four teenagers in the starting line-up - Mikey Moore (17), Archie Gray (18), Lucas Bergvall (18) and Will Lankshear (19). It was Lankshear's debut and Moore's first start and the first time we'd started four teenagers in Europe since our UEFA Cup tie against Shakhtar Donetsk in February, 2009 (Gareth Bale, Gio dos Santos, Chris Gunter, Jon Obika).

In-form, with six wins in six domestically, Ferencvaros slipped into gear early and created chances for Verga and Adama Traore. Lankshear did well to meet Timo Werner's cross on 10 minutes, only to head over and Sarr's snapshot forced the first save of note two minutes later from Denes Dibusz.

Varga and the majority of the 20,795 fans were celebrating a goal on 16 minutes as the striker looped home Eldar Civic's cross, but he was narrowly offside, the goal ruled out by VAR.

You sensed that first goal could be key and it duly arrived midway through the half when Moore drove in from the right and found Lankshear, Bergvall joined in the melee and the ball ran loose into the path of Sarr, who made no mistake from close range.

We were now settled in the game and soon struck the woodwork as Pedro Porro's low drive cannoned back off the inside of the post. Dibusz also fielded efforts from Sarr and Moore with Traore's sliced effort the only threat at the other end.

Guglielmo Vicario would soon be tested at the start of the second half as he produced a fingertip save to deny Matheus Saldanha. It was all us for the next 30 minutes though as Romero and Lankshear went close, Werner went through on goal but took the ball too wide, eventually hitting the side-netting and Johnson, off the bench with James Maddison and Deki Kulusevski on 65 minutes, firing against the crossbar on 80 minutes.

Kady, twice, Cebrails Makreckis and Abu Fani all had half-chances as the home side upped the pressure before Johnson struck the key goal for the 2-0 cushion on 86 minutes. Once again Moore was involved in the move, this time finding Solanke, he shifted on to Johnson who did the rest.

Varga pounced at the near post for 2-1 but there were no further scares as we secured our first away win in Europe since beating Marseille in the Champions League back in December, 2022.

Match data

Goals: Ferencvaros - B Varga 90. Spurs - Sarr 23, Johnson 86.

Yellow cards: Ferencvaros - Civic 22.

Referee: Igor Pajac (Croatia).

Venue: Groupama Arena, Budapest.

Attendance: 20,795.

Weather: Rain, 13 degrees at kick-off.