Young trio open goalscoring accounts on memorable night in N17

Young forwards Dane Scarlett, Damola Ajayi and Mikey Moore all scored their first Spurs goals as we defeated Elfsborg 3-0 to secure a place in the last 16 of the Europa League on Thursday evening.

After we’d struggled to break through the Swedish visitors’ resolute defence, the three Academy graduates all netted in the second half to open their goalscoring accounts for us and give the night a real feelgood factor, not least because it also meant we finished fourth in the league phase, avoiding the play-off round and advancing straight to the round of 16 in March.

Scarlett got the ball rolling, the 20-year-old – making his 18th appearance for us after spending the first half of the season on loan at Oxford United – stepping off the bench in the 65th minute before heading home the opening goal five minutes later. Ajayi did even better, taking just three minutes of his first-ever senior appearance to score a wonderful goal after coming on as a substitute. And Moore, who started for his 15th appearance in our colours, capped a great second half when he netted deep into stoppage time.

On a night when results from across the 18 Europa League games on the final matchday of the league phase could have had an impact on our position, we made sure of doing the business ourselves. The final standings mean that we will play one of Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, AZ Alkmaar or FC Midtjylland in the last 16.

Looking for a quick start to settle any tension, we almost went ahead inside the first minute when quick feet from Moore saw him skip past a couple of challenges and deliver a ball into the box which just eluded Richarlison with Heung-Min Son’s shot blocked at the far post. We had plenty of the ball in the opening 15 minutes, forcing three corners with Micky van de Ven, making a welcome return from injury, almost getting on the end of the last of them.

The game was being played almost entirely in the Elfsborg half – attack against defence as they had 11 men behind the ball – and it was tough to break them down but we almost found a way through in the 23rd minute, Pedro Porro heading Son’s cross straight at Isak Pettersson in the visitors’ goal.

Our skipper was at the heart of most of our good work and created a great chance on 33 minutes, leaving Besfort Zeneli in his wake down the left and his cut-back found Pape Matar Sarr but Pettersson saved his shot with an outstretched leg. And the keeper was there again shortly after with a wonderful reaction save to prevent Moore’s shot from another low Son cross.

To highlight our dominance, we had 83 per cent possession at half-time and the only thing missing was a goal. We made three changes at the break to try to rectify that – Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski and Yves Bissouma on for van de Ven, Son and Rodrigo Bentancur – although it was the Swedish outfit with the first chance of the half, Zeneli’s shot on the turn flicking up off Dragusin and Jalal Abdullai, back to goal six yards out, put his overhead kick over the bar. We were soon back on the front foot though and when Porro delivered a cross into the box on 58 minutes, Lucas Bergvall met it well with a diving header only for Pettersson to save again.

Sadly though, we then lost Dragusin to injury just 20 minutes into the half, with Scarlett replacing him, Ben Davies moving to centre-back and Sarr in to left-back. And it was the young forward who was in the right spot to finally pierce the Elfsborg defence, heading home Kulusevski’s cross from eight yards out.

That goal basically secured a top eight finish and when Ajayi netted his fine goal on 84 minutes, that was job done. What a goal and what a moment it was, too! The 19-year-old picked up the ball out on the right, beat a couple of challenges and laid it in to Scarlett, he held it up and played it back to Ajayi who swept a left-footed shot into the bottom corner. It was a goal greeted with real joy not only by the fans, team-mates and coaching staff, but all the injured players on the bench went to congratulate him too! The evening was rounded off in great fashion as 17-year-old Moore got the goal his performance deserved, picking up the ball 40 yards out and drifting inside two Elfsborg defenders before firing past Pettersson. A great night in the end!

Match data

Goals: Spurs – Scarlett 70, Ajayi 84, Moore 90+4.

Yellow card: Spurs – Bergvall.

Referee: Sebastian Gishamer (Austria).

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Weather: Light rain, light winds, two degrees.

Attendance: 57,337.