GREAT DANE
Tottenham 3 Elfsborg 0: Dane Scarlett unlikely hero as academy products combine to book spot in Europa League last 16
Scarlett's opening goal instantly ruled him out of a January transfer
DANE SCARLETT was Tottenham’s unlikely hero in every sense.
The 20-year-old was only recalled from his loan at Championship side Oxford earlier this month due to a lack of game-time - with the club’s intention to farm him out again.
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That was made impossible when Ange Postecoglou brought him on for the injured Radu Dragusin - Spurs’ crock curse striking again - in the 66th minute.
Players are not permitted to play for more than two clubs in a season so another temporary switch was off as soon as he took to the pitch here.
But given what he then produced, and Spurs’ desperate lack of options with so many players sidelined, they probably would want to keep him anyway.
Because within four minutes of coming on, Scarlett had his first senior goal when heading home an inswinging cross from fellow sub Dejan Kulusevski.
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It broke Elfsborg’s resistance and confirmed Tottenham’s safe passage to the last 16 of the Europa League, without the need of a pesky two-legged play-off in February.
Scarlett even had an assist to his name with six minutes to go as he traded passes with another sub Oyindamola Ajayi who fired home on his debut for 2-0.
There was still time for 17-year-old wonderkid Mikey Moore to make it a hat-trick of maiden goals for the club when he drilled home in stoppage time.
It brought some much-needed relief to boss Postecoglou, who at one point made light of his mad injury situation by pretending to grab his hamstring on the touchline.
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The Aussie has felt the heat for the club’s disastrous league form which has seen them plummet down to 15th.
A relegation battle cannot be ruled out given their form and injury problems.
But Postecoglou has kept the faith that things will turn around when they get their players back.
While he has also pointed to the potential glory of the cups, given they are in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, the FA Cup and now the knockouts in Europe.
Spurs have badly missed key defender Micky van de Ven for the last seven weeks due to his latest hamstring injury.
So the loud cheer when the Dutchman’s name was read out before kick-off was understandable - as would have been any nerves over the prospect of reinjury.
He ended up only playing the first 45 minutes in what was likely a planned move to ease him back gently - and in truth he had next to no defensive work to do in his time on the pitch.
Elfsborg are still in their pre-season for their domestic campaign and have only played two competitive games since December 12 - albeit both wins in th Europa League - and sat back throughout.
Captain Son Heung-min has struggled for his own form amid Tottenham’s difficult season.
But he has been better in the last week, netting twice in the 3-2 win at Hoffenheim last Thursday and being Spurs’ best player in Sunday’s 2-1 horror show against Leicester.
Here he was at his twinkle-toed best, dancing round Elfsborg’s defenders and leaving Simon Hedlund particularly dizzy.
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One clever bit of movement saw the South Korean cut the ball back for Pape Sarr who was denied by a fine stop from Isak Pettersson.
The Elfsborg stopper had said on Wednesday his side would “not be scared” when taking on Spurs.
And he made a brave save when facing down Moore’s goalbound strike after more clever feet from Son.
Lucas Bergvall may have felt an extra desire to impress given the Swede was up against opposition from his home country.
Perhaps it affected his concentration as he gave the ball away sloppily several times in the first half, incurring the wrath of Postecoglou who angrily urged the 18-year-old to calm down.
Dragusin came on for Van de Ven at the break in a triple change for the hosts.
Besfort Zeneli’s shot hit the Romanian’s leg soon after and looped up, allowing striker Jalal Abdullai to pull off an acrobatic volley which went narrowly over the bar.
The anti-Daniel Levy chants reached fever pitch in the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s loss to Leicester, with many fed-up fans calling for ownership change.
That dissension was more a murmur here that every so often would crop up, either in the form of a ‘We want Levy out’ taunt or the popular Kulusevski song which also takes aim at the supremo.
All of a sudden, Dragusin went down clutching his right knee.
He had attempted to hack away a loose ball and instantly felt a problem and after receiving treatment, eventually had to be withdrawn.
On in his place came academy product Scarlett, who within four minutes was wheeling away after heading in Kulusevski’s cross for his maiden Spurs goal.
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There was another first strike 14 minutes later as 19-year-old debutant Ajayi played a one-two with Scarlett and fired a low, left-footed shot into the corner, killing off Elfsborg and raising the roof.
Spurs had four teenagers on the pitch by the end in Archie Gray, Bergvall, Ajayi and Moore - who struck in stoppage time to round off a fabulous night for Tottenham's kids.
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