UEFA EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE
(GROUP G – MATCHDAY FOUR)
THURSDAY 4TH NOVEMBER, 2021
(8pm)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3(3) VITESSE ARNHEM 2(2)
Spurs scorers:-
Son, 14
Lucas Moura, 22
Rasmussen (o.g.), 28
Vitesse scorers:-
Rasmussen, 32
Bero, 39
Attendance:- 36,312
Referee:- Marco Di Bello
Assistants:- Alessandro Costanzo & Matteo Passeri
Fourth official:- Rosario Abisso
(All officials are from Italy)
Teams:-
Spurs (3-4-3):- Lloris (Capt.); Romero, Dier, Davies; Emerson Royal, Hojbjerg (sub Lo Celso, 87), Skipp (sub Winks, 73), Reguilon; Lucas Moura (sub Sanchez, 73), Kane, Son (sub Ndombele, 72)
Subs not used:- Gollini, Austin; Tanganga, Rodon, Doherty; Dele; Bergwijn, Scarlett
Booked:- Romero (foul on Gboho)
Sent off:- Romero, 59 (second yellow for foul on Openda)
Vitesse ((3-4-1-2):- Schubert; Doekhi (Capt.), Bazoer, Rasmussen; Dasa, Bero, Tronstad (sub Oroz, 90), Wittek; Baden Frederiksen (sub Darfalou, 74), Buitink (sub Houwen (GK), 86), Gboho (sub Openda, 46)
Subs not used:- Van Haveren; Cornelisse, Hajek; Vroegh, Domgjoni, Huisman; Vonmoos, Yapi
Booked:- Buitink (foul on Dier), Doekhi (foul on Sanchez), Bazoer (foul on Kane)
Sent off:- Doekhi, 80 (second bookable offence - foul on Kane), Schubert, 84 (handball outside his area)
(Armband to Bero)
Hectic debut for Conte as Spurs hold on
Non-partisans probably found this a thoroughly entertaining match, but as a Spurs fan, after a bright start in which we took a three-goal lead, it wasn’t much fun watching us hold on against a gung-ho Vitesse side. The Dutch side lost the game but won the sendings-off count 2-1 as in the end 10-man Spurs beat 9-man Vitesse.
The biggest home crowd yet for a Europa Conference League game piled in (the upper tiers were closed) to see Antonio Conte’s first game as coach. He and his team had been granted their work permits earlier in the day, so they were legitimately able to take charge of the team. Conte picked a strong side with 10 changes from that which had lost in the Netherlands two weeks ago. Ben Davies survived from that game, but this time was part of a back three with Emerson Royal and Sergio Reguilon operating as wing-backs.
Vitesse were well supported by a crowd who had given TFL and The Metropolitan Police a few problems on their approach to the ground, and at one stage during the game caused problems with the occupants of the Premium seats just above the away section.
Spurs kicked off and played towards the North Stand, attacking from the outset through Hojbjerg and Emerson before Lucas Moura headed just wide. Romero raced forward and fed the ball to Son who rounded the keeper, but saw his shot blocked by Gboho. After four minutes, “Sonny” exchanged passes with Emerson before hitting a cross which was cleared. Son and Lucas Moura exchanged passes before the ball was fed forward to Kane, but the keeper got there first.
Vitesse were getting forward too and both Frederiksen and Buitink had shots go just wide. Spurs took the lead in the 14th minute after Hojbjerg passed to Lucas whose shot was parried by Schubert, allowing Son to score following up from an angle on the right. There was a deflection, but it was Son’s goal. “Sonny” has now scored Spurs’ first goal for his last three full-time managers – Mourinho, Nuno and now Conte!
Vitesse soon had a free kick at the other end, taken by Wittek and headed over by Doekhi. After a defensive header by Romero, Bero hit a 20-yard shot which was defected and won a corner for the visitors. Following the corner, Hugo Lloris sent Reguilon away. After Kane’s pass back to Reguilon on the left the left back crossed and Son’s shot from the left of the box hit the bottom of the post.
Spurs went 2-0 up after Kane released Lucas Moura who scored with a low shot past the keeper. I thought there might have been an offside, but there was no VAR and the assistant referee clearly indicated that the goal was legitimate. Son did have the ball in the net soon after, but this time there was an offside.
We were 3-0 up inside 28 minutes and surely coasting when Reguilon passed inside and Ben Davies was forward. We thought Kane had scored (he was announced as scorer), but his effort had been turned in by Rasmussen. It was at this point that there was some trouble in the away section, requiring extra stewards.
This was to be no easy win, as Lloris was soon required to make an excellent save tipping over a shot by Tronstad following a corner. After the corner though Rasmussen scored at the right end getting in front of Dier to head downward at the back post. Romero got his first booking just inside the Vitesse half bringing Gboho’s advance to a halt. Gboho was involved in Vitesse’s second goal as he passed to Bero who scored with a shot which passed through Dier’s legs. Spurs had been defending in the period before the goal with Vitesse attacking our right flank strongly.
Vitesse coach Thomas Letsch switched Gboho for Openda at half-time. Openda had scored all three of Vitesse’s goals in their last two games. Openda had a shot after only three minutes, hitting it just wide of Lloris’s right post. Aa second shot after 52 minutes was pushed around the corner of goal to the left by Hugo, who had now made two vital saves.
Romero’s red card (second yellow) came in the 59th minute following a foul on Openda. That took place near the half-way line and also near the touchline. Such drastic action was hardly required. Romero was already known to be something of a yellow card magnet and in his short Spurs career so far has already been shown yellow six times. He’ll miss the trip to Slovenia for the next game against Mura.
Initially, Spurs switched to a 4-2-3 with Davies beside Dier and Emerson and Reguilon reverting to standard full-back positions. Vitesse seemed to become rougher and Buitink was soon booked for a foul on Dier. Vitesse had a corner after 65 minutes, taken by Wittek. Dasa hit a shot which passed over the target. Lucas Moura attacked and got near the bye-line on the right, but his cross was cut out by Schubert. Lloris made another excellent diving save following another Vitesse corner pushing Bazoer’s 25-yard curler wide.
Conte now made a triple substitution with Ndombele replacing Son – playing on the left. Davinson Sanchez reinforced the defence, replacing Lucas Moura, while Harry Winks replaced Skipp. Sanchez was soon in the wars, suffering a facial injury and being encouraged to have his treatment off the pitch which left us with 9 men for a brief while. Sanchez returned with his head bandaged.
In the closing stages Vitesse captain Doekhi was sent off (second yellow) following a foul on Kane. Winks hit a good ball to Emerson who attacked down the right flank. His cross was intercepted by the hand of goalkeeper Schubert, but he was well outside his area and had to go. Ndombele hit a couple of decent crosses from the left and one in added time was met by another substitute Lo Celso, whose shot was saved by the substitute goalkeeper. Lo Celso really should have scored here to put the game beyond any doubt. He had another chance after a Winks effort was charged down, but this shot was cleared.
The win moves Spurs up to second place in their group. Their next match is away to Group G’s serial losers NS Mura before a crunch game at home to group leaders Rennes, which should be a battle for top place.
Europa Conference League Group G
P W D L F-A GD Pts
1. Rennes 4 3 1 0 7-4 3 10
2. Spurs 4 2 1 1 10-6 4 7
3. Vitesse 4 2 0 2 6-5 1 6
4. NS Mura 4 0 0 4 2-10 -8 0
