After a half of chances, Tottenham Hotspur found the quality to finish and used a strong second half to beat Royal Antwerp and win Europa League Group J.
If we listen to the players and the coaches all Tottenham are concerned with is winning each game they play. If that is true, Spurs accomplished their goal and then some behind a strong second half showing against Antwerp in London on Thursday evening. With the 2-0 win, Tottenham won Group J and now await the draw on December 14 to learn their opponent in the new year.
Forgettable First Half
The most memorable thing about the first half was probably the lack of anything memorable. Other than trying to figure out what kind of formation Tottenham were playing – which seemed to puzzle the players at time too – the first half was rather non-distinct.
Tottenham were not the team that has been sitting back over the last few weeks, far from it, they were much more aggressive and forward thinking, despite only holding 47% of possession. Tottenham outshot Antwerp 10 to 1 in the first half, with four shots on target. Had any one of those four gone in, the first half might have ended up looking quite different, but Tottenham never had that moment to get on top.
Spurs had their first chance just a few minutes into the match as Japhet Tanganga – making his third straight start in Europa League – got free on a header off a Giovani Lo Celso free kick. Tanganga won the header and got it on frame, but it was one of several saves from Alireza Safar Beiranvand on the evening in goal for Antwerp.
A few minutes later Gareth Bale got up and won a header off a corner kick but could not direct the shot on frame. Just before 20 minutes, Carlos Vinicius got off one of three shots he had on the night, forcing another save from Beiranvand. Spurs were finding something on the right side where Vinicius got room for the shot.
Matt Doherty and Lo Celso began to combine and find that space out wide of the penalty box. Lo Celso missed with one effort and then a few minutes latter forced another save. Spurs needed to continue to force the ball wide as the middle was very congested. The formation with Doherty and Reguilón as both sort of wingers in a hybrid 4-4-2/3-5-2/5-3-3. Honestly, it was hard to decipher at times and left the team without the usual assuredness in their passing and approach.
Antwerp had some decent possession but only got off one shot and it was not on target. The best chance of the half was also Spurs, as late in the in the half Lucas Moura got the ball in the middle of the pitch and played in Carlos Vinicius. Vinicius was on the left, with his favored foot, but again Beiranvand was up to the challenge taking the ball off his midsection and saving the day again.
If any of what were four decent chances go in, the story of the first half and game would have been much different. However, despite the persistent attempts, Tottenham had not found the goal and were level at half-time. Worse yet, it appeared that Reguilón may have picked up a little knock late on in the half and was replaced at halftime by Steven Bergwijn.
Second Half Surge and Substitutes
In the second half, as Bergwijn came on for Reguilón the shape changed a bit, although it was still Doherty furthest up the pitch of all the wide players. In any case, Spurs were back to their 4-man out of possession, 3-man in possession back line. With the slightly more normal formation came more balance and spacing.
In the first half, Lucas Moura and Gareth Bale were both pinched in too close to Carlos Vinicius. In the second half there was more width across the front and Tottenham were able to benefit. Spurs conceded even a bit more of the possession but were far more incisive with their passing and the pressure was mounting. Finally, for Spurs first goal, all three of the attackers played a part.
Tottenham Take Command
The play started with Lucas Moura doing something we do not see often enough within the Tottenham hold-up play. Moura simply turned off his defender and started attacking goal. Most of the time Spurs play the ball back or sideways and occasionally forward from the hold-up position near midfield. With Lucas turning and attacking on the dribble the defense was caught off-guard and Moura found space.
Given he was in front and heading toward goal, it probably should have been Abdoulaye Seck’s second yellow card, as he fouled Lucas Moura from behind about 30-yards out but only a free kick was given. The free kick was one of those Gareth Bale moments we have been waiting for – almost. Bale struck a beautiful free kick which forced a terrific safe from Beiranvand to help the ball up onto the crossbar from half over the line.
As the Antwerp team was watching the save, Carlos Vinicius was responding to it and quickly stepped up and one-touched the ball into the net for the 1-0 Spurs lead. Vinicius took about two steps after the touch turning and did his version of the Mbappe arms-crossed celebration. The two shots would be the last two touches for Bale and Vinicius as the pair came off after the goal as Harry Kane and Heung-min Son came on.
Substitutes See it Out
Tanguy Ndombele also came on at this time for Harry Winks, as José Mourinho was not about to leave the fate of his team in the Group to chance. While Mourinho could have changed course having scored the goal, he kept moving forward with his plan and the result was Tottenham dominating the game out. While Spurs managed only 1 more goal, a nice finish from Lo Celso off a Harry Kane feed, Tottenham did have more chances.
Heung-Min Son forced two saves in his 30 minutes with two shots within a minute of each other right around 68-69 minutes. Harry Kane had a couple efforts and while neither hit the target, he is going to feel like he should have scored. A few minutes before Kane fed Lo Celso, Giovani hit a near perfect corner kick which Kane won in the box. Unfortunately, and almost inexplicably, the header was a bit off bouncing wide of the goal.
A few minutes later, Harry Kane picked up the ball in space in the middle of the field. As Antwerp were trying harder to press and attack, Kane found space and immediately went toward the goal. Like any good point guard Kane attacked until the defender committed, then dished a soft pass into the path of Lo Celso running on his right.
As Beiranvand came out to try and cut the angle, Lo Celso tucked a nice shot with the outside of his left foot into the far corner. The second goal put Spurs firmly in command and meant they would top the group. Antwerp kept pushing, but it was to no avail as their only shot of the half was a prayer from about 35 yards out that was well off target.
Tottenham have played better but they have also played worse. In the end, it is job done with a professional win and mission accomplished with first place in the Group. Now it is on to the draw and the knock-out stages – with Tottenham having avoided the teams coming from Champions League.