Ange Postecoglou’s decision to place his faith in youth paid off as Tottenham registered their fifth successive win in all competitions – and second in the Europa League – with a 2-1 victory at Ferencvaros.
Postecoglou named four teenagers in his side – Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Mikey Moore and debutant Will Lankshear – and they passed the test with flying colours in an often chaotic game in Budapest.
Pape Sarr put the visitors in front after 23 minutes and substitute Brennan Johnson added a second with his fifth goal in five games with four minutes to go.
Barnabas Varga pulled one back late on but Spurs held on and are now well placed in the Europa League table.
Spurs found themselves under the cosh early on and they required a major slice of luck to avoid falling behind after 16 minutes.
Eldar Civic’s left-wing cross was headed in by Varga but a lengthy VAR check ruled the striker was in an offside position with his knee marginally ahead of the Spurs defenders.
Varga was causing Spurs problems and only a brilliant save from Guglielmo Vicario kept out his close-range effort four minutes later.
Brilliant Brennan
Substitute Kady planted a header straight at Vicario before Johnson sealed the points with four minutes to go. Moore picked out the Wales international on the edge of the area and he curled a lovely shot into the bottom left-hand corner via the post.
Varga got the goal his lively performance deserved in the final minute, directing Cristian Ramirez’s cross past Vicario but Spurs had done enough.
Ange Postecoglou is speaking to the media after Tottenham Hotspur won 2-1 at Ferencvaros in the Europa League on Thursday night.
With Tottenham playing at Brighton on Sunday afternoon, Postecoglou named only four players who started in the win at Old Trafford and teenager academy players Mikey Moore and Will Lankshear came into the starting line-up. Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall made it four teenagers in the starting XI.
After an early scare when Barnabas Varga had a header into the net ruled off for offside and then Guglielmo Vicario made a superb save from the same player, although the ball was later deemed to have already gone out.
Spurs took the lead on 23 minutes when Moore ran through the middle, he knocks a pass through and the battling Lankshear got a touch before the ball broke off the falling Bergvall into the path of Pape Matar Sarr, who hit a composed shot into the bottom left corner.
The visitors had further opportunties but their second goal did not arrive until late in the game when substitute Brennan Johnson made it five goals in five consecutive matches with a calm finish in off the left-hand post.
Varga netted a late consolation for the hosts but it was the visitors who went home to north London with the points.
Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold is among those putting the questions to Postecoglou after the match. Scroll down for his latest updates from the press conference in Budapest.
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