Tottenham Hotspur’s flawless run in the UEFA Europa League came to an end on Thursday as they suffered a 3-2 defeat against Galatasaray at Rams Park in Istanbul, Türkiye.
Galatasaray’s Yunus Akgun ignited the match with an early stunning half-volley, putting the hosts ahead. Spurs responded swiftly when Brennan Johnson’s slick pass across the goal allowed Will Lankshear to slot in an easy tap-in, marking his first goal for the club.
The momentum shifted when Tottenham’s defense faltered. In the 31st minute, a lapse allowed Mauro Icardi to dispossess Radu Dragusin. The ball found its way to Dries Mertens, who set up Victor Osimhen for a precise finish into the bottom corner. Osimhen doubled his tally just before halftime, strengthening Galatasaray’s lead.
Spurs faced further challenges when Will Lankshear received his second yellow card on the hour mark, leaving the team with ten men. Despite the setback, Tottenham showed resilience. Substitute Dominic Solanke pulled a goal back with a clever back-heel from Pedro Porro’s cross, reigniting hope for the visitors.
However, Galatasaray held firm, handing Tottenham their first loss in the competition.
In other Europa League action, Manchester United secured their first win by defeating PAOK 2-0 at Old Trafford in Manchester, England. Under interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, United broke their streak of draws with two goals from Amad Diallo. Diallo opened the scoring five minutes after the break with a looping header from a Bruno Fernandes cross and sealed the victory with a solo effort late in the game.
Meanwhile, Lazio edged past Porto 2-1 at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. Alessio Romagnoli’s header put Lazio ahead before Stephen Eustaquio equalized for Porto. In stoppage time, Pedro clinched the win for Lazio, maintaining their perfect record at the top of the standings.
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Tottenham suffer 1st loss at UEFA Europa League to Galatasaray
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