The Azerbaijan side Qarabag had a night to forget in their Europa League opener against Tottenham Hotspur, as they faced traffic disruptions, missed opportunities, and a costly penalty miss. Despite their efforts, 10-man Tottenham managed to scrape through with a victory, but the night could have gone very differently for the visitors.
Qarabag’s night started off on the wrong foot due to travel problems en route to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Staying just a short distance away in Stratford, the team was hit by severe traffic and rail issues. The disruptions led them to arrive at the stadium a mere 15 minutes before the scheduled kick-off at 19:45, resulting in the match’s start being pushed back to 20:35. This last-minute rush took its toll on the team, as UEFA guidelines require teams to be at the venue at least 75 minutes prior to kick-off.
Manager Gurban Gurbanov expressed his frustration, stating that the lengthy delay in traffic impacted his players’ readiness. “Imagine being stuck in traffic for over two and a half hours,” Gurbanov remarked, adding that there was no police escort to assist their journey. The chaotic travel had a notable effect on the team, though he did not deny the strength of their opponents, Tottenham.
Adding to the complications, thousands of supporters were also caught in transport issues, with the London Overground out of service. This forced many fans to make lengthy walks from distant stations, including TNT pundits Peter Crouch and Glenn Hoddle, who had to trek part of the way themselves.
Despite the difficult start, Qarabag had plenty of chances to turn the game in their favor. Spurs were reduced to 10 men just eight minutes into the match after defender Radu Dragusin was sent off, giving the visitors an early advantage. However, Qarabag could not capitalize on this opportunity. Throughout the match, they racked up 14 shots, more than Spurs’ 10, but failed to find the back of the net.
One of the key moments came when Qarabag squandered a golden chance from the penalty spot, with the effort being horribly misfired. Tottenham’s defense looked vulnerable at times, but the visitors’ inability to convert their chances left them frustrated. Spurs, on the other hand, made the most of their limited opportunities, with goals from Brennan Johnson, Pape Matar Sarr, and Dominic Solanke sealing a victory for the home side.
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou acknowledged that the delayed kick-off affected his team’s performance early on. “We were really passive in our play,” Postecoglou admitted, adding that the delay impacted their preparation. Despite the early dismissal and a less-than-ideal start, he praised his side’s response in the later stages, although he regretted that they had put themselves in such a difficult position from the outset.
Tottenham also faced injury concerns, with Son Heung-min limping off in the 71st minute, and Archie Gray showing signs of discomfort late in the match. Brennan Johnson was substituted at half-time, but Postecoglou clarified that the decision was tactical rather than injury-related, as he opted to bring on Dejan Kulusevski to better suit the flow of the game.
Despite the chaos both on and off the pitch, Tottenham ultimately walked away with the win, while Qarabag were left ruing what might have been.
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