Vinicius At The Double For Spurs In Europa League Stroll

Carlos Vinicius opened his Tottenham account scoring a brace as Spurs brushed aside Ludogorets 4-0 in the Europa League at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The north Londoners now only need a point from their next fixture to progress to the knock-out stage.

It was a performance that highlighted both the strength of Jose Mourinho’s squad and the chasm between the haves and have-nots in European football. Spurs made ten changes from the side that beat Manchester City last time out, yet dominated the ball from the first minute to last. NDombele, the sole survivor from that victory, was the driving force as Spurs lay siege to the Bulgarian side’s goal.

If the Frenchman felt at all slighted at being selected for what was effectively a Tottenham second string, he didn’t show it. Time and again he won possession high up the pitch and carried the ball forward menacingly.

It took the home side just past the quarter-hour mark to make the breakthrough and inevitably NDombele was involved. His probing vertical pass released Dele Alli, who in turn attempted to thread the ball on for Bale. Instead, a deflection put Vinicius clean through on the Ludogorets goal – the Brazilian shaped to shoot into the near post before reversing the ball left-footed emphatically into the far corner. It was a confident finish belying the chances the forward had spurned to get off the mark in Tottenham’s previous three Europa League outings.

His second came with 33 minutes played. NDombele picked up the ball on the halfway line, driving past four defenders before shooting low from the edge of the box. Iliev in the Ludogorets goal could only palm the ball out to the edge of the six-yard box where Dele Alli reacted first to reach it. Rather than shooting, Alli generously rolled the ball square for the striker to fire in from under the crossbar.

The entire first 45 minutes was played in the Ludogorets half, with the Bulgarians unable to offer their ailing defence any respite by retaining the ball for more than two passes. The visitors had been forced to postpone their league fixture last weekend due to ten of their squad testing positive for Coronavirus. And their disrupted preparation offered some mitigation for the limitations of their display here. But they came up against a hungry Spurs side in no mood to show compassion. Players like Winks and Dele Alli, in particular, have no choice other than to use these games to force their way back into Mourinho’s plans.

Tonight they showed the class that has seen them star in the latter stages of the Champions League in previous campaigns. This was only Alli’s fourth start of the season – his first for over a month since being hooked at half-time against Antwerp. It was a reminder of what a beautifully poised footballer he can be, with the ability to create and score goals – as well as rattle opponents with spikey tackles. This performance alone won’t see Alli restored to the Premier League side, but it will have shown Mourinho that he still has the desire to fight for his place.

The second half continued in the same vein as the first. Ludogorets, with no target to hit with pressure-relieving long balls, slavishly continued to play out from the back and pay the price by losing possession close to their own goal.

Bizarrely though Tottenham’s third came from 55 yards via Harry Winks with 63 minutes on the clock. The England midfielder received a short throw-in just inside the Ludogorets half, looked up and attempted to find Gareth Bale with a searching lofted pass. The overhit ball sailed over Iliev, who had advanced from his line, and into the top corner. It was a goal the likes of which a Tottenham player hasn’t scored since Jason Cundy’s wind-assisted wonder at Portman Road back in the inaugural year of the Premier League. Winks had the good grace to laugh rather than trying to claim he’d meant it.

Ten minutes later, Spurs completed the rout with the best goal of the night. The bustling Hojbjerg on as sub won back possession allowing Dele Alli to escape down the right. Alli’s fine cross found Vinicius, who showed a deft touch to bring the ball down in the area under close attention, before teeing up compatriot Lucas Moura to curl sweetly home.

There was time for Tottenham to give youngsters Scarlett, White and Whiteman brief tastes of first-team football, which bodes well for the club’s long-term future. In the short-term Spurs now head to Chelsea with Mourinho’s first-choice XI fully rested and reminded that there are top-class players desperate to take their place in the side.