Richarlison’s second-half penalty gave Tottenham a 1-0 home win over AZ Alkmaar to maintain their 100 per cent record in the Europa League.
The Brazilian scored his first goal of the season to make it three wins from three in the competition for Ange Postecoglou’s side, who sit second in the 36-team league table behind leaders Lazio on goal difference.
But while Richarlison got off the mark on his first start of the season, the frustration continues for fellow attacker Timo Werner who wasted two chances in the first half and was substituted for Brennan Johnson at half-time.
The German has not scored in his last 16 Spurs appearances and the player who took up his position on the left in the second half, Mikey Moore, was electric.
The 17-year-old academy graduate inspired an improved second half which saw Spurs win a penalty when Lucas Bergvall was brought down by Maxim Dekker. Richarlison converted down the middle in the 53rd minute.
Fraser Forster made a good save late on to deny Mayckel Lahdo, but any hope of a comeback for the Dutch side was extinguished in the 85th minute when David Moller Wolfe was sent off for a second booking.
There was to be no goal on Troy Parrott’s Spurs return after he joined AZ in the summer as Spurs made it back-to-back wins after Saturday’s Premier League victory over West Ham.
More to follow…
