Vitesse vs Tottenham LIVE: Europa Conference League result, final score and reaction tonight
Maximilian Wittek’s 78th-minute strike was enough to secure the points and leave Spurs in real bother sat in third in Group G
Tottenham’s decision to leave their big guns at home saw them lose 1-0 to Vitesse Arnhem in Group G of Europa Conference League.
The likes of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Cristiano Romero and Hugo Lloris did not travel to Holland with Sunday’s clash at West Ham in mind and a second string were undone by Maximilian Wittek’s 78th-minute strike.
The side Nuno Espirito Santo picked still had nine international players, but they were never really in the game and Bryan Gil’s shot that hit the crossbar early in the second half was their only moment of note.
Last time Tottenham played in Holland they enjoyed one of the most famous nights in their history as Lucas Moura’s hat-trick against Ajax sent them through to the Champions League final.
This time the Johan Cruijff ArenA was nothing but a stop on the trainline between Amsterdam and Arnhem and that Moura miracle must seem a long time ago as Spurs now compete in the third tier of European football.
Nuno has shown the competition respect so far, but made it clear where his priorities lay, leaving the entire XI that played 90 minutes at Newcastle last weekend at home to train ahead of Sunday’s Premier League visit to the Hammers.
With the return fixture in a fortnight and then a trip to the weakest team in the competition NS Mura to come, the Portuguese decided that leaving his big guns back in London for this game was a risk worth taking.
It was a gamble because this was a big night for Vitesse, who sold out their GelreDome stadium for the first time in seven years.
Before kick-off their partisan fans held up a banner reading “For the city, the colours and our club: This is our night” and, fresh from a derby win over NEC Nijmegen at the weekend, they started with intent.
Nikolai Baden Frederiksen forced Pierluigi Gollini into a save with his feet after being played in in the third minute and then Jacob Rasmussen flashed a header just wide from a corner.
Unsurprisingly given the amount of changes, Spurs were not up to much in an attacking sense in the first half, with teenage striker Dane Scarlett up against it in a lone role in attack.
They immediately showed more after the break and were within inches of taking the lead in the 47th minute.
Giovani Lo Celso showed why he is becoming a key player for Argentina as he went on an enterprising dribble before laying it off for Gil, whose first-time shot rattled the crossbar.
That was as good as it got for Spurs who were pinned further and further back as the second half wore on, with Eli Dasa twice going close with efforts from distance, the second effort bringing a smart stop out of Gollini.
It was no surprise when the goal came 12 minutes from time as Wittek brilliantly volleyed home Dasa’s cross from the edge of the area to send the home crowd wild.
Vitesse 0 - 0 Tottenham
26 mins: Spurs deal with the Vitesse corner easily enough and sweep up the pitch on the counter. They lose the ball though and the home side send it out to Dasa on the right wing. He pushes forward and swings a cross in towards Frederiksen. The forward gets in from of Joe Rodon, leaps to win the header but knocks it wide of the back post.
Vitesse 0 - 0 Tottenham
24 mins: Wittek receives the ball on the left wing and flies forward urging his teammates to make runs into the box. Darfalou and Openda do so but Wittek uses them as decoys and takes a shot from the inside left. The ball hits Davinson Sanchez and deflects behind for a Vitesse corner.
Vitesse 0 - 0 Tottenham
21 mins: Tottenham are just about taking control of the game. They’re seeing more possession and pushing further up the pitch as a unit. Not a lot of action in the Vitesse final third as of yet.
Vitesse 0 - 0 Tottenham
18 mins: Tottenham regain possession and break forward on the counter-attack. Dele Alli drives them forward and has three options ahead of him. He passes it to Lo Celso who tries to feed Gil into the right side of the box but underhits his pass and allows Danilho Doekhi to intercept the ball.
Vitesse 0 - 0 Tottenham
15 mins: Drama! The corner is played short and comes back to Wittek. He carries the ball into the box and is tackled by a lunging Bryan Gil who just manages to win the ball before colliding with the midfielder in the box.
There’s a loud appeal for a penalty but the referee plays on as Scarlett attempts to run the ball clear for Tottenham. He’s tackled by a sliding Matus Bero who takes out the man and picks up the first yellow card of the game.
Vitesse 0 - 0 Tottenham
12 mins: Dasa swings a cross into the box from the right and Japhet Tanganga knocks it out behind for a corner. Maximilian Wittek delivers the set piece and the ball drops for Dasa. He shoots and wins another corner as the ball deflects behind off a Spurs defender.
Vitesse 0 - 0 Tottenham
9 mins: Harry Winks wins the ball for Spurs in the middle third of the pitch. He sends it up to Steven Bergwijn who cuts across the pitch with the ball. Dele Alli provides on option to his right but he slots it into the area expecting a run from Dan Scarlett that doesn’t happen. The ball rolls into Markus Schubert and the attack breaks down.
Vitesse 0 - 0 Tottenham
6 mins: Urged on by the Vitesse fans Eli Dasa sends a long throw into the Tottenham penalty area but Giovani Lo Celso intercepts it. He attempts to run the ball out of his own final third and is fouled by Oussama Darfalou.
Vitesse 0 - 0 Tottenham
3 mins: Lovely play from Vitesse. Openda picks up the ball and runs into the left side channel. He slots a through ball into the box as Nikolai Baden Frederiksen makes a run into the left side of the area. The striker collects the ball and shoots but Pierluigi Gollini charges him down and keeps it out.
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