Europa League and Conference League: Tottenham and Antonio Conte start with win
Tottenham grab a first win under new boss Antonio Conte, Celtic taste victory and West Ham, Leicester and Rangers all draw.
Tottenham 3-2 Vitesse Arnhem
Antonio Conte got a glimpse of what life at Tottenham is like with a dramatic 3-2 win over Vitesse Arnhem in the Europa Conference League.
Conte was taking charge of his first game since being appointed as Spurs’ new boss following Nuno Espirito Santo’s dismissal on Monday.
The Italian, a Premier League winner at Chelsea, has been tasked with taking the club back to the top table of English football but was given a clear indication of what a difficult journey that might be as Tottenham struggled against the Dutch side.
Conte witnessed a perfect start as, having failed to have a shot on target in over two hours of Premier League football, Spurs found themselves 3-0 up in less than half-an-hour.
Son Heung-min, who scored the first goal of both Jose Mourinho’s and Nuno’s reigns, did the same for Conte in the 14th minute before Lucas Moura and a Jacob Rasmussen own goal seemingly had the hosts in total control.
But life is just not that simple in north London right now and Rasmussen scored at the other end before Matus Bero further reduced the arrears.
Cristian Romero’s red card on the hour put Spurs further on the back foot and it was only when Danilho Doekhi and Markus Schubert were sent off for Vitesse in the final 10 minutes that they were able to get control of the game.
Leicester 1-1 Spartak Moscow
Jamie Vardy’s penalty miss kept Leicester’s Europa League hopes in the balance after a 1-1 draw with Spartak Moscow.
Aleksandr Selikhov saved the striker’s second-half spot kick to deny the Foxes a crucial Group C victory.
Daniel Amartey had earlier cancelled out Victor Moses’ shock opener but frustrated Leicester were left to rue a huge missed opportunity.
Boubakary Soumare and Kelechi Iheanacho hit the woodwork with the hosts the better side, Spartak scoring with their only effort on target.
The Foxes host Legia Warsaw in three weeks before going to Napoli in December for what could be a winner-takes-all final game, with only the top side reaching the knock-out phase automatically.
Just three points separate all four teams in a chaotic group, with Leicester third on five points, two behind leaders Napoli.
Genk 2-2 West Ham
An own-goal from Tomas Soucek cost David Moyes victory in his 1,000th match as a manager as West Ham were held to a 2-2 draw by Genk.
Said Benrahma had scored twice as West Ham came from behind to lead 2-1 in their Europa League clash in Belgium.
But luckless substitute Soucek inadvertently headed a late cross inside the near post to leave the Hammers with just a point.
Nevertheless, Moyes will be satisfied to see his side, who were below par in the first half, still well clear at the top of Group H following three wins and a draw, and destined for the knockout stages.
The Hammers had swatted Genk aside 3-0 in London a fortnight ago, but the Belgians have since arrested a domestic slump and scored six goals in each of their last two matches.
Ferencvaros 2-3 Celtic
Celtic’s front three all scored in Budapest as Ange Postecoglou’s side secured European football beyond Christmas with a 3-2 win over Ferencvaros.
Celtic dominated and were ahead for most of the game with Kyogo Furuhashi, Jota and Liel Abada on target.
Josip Juranovic scored an unfortunate own goal soon after Furuhashi’s early opener and Myrto Uzuni gave the hosts hope late on.
But Celtic secured a deserved victory to move on to six points in Europa League Group G following their second win over the Hungarians.
The worst Celtic will do is drop into the Europa Conference League but they have given themselves a chance of leapfrogging Real Betis, who are a point ahead.
Brondby 1-1 Rangers
A second-half strike from substitute Ianis Hagi gave Rangers a crucial 1-1 Europa League draw with Brondby in Denmark
Gers centre-back Leon Balogun headed into his own net following a corner in the final seconds of the first half after Steven Gerrard’s side had squandered several chances.
It was the home side’s first goal of the group stages, but Rangers increased the tempo in the second period and Hagi’s fine finish in the 77th minute from a pass from fellow substitute Ryan Kent gave them a point which keeps them in third place in Group A, level on four points with Sparta Prague, who have better goal difference.
The Scottish champions have to face the Czech side at home and travel to leaders Lyon in their final two fixtures so still have work to do to qualify for the knockout stages, but how they needed this result in Denmark.
