Qarabag's Europa League Nightmare: Traffic Chaos and Missed Chances Against 10-Man Tottenham
Qarabag’s Europa League opener turned into a night to forget as the Azerbaijani side faced traffic chaos, a missed penalty, and numerous squandered opportunities while 10-man Tottenham Hotspur secured a hard-fought victory.
Despite being located just a short distance away in Stratford, Qarabag encountered severe rail and road closures, arriving at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at 19:45—only 15 minutes before kickoff. This led to a delayed start, pushing the match back to 20:35. UEFA regulations require teams to arrive at least 75 minutes before a match, with potential penalties for offenders.
The London Overground, a key route to the stadium, was out of service, forcing many supporters to walk from as far as Liverpool Street Station, two hours away. Even TNT pundits Peter Crouch and Glenn Hoddle found themselves walking the final stretch.
Qarabag’s manager, Gurban Gurbanov, expressed frustration over the logistical issues, stating, “Imagine being caught in traffic for more than two and a half hours. It shouldn’t have happened and there were no police to escort us.” He acknowledged the impact on his players but praised Tottenham as a formidable opponent.
The match took a dramatic turn when Tottenham defender Radu Dragusin received a red card just eight minutes in. However, Spurs managed to rally, with goals from Brennan Johnson, Pape Matar Sarr, and Dominic Solanke securing the win.
Despite a total of 14 shots—compared to Tottenham’s 10—Qarabag struggled to capitalize on their chances, including a poorly executed penalty that hit the crossbar. Spurs’ defense showed signs of vulnerability, but goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario made key saves to keep Qarabag at bay.
Postecoglou pointed to the delayed kickoff as a factor in his team’s sluggish start, admitting, “We were really passive with our passing… it made the game challenging for us.” He emphasized the need for better preparation despite the circumstances.
Late in the match, Spurs faced injury concerns as Son Heung-min limped off in the 71st minute, and Archie Gray appeared to be in discomfort. Johnson was also substituted at halftime after continuing his strong form, but Postecoglou downplayed any serious fitness issues, describing the move as tactical.
“Yeah, Brennan’s fine. It was just tactical,” he clarified. “I thought we would need Deki Kulusevski for the way the game was going.”
As Qarabag reflects on a tumultuous evening, Tottenham celebrates a resilient performance in their Europa League campaign, albeit with room for improvement ahead of their upcoming fixtures.