ISTANBUL :Tottenham Hotspur’s perfect Europa League start ended when they lost 3-2 at Galatasaray on Thursday as Victor Osimhen scored twice for the hosts and Will Lankshear grabbed his first goal for Spurs before being sent off.
Eintracht Frankfurt and Athletic Bilbao moved ahead of Spurs with both sides on 10 points after Eintracht overcame Slavia Prague 1-0 thanks to Omar Marmoush’s goal direct from a free kick and Bilbao came from behind to win 2-1 at Ludogorets.
AS Roma were held to a 1-1 draw at Union Saint-Gilloise where Gianluca Mancini put the Italians ahead in the 62nd minute before Kevin MacAllister equalised for the Belgian side.
Rangers came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw away to Olympiacos, the Greek side going ahead in the 56th minute with a goal from Ayoub El Kaabi and Cyriel Dessers netting the equaliser eight minutes later.
Yunus Akgun gave Galatasaray the lead in the sixth minute with a stunning half-volley from distance but Spurs levelled 12 minutes later when Brennan Johnson’s layoff across the goal left Lankshear with a simple tap-in.
Radu Dragusin was caught napping at the back in the 31st minute and was dispossessed by Mauro Icardi. The ball fell to Dries Mertens who slipped a pass to Osimhen and the Nigerian striker shot first time into the bottom corner.
Osimhen struck again six minutes from the break. Mertens floated a ball into the area and, between two defenders, the forward cushioned a volley past the keeper from just outside the six-yard box.
Lankshear received his second booking in seven minutes on the hour mark, but 10-man Tottenham pulled a goal back nine minutes later when substitute Dominic Solanke back-heeled Pedro Porro’s cross into the net.
The visitors pushed for an equaliser but the loss, after winning their opening three games, left them on nine points, one behind undefeated Galatasaray.
Source: CNA
