UEL: Tottenham Hotspur Ease into Europa League Last 16 with 3-0 Win Over Elfsborg

Tottenham Hotspur advanced to the Europa League last 16 with a 3-0 win over IF Elfsborg, thanks to goals from Dane Scarlett, Damola Ajayi, and Mikey Moore.

Tottenham Hotspur's young talents stole the show as they thrashed IF Elfsborg 3-0 in the UEFA Europa League, securing a spot in the last 16. The victory marked a welcome respite from Spurs' seven-game winless run in the Premier League. Goals from three academy graduates sealed the win, while Elfsborg's Di Gule narrowly missed out on the play-offs, finishing 26th.

With their sights set on a top-eight finish, Tottenham knew that a win over Elfsborg would guarantee their place in the last 16. As expected, Spurs dominated the match from the outset, but struggled to create clear-cut chances. Ben Davies headed over from a corner, while captain Son Heung-Min caused problems for the visiting defense down the left flank.

Into the round of 16 🤩 pic.twitter.com/awGCDRtvPF

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 30, 2025

Son Heung-Min was instrumental in creating two of the best opportunities of the half. The first chance came when he skipped past Besfort Zeneli and found Pape Matar Sarr with a deflected pass. Although Spurs were unable to capitalize on these chances, their superiority eventually told as they ran out 3-0 winners, thanks in large part to the contributions of their academy graduates.

Pape Matar Sarr's goal-bound shot was cleared, and Mikey Moore was denied by Isak Pettersson's impressive reaction save, with both chances created by Son Heung-Min's vision. Elfsborg, who had seen less of the ball than any other UEL team coming into this match, looked relatively comfortable without possession, having absorbed plenty of pressure from Tottenham.

Elfsborg almost took a surprise lead after the break when Jalal Abdullai produced an acrobatic effort from close range, but his shot cleared the crossbar. The Swedish side's chance was created by Besfort Zeneli's deflected shot, which broke to Abdullai. Tottenham's injury woes continued as Radu Drăgușin was forced off injured, just as Micky van de Ven made his long-awaited return with 45 minutes of action.

Tottenham's persistence eventually paid off when halftime substitute Dejan Kulusevski delivered a wonderful cross, finding Dane Scarlett, who headed home his first goal for the club. Scarlett darted into the box and met Kulusevski's delivery with precision, giving Tottenham a deserved lead. The goal was a welcome boost for the home support, who had been waiting for a breakthrough.

Tottenham doubled their lead late on through debutant Damola Ajayi, who combined well with Scarlett before stroking a neat shot into the corner. The goal was a significant blow to Elfsborg's already slim hopes of reaching the play-offs. Moore then rounded off the scoring with his first Spurs goal deep into stoppage time, sealing an 11th consecutive unbeaten UEL match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The 2024/25 #UEL league phase ✅ pic.twitter.com/BGnoQwzie1

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) January 30, 2025

The win saw Tottenham advance to the last 16 with a fourth-place finish in the league phase standings. Elfsborg, on the other hand, missed out on the play-offs by the narrowest of margins, with an inferior goal difference ultimately proving costly. Only a win would have guaranteed Elfsborg passage to the play-off round, making the defeat all the more devastating for the Swedish side.