AZ Alkmaar v Tottenham LIVE: Europa League result and reaction as dismal Spurs slip to defeat
AZ 1-0 Tottenham: Lucas Bergvall’s own goal meant Spurs head into the second leg in north London behind but they were fortunate it wasn’t more after an insipid display
A comical first-half own goal from Lucas Bergvall consigned a lacklustre Tottenham Hotspur to a 1-0 loss away to AZ Alkmaar in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie.
Bergvall's sliced clearance from a Troy Parrott shot looped in after 18 minutes and it proved enough to give AZ a first victory over an English side in 12 attempts.
Spurs had eight days to prepare for this fixture but produced a flat display in the Netherlands and did not register a shot on target until the 88th minute.
It was a thoroughly disappointing performance from Ange Postecoglou's team, especially given this competition remains the club's last hope of silverware this term and their only chance to salvage a difficult campaign. Tottenham now have it all to do ahead of Thursday's second leg in north London.
Relive the action with our live blog below:
AZ 1-0 Tottenham, 20 mins
AZ had been the better side, so they probably deserved that goal, although it was mildly comical in how it came about.
Spurs go forward in response but Udogie’s cross is blocked and comes back off him for a goal kick
GOAL! AZ 1-0 Tottenham (Lucas Bervall own goal, 17 mins)
Oh no! It’s absolute disaster for Spurs and Lucas Bergvall in particular.
AZ win a corner, which is whipped into the back post. Parrott knocks in back into the centre where Bergvall swipes at it to try and clear, it loops up off his foot and agonisingly into the corner of the net.
It went over a helpless Vicario and Spence’s desperate lunge to head it off the line couldn’t stop the ball nestling in the net. Spurs trail
AZ 0-0 Tottenham, 12 mins
Danso gives the ball away as Kasius nips in and launches an AZ attack.
The ball is worked to the other flank for Poku who dives to the byline and a dangerous cross runs all the way through with no touch on it. The Dutch side look the livelier so far.
AZ 0-0 Tottenham, 9 mins
Nope, Lahdo can’t continue. Gutting for the Sweden under-21 international as he hobbles off, to be replaced by Denso Kasius.
Likely a positional switch with Poku coming out to the left now.
AZ 0-0 Tottenham, 7 mins
A painful one for Lahdo as his shin catches a full swing of Bergvall’s boot that was meant to be a crossfield pass only for the ball to be nipped away mid follow through.
After some treatment, Lahdo is limping along the sidelines but he’ll try to run it off. He’s not moving hugely freely at the moment though.
AZ 0-0 Tottenham, 5 mins
Son’s clipped pass runs through to AZ goalkeeper Owusu-Oduro and he launches a counter attack.
Moller Wolfe fizzes a dangerous low cross and Parrott slides in ahead of Vicario but the ball flies wide off his foot. An early warning for Spurs
AZ 0-0 Tottenham, 3 mins
It’s a decent atmosphere in Alkmaar, with the AZ fans in fine voice in the early going.
Spurs’s typically intense press pushes them back but ex-Tottenham striker Troy Parrott chases a ball in the channel, only for Gray and Spence to cover well for the visitors.
AZ v Tottenham
The teams are out and we’re only a couple of minutes from kick-off in Alkmaar
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