Tottenham's Europa Win Elevates Them to Second Place

Tottenham maintained their perfect Europa League record with a 1-0 victory over AZ Alkmaar, thanks to a decisive penalty by Richarlison, marking his first goal since May. Ange Postecoglou made significant changes to the lineup, including nine swaps from the previous match against West Ham, reflecting a strategy that did not backfire as Spurs achieved their third consecutive win in the competition. Despite the win, Timo Werner's struggles continued as he failed to score and was substituted at halftime. Richarlison's Panenka penalty, after a brief row over who should take it with captain James Maddison, proved to be the match-winner. The victory left Tottenham second in the Europa League standings, trailing Lazio on goal difference, and set the stage for their next clash against Galatasaray. Promising performances from young players like Mikey Moore were a highlight, showcasing the depth in Spurs' squad.