RICHARLISON maintained Tottenham’s 100% Europa League start – but only after winning a penalty ROW with captain James Maddison.
On an evening when Tottenham’s teenage trio shined, it was the returning Brazilian that proved the match-winner despite a bizarre on-field argument with his teammate.
On his first start of the season, having recovered from a calf strain, the No.9 striker scored a Panenka-style spot-kick that broke the AZ Alkmaar resistance.
Yet after summer signing Luca Bergvall had been decked by Maxim Dekker, Maddison negotiated at length with Richarlison, 27, and actually took the ball OFF the disappointed South American.
Moments later, it was back in Richarlison’s hands and with a steely gaze, he managed to poke fun at goalkeeper Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro with a straight-down-the-middle strike on 53 minutes.
Maddison, who wore the skipper’s armband for the night following the absence of Son Heung-min, did not bear any grudges with the episode.
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And the England playmaker was the first to rush over and hug Richarlison, who did his pigeon-dance celebration that was a hallmark of the 2022 World Cup.
In a year in which he revealed his mental health struggles, this was a welcome sight for him and everyone connected with the player.
His coolly-taken goal means it is now three wins out of three and Spurs are on course to qualify for the top eight spots in this revamped, money-grabbing new format.
Postecoglou made NINE changes to the side that thrashed West Ham 4-1 on Saturday and that selection gamble did not backfire.
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Only full-back Destiny Udogie and Maddison - a half-time sub against the Hammers - retained their places.
Three teenagers were given a run-out – Bergvall, Mikey Moore and Archie Gray – and what a special occasion this was for them all, playing in a European clash under the lights in front of a packed home crowd.
What a dream start it could have been for the 17-year-old forward Moore on his first appearance in the starting XI in N17.
The left-wing cross on five minutes from Timo Werner was delivered perfectly but the header from close range by the academy graduate, who had wriggled free of his marker, was wasted.
Later on, though, he would be serenaded by the Tottenham faithful for his industry and work-rate with that old Harry Kane song: "He’s one of our own…"
One of the other youngsters given a go was the blond-haired, 18-year-old Bergvall, a £8.5million recruit, whose night was unfortunately cut short due to a knock.
On 27 minutes, the Swedish midfielder’s beautiful outside-of-the-boot ball dissected the AZ defence and this could have led to the opening goal of an otherwise tedious first half.
The problem was the lovely pass fell to Werner and the German loanee – not the most prolific of strikers – produced a typically tame finish that the AZ goalkeeper easily saved.
Werner’s wastefulness was punished and he was hooked off at half-time for Brennan Johnson, who had a half-chance to score inside a minute of coming on.
AZ – who had a first-half header by Alexandre Penetra brilliantly saved by back-up goalkeeper Fraser Forster – had some chances but were unable to breach the home defence.
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There were several times that Tottenham gave away the ball and lived dangerously and they were lucky that the electric Ernest Poku did not punish them – and that Forster’s concentration did not falter.
The Dutch side’s night got worse when David Moller Wolfe received a second yellow for a silly foul and watched the rest of the match from inside the bowels of the stadium.