Tottenham overcomes early red card to post 3-0 win in revamped Europa League

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Tottenham’s Archie Gray, left, and Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson celebrate after a goal during the Europa League soccer match between Tottenham and Qarabag in London, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/David Cliff)

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Tottenham’s Dominic Solanke celebrates scoring their side’s third goal during the Europa League soccer match between Tottenham and Qarabag in London, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

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Tottenham’s head coach Ange Postecoglou stands before the Europa League soccer match between Tottenham and Qarabag in London, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/David Cliff)

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Fenerbahce’s players celebrate the opening goal during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Union SG at the Sukru Saracoglu stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo)

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Fenerbahce’s head coach Jose Mourinho reacts prior to the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Union SG at the Sukru Saracoglu stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo)

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Fenerbahce’s Mert Muldur, center, heads the ball during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Union SG at the Sukru Saracoglu stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo)

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Ranger’s Nedim Bajrami, right, and Malmo’s Jens Stryger in action during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Malmo FF and Rangers FC at Malmo New Stadium in Malmo, Sweden, Thursday Sept. 26, 2024. (Andreas Hillergren/TT via AP)

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Ranger’s Neraysho Kazanwirjo, left, and Malmo’s Anders Christiansen in action during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Malmo FF and Rangers FC at Malmo New Stadium in Malmo, Sweden, Thursday Sept. 26, 2024. (Andreas Hillergren/TT via AP)

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Union SG’s Kevin Mac Allister, walks off the pitch after receiving a red card during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Union SG at the Sukru Saracoglu stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo)

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Rangers’ Vaclav Cerny, left, and Malmo’s Gabriel Busanello in action during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Malmo FF and Rangers FC at Malmo New Stadium in Malmo, Sweden, Thursday Sept. 26, 2024. (Andreas Hillergren/TT via AP)

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AS Roma’s Eldor Shomurodov, right, controls the ball during a Europa League soccer match between As Roma and Athletic Bilbao at Olympic Stadium, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Rome, Italy. (Fabrizio Corradetti/LaPresse via AP)

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A flare is thrown towards Roma’s fans sector, after Athletic Bilbao’s Aitor Paredes scored his side’s first goal during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Roma and Athletic Club at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

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Ajax fans cheer during the Europa League soccer match between Ajax and Besiktas, at the Johan Cruyff ArenA, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Maurice van Steen)

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Ajax’s Mika Godts celebrates with teammates after scoring his side’s fourth goal during the Europa League soccer match between Ajax and Besiktas, at the Johan Cruyff ArenA, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Maurice van Steen)

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Plzen’s Milan Havel, right, and Plzen’s Vaclav Jemelka react after Frankfurt’s Rasmus Kristensen scored his side’s third goal during the Europa League soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Viktoria Plzen in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

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Frankfurt’s Junior Dina Ebimbe, centre, scores his side’s second goal during the Europa League soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Viktoria Plzen in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

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Lyon’s Said Benrahma, left, scores the second goal against Olympiacos during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Lyon and Olympiacos at Decines stadium outside Lyon, France, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

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Lyon’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles, left, and Olympiacos’ Marko Stamenic jump for the ball during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Lyon and Olympiacos at Decines stadium outside Lyon, France, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

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Braga’s Bruma celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal from the penalty spot during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between SC Braga and Maccabi Tel Aviv at the Municipal stadium in Braga, Portugal, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)

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Braga’s Bruma, center, scores his side’s first goal past Maccabi Tel Aviv’s goalkeeper Roi Mishpati during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between SC Braga and Maccabi Tel Aviv at the Municipal stadium in Braga, Portugal, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)

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Tottenham’s Pape Matar Sarr, right, celebrtaes after he scored during the Europa League soccer match between Tottenham and Qarabag in London, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/David Cliff)

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Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson celebrates after he scored during the Europa League soccer match between Tottenham and Qarabag in London, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/David Cliff)

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Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson celebrates after he scored during the Europa League soccer match between Tottenham and Qarabag in London, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/David Cliff)

By KAREL JANICEK

Tottenham marked its return to European competition after one-year absence by overcoming an early red card to beat Qarabag 3-0 in the revamped Europa League on Thursday.

Defender Radu Dragusin was sent off in the eighth minute for bringing down Juninho to prevent the forward from going in alone on goal. But the hosts opened the scoring just four minutes later.

Brennan Johnson’s angled shot was his third goal in three games. Pape Sarr doubled the advantage early in the second half off a corner kick and Dominic Solanke finished it off on a rebound in the 68th.

“The red card was not ideal, we started really sloppily but the reaction afterwards was good,” Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou told TNT Sports. “We wanted to press high, even with ten men.”

Johnson also scored in a 3-1 win over Brentford in the Premier League and had a stoppage-time winner in a 2-1 victory over second-division Coventry the English League Cup three days earlier.

Tural Bayramov wasted a golden opportunity to score from the spot when the Azerbaijan visitors were 2-0 down.

Travel disruptions forced the game to start 35 minutes late.

Roma blows lead

Roma allowed a late goal and settled for a 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao following the Italian club’s turbulent recent stretch that included firing coach Daniele De Rossi.

Aitor Paredes headed in the equalizer in the 85th minute to offset Artem Dovbyk’s first-half goal.

Roma beat Udinese 3-0 in Serie A on Sunday in the first game under new coach Ivan Jurić.

Bilbao winger Nico Williams came on as a substitute for last 30 minutes in his return from an ankle injury.

Ajax cleans up

Mika Godts had two goals, Kian Fitz-Jim and Kenneth Taylor added one each for Ajax in a 4-0 rout of Besiktas.

Czech side Viktoria Plzeň scored two late goals from Prince Adu and Vaclav Jemelka to hold high-flying Eintracht Frankfurt to a 3-3 away draw.

Frankfurt, the 2022 Europa League winner led 3-1 on goals from Hugo Ekitike, substitute Junior Dina Ebimbe and defender Rasmus Kristensen.

Olympiacos, last year’s Conference League champion, started with a 2-0 loss to Lyon in France on second half goals by Rayan Cherki and Said Benrahma.

Braga rallied to beat nine-man Maccabi Tel Aviv 2-1. Romania’s FCSB beat Latvia’s RFS 4-1 in Bucharest.

Fenerbahce, Rangers score early wins

Fenerbahce opened the competition with a 2-1 home win over Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise with both teams finishing the game with 10 men.

Defender Çağlar Söyüncü opened the scoring for Jose Mourinho’s team in the 26th with a half-volley from close range and Christian Burgess’ own goal in the 82nd made it 2-0 for Fenerbahce. Ross Sykes scored in stoppage time for the visitors.

Union defender Kevin Mac Allister received a red card in the 74th and Fenerbahce substitute Bright Osayi-Samuel was sent off in the final minute.

Last season, Fenerbahce eliminated Union in the round of 16 of the third-tier Conference League.

Europe’s second tier is a familiar turf for Mourinho, who led Manchester United to the 2017 title. He took the Fenerbahce job in the offseason. With Mourinho in charge, Roma lost the 2023 final to Sevilla after a penalty shootout.

In another early game, Rangers won 2-0 at Malmö.

The 2022 Europa League beaten finalist didn’t waste time. Nedim Bajrami scored in the opening minute. Ross McCausland scored in the second half.

Rangers lost in the 2022 final to Eintracht Frankfurt. The German club will be in action later Thursday, hosting Czech side Viktoria Plzeň.

As in the Champions League, the traditional group stage of the Europa League has been replaced with an expanded league phase with all 36 teams competing in a single standings.

Each Europa League team will play eight games against eight different opponents through Jan. 30.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer