Tottenham were officially eliminated from participation in the Europa League when Brighton beat Southampton
Saturday’s same-score home loss to Brentford had all but doomed Spurs to either getting into the Europa Conference League or spending a year without European football – and that became official just 24 hours later.
Eighth in the table going into the final day in Leeds, Spurs need a win to hope for relegation after losing to West Ham.
The seventh welcomes the sixth as Brighton travel to Aston Villa, who are a point ahead of Tottenham and three points ahead of the Seagulls, knowing full well that the Conference League is their only route to Europe on Brighton’s significantly better goal difference.
It means Spurs’ 13-year qualifying streak for European football is in serious jeopardy. He spent six of those years in the Champions League, six in Europe and one in the Conference League.
Brighton clinched victory over already relegated Southampton after Kaoru Mitoma and Carlos Alcaraz both missed chances in a lively start.
They took the lead in the 29th minute with Ferguson’s powerful shot, but it was denied by Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.
A moment of individual brilliance from Mitoma doubled Brighton’s lead ten minutes later as Japan international beat Romeo Lavia on the left wing before serving Ferguson with a pinpoint cross with the outside of his boot.
Mohamed Elyounoussi equalized for Southampton in the 58th minute but any hopes of a comeback were quickly dashed by Pascal Gross, who punched inside with his left foot and fired a low shot past two defenders in the near post to tie the win to seal and qualification for Europe.
Additional coverage from Reuters.
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/tottenham-europa-league-brighton-b1082631.html Tottenham were officially eliminated from participation in the Europa League when Brighton beat Southampton
