Tottenham Hotspur 3 : 0 LASK

Up until the 84th minute, you could argue that the only man who would remember this game was the man who’d most want to forget it.

Panamanian left back Andrés Andrade Cedeño had scored an own goal at White Hart Lane and then been removed at half time by LASK coach Dominik Thalhammer.

At one goal in 45 October minutes at White Hart Lane, his two goals per game record doesn’t quite equal Harry Kane’s five in two games, which may come as quite a relief to the 22-year-old defender who celebrated his birthday last Friday, should he ever find himself in a North London pub quiz.

In Andrade’s defence, his intervention merely prevented the waiting Carlos Vinicius from converting Gareth Bale’s cross, which would have been a fitting reward to the Brazilian forward who is on loan from Benfica.

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“Mourinho will have to remind Bale that at Spurs, he won’t be awarded free kicks as easily as he was at Real Madrid.

Having managed Real Madrid as well as  Manchester United, Jose will know this incongruity well.”

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Vinicius opened his Spurs statistical life as early as the 18th minute when setting up Lucas Moura for the opening goal. Six minutes from time, his deftly cushioned header set up Son Heung-min for Spurs’ third.

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho promised there was more to come:

“He played well but can do better.

“Considering the circumstances and that it was his first match, I’m really happy. The only thing that was missing was one goal, but he’s much more than that.

“He’s not selfish and is a good target man. He can play with Kane when his good period arrives and won’t just be the guy to cover him. I am very happy.”

Most eyes were on the returning Welshman Gareth Bale, making his first start since his return from Madrid.

His colleagues found sufficient room making swift runs in and behind the LASK defence that he rarely needed to run at a defender. When he did for the first time two minutes before the opening goal, it just resulted in an embarrassing flop to the ground.

Mourinho will have to remind him that, at Spurs, he won’t be awarded free kicks as easily as he was at Real Madrid. Having managed Real Madrid as well as Manchester United, Jose will know this incongruity well.

As the game progressed, both Bale’s confidence and ambition improved.

There were sumptuous flicks, quick turns and the occasional run at a defender. This was clearly not a game worth risking a bad tackle in, especially at 2-0 up, and Bale was right to play within his fitness level and not draw the overmatched full backs into rash tackles.

LASK did not have fortune on their side.

They lost Australian defensive midfielder James Holland after just four minutes to be replaced by Peter Grgic. This interrupted their preparation and perhaps removed what little chance they had of achieving a memorable result.

Things got worse when they lost Rene Renner six minutes before half time.

The 26-year-old seemed to be running fine and and gestured towards his eyes as he left, as if there was a problem with his vision. His Croatian replacement Petar Filipovic however slotted neatly into a centre half role and was instrumental at keeping Vinicius a little more under wraps than before his entrance.

However he could not prevent Vinicius’ role in the third goal as he set up the effervescent Son who looked a class above everybody on the pitch when he came on after an hour.

In the other group game, Royal Antwerp scored an impressive away win at Ludogerets Razgrad in Bulgaria.

Spanish forward Higinio Marín gave the home side the lead just after the interval before goals from Pieter Gerkens and Israeli international Lior Refaelov sealed a win that makes them Spurs’ early rivals in the group.

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