In a night filled with highs and lows, Ange Postecoglou has expressed his confidence in young Tottenham sensation Will Lankshear, as the forward experiences a crucial learning moment following his sending off during a gripping 3-2 defeat against Galatasaray in the Europa League.
Lankshear opened the scoring for Spurs in the 18th minute, brilliantly netting from a Brennan Johnson cross to equalise after Yunus Akgun’s early strike.
However, the 19-year-old’s evening took a sour turn shortly after the break when he received two quick yellow cards, the latter for an overly ambitious challenge on Gabriel Sara, marking the first red card of his burgeoning career.
At this stage, Spurs found themselves trailing 3-1, courtesy of Victor Osimhen’s first-half double. Yet, Postecoglou’s side, now down to ten men, made a spirited attempt to turn the tide as Dominic Solanke scored in the 69th minute, giving fans a glimmer of hope for a sensational comeback.
Ultimately, it proved too steep a challenge, with Galatasaray maintaining their advantage to leapfrog Tottenham in the group standings.
Reflecting on Lankshear’s performance, Postecoglou stated: “Will took his goal well; he put in a solid effort for the team. It’s clear he hasn’t had much senior experience, so nights like this are invaluable for him to learn and grow. The red card stemmed from a moment of youthful exuberance, but I have no doubt he’ll take this onboard and improve.”
Lankshear was one of three teenagers fielded by Spurs, alongside Lucas Bergvall, who struggled before being substituted in the 66th minute, and Archie Gray, who showed resilience at left-back amid relentless pressure from the opposition.
Postecoglou praised Gray’s performance: “Archie was excellent. It was a challenging match defensively, yet he showed tremendous character. Playing outside his usual position, he will undoubtedly gain a wealth of experience from this encounter. It’s all part of their growth process, and we’re optimistic it will benefit their development as players moving forward.”
