Pacos de Ferreira 1-0 Tottenham: Spurs suffer embarrassing first leg defeat in Europa Conference League play off

Tottenham suffered a humbling defeat in the first leg of their Europa Conference League qualifier at Portuguese outfit Pacos de Ferreira.

The only goal of the game came on the stroke of half time when Nuno Santos hit a beautiful defence-splitting through-ball for Lucas Silva who drove the ball past Pierluigi Gollini in the Spurs goal.

Even with a team with no starters from their victory over Manchester City on Sunday, Nuno Espirito Santo will be disappointed his side failed to test the opposition goalkeeper at all.

The best chance came in the third minute when Bryan Gil danced around the Pacos right back got to the by-line and delivered a ball to Ryan Sessegnon but the former Fulham flanker could not get the ball out of his feet and the danger passed.

Spurs did not come close to repeating this threat for the next 92 minutes of play and the former Wolves boss was given little encouragement that his second string players are up to competing in the Premier League.

The return leg takes place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next Thursday.

Tottenham fans are not quite at Bonnie Tyler-level desperation for a hero but with their shining star soiling his status as he seemingly sets sail for City, Bryan Gil couldn't have come along at a better time. At the risk of jet-propelling the hype train, there is something of Luka Modric about him.

Suffice to say he does not, yet, look capable of being the ubiquitous presence controlling a game from the midfield like the Croatian wizard - and a Ballon D'Or looks some distance off. But his touch is oh so delectable. And when he glides past a player with hair swishing in the wind, leaving the opponent stationary and bemused, Hark the Herald will be heard far, far in the celestial distance and Spurs fans transported to Modric or Ginola or Waddle or Hoddle depending on age and shamanic idol of preference.

On a number of occasions smart balls were ruined or one-twos were not honoured, surely he will get more reward when he is playing with players on or near his level.

This wasn't a 2,000 Guineas type field to select from. But whereas Bryan's moments of class where fleeting and amounted to little, it was Nuno Santos who created the moment of the match and had control of it. He has been capped three times by Portugal Under-21s and if he puts in performances like this one, where he sped up or slowed down play and brought team-mates into the game at will, he could even squeeze into the national side despite great competition in the forward area. The pass for the goal was perfectly weighted and placed, augmented by Lucas Silva's run, giving the match a highlight the rest of the play did not really deserve.

Pacos: Ferreira 6; Fonseca 6, Marco Baixinho 6, Flávio Ramos 6, Antunes 6; Nuno Santos 8*, Eustáquio 6, Luiz Carlos 7; Elder Ferreira 6, Lucas Silva 7, Denilson 7.

Subs: Matchoi 6, Delgado 6, Ze Uilton 6, Joao Pedro 6.

Tottenham: Gollini 6; Doherty 6, Carter-Vickers 6, Romero 6, John 5, Davies 6; Sessegnon 5, Lo Celso 6, Winks 6, Gil 7; Scarlett 5.

Subs: Clarke 6, Bennett 6, Paskotsi 6.

3' Sessegnon had to score. A wonderful run down the left flank from Bryan and he puts the ball on a plate for the former Fulham player on the six-yard box but the ball got stuck under his feet and he could not get a shot in before the defenders converged on him.

45' GOAL FOR PACOS! Lucas Silva breaks the offside trap and drives the ball past Gollina at his near post.

15 - The number of games Tottenham could play in the Europa Conference League this season