Gent vs. Tottenham Hotspur: Score and Reaction from 2017 Europa League Match

Jeremy Perbet scored just shy of the hour mark to help KAA Gent beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in the UEFA Europa League last-32 first leg at the Ghelamco Arena on Thursday.

The side currently eighth in the Belgian top flight comfortably held Premier League opposition at bay, despite Spurs fielding most of their key players.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino had picked a strong lineup for Europe's second-tier tournament. Pochettino, to his credit, made sure star men striker Harry Kane and attacking midfielder Dele Alli were involved.

Spurs relayed the full team on Twitter:

By contrast, Gent made several changes with one eye on the play-off picture in the Belgian Jupiler League but still included gifted French striker Perbet, along with midfield playmaker Danijel Milicevic.

The Gent official Twitter account confirmed the Belgian side's starting XI:

Even with a stronger team out, Spurs struggled to make headway during a slow-paced and dour first half. In fact, it was the hosts who made most of the running, with Perbet and Milicevic showing off some nice touches.

The former's crafty flick sent Gent away on the counter, but the opportunity was wasted due to poor delivery from wide areas, a persistent problem during the opening 45 minutes.

While Gent couldn't quite find the finishing touch to cap some swift raids forward, Tottenham simply struggled just to get the ball into dangerous areas. Squawka Football summed up how blunt the Spurs attack was early on:

The only bright spark for Spurs came from a man playing on home soil. Belgian midfield powerhouse Mousa Dembele caught the eye with a busy display:

Sadly for Dembele, no other outfield player for Tottenham was able to match his industry and guile, so a laboured half predictably ended goalless.

Perhaps sensing his team was far from its best, Pochettino opted to make a structural tweak at the break, one detailed by Tom Collomosse of the London Evening Standard:

However, playing three at the back didn't make Spurs any less vulnerable to Gent's counters. A slick move saw Milicevic tee up put Perbet, and the one-time Villarreal man didn't waste his chance.

The goal was well taken, but it was also a stark reminder of Tottenham's inability to stay strong defensively away from home, per Squawka Football:

What should have been the cue for a torrent of Spurs pressure instead became an anaemic display going forward from the Premier League side. Usually prolific centre-forward Kane was reduced to shots from distance, while Alli couldn't get in behind with his late runs.

In truth, neither player was helped by a lack of artistry or incision from midfield. Holding player Victor Wanyama was typically strong in the challenge, but he offered little going forward. Nor did playmaker Christian Eriksen, who again struggled to impose himself away from White Hart Lane.

Meanwhile, it took a splendid save from Tottenham stopper Hugo Lloris to keep the north London side in the tie.

Ultimately, a 1-0 first-leg defeat away is not a disaster. Yet the manner of Spurs' sluggish performance has to raise questions about this squad's ability to push on and win trophies, both domestically and on the continent.

Post-Match Reaction

Tottenham boss Pochettino was disappointed, but insisted the result has not put the tie beyond his team, per the club:

Dembele was probably Spurs' best player on the night and he echoed his manager's sentiments:

Meanwhile, Gent centre-back Stefan Mitrovic, on loan from Bundesliga outfit Freiburg, saluted the home support, per the club's official Twitter:

Pochettino may be confident, but he'll also know Tottenham are unlikely to progress unless they find their top form and finishing quality again, and fast.