LISBON: Lazio finished top of the Europa League group stage despite a 1-0 defeat at Sporting Braga as the Portuguese side failed to secure a playoff spot.

Braga opened the scoring in the sixth minute when Ricardo Horta fired into the bottom corner from Victor Gomez’s cross.

The Italian side battled to maintain their unbeaten run after the break, but failed to penetrate Braga’s organised defence.

Lazio’s first defeat in their European campaign left them top on 19 points, level with Athletic Bilbao but ahead on goal difference.

One of the most notable victories elsewhere was in North London where troubled Tottenham booked their berth in the Europa League’s last 16 with a 3-0 victory over Swedish side Elfsborg with youngsters Dane Scarlett, Damola Ajayi and Mikey Moore all netting debut goals for the club.

The victory saw Spurs finish fourth in the eight-game league phase and spares Ange Postecoglou’s injury-hit team the two-legged knockout round. It was not all good news for the manager as defender Radu Dragusin had to leave the pitch with an apparent knee injury.

Elfborg were eliminated after falling six places to 26th, two spots below safety.

Spurs thoroughly dominated the game but struggled to break down a well-organised defence, before Scarlett finally broke the deadlock in the 70th minute when Dejan Kulusevski curled the ball into the middle of the six-yard box and the 20-year-old striker headed it into the bottom corner.

The 19-year-old Ajayi netted in the 84th minute when he played a one-two with Scarlett before slotting the ball into the corner.

Moore, 17, celebrated his first goal in a Spurs shirt seconds before the final whistle, driving forward and then beating his man before lashing a shot into the far corner.

Spurs thoroughly dominated from the whistle but were stymied by the visitors’ unforgiving back line and by goalkeeper Isak Pettersson, who made a couple of dramatic saves to stop first-half shots from Moore and Pape Sarr.

Dragusin, a second-half substitute, lasted only 17 minutes before injuring his knee. He received treatment on the pitch and then tried to resume playing but seconds later was signalling the bench.

Spurs had no defenders left on the bench when the Romanian centre-back went off. Striker Scarlett went on instead and Postecoglou shuffled his formation.

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