TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR ended their seven-year exile from Europe, a self-imposed absence because of persistent mediocrity, with a competent display and a deserved victory in the first leg of their Uefa Cup first-round tie against Slavia Prague last night. If their new chocolate-coloured European away kit owed nothing to good taste, it was a sweet moment for the 3,000 fans who had waited for so long to take flight again.

It was a job well done, little more than that in the Stadion Evzen Rosicky, as Martin Jol, the Tottenham head coach, observed with his usual deadpan delivery. “The result was the main thing,” he said. “We wanted to score a goal as well, so we have to be delighted with that.”

Jol’s delight was tempered by the news that Aaron Lennon, the winger, needs surgery on a knee problem — he will have the operation tomorrow — and will be sidelined for up to six weeks. While it is a setback for his club, who have lost three of their opening four matches in the Barclays Premiership, it is not good for England, either. Lennon, 19, will miss the European Championship qualifying matches at home to FYR Macedonia on October 7 and away to Croatia on October 11.

Jermaine Jenas, Lennon’s team-mate for club and country, said: “It’s a massive blow for us. Aaron has been in excellent form since coming back from the World Cup and he’s a special player. Luckily, we have a big squad. His position is difficult to fill and it looks like I’ll be the one to do it. I’ve played in various positions for the team already so I’ll do whatever I’m asked to.”

Jenas filled in for Lennon wide on the right last night but, on Tottenham’s first trip abroad since 1999, when they lost to 1FC Kaiserslautern, of Germany, in the second round of the same competition, they made a sluggish start. It was not back-with-a-bang fare, far from it, with lost possession a frequent feature of their gentle probes forward.

“Our passing was not always accurate,” Jol said. “We could have controlled the midfield a lot better.”

Slavia, seventh in the Czech league, contributed to a low-grade first-half contest that descended to an almost farcical level when Michal Vorel, their goalkeeper, fell to the ground with a groin injury — and had to be replaced — with not a player near him. It is possible that he was afflicted by a touch of boredom, too.

A rare moment of quality arrived in the 38th minute, when Didier Zokora set off on a run from deep inside his own half and released Jenas. Though he had been as culpable as most for the general sloppiness, his 20-yard drive whistled past Matus Kozacik, the replacement goalkeeper. It was Tottenham’s first away goal in Europe for 15 years.

Jol had dropped Robbie Keane and Edgar Davids, with Dimitar Berbatov as well as Lennon missing because of injury. Yet if the Dutchman’s reshuffled pack barely appeared inspired, apart from Zokora’s relentless energy, they could almost afford to coast their way towards the second leg on September 28. It was as gentle a reintroduction to the continental game as they could have hoped for.

At least Slavia gave it a go in the second half, but Tottenham defended resolutely, none more so than Michael Dawson, an unflappable and, at times, imperious presence. Paul Robinson, the England goalkeeper, was also tested for his alertness, a double save from Tomas Hrdlicka and Stanislav Vlcek of a particularly high calibre.

It was only when Keane came on for the fading Jermain Defoe for a cameo display near the end that Tottenham produced any grand designs on extending their lead. The Irishman danced through alone with two minutes left, but was unable to lift the ball over the body of the diving Kozacik. No matter. In a fortnight, Tottenham should stroll through the return match and progress into the group stage of the competition.

“We need to prepare for a small miracle in London,” Karel Jarolim, the Slavia coach, said. An aggregate success for Tottenham might not signal a return of the “glory, glory” days at White Hart Lane but it will do for starters.

SLAVIA PRAGUE (4-4-2): M Vorel (sub: M Kozacik, 29min) — M Svec, M Latka, M Suchy, D Hubacek — P Janda (sub: R Necas, 73min), T Hrdlicka, L Jarolim, D Svento — S Vlcek, R Botelho (sub: P Fort, 63). Substitutes not used: R Dosoudil, M Gecov, T Necid, A Aracic. Booked: Botelho.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (4-1-3-2): P Robinson — P Chimbonda, M Dawson, L King, B Assou-Ekotto — D Zokora — J Jenas, T Huddlestone (sub: E Davids, 72), T Tainio — J Defoe (sub: R Keane, 79), Mido. Substitutes not used: R Cerny, Lee Young Pyo, P Stalteri, R Ziegler, C Davenport. Booked: Assou-Ekotto.

Referee: H Piccirillo (France).