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Pedro Porro’s touch of class kept Tottenham’s hopes of Europa League success alive - Getty Images/Alex Pantling
Tottenham Hotspur will have to win in Germany next week to give head coach Ange Postecoglou any realistic hope of keeping his job past the end of this season – but he knows the “football Gods” will not be on his side.
Postecoglou’s Spurs could not secure the Europa League quarter-final first-leg lead against Eintracht Frankfurt they so badly wanted, but a Pedro Porro goal meant they travel to Germany with the tie in the balance and their hopes alive.
This was a better performance from Tottenham after Hugo Ekitike’s early goal had threatened to kill off their season and leave Postecoglou facing the sack.
The Europa League represents Tottenham’s only chance of winning a trophy and qualifying for the Champions League, and elimination would be disastrous for Postecoglou with his team 14th in the Premier League table.
To progress to the semi-finals, Spurs will now have to win away at Frankfurt in what is traditionally an intimidating atmosphere. The German club have only lost three times at home this season.
It could easily have been much better for Tottenham had Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur not seen second-half efforts hit the crossbar, while Frankfurt’s second-choice goalkeeper Kaua Santos made some smart saves and produced a brilliant last-gasp stop from Micky van de Ven.
Postecoglou believes he has run out of luck this season, but still remained positive that his side can progress. He said: “I’m resigned to the fact that the football Gods have got their eyes elsewhere this year, they’re busy with other clubs and other managers. Whatever we get, we will have to do without them this year.
“If we repeat that performance, I definitely think we’d give ourselves a chance. It’ll come down to moments. I just think if we repeat those moments next week, one of them will drop for us and we’ll get what we need. We’re going to have to go over there and fight to get what I thought we deserved tonight.”
Spurs were desperate for a good start at home to help create a cauldron of their own, but they could barely have started worse as they fell behind inside the opening 10 minutes.
James Maddison had already given away a needless foul and given up possession before he was dispossessed by midfielder Hugo Larsson. He worked the ball out to Ekitike and the striker cut in from the left before rifling a shot into the bottom corner of the net.
Porro had not attempted a tackle on Ekitike as the striker cut in past him and Frankfurt’s star man was given too much space to net his 20th goal of the season in all competitions.
It was, however, a wonderful finish and underlined why Ekitike is being heavily linked with a move to the Premier League this summer. Larsson’s contribution will not have gone unnoticed by the clubs watching him.
Maddison had a couple more bad moments before he and Porro combined to make up for their mistakes that contributed to Frankfurt’s opening goal.
Dominic Solanke held the ball up well before finding Maddison inside the visitors’ penalty area. He danced his way around a challenge and produced an inviting low cross that Porro brilliantly flicked into the net for a 26th-minute equaliser.
Postecoglou had called on the Tottenham supporters to turn up the noise on Thursday night. They did so after equalising, but it was not an easy task to drown out the noisy travelling Frankfurt fans.
Having worked their way back into the game and built some promising attacking momentum, Tottenham almost ended the first half just as badly as they started it.
More sloppy defending allowed the ball to run across to that man Ekitike who once again had time to shoot, but he could not beat Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
The battle of the Swedish midfielders, Larsson for Frankfurt and Lucas Bergvall, was an interesting sub-plot to the game. Larsson had made an early impact for the visitors and that was nearly trumped by Bergvall in the 55th minute.
Tottenham’s brilliant teenager struck a delicious right-footed shot that looked destined for the top corner, but the ball struck the crossbar and Frankfurt briefly cleared.
Captain Heung-Min Son forced a diving save from Santos and from the corner Rodrigo Bentancur’s header bounced off the top of the bar.
The former golden boy of German football Mario Gotze, now aged 32, was relatively quiet for the visitors, but it was from his header back across the penalty area that Jean-Matto Bahoya hooked a shot over the bar.
Postecoglou became increasingly animated on the touchline as the game wore on, appealing for fouls that were not given and throwing his arms down in frustration when Santos saved from Solanke at his near post.
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Ange Postecoglou is under intense pressure to win silverware at Tottenham - Reuters/Paul Childs
Bentancur got his head to another corner, but could only direct the ball straight at Santos and former Leeds United defender Robin Koch stopped a Cristian Romero run into the opposition penalty area with a strong challenge.
Postecoglou made a treble change as he searched for a winner, sending on forward Mathys Tel, full-back Djed Spence and midfielder Pape Sarr in place of Maddison.
But there was not to be late drama, as Santos made a brilliant save in time added on for injuries to stop Van de Ven heading a winner, leaving Spurs and Postecoglou facing a do-or-die night in Germany next week.
10:45 PM BST
That’s your lot
That’s it for this evening, then.
We leave you with this tie beautifully poised for the second leg, which Ange Postecoglou has suggested will be another cagey affair that could go to extra time.
Spurs fans can take heart from a positive high-octane display. A long-awaited positive performance. And the possible return of their best player this season, Dejan Kulusevski.
Until next time.
10:41 PM BST
Porro: ‘Most important was not to lose’
Pedro Porro: “It was a good game today, but the second leg is open and we’ll see next week.”
On going behind: “The most important today was no lose, my feeling for the team, for the fans, I wanted the victory today but it’s not possible, it’s OK next week is a new game.”
On his goal, whether it was planned or instinctive: “No, it happened in the game, I’m happy because it’s the first goal for my baby. This is amazing, but I miss the victory today.
On positive outlook for next week: “Of course. Every day, in the training, in the games, this is the most important for the team.”
10:33 PM BST
Kulusevski back next weeek?
Postecoglou also added that Dejan Kulusevski and Kevin Danso are back in training tomorrow and that the former could feature in Germany next week. Postecoglou doesn’t expect Kulusevski to start in Frankfurt but he might be available to make an appearance from the bench.
10:26 PM BST
Postecoglou: “I can’t ask any more of the lads”
Postecoglou has been speaking to TNT Sport.
On the performance: “I can’t ask any more of the lads. It was disappointing to concede so early on. Fair strike to the lad, he was outside the box, and he nailed it.
“But after that, even before that, I thought we were well in control of the game. We didn’t create a lot in the first half but we made them work really hard, which would bear fruit for us in the second half and it did in every aspect but goals. A couldn’t ask any more of the lads, I thought the performance was first rate.”
On the equaliser: “It’s the sort of thing we’ve worked on a lot, getting people in those tight areas across the front of their defence and working their half-spaces. Dom’s [Solanke] done awfully well to hold it up and Madders [James Maddison] is really good in the box in those situations, we try to get him in those areas, and then to try and attack it at the near post. We’ve got Brennan [Johnson] at the far post, we’ve got guys in those areas all the time. It’s a great finish, to be fair to him
On the second half: “I had a feeling they wouldn’t be too expansive today, that they would play fairly conservatively. The biggest worry was conceding so early because that played into their hands. I always felt we’d finish the game strong but we created so many good chances in the second half. We hit the crossbar three times I think. On any other night you go away with a comfortable victory but I we’ve got to go there and we knew it would be decided on the second tie, but if we repeat that performance we definitely give ourselves a second chance.”
On the return leg: “I don’t expect the second leg to be too open either, I think it’ll be a cagey affair. It’ll come down to moments. I think if we repeat those moments next week one of them will drop for us and we’ll get what we need.”
On Udogie: “I thought Destiny was outstanding in terms of his running capacity and that’s the ability we have to kind of overrun teams and it’s what we’re going to have to do in the second leg. The second leg will be tight it might even go to extra time so we’re going to need all the lads ready to go. The good thing is now we’ve got most of them back and healthy.”
On Bergvall: “He’s such a talent. He’s growing all the time. It’s exciting, you know, he’s 18, 19 years old, I didn’t expect him to play this much but it’s been one of the benefits of what we’ve gone through got is guys like him have grown enormously and when you think about the kind of player he can be in the next two or three years. He’s got this ability to run, he’s strong, he’s got the technical ability but is ability to burst through things and really work hard for the team.”
On the European campaign: “We’ve never lost belief, we’re in there with a chance, we’re fighting. I thought the fans were outstanding tonight, they helped the group, and hopefully we can repay them next week.”
09:59 PM BST
Missed opportunity?
This was a fascinating match. Both teams going for it. Frankfurt were forced to weather a storm but they looked threatening every time they broke forward on the counter-attack. You feels as though Spurs needed to make those moments, and their home advantage, count.
09:55 PM BST
FT: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
A dramatic end to an eventful match which Spurs will feel they should have won.
But they can cast any disappointment aside because they played better than they have done in weeks and created numerous chances to win. But for an outstanding display by Kauã Santos – the undoubted man of the match – they would have done.
Spurs can take heart from tonight and although the atmosphere in Frankfurt will be tough, if they play like this it will be enough to win.
09:51 PM BST
90+2 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Ooohhh! So close!
Sarr is fouled some 25 yards out and there is a last chance for a free-kick.
Porro sends it over to the far post where Bentancur heads it back across goal. Van de Ven gets his head on it, the ball bounces off the ground and loops towards goal. But that goalkeeper is there again.
Great save at the death!
09:48 PM BST
90 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Will there be late drama at the Lane?
Subs
Can Uzun ON
Mario Götze OFF
Niels Nkounkou ON
Nathaniel Brown OFF
09:46 PM BST
88 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Subs
Richarlison ON
Dominic Solanke OFF.
Solanke will be frustrated with his display. He’s got through a lot of selfless work and made some brilliant contributions off the ball and to the attacking build-up, but when the chance fell his way – and there weren’t many – he missed his cue.
Subs
Elye Wahi ON
Hugo Ekitiké OFF
09:43 PM BST
85 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Spurs are looking the likelier scorers and are really turning the screw. Tel sends over an in-swinger from the left, which narrowly misses the far post. It took a touch off a defender but the referee awards a goal-kick. The times you see that happen...
09:40 PM BST
82 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
In fact it’s Spence who almost makes the difference. A jet-heeled run down the left and cut back into the area for Solanke is spooned over the bar by the exorcised striker. Should have done better there, Dominic.
Leeds fans might correct me on this but I don’t recall Robin Koch being particularly impressive during his time at Elland Road. He’s the Frankfurt captain tonight and he’s produced some excellent defensive work.
09:38 PM BST
78 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Udogie has been utterly tireless this match but now he is sitting down on the turf. It’s unclear whether or not he is injured, but he is one of three players to come off.
Subs:
Pape Sarr ON
Mattijs Tel ON
Djed Spence ON
Heung-min Son OFF
James Maddison OFF
Destiny Udogie OFF
Maddison was not happy there at being replaced but it’s been an exhausting effort from all concerned and perhaps Sarr and Tel can inject some energy and earn the hosts’ an advantage to take to Frankfurt next week.
09:29 PM BST
70 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Subs:
Fares Chaibi IN
Jean-Matteo Bahoya OUT
Yellow card: Rasmus Kristensen.
The big defender goes in the book for stopping Destiny Udogie while in full flight.
The full-back has been very adventurous this half.
Another header from Bentancur is this time saved. Lovely curling free-kick from Maddison but the midfielder aimed his effort to centrally. A yard either side of the keeper and that would have been 2-1. Bentancur has been a real threat this half.
09:25 PM BST
68 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
You can really feel the affection towards Lucas Bergvall from the Spurs fans. They love him. And why wouldn’t they? He is basically one of their best players these days. That strike against the crossbar was a glorious hit.
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Bergvall rifles a rising shot against the angle of post and bar - Reuters/Paul Childs
09:21 PM BST
63 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
The crowd are booing because on looked to have been fouled again but the Germans didn’t stop.
Brown delivered a cross from the left, Götze headed it back across goal and Bahoya skied his effort from close range.
09:19 PM BST
60 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Yellow card Bahoya.
The quicksilver forward lunges at the Spurs skipper and that’s a blatant foul.
09:17 PM BST
58 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Ooohhh!!! And there’s another save from Kauã Santos!
Maddison shows incredible skills to chop the ball back from a tight angle in a crowd scene in the area. His shot is saved by the keeper again who is having a very busy night all of a sudden.
This is a remarkable spell of converted pressure form Spurs.
09:15 PM BST
57 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Ooohhh!!!
Rodrigo Bentancur is so unlucky. He rises to meet Porro’s corner and his effort hits the bar and goes over!
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Kaua Santos is beaten but Bentancur’s header hit the bar - Shutterstock/Andy Rain
09:14 PM BST
55 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Ooohhh!!!
What a save from Kauã Santos! Son works himself some space jut outside the box and fires a shot towards the top corner but somehow the Brazilian keeper tip it over.
09:12 PM BST
53 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
The game has assumed a pattern of Spurs enjoying long spells of possession and Eintracht waiting to pick their pockets.
But hold on... Oooohhh!
So unlucky for Lucas Bervall. Out of nothing he advances with the ball and unleashes a rising drive that hits the angle of bar and post and bounces out. What a goal that would have been!
09:08 PM BST
47 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Spurs have started the second half on the front foot but at the other end Frankfurt miss a golden chance to score.
Bahoya works space for a shot in the area but elects to square the ball to Ekitiké. It gives Romero the chance to make the challenge and crowd the forward out. Why didn’t he shoot?
09:04 PM BST
HT: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Owen Hargreaves on Ekitiké‘s goal on TNT: “Porro’s got to show him down the line. He can’t afford to let him come inside, and that’s where you need a defensive midfield player, they’re not there. But take nothing away from the goal. It’s a brilliant finish from a brilliant young man. H’s probably added £10 or £15m onto that price tag.”
Glenn Hoddle on Ekitiké‘s goal on TNT: “He’s just stroked the ball, He;s not gone for power. He knows exactly where the keeper and to do it under pressure early in the game, it’s a really wonderful finish.”
Glenn Hoddle on Porro goal: “What a goal from Porro. The fact he’s in that centre-forward position is because he started the position in central midfield so it worked really well for them.”
Owen Hargreaves on Spurs’ performance: “They’ve dominated the ball but Frankfurt have looked quite dangerous on the counter-attack. They need to be careful, not over-commit bodies forward like they did when they conceded the first goal. They have players at the top of the pitch who can score goals but they need to defend well. We’ve seen what a threat Ekitiké is on the counter-attack. The game’s in the balance but there will be more goals in the second half.”
08:49 PM BST
HT: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Postecoglou clearly has some things to say to his players: he’s just run down the tunnel as soon as the half-time whistle went.
Spurs have work to do, but they have grown into this game nicely. They need more from Son Heung-min, I think. He simply has not got into the game.
08:48 PM BST
45+1: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
That’s a real let-off for Spurs on the stroke of half-time.
Spurs give the ball away and the visitors break. The ball comes into the area and is left by Hugo Larsson for Ekitiké to have a shot. Fortunately for Spurs he can’t get the connection he wants under pressure form Cristian Romero and he mishits it straight at Guglielmo Vicario.
08:41 PM BST
39 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Porro falls awkwardly banging his head on the turf as he lands following a coming together with Nathaniel Brown.
It’s as well the referee blew his whistle there because Spurs had committed men forward to the press and Frankfurt would have had two men clear on goal.
08:38 PM BST
36 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Frankfurt are showing signs of life again and almost carve out an opening. Ekitiké and Mario Götze combine well, but Van de Ven makes a crucial intervention to repel the threat.
08:36 PM BST
29 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
It has been an eventful start to this game by James Maddison, who was at fault for Frankfurt’s opener and has given away a bunch of free-kicks already.
He has also been the home side’s most creative player, though, and has been trying to make things happen in the final third. It’s an excellent shimmy in the box to create Porro’s goal.
08:26 PM BST
26 mins: Spurs 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
GOAAAALLLL! Pedro Porro!
What an impudent goal from the Spanish full-back!
Solanke does really well to chase after the ball down the left. He finds Maddison, who gets to the byline and pings a low ball back to the six-yard box where Porro executes a clever back-flick with the inside of his left foot to restore parity.
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Pedro Porro provides the silky touch to level the match - Getty Images/Alex Pantling
That was a very classy finish.
08:24 PM BST
22 mins: Spurs 0 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Micky Van de Ven makes a thumping challenge to set the tone for his side.
Spurs are trying to press high and keep those orange shirts pegged back in their half.
They come forward down the right this time, through Porro, who finds Solanke and the striker goes down.
The referee looks as though he’s pointed to the spot but he was merely indicating a goal-kick. No foul.
08:20 PM BST
18 mins: Spurs 0 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
That was a nice move from Spurs, Dominic Solanke working hard to hold the ball up and then play Son down the left.
Son’s cross is cleared.
And Spurs come again, once more down the left, where Solanke stands up a lovely clipped cross to the far post where Brennan Johnson is lurking with intent. But Arthur Theate makes a goal saving intervention, reaching high to head the ball over the bar just before it reaches the Spurs forward.
08:17 PM BST
15 mins: Spurs 0 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Spurs have responded in the only way they know how. They are taking the game to Frankfurt, but we have already seen why the visitors are the Bundesliga team to have scored the most goals on the counter-attack this season. Spurs need to proceed with caution, though I’m not sure that quite squares with Ange-Ball.
08:12 PM BST
10 mins: Spurs 0 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
Spurs threaten to equalise as Pedro Porro switches play and sends Heung-min Son haring down the left wing.
The Spurs captain crosses but Kauã Santos, the Frankfurt keeper, is there to gather.
08:09 PM BST
8 mins: Spurs 0 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
We said before the match that Ekitiké was a player to watch, and that’s why. It’s a fabulous hit by the 22-year-old, who is now up to 20 goals this season. Maddison lost the ball cheaply in midfield and Spurs were ruthlessly punished for it.
08:07 PM BST
6 mins: Spurs 0 Eintracht Frankfurt 1
GOAAALLL! Hugo Ekitiké!
Maddison is caught in possession in midfield and Frankfurt launch a rapid transition down the left.
Ekitiké cuts inside and curls a wonderful shot from 20 yards low into the far right corner.
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Hugo Ekitiké curls in Frankfurt’s opening goal - Getty Images /Shaun Botterill
08:04 PM BST
3 mins: Spurs 0 Eintracht Frankfurt 0
That’s a late challenge by James Maddison on Jean-Matteo Bahoya as the visiting midfielder was looking to launch a counter-attack. The Spurs man escapes with a warning.
08:01 PM BST
1 min: Spurs 0 Eintracht Frankfurt 0
Peep!
And we’re off.
07:59 PM BST
Can Spurs shake off the bad vibes?
The teams are emerging from the tunnel and there is very much a big-match feel about this game.
Spurs’ season hangs in the balance. Can they rise to the occasion and shake off all the negativity that has surrounded them and their manager in recent weeks or will they flounder again?
We’re about to find out.
Two minutes to go.
07:37 PM BST
‘Interesting players in this Frankfurt team’
The British focus will be on Spurs tonight, of course, but there are some interesting players in this Frankfurt team. A number of big clubs are keeping their eyes on striker Hugo Ekitike (19 goals in all competitions this season) and Hugo Larsson, a 20-year-old Sweden international.
07:35 PM BST
Dominic Solanke desperate to deliver Europa League success to fans
Winning the Europa League would end Spurs’ 17-year trophy drought and would seem them qualify for the Champions League next season.
Spurs play Eintracht Franfurt in a quarter-final first leg tie on tonight and Dominic Solanke is desperate to help the club go on and lift the the trophy.
07:32 PM BST
The stage is set . .
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is ready and waiting for Europa League action tonight.
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07:18 PM BST
Eintracht Frankfurt team news
The visitors make just one chance to that suffered defeat by Werder Bremen. Nnamdi Collins is replaced by Rasmus Kristensen.
Eintracht Frankfurt XI: Santos; Kristensen, Koch, Theate, Brown; Tuta, Skhiri; Gotze, Larsson, Bahoya; Ekitike.
Substitutions: Grahl, Siljevic, Amenda, Chaibi, Wahi, Dahoud, Can Uzun, Chandler, Nkounkou, Batshuayi, Collins, Fenyo.
07:14 PM BST
Tottenham team news
Ange Postecoglou makes two changes to the side that beat Southampton3-1 last weekend, as Ben Davies and Djed Spence drop to the bench forMicky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie.
Tottenham XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Bergvall, Maddison; Johnson, Solanke, Son.
Substitutions: Austin, Whiteman, Bissouma, Richarlison, Tel, Gray, Spence, Odobert, Sarr, Davies, Moore.
07:03 PM BST
Preview: Postecoglou feeling the pressure
Welcome to this evening’s live coverage of Tottenham Hotspur v Frankfurt, where Ange Postecoglou is looking to take his side one step closer to European glory and prove the naysayers who doubt his claim he always wins things in his second season wrong.
Spurs have tended to save their best form for Europe this season although it could be argued that the draw has so far been kind to the north Londoners and whenever they have faced opposition of higher quality they have not come out on top. Spurs have lost to Galatasaray and drawn with Roma and Rangers, while flat-track bullied their way past the likes of Qarabag, Ferencvaros, Hoffenheim and AZ Alkmaar.
Frankfurt should prove a sterner test as they have form in this competiton. They are contesting their third Europa League quarter-final in six years and know what it takes to win it, having triumphed in 2022 when Oliver Glasner was in charge.
League results have been mixed in recent weeks and they do not quite possess the same cutting edge now that Omar Marmoush has left for Manchester City, but they are still third in the Bundesliga and Dino Toppmoller’s side made a statement of intent when thrashing Ajax 6-1 in the last round.
Spurs by contrast are trying to salvage a desperately disappointing domestic campaign which finds them in 14th place in the Premier League after 16 (SIXTEEN) defeats. But they can salvage pride and find light in the darkness by continuing their European run in a competition they last won in 1984.
They lifted the Uefa Cup, after beating Anderlecht on penalties when reserve goalkeeper Tony Parks famously saved from Arnor Gudjohnsen – the father of former Chelsea forward Eidur – and set off on a run around the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium in Brussels.
That seems a long time ago now. Indeed it was. But where there’s life there’s hope of the glory years returning. After all, it is Postecoglou’s second season...
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