Tottenham Hotspur were left frustrated in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final as they drew 1-1 with Eintracht Frankfurt at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Head coach Ange Postecoglou blamed bad luck and remarked that the “football gods” had deserted his team following a string of near misses and outstanding saves from Frankfurt’s stand-in goalkeeper Kaua Santos.
The German side stunned the home crowd early when Hugo Ekitike broke through and finished smartly past Guglielmo Vicario in the sixth minute. Tottenham responded well, with Pedro Porro leveling the score in the first half after a clever backheel from close range.
After the break, Spurs dominated possession and created numerous chances but were repeatedly denied by the woodwork and a remarkable performance from Santos. The Brazilian, deputizing for the injured Kevin Trapp, produced several key stops to preserve parity and take the tie level back to Germany.
Spurs denied by brilliance and bad luck
Following the early setback, Tottenham grew into the match and dictated much of the play, especially in the second half. James Maddison and Son Heung-min both forced Santos into excellent saves, while Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur each struck the crossbar during a frenetic spell of pressure.
The best chance to win the match came in stoppage time when Micky van de Ven’s bouncing header looked destined for the corner, only for Santos to tip it away with a fine fingertip effort.
Postecoglou expressed his disappointment afterwards, saying his players “deserved more” and would now have to dig deep in the return leg in Frankfurt on 17 April. “It’s going to be that sort of season,” he said. “Nothing will be handed to us.”
Pressure mounts as Spurs chase European glory
Tottenham currently sit 14th in the Premier League and are no longer in either of the domestic cups, making the Europa League their only remaining opportunity to claim silverware this season. Winning the competition would also secure a place in the 2025-26 Champions League.
Despite an encouraging performance, questions continue to surround Postecoglou’s future. The Australian coach admitted before the match that even lifting the trophy might not be enough to win over all sections of the fanbase.
With the second leg to be played in front of a full house at Frankfurt’s Waldstadion, Spurs face a daunting task. However, their performance in the first leg showed fight and creativity – qualities they will need in abundance if they are to advance.
