Maybe Ange Postecoglou’s luck has finally turned. After the manager complained that the football gods were against him last week, Dominic Solanke’s penalty after an intervention from the video assistant referee – another of the Australian’s pet peeves – was enough to seal his side’s progress to the semi-finals of the Europa League.
Postecoglou has probably regretted his decision to point out back in September after a defeat to Arsenal that he “always” wins trophies in his second year at a club. But after their north London rivals eased past the might of Real Madrid 24 hours earlier, Spurs also still have something to hang on to in a season that has otherwise been filled with disappointment.
A trip to the Arctic Circle to face Norwegians Bodø/Glimt awaits in the last four after this dogged display against an Eintracht Frankfurt team who look destined to qualify for next season’s Champions League. But a disciplined Tottenham side showed they are still playing for their manager. Solanke had not scored since 4 January – a run of 12 matches – but there were unbridled celebrations in the away end when he stroked home the decisive spot kick just before half-time and at the full-time whistle after almost eight nerve-racking minutes of injury-time.
Postecoglou – who has increasingly cut a defiant figure in recent weeks as results in the Premier League have gone from bad to worse despite the return of several key players from injury – was in amongst it in between hugs for Solanke and James Maddison. The Australian spikily suggested beforehand that Spurs supporters shouldn’t take being one match away from the last four of a European competition as a regular occurrence “because it certainly hasn’t been for this club”. In the absence of captain Son Heung-min due to a foot injury, he saw his players grasp the opportunity with both hands.
Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie were outstanding in defence, while Rodrigo Bentancur marshalled the midfield superbly and, as Postecoglou put it, Maddison put his body on the line to win the decisive spot-kick.
The Eintracht supporters had packed out the end behind one of the goals almost an hour before kick-off. There was an electric atmosphere as they unfurled a tifo when the players emerged with the message “the Eagles are on the hunt”, with trophies representing their two previous triumphs in this competition and its predecessor, the Uefa Cup.
Almost 3,000 Spurs fans also braved the incessant rain as Jean-Mattéo Bahoya and Mario Götze both tested Guglielmo Vicario’s handling on the greasy surface with early shots. There was a moment of panic when Hugo Ekitike raced on to a long punt forward from goalkeeper Kauã Santos but Van de Ven ate up the ground to get back just in time. Götze’s evening came to a premature end when he was taken off clutching his hamstring before Tottenham had their first sight of goal in the 20th minute, although Son’s replacement Mathys Tel could not make proper contact with Brennan Johnson’s cutback. The Frenchman was on target with his next effort from distance that drew a good save from Santos.
Postecoglou will have been pleased with how his side had grown into the game and he was given even more hope on the stroke of half-time. Santos thought he had escaped when he clattered dangerously into Maddison but VAR thought differently to the Italian referee and sent him to the replay screen. Tel initially looked as if he would take it but eventually Solanke sent the goalkeeper the wrong way as a groggy Maddison was replaced by Dejan Kulusevski after trying manfully to carry on.
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One of Dino Toppmöller’s assistants was sent off after reacting to a foul by Johnson that earned him a yellow card just before the break and the hosts began the second half feeling hard done by. A free-kick from 35 yards out from Götze’s replacement Farès Chaïbi that had Vicario sprawling across his goal must have quickened Postecoglou’s pulse.
Cristian Romero and Bentancur both had golden chances to make things more comfortable from corners but neither could hit the target. Ekitike was convinced he should have had a penalty after a Romero clearance but this time VAR correctly said no after replays showed there had been no contact.
Postecoglou must have checked his watch umpteen times as Spurs closed in on the victory. Vicario reacted brilliantly to save Chaïbi’s effort with his legs before the former Leeds defender Rasmus Kristensen somehow fired wide with the goal gaping to ensure that Tottenham’s season remains very much alive and kicking.
