LONDON – At the final whistle, it was hard to shake the impression that Tottenham had let something slip. They had impressively fought back from their self-inflicted troubles early on but were unfortunate to run into a backup goalkeeper as remarkable as Kaua Santos.
Still, the 21-year-old between the Eintracht Frankfurt posts was scarcely the only reason that the visitors celebrated with their supporters at the final whistle. They will return to Hesse knowing that they are in control of the tie, but that could have easily been taken away from them.
This was particularly evident when Micky van de Ven correctly met a late free kick, heading Rodrigo Bentancur’s flick forcefully down into the ground, the ball seemingly headed for the top corner. Somehow, Santos deflected it. The emergency replacement for Kevin Trapp had been almost equally impressive in blocking a classic Heung-min Son shot earlier in the half and standing firm when James Maddison attempted a shot from twelve yards.
With five saves coming from the Eintracht Frankfurt goalkeeper, it demonstrates that Tottenham has performed well without reward, but it wasn’t merely a case of being unfortunate. The game oscillated and could have easily favored the hosts. It started with the stadium at its most hushed, the only noise coming from the away section’s curious adoptive version of ‘Sound of Silence.’ Then Lucas Bergvall stirred things up. Picking up the ball midway into Tottenham’s half, he eluded one challenge and found space. His right-footed shot swung fiercely, ultimately a bit too ferociously, slamming against the junction of the post and crossbar.
Immediately, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium erupted in approval. The Frankfurt fans responded, but the South Stand was built to drown out away supporters. It was rocking—the twelfth man so impactful it seemed to spur midfield passes. This was the only explanation for how play then congregated around the Frankfurt penalty box: Son’s shot saved well, Bentancur flicking a header over the bar.
The match had been set for Tottenham until they hit a lull. It had been a taxing hour for the hosts, who had chased back against so many dangerous counterattacks. James Maddison and Son had seemed off the pace for extended periods, requiring an influx of fresh legs. Instead, Postecoglou hesitated. To a degree, his reasoning was understandable. Spurs had been performing very well, composed in possession after early mistakes had granted Frankfurt the breakaway, which Hugo Ekitike finished emphatically. Since Pedro Porro’s flick had leveled the tie, the hosts appeared to be the likeliest team to score. Why meddle with a successful approach?
Equally, one can imagine how exhausting it would be for the Frankfurt defense to observe dynamic, energetic faces like Pape Matar Sarr, Mathys Tel, and Djed Spence gathering along the touchline after just half an hour. As Postecoglou noted, all three positively impacted the game upon their introduction. Had it occurred sooner, would they be heading to Germany in a stronger position?
Without that lead, they will at least have to replicate the second half for the upcoming full 90 minutes and possibly more. Repeat Cristian Romero’s errant passes, and Maddison’s forays into traffic, and they will face a considerable hill to climb. Nonetheless, it was a premier display for Tottenham. A defining feature of their season has been the sporadic nature of such performances. No wonder Postecglou felt something had been left unclaimed.
“I guess I’m a bit frustrated by the result,” he said. “I thought the performance overall was really good from the boys. Obviously, we conceded early, which was disappointing, and it was a fair strike from the lad [Ekitike]. We responded well.”
“We hit the crossbar three times, and on any other day, we’re winning that match.” Whether that ‘other day’ arrives next Thursday is now the critical issue for Tottenham’s season.
