Spurs can’t find winner as Bundesliga side hang on for a draw

Tottenham will have to do it the hard way if they are to progress to the semi-finals of the Europa League, and ease the pressure on boss Ange Postecoglou, after failing to beat Eintracht Frankfurt tonight.

Spurs bossed the bulk of an entertaining encounter after falling behind to Huge Ekitike’s lovely early goal but a combination of bad luck, poor finishing and impressive goalkeeping from Kaua Santos means the Bundesliga side are in the driving seat ahead of the return in Germany next week.

Postecoglou’s men did find an equaliser via Pedro Porro’s clever back-heel after 26 minutes but could not go on to win it despite a second-half onslaught in which they hit the woodwork twice.

In their first attack of the game, Frankfurt take the lead over Spurs thanks to Ekitike 😮‍💨

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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 10, 2025

Spurs finally find unity only for Ekitike to shatter it early on

The crowd were fired up and seemingly willing to put their frustrations with Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy to one side by getting behind their side from the off.

However, the noise soon evaporated, bar the Eintracht section in the corner, when the visitors went in front from their first attack.

James Maddison lost possession and the ball was swiftly moved out to Ekitike, who cut in from the left and curled a precise shot into the bottom right-hand corner.

Spurs looked shellshocked but, to their credit, they found a foothold in the game, thanks in no small part by Eintracht’s willingness to cede possession.

Perfect Porro finds equaliser

Their efforts lacked quality until they conjured up an equaliser due to the determination of striker Dominic Solanke.

Solanke chased a lost cause and won back possession, fed James Maddison and his low cross was superbly turned home by Porro with his heel.

A great cross from Maddison, an even better finish from Pedro Porro sees Spurs go level! 🤩

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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 10, 2025

Eintracht were content to sit in and play on the counter and it was a tactic that almost reaped rewards on the stroke of half-time, Ekitike again finding space but this time his shot lacked power.

The Bundesliga side threatened again five minutes after the restart with Jean-Matteo Bahoya working space on the edge of the area. He ought to have shot but instead tried to square it to a team-mate and the chance was lost.

Woodwork twice denies Tottenham

Spurs came again and came close to scoring three times in two frantic minutes.

First Lucas Bergvall crashed a shot onto post and bar with a blistering drive from 25 yards before Eintracht goalkeeper Santos produced a superb save to keep out Son Heung-min’s curling effort.

The Spurs fans had barely got back into their seats when, from the resulting corner, Rodrigo Bentancur’s flashing header came back off the woodwork.

Santos excelled again approaching the hour mark with a fine save to deny Maddison from close range.

At the other end, Bahoya hooked over from close range but it was a rare foray forward for Eintracht and Spurs were soon back in the ascendancy.

Indeed, they could have grabbed the winner with seven minutes to go. Substitute Djed Spence made an immediate impact, charging down the left and picking out Brennan Johnson with his cross only for the Wales international to snatch at the opportunity and blast it over the bar.

Spurs had one last chance at the death. Bentancur nodded Porro’s free-kick back across the box for Micky van de Ven but the Netherlands international’s header was magnificently saved by Santos.