Tottenham vs Eintracht Frankfurt Report

Scorers: Porro 26’; Ekitike 6’

Tottenham Hotspur were unable to capitalise on a dominant second-half display as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-final. Despite the disappointment of not securing a win, the result extended Spurs’ unbeaten European home record to 19 matches.

Lightning Start for Frankfurt

The match marked the first European knockout meeting between these two sides since the 1982 Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final, and this time it was Frankfurt who made the faster start. Within six minutes, Ellyes Skhiri dispossessed James Maddison in midfield before spraying the ball out wide to Hugo Ekitike. The in-form forward cut inside and fired a spectacular strike into the far corner, notching his 20th goal of the season.

Spurs Hit Back Through Porro

Tottenham responded positively to the early setback, with Dominic Solanke testing Kauã Santos and Brennan Johnson heading narrowly over at the back post. Their persistence paid off midway through the half when Solanke picked out Maddison in the area. The England international unselfishly squared for Pedro Porro, who produced a moment of brilliance with an audacious backheel flick to draw Spurs level.

The hosts remained on top for the remainder of the half but couldn’t find a second goal, leaving the tie delicately poised at the interval.

Second-Half Siege From Spurs

The second half began at a frantic pace with both sides looking dangerous on the break. Destiny Udogie and Jean-Mattéo Bahoya found themselves in promising positions but were denied by resolute defending. As the tempo increased, Spurs began to dominate proceedings and came agonisingly close on several occasions.

Lucas Bergvall unleashed a thunderous strike that rattled the crossbar, before Son Heung-min forced a fine save from Santos. From the resulting corner, Rodrigo Bentancur met the delivery with a powerful header, only to see it cannon back off the woodwork for the second time in the half.

Santos Denies Spurs a Winner

As the pressure mounted, Spurs threw everything forward in search of a winning goal. Maddison and Bentancur were both denied once again by the inspired Santos, who made a series of crucial saves to keep the visitors level. Despite relentless attacking intent from the hosts, Frankfurt held firm to escape North London with a draw.

All to Play for in the Second Leg

With the tie finely balanced at 1-1, both sides will now turn their attention to the decisive second leg at the Deutsche Bank Park next week. Tottenham will take confidence from their dominant display, while Eintracht Frankfurt will be grateful to remain in the tie after weathering a second-half storm.

For more info on this game’s outcome, you may also visit:
Tottenham vs Frankfurt | UEFA Europa League 2024/25