Match Report: Hoffenheim 2-3 Tottenham – 14 players missing, no matter
Tottenham Hotspur returned to winning ways in their Europa League campaign against Hoffenheim on Thursday evening, thanks to a brace from Heung-Min Son and an early goal from James Maddison.
Tottenham came into this game desperate for a result, and Ange Postecoglou‘s injury-riddled Spurs squad didn’t inspire much confidence pre-match.
With the oldest outfield player on the Spurs bench being just 20 years old, it was clear the team would need to dig deep. With 11 first-team injuries, the team dug deep to secure a dramatic, albeit scrappy, victory.
First half: Hoffenheim 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs started brightly and took the lead in the third minute when James Maddison slipped between defenders and fired past the Hoffenheim keeper. Just what the visitors needed to settle the nerves.
Tottenham had chances to extend their lead, with Son and Pedro Porro involved in a promising move that ended with Porro dragging his shot wide. However, the second goal wasn’t far behind. Maddison capitalised on some sloppy defending to set up Son, whose deflected shot found the back of the net.
The visitors dominated proceedings, creating an xG of 2.04 compared to Hoffenheim’s 0.88. Lucas Bergvall came close to adding a third just before the break, but his header was denied by a strong save.
Second half: Hoffenheim 2-3 Tottenham Hotspur
The second half saw Spurs on the back foot, visibly tired and defending in numbers. Ange Postecoglou’s side registered 18 clearances as they tried to hold onto their lead.
Hoffenheim were awarded a penalty after a collision between Austin and Moerstedt, but VAR overturned the decision, much to Spurs’ relief. Shortly after, the hosts pulled one back through Anton Stach following a quick counter-attack, setting up a nervy finish.
Tottenham’s captain, Son, stepped up again with his classic finish in the 77th minute, restoring the two-goal advantage after some good work from youngster Mikey Moore.
Of course, Spurs being Spurs, they couldn’t see the game out comfortably. In the 88th minute, David Mokwa headed home from Andrej Kramaric’s pinpoint cross to make it 3-2. Despite the late drama, Spurs held firm to secure a much-needed victory.
On paper, the second-half stats could fool you into thinking Spurs were back under Mourinho – an xG of 0.08, one shot on target, and no big chances. Yet, for all the chaos, the fans will take this.
Tottenham takeaways
It was a game of two halves – the first an exhibition of attacking football, the second a survival drill. Despite the close scoreline, it was a good performance from the entire team.
Not a lot of takeaways from this game but Rodrigo Bentancur was a standout performer for me, with five interceptions and 14 recoveries – a proper number six display. It’s not easy to put up this kind of performance after you’ve missed a significant chunk of football this season. Mikey Moore also impressed with his second assist in two games, staking a claim for more minutes.
Spurs fans will be relieved that the team escaped with no injuries, given their current squad issues. This win lifts Tottenham to fourth in their Europa League group and keeps them comfortable in the automatic round-off 16 qualifications.
Next up? Leicester City on Sunday. Let’s hope Spurs can carry this momentum into the Premier League. COYS!
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