Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham Hotspur) particularly showed good form in the second half, but did not achieve the desired 'victory' result.
Tottenham drew 1-1 against Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League (UEL) quarterfinal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, on the 11th (Korean time).
Starting, Son Heung-min led the Tottenham attack alongside Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson. He played for 80 minutes before being substituted for Mathys Tel to finish the game.
The opening goal belonged to Frankfurt. It came just 6 minutes into the first half, following a loss of possession by Tottenham midfielder James Maddison. Frankfurt launched a counterattack, with Ékitike seizing the opportunity and scoring with a curling shot.
Tottenham moved diligently. In the 18th minute of the first half, Solanke delivered an astonishing cross from the left flank. Johnson rushed in to head the ball. However, the opposing defense cleared it first.
Eventually, Tottenham equalized. In the 26th minute of the first half, Porro connected a low, fast pass from Maddison on the left flank with a fantastic backheel shot, securing the equalizer.
The first half ended 1-1.
In the 9th minute of the second half, Tottenham hit the woodwork. Beryval unleashed a powerful shot from near the right corner of the box towards the opposite goal but struck the post. A minute later, Son Heung-min stepped up. He fired an exquisite curling shot from the left flank. The ball headed towards the goal with a good trajectory, but the goalkeeper made a superb save. During the ensuing corner kick, Bentancur's header also missed the target.
Frankfurt, sighing in relief, patiently built their attack. In the 18th minute of the second half, Bayo received a header pass from Götze and attempted a right-footed shot from the center of the box. However, the ball sailed over the goal.
Tottenham made a substitution in the 34th minute of the second half. Maddison, Udogie, and Son Heung-min were substituted for Pape Sarr, Jed Spence, and Mathys Tel. Tottenham remained busy until the end. In the 37th minute of the second half, Johnson, who has been hot-footed recently, aimed for the game-winning goal. He completed the shot with his left foot from the side, but the ball soared high. In the 41st minute of the second half, Solanke's surprise shot also failed to surpass the goalkeeper.
Both teams struggled to secure the decisive goal but did not achieve the desired result.
Having drawn at home, Tottenham will face Frankfurt in the away leg of the quarterfinals on the 18th.
According to the European football statistics site 'FootMob,' Son Heung-min touched the ball 61 times, with 2 shots on target, a pass accuracy of 86% (38/44), 2 chances created, 5 touches in the opponent's box, 3 attacking area passes, a cross success rate of 33% (1/3), 1 interception, and 1 defensive action, marking a commendable record.
'FootMob' rated most players in the starting lineup between 7 and 8, but only gave 6 scores to four players, including Son Heung-min (Solanke, Romero, and Vicario). Son Heung-min received a score of 6.9.
Bentancur, who made the most tackles and hit the woodwork once that day, received the highest rating on the team from 'FootMob' with a score of 8.4.
The BBC noted that "there is no doubt that the second half was Tottenham's best performance in a long time. The result will feel disappointing. Van de Ven's diving header was good, and Tottenham created several good shooting opportunities, including hitting the crossbar twice, indicating they certainly deserved to win," adding, "Now, Tottenham must win in the challenging away match in Germany."
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