Tottenham Hotspur took a significant step towards the Europa League final with a 3-1 win over Bodø/Glimt in the first-leg match. Brennan Johnson scored the fastest goal of the season in this competition, netting after just 38 seconds, and Tottenham’s fans were ecstatic.
Yves Bissouma found space down the right and picked out Richarlison at the back post, whose header across goal deceived everyone but Johnson, who made no mistake by directing the ball back into the other corner.
The home side dominated the game, with James Maddison doubling their lead midway through the first half. Maddison scooped Cristian Romero’s long ball off target initially but did not make the same mistake twice as he raced on to Pedro Porro’s pass and finished with his left foot underneath Nikita Haikin.
Tottenham smelled blood and had the Russian goalkeeper not produced an excellent save to deny a stunning volley from Rodrigo Bentancur, they may have been out of sight by half-time.
Dominic Solanke sealed the win with a penalty after Bodø/Glimt failed to clear a free kick, and Fredrik Sjøvold caught Romero first as he was trying to clear. However, Bodø/Glimt refused to give up and scored a late goal through Ulrik Saltnes, who ensured there will still be plenty on the line next week. Ange Postecoglou’s side will travel to the Arctic Circle for next week’s second leg on an artificial surface, knowing that their season remains very much on the line.
Despite the late goal, Tottenham will be confident heading into the second leg. Postecoglou stressed beforehand the importance of establishing a lead before their mission to a town almost 1,000km north of Oslo for the second leg. Tottenham’s fans were magnificent, transforming the giant South Stand into a massive tifo display of the Spurs motto “To Dare Is To Do” just before the teams emerged.
The win puts Tottenham in a strong position, but they know that Bodø/Glimt will be no pushovers. Bodø/Glimt have reached the last four despite operating on a fraction of Tottenham’s budget, and they will look to cause an upset in the second leg. Tottenham will need to be at their best to progress to the final, but they have shown they have the quality and depth to overcome the deficit. The second leg promises to be an exciting encounter, with both teams looking to progress to the final.