Thursday night saw Tottenham Hotspur back in action again, this time at the PreZero Arena where they taken on Bundesliga outfit 1899 Hoffenheim. Both sides really needed a win, Spurs to get themselves back into the top eight, whilst the German's were looking to keep their Europa League status alive altogether. Spurs are still obviously depleted with injuries and with others not registered for their Europa League squad until at least after the league phase, they lined up as followed: Austin, Porro, Drăgusin, Davies, Gray, Bergvall, Bentancur, Maddison, Kulusevski, Richarlison, Son (c)
How things went down against Hoffenheim on match day seven
Spurs got off to the perfect start, when just three minutes on the clock, Spaniard Pedro Porro played a delightful ball over the top of the Hoffenheim high line defence where James Maddison brought it down beautifully before firing past veteran keeper Oliver Baumann. Great goal and one that settled the nerves for the north Londoners.
Shortly after it should have been two, when captain Heung-Min Son cuts inside and threads it through the gap of the Hoffenheim defence to Porro, who probably even surprised himself by being in such a position, and from close range dragged his effort wide. An opportunity that could be costly.
Porro wouldn't have to worry however, when a loose pass was intercepted by Maddison in midfield, the Englishman drove forward before playing it over to the far side for Son, who's shot was deflected by the Hoffenheim defender trying to make the block, but his efforts only made it loop over the goalkeeper and trickle into the net. Spurs 0-2 to the good, but as we always know, games involving the Lilywhites are never over at twenty minutes.
Right on half time, it should have been game over. A Maddison free-kick from out wide on the left was whipped in towards the near post where young Swede Lucas Bergvall climbed highest, however didn't get the greatest of connections on it, and was saved by Baumann. 0-2 to Spurs at the break and you can make a very good argument for it being more, Ange Postecoglou would have been very happy with his side at the interval.
The hosts started the second half much better, pinning Spurs back and really having a go at trying to get a goal back, and Spurs were shown a warning sign on fifty-five minutes when long time Croatian striker Andrej Kramarić saw his looping header hit the bar.
Soon after Tottenham thought they had given away a penalty when keeper Brandon Austin appeared to have clashed with a Hoffenheim attacker and catching him in the face, however after a lengthy VAR check Austin appeared to have got to the ball first just about and he was spared of his blushes.
Hoffenheim however would get back into the game just a few minutes later, when Czech left back David Jurasek made an overlapping run down the left and played a teasing ball across the face of goal for midfield Anton Stach to squeeze in. A deserved goal for the Germans based on the second half which would have made Spurs fans nervous for the last twenty minutes.
Them nerves however, were calmed down after a loose ball was give away from Hoffenheim in the middle of the park that was picked up by substitute Mikey Moore, he played the ball into the space for skipper Son to fire across goal for his second of the game, both with his (so called) weaker left! Son would be substituted shortly after for academy graduate Will Lankshear, with Spurs being able to see out the game, the South Korean could get some wel earned rest.
The game looked dead and buried, but as we always know Spurs never do it the easy way. Late on just before added time Kramarić received in just to the right of the Tottenham penalty area where David Mokwa would climb highest to give the English side a nervy last gee minutes.
Spurs, thankfully for them would hold on to win 2-3 in Sinseim, would give a debut to 17-year-old Callum Olusesi to help the team get over the line. A very important three points for Spurs which takes them back into the top eight of the UEL league phase, which leaves it in their hands for next weeks final matchday in a home match against Swedish club Elfsborg.