Europa League as it happened: Ange’s Spurs take 3-1 lead into second leg against Bodo/Glimt

First thing’s first, on the injuries sustained in this match, which don’t sound too bad:

Richarlison wasn’t injured, it was tactical. He did a great job for us.

Dom and Madders … Madders felt a tweak in his knee but doesn’t sound like anything serious. Dom similar in his quad. Both didn’t feel anything too significant but it felt important to take them off.

On the match itself, Postecoglou was optimistic about this result:

I think it puts us in a good position. I thought the players were outstanding today, I thought our performance was everything it needed to be, really well organized and disciplined defensively and really calm going forward and created good opportunities for ourselves and maintaining pressure.

Obviously they scored the goal late, which doesn’t I think reflect our dominance in the game, but if we repeat that performance next week it’ll be enough for us to get through.

Tottenham Hotspur put aside their woeful domestic season with a 3-1 home victory against Norway’s Bodo/Glimt leaving them within sight of the Europa League final on Thursday.

Brennan Johnson’s header after 37 seconds and a clever James Maddison finish put Tottenham 2-0 ahead at the break and Dominic Solanke increased their advantage just past the hour mark.

But Tottenham rarely make things easy for themselves and there was a late twist as captain Ulrik Saltnes’s deflected effort gave Bodo/Glimt hope for next week’s second leg which will take place inside the Arctic Circle.

Ange Postecoglou after the match.Credit: AP

“We are pleased and I think before the game if you had said we would have a two-goal cushion we would have been happy with that,” Johnson said.

“We were frustrated to concede but they are a tough team and we are happy with the performance.”

Tottenham are on course for their worst Premier League season since 1993-94 with 19 defeats from 34 games leaving them in 16th place and manager Ange Postecoglou facing an uncertain future at the north London club.

The Australian former Celtic manager was widely-mocked when he claimed he always wins a trophy in his second season at a club, but when his side cruised into a 3-0 lead in front of a buoyant crowd, a shot at glory in Bilbao loomed.

Saltnes’s late reply flattened the mood in the stadium and injuries to Maddison and Solanke that forced them off were a worry, but Tottenham are still in a strong position.

Tottenham got a dream start when Pedro Porro’s cross was headed back across the area by Richarlison and Johnson was unmarked to nod his header past Nikita Haikin.

The hosts dominated and Porro was the architect again in the 34th minute with a long diagonal pass that Maddison controlled superbly before cutting back a shot that crept in.

Bodo, the first Norwegian team to reach a European semi-final, finally came alive just before halftime when Ole Blomberg volleyed narrowly over.

Their hopes of extending their adventure appeared to have receded when Solanke tucked away a rather harsh penalty given after a VAR review.

Saltnes’s shot, which deflected off Rodrigo Bentancur to beat Guglielmo Vicario, breathed new life into the semi-final though and Tottenham can expect a stern test of their resolve on Bodo’s artificial pitch next Thursday.

Dominic Solanke celebrates his penalty.Credit: Getty Images

... without the full reward for it.

And that’s it.

Job done for Tottenham Hotspur - but that late goal from Bodo/Glimt means there will still be a bit of jeopardy in next week’s second leg in Norway.

That’ll be a tough one: a trip north of the Arctic Circle for Spurs, on a plastic pitch. Two goals isn’t a comfortable enough cushion.

Nervous week ahead for Spurs fans and Ange-o-philes alike.

… and Bodo/Glimt are back on the front foot.

This will be a nervous finish!

Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Bodo/Glimt, 90 minutes

There’s your twist in the tail.

Ulrik Saltnes puts it away at the other end to finish off a slick attacking move. He showed lovely feet to dribble past Bentancur and Romero, and his shot comes off the former and deflects past Vicario.

That makes things very interesting. A two-goal lead doesn’t feel like a fair reward for this Spurs performance.

Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Bodo/Glimt, 83 minutes

Spurs get a corner and nearly a fourth! Mathys Tel’s shot was bound for the net but was deflected wide - so they’ll get another corner.

And the visitors clear their lines.

I reckon there’s another goal in this!

Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 Bodo/Glimt, 81 minutes

Here’s Bodo/Glimt’s first corner kick of the match.

Easily cut off at the near post by Spurs and the ball is quickly recovered.

This clean sheet is crucial. A three-goal lead is the minimum Tottenham will want to take into the away leg.

Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 Bodo/Glimt, 76 minutes