Ange Postecoglou can breathe again. The Spurs manager had been hoping that someone would step up to save their season and his salvation arrived in the shape of Wilson Odobert, with a little bit of help from James Maddison.
When the England midfielder made it 2-0 early in the second half to add to Odobert’s well-taken first goal for the club, it looked like Postecoglou’s side were cruising to a last-eight showdown with Eintracht Frankfurt. This being Tottenham, however, things are never that simple and a mistake from Odobert allowed Peer Koopmeiners to level the scores on aggregate with 20 minutes to play to leave the home crowd fearing the worst. But Odobert kept Postecoglou’s hopes of ending the season with some silverware alive – and perhaps even saved his job – when the Frenchman swept home at the end of a flowing move instigated by Maddison to send Spurs into the quarter-finals of the Europa League for the first time since 2013.
“We made it more nervy than we needed to,” admitted Postecoglou. “It was a big night for us and I couldn’t be happier with the way the players handled it. We looked strong, we looked dominant and threatening in the final third – all the things we want to be.”
Postecoglou had promised to provide the home supporters with “something to get behind” in his programme notes after his side’s disappointing display in last week’s first-leg defeat in the Netherlands. They duly responded with a much-improved performance that was typified by the captain Son Heung-min, who was embraced by a bear hug from his manager at the full-time whistle in joyous scenes. Many have questioned whether Son, at 32, can still deliver on the biggest stage after a difficult season but he was instrumental in Odobert’s winner having covered every blade of grass for the cause.
Lucas Bergvall – tasked with playing the holding role in midfield ahead of Yves Bissouma after Rodrigo Bentancur’s suspension – also impressed before he was taken off with a suspected injury five minutes from full time. But the return of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven – who hadn’t started a game together since 8 December against Chelsea when both picked up injuries that have severely disrupted Tottenham’s season – at last gave Postecoglou the security he has been missing at the back. It was no coincidence that they conceded minutes after Van de Ven was replaced by Archie Gray on the hour mark in what looked like a pre-planned move. “That disrupted us a bit,” admitted Postecoglou.
Ajax’s elimination against Eintracht earlier in the evening meant that AZ were the last Dutch side left in European competition when the game kicked off, although they had never won an away match against English opposition in 10 previous attempts. They defended well for more than 25 minutes but that all changed when Wouter Goes found himself under pressure from Son on the edge of his own area. Son’s block ricocheted into Dominic Solanke’s path and he showed great awareness to tee up Odobert for a curling finish that belied the fact that his last goal came for Burnley in a 4-1 victory over Luton in August. Postecoglou pumped his fist in celebration in a rare show of emotion.
James Maddison scores Tottenham’s second goal during the 3-1 win against AZ Alkmaar. Photograph: Ian Walton/AP
AZ were finding it much more difficult to penetrate the Tottenham defence than in the first leg but there was a reminder of the hosts’ tendency to shoot themselves in the foot when they gifted possession to Zico Buurmeester on the edge of their area and he dragged his shot wide of Guglielmo Vicario’s post.
The Tottenham goalkeeper had another lucky escape at the start of the second half when he had to perform a Cruyff turn inside his own area to elude Troy Parrott after taking too long on the ball. But the home crowd’s nerves turned to delight when Pedro Porro won possession to feed Son and he exchanged passes with Maddison, who finished with aplomb. This time, Postecoglou raised two arms in the air to celebrate, although his heart must have been in his mouth when Romero blocked Parrott’s goalbound shot moments later.
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It was Van de Ven’s turn to be the saviour next after Romero gave the ball to AZ from a free-kick, the Dutchman keeping pace with Ernest Poku to divert his shot for a corner. But disaster struck within three minutes after he had departed when Odobert appeared to have won back possession, only to divert the ball into the path of Koopmeiners via a touch from Bergvall and the AZ midfielder could barely believe his luck as he slammed the ball past Vicario.
Suddenly the visitors looked like they believed it could be their night, although Maddison and Odobert had other ideas. A last-ditch goalline clearance from Bissouma in injury-time drew one of the biggest roars of the evening as a relieved Postecoglou can start planning for their next challenge.
