Tottenham 1-1 Eintracht Frankfurt: Porro rescues draw in Europa League

Porro’s Inventive Finish Cancels Out Ekitike’s Early Blow

Tottenham Hotspur were forced to dig deep after a nightmare start at home, as Pedro Porro’s stylish finish salvaged a 1–1 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final. The German side took an early lead through Hugo Ekitike, but Ange Postecoglou’s men responded with dominance and relentless pressure—only to be denied by the brilliance of goalkeeper Kaua Santos.

The result leaves the tie delicately poised ahead of next week’s return leg in Germany.

Spurs Stunned Early, But Respond Strongly

The match opened in disastrous fashion for Spurs, who conceded within six minutes. James Maddison was dispossessed high up the pitch by Ellyes Skhiri, who launched a swift counterattack. Hugo Ekitike capitalized on the space vacated by Porro’s advanced position, collecting the ball wide before cutting inside and curling a low shot past Guglielmo Vicario from 20 yards.

It was Ekitike’s 20th goal of the season and a clear reminder of Frankfurt’s counter-attacking threat. However, Tottenham gradually wrestled back control. Dominic Solanke provided a strong link in attack, and his clever movement helped create openings for Maddison and Brennan Johnson.

Spurs found their equalizer in the 26th minute. A slick attacking move began with Heung-min Son releasing Solanke, who held off a challenge and fed Maddison in the box. The midfielder danced past his marker and cut the ball back for Porro, who met it with a deft backheel flick into the net from six yards out.
 

Tottenham Dominate But Miss Winning Chances

The home side controlled much of the match from that point forward. Frankfurt were nearly gifted a second before halftime, but Vicario produced a smart save to stop Ekitike’s close-range effort.

In the second half, Lucas Bergvall nearly gave Spurs the lead with a stunning long-range strike that cannoned off the crossbar. The teenage midfielder glided through traffic before unleashing a shot that had beaten Santos but not the goal frame.

Tottenham’s pressure intensified. Kaua Santos, stepping in for injured Frankfurt No. 1 Kevin Trapp, made crucial saves to deny Son, Maddison, and later Micky van de Ven. Rodrigo Bentancur twice came close—hitting the crossbar from a corner and later heading straight at the keeper.

Brennan Johnson also squandered a good chance, firing over after connecting with Djed Spence’s low cross from the right. The winger had scored from a similar move days earlier against Southampton but couldn’t replicate the finish here.

Frankfurt Hold On Thanks to Standout Goalkeeping

Despite a late onslaught, Frankfurt held firm. Kaua Santos’ commanding display between the posts proved decisive, preventing Spurs from carrying a lead into the second leg. For Postecoglou, the performance offered both encouragement and frustration, as his team played with fluidity but lacked finishing precision.

The tie now moves to Germany, where Tottenham will face a hostile crowd and a confident opponent, but with renewed belief and nearly a full-strength squad returning to form.

Match Summary

Final Score: Tottenham 1–1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Goals:

• Frankfurt: Hugo Ekitike (6’)

• Tottenham: Pedro Porro (26’)

Tottenham XI (4-3-3): Vicario; Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie (Spence 79'); Bentancur, Bergvall, Maddison (Sarr 79'); Johnson, Solanke (Richarlison 88'), Son (Tel 80)
Unused Subs: Austin, Bissouma, Davies, Gray, Moore, Odobert, Whiteman
Booked: Tel

Eintracht XI (4-2-3-1): Santos; Kristensen, Tuta, Koch, Theate; Skhiri, Larsson; Bahoya (Chaibi 70'), Götze (Özün 91'), Brown (Nkounkou 91'); Ekitike (Walhi 89)
Unused Subs: Amenda, Batshuayi, Chandler, Collins, Dahoud, Fenyo, Grahl, Siljevic

Tottenham remain in contention for a place in the Europa League semi-finals, with plenty to build on and opportunities ahead—provided they can convert dominance into goals next week in Frankfurt.

Stay tuned to The Horizons Times for full Europa League coverage, match analysis, and all updates from Tottenham’s European campaign.