Tottenham Hotspur secured their place in the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals with a commanding 3-1 victory over AZ Alkmaar in the second leg of their Round of 16 tie.
After a lackluster first-leg display in the Netherlands left them with work to do, Spurs rose to the occasion in front of their home supporters. Despite a few nervy moments, they delivered the performance required to overturn the deficit.
Wilson Odobert was the star of the night, netting a brace with goals in each half, while James Maddison also got on the scoresheet with a fine finish. Peer Koopmeiners briefly reignited AZ’s hopes with a powerful strike, but it ultimately proved inconsequential.
The breakthrough came when Spurs’ relentless pressing forced an error on the edge of AZ’s box. Dominic Solanke pounced on the opportunity and cut the ball back for Odobert, who rifled it into the top corner.
Maddison then put the Premier League side ahead on aggregate for the first time, linking up brilliantly with Son Heung-min before producing a clinical finish.
However, in typical Spurs fashion, defensive lapses made things more complicated than necessary. Hesitation over a loose ball gifted Koopmeiners the chance to pounce, and he made no mistake, smashing his shot past Guglielmo Vicario to level the tie once more.
But Ange Postecoglou’s side found another gear when it mattered most. They pieced together a superb team move from back to front, culminating in Odobert poking home at the far post to seal the victory.
Spurs will now prepare for a quarterfinal showdown with Eintracht Frankfurt, who booked their spot with an emphatic 6-2 aggregate triumph over Ajax.
