LONDON, Jan 20 : Tottenham Hotspur shrugged off their domestic gloom with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund that took the heat off head coach Thomas Frank and put them within touching distance of the Champions League knockout stages on Tuesday.
First-half goals by captain Cristian Romero and Dominic Solanke gave Tottenham control against a desperately disappointing Dortmund side who played three-quarters of the match with 10 men after Daniel Svensson’s red card.
Tottenham have won twice in 11 Premier League matches at home this season – a run that has left Frank fighting for his job. But in the Champions League they have been impeccable in north London, winning four out of four without conceding.
The latest one lifted them into fourth place ahead of Wednesday’s games, meaning a win at Eintracht Frankfurt next week would seal a top-eight spot and progression to the last 16.
Dortmund, who began the night level on 11 points with Tottenham, face Inter Milan in their last game and are now likely to have to take their chances in the playoffs.
“It will be very tough,” Dortmund captain Emre Can said. “I hope it will be better than today.”
TOXIC MOOD
When Tottenham suffered a last-gasp defeat by West Ham United at the weekend the mood turned toxic with home fans chanting ‘sacked in the morning’ at Frank.
Speculation was rife that the Dane would not even be in charge for the visit of Dortmund.
He came out fighting in his pre-match press conference though and despite having only 11 senior outfield players available, his team responded against the Bundesliga side.
Such was the ease with which Tottenham brushed aside Dortmund, Frank may well wish he could face European opposition every week, rather than the likes of Bournemouth, Fulham and West Ham who have caused him such pain.
“I think first half, you felt it could be a special European night, the fans were absolutely great and really behind the team so happy with that,” Frank, whose only loss in the competition was a 5-3 defeat to holders Paris St Germain, said.
“Of course, it would be amazing to (finish in the top eight). First Burnley, then we can focus on Frankfurt.”
Tottenham have now won all five of their Champions League matches against Dortmund, including both legs of the last-16 tie in 2019 when they reached the final.
A repeat is improbable, but then again Tottenham won the Europa League last season under previous manager Ange Postecoglou despite finishing 17th in the Premier League.
Frank’s patched-up side, 14th in the Premier League, made a confident start on Tuesday and went ahead inside 15 minutes.
Wilson Odobert swung and missed a volley from a clearance but then sent a ball into the area that Romero met with a sharp close-range finish.
Dortmund’s support was magnificent but their team were limp and when Svensson clumsily left his studs in Odobert’s shin and referee Glenn Nyberg was advised to watch a VAR replay, the Swede predictably brandished the red card to his compatriot.
Solanke got his first start since May following an ankle operation and he marked his first Champions League appearance since 2017-18 with his first goal in the competition.
It was not a classic, but he did not care as he bundled in Odobert’s low cross from point-blank range, the ball bouncing off both his legs before creeping in.
With a 20th win from their last 24 home games in UEFA competitions in the bag, Tottenham dropped off in the second half although home keeper Guglielmo Vicario made one save of note, tipping over a Nico Schlotterbeck header.
