Nervousness, brilliance, confusion. Maybe not fairly the whole A to Z of Tottenham beneath Ange Postecoglou however they made it via the alphabet so far as V is for victory due to Wilson Odobert’s emergence as a aim hero.
Odobert has spent most of his first season injured since his £25million transfer from Burnley final summer time however conjured his first objectives for the membership as Spurs overcame a primary leg deficit to see off the problem of AZ Alkmaar.
He levelled the tie within the first half, had a hand within the second scored by James Maddison and even performed part of the defensive mix-up which helped the Dutch again into it, by way of a aim by Peer Koopmeiners.
However Odobert’s closing act was the decisive one, tapping the successful aim into an open internet within the 73rd minute, after a advantageous sweeping transfer that includes an overlapping cost down the left and cross by Djed Spence and a flick by Dominic Solanke on the close to publish.
This being Spurs, it was not with out alarm. Guglielmo Vicario made late saves and Yves Bissouma produced a terrific sliding clearance to disclaim AZ substitute Mees de Wit, defending Tottenham’s slender lead and reserving a Europa League quarter closing with Eintracht Frankfurt subsequent month.
‘On what was a giant night time, I could not be happier with the way in which the gamers and the way in which they dealt with it,’ mentioned Postecoglou. ‘We had been robust, dominant, aggressive within the entrance third. They deserved to get via and we’re now within the quarter closing of a European competitors which is thrilling.’
Wilson Odobert (proper) scored twice as Tottenham beat AZ Alkmaar within the Europa League
Odobert (centre) opened the scoring within the twenty sixth minute on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
The Frenchman then scored the successful aim halfway via the second half of the sport
Odobert was the star of the present as Spurs booked their place within the quarter-finals
Spurs made a powerful begin to the sport and Odobert levelled the tie halfway via the primary half after Heung-min Son compelled a mistake by Wouter Goes. AZ’s younger central defender was compelled again to retrieve a ball from a proper again place and he took a little bit an excessive amount of time.
Son noticed his alternative and made an important blocked as Goes turned to clear. The ricochet spilled infield, kindly for Solanke who had the composure to roll a move sq. to Odobert who arrived to lash a left-footer previous Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro for his first aim since scoring for Burnley on the opening day of the Championship season.
‘I am tremendous happy as a result of he is labored laborious,’ mentioned Postecoglou. ‘I used to be excited after we signed him. He has a capability to take individuals on and discover house, he is a fantastic technician and I am happy for him to get objectives as a result of he is labored laborious silently to get again.
‘He is a made a giant transfer to a giant membership and it hasn’t labored out to this point via no fault of personal, due to damage. It has been irritating for me not to have the ability to showcase him. That is simply a place to begin for him.’
Again on stage phrases within the tie, the temper contained in the stadium lifted, and Tottenham handed the ball with additional zip. Son appeared as threatening as he has in weeks, jinking inside from the left whereas Maddison and Bergvall acquired on the ball and dictated play in midfield.
It helped to have the insurance coverage of Postecoglou’s first alternative central defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven again within the tandem, beginning collectively for the primary time since each had been injured in opposition to Chelsea in early December.
However AZ ventured out a little bit extra after conceding. Vicario, whose saves within the first leg stored his workforce within the tie, got here out well on the toes of Ernest Poku and Zico Buurmeester was introduced with an opportunity, albeit a tough one which he couldn’t catch cleanly earlier than the interval.
Spurs escaped once more initially of the second half when Vicario over indulged on the ball, making an attempt to beat stress from Koopmeiners by dragging the ball away with the only real of his boot.
James Maddison scored his facet’s second aim with a cool end simply inside the world
Maddison carried out his celebration with Son Heung-Min after the pair mixed for the aim
Peer capitalised on a mistake on the again to briefly restore parity within the Europa League tie
Ange Postecoglou’s facet stored their hopes of successful silverware this season alive
He was lucky to get away with it, and inside seconds Tottenham had been on the different finish celebrating their second, a transfer launched by one other burst of tempo via the centre of the pitch from Odobert and a classy end by Maddison following a brisk alternate of passes with Son.
Spurs appeared extra weak when Van de Ven went off, nonetheless not prepared for 90 minutes after months of hamstring issues.
AZ midfielder Jordy Clasie flashed a shot vast from the sting of the penalty space earlier than the Dutch levelled the tie via Koopmeiners, with the appreciable assist of a defensive mix-up between Odobert and Bergvall.
However Odobert settled it, restoring Tottenham’s mixture lead within the 74th minute and so they survived these late scares to maneuver into the final eight with their season and Postecoglou’s quest for a trophy alive.
