It was a game that would have been comfortably won on a normal day.

Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham's manager (59), expressed disappointment at the draw.

Tottenham drew 1-1 with Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League (UEL) quarterfinals held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, on the 11th (Korean time).

Son Heung-min, who started, led the Tottenham attack along with Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson. He played for 80 minutes before being substituted for Mathys Tel.

The opening goal was scored by Frankfurt just 6 minutes into the first half, capitalizing on a mistake by Tottenham midfielder James Maddison, who lost the ball. Frankfurt launched a counterattack, and Ekitike seized the opportunity, scoring with a well-placed shot.

Eventually, Tottenham equalized. In the 26th minute, Porro connected a low, fast pass from Maddison on the left side with a fantastic backheel shot, finding the net.

The first half ended in a 1-1 draw.

In the 9th minute of the second half, Tottenham was frustrated by bad luck. Bervi was near the right edge of the box and took a powerful shot toward the opposite goal, but it hit the post.

A minute later, Son Heung-min stepped up. He unleashed a fantastic curling shot from the left side. The ball traveled toward the goal with a good trajectory, but the goalkeeper made a super save. In the immediately following corner kick, Bentancur's header also missed the goal.

Tottenham made a substitution in the 34th minute of the second half. Maddison, Udogie, and Son Heung-min went off, and Pape Sarr, Jed Spence, and Mathys Tel were brought on.

Tottenham continued to be busy until the end. In the 37th minute, Johnson, who has been in great form recently, aimed for a comeback goal. He finished off a cross from the side with a left-footed inside shot, but the ball flew high into the sky. In the 41st minute, Solanke's surprise shot also failed to get past the goalkeeper.

Both teams struggled to find the winning goal, but neither achieved the desired result.

Having drawn at home, Tottenham will face Eintracht Frankfurt in the away quarterfinal on the 18th.

After the match, Postecoglou said in an interview with TNT Sports, "I couldn’t have asked for more from the players. I'm disappointed with the way we conceded a goal, but Ekitike's shot was commendable."

He added, "Until that moment, I felt we were controlling the game well. I thought we would find fruit in the second half with a goal, but we didn’t."

"Conceding a goal so early was the biggest blow for us. It played in favor of the opponent. It was a game that would have been comfortably won on a normal day," Postecoglou continued, praising Porro's finish as truly superb.

Lastly, he said, "If we can show the same performance as today again, we will definitely have a chance. The away second leg will be more cautious. Ultimately, a few moments will determine the outcome," adding, "It could go to extra time. All players need to be prepared. The positive part is that most players have returned healthy. That is very important."

The BBC noted, "There is no doubt that the second half showcased the best performance Tottenham has shown in a long time. The result will feel disappointing. Ben Davies' diving header was also good, hitting the crossbar twice, along with creating several good shooting opportunities, so Tottenham deserved to win." They added, "Now Tottenham must win in the challenging away match in Germany."

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