Tottenham Hotspur have taken a step towards the Europa League final after running out 3-1 winners over Bodo/Glimt in their semi-final first-leg.
Brennan Johnson scored the quickest ever Europa League semi-final goal as he headed home just 38 seconds into the game in north London.
James Maddison then doubled Tottenham’s lead in the 34th minute, clinically slotting home after latching on to a world-class Pedro Porro delivery.
Dominic Solanke then scored from the penalty spot on 61 minutes to make it 3-0 before Ulrik Saltnes got Bodo/Glimt a late goal to give them some hope in the second leg.
Glenn Hoddle, speaking after the game on TNT Sports, made a confident prediction about Tottenham for the second leg as Joe Hart delivered his verdict from Thursday’s game.
Glenn Hoddle backs Tottenham to score at Bodo/Glimt and end tie as a contest
Hoddle has claimed that Tottenham will find it difficult against Bodo/Glimt on their own patch, saying they are almost a different side at home.
However, the Spurs legend backed Ange Postecoglou’s side to get a goal at the Aspmyra Stadium to end the tie as a contest.
“It is going to be tough over there,” said Hoddle. “Bodo/Glimt have beaten some top teams at home, they are almost a different side when they play at home.
“But I think Tottenham will score over there and that will kill the tie.”
Meanwhile, Hart said he felt Spurs would have taken a 3-1 win at the start of the game, though he was concerned about the knocks to James Maddison and Dominic Solanke.
“The goal maybe changes things but the Maddison and Solanke injuries are really important,” Hart said on TNT Sports.
“To win the game tonight by two goals, well Tottenham would have taken that at the start of the game.”
What Ange Postecoglou said about Dominic Solanke, James Maddison and Richarlison
Solanke and Maddison both had to come off in the second half, while Richarlison came off at the end of the first half.
However, Postecoglou stressed that both second-half withdrawals didn’t seem overly concerning, while Richarlison’s substitution was not injury-related.
“Richarlison wasn’t injured, it was tactical,” Postecoglou told football.london after the game. “He did a great job for us.
“Dom and Madders, Madders felt a tweak in his knee but doesn’t sound like anything serious. Dom similar in his quad.
“Both didn’t feel anything too significant but it felt important to take them off.”
