Thomas Frank breathed a sigh of relief on Tuesday night as Tottenham Hotspur secured a vital 2-0 Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund.
Amidst swirling rumors of a potential departure and the possible return of Ange Postecoglou, Frank’s squad delivered a much-needed result at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
An early breakthrough assisted by Julian Brandt’s misfortune followed by a Dominic Solanke strike ensured that the pressure on the Danish manager eased—at least for now.
Guglielmo Vicario – 5
It was a relatively quiet but shaky night for the Italian shot-stopper. While Dortmund didn’t pepper his goal with shots, he failed to inspire total confidence when called upon and looked fortunate that the visitors lacked a clinical edge.
Pedro Porro – 6
The Spaniard provided his usual energy down the right flank. He was solid enough defensively and tried to support the attack, though his final delivery wasn’t quite at its usual pinpoint standard.
Kevin Danso – 5
A difficult evening for the center-back, who struggled with the movement of the Dortmund front line. He looked a step off the pace at times and was perhaps the weakest link in a defensive unit that benefited from Dortmund going down to ten men.
Cristian Romero – 6
The Argentine was credited with the opening goal and brought his trademark aggression to the backline. While he led the defense through the clean sheet, there were still moments of rashness that kept the home fans on edge.
Destiny Udogie – 5
Udogie had a surprisingly subdued game. Known for his marauding runs, he was largely pinned back or ineffective in transition, failing to make the impact on the left wing that supporters have come to expect.
Lucas Bergvall – 6
The youngster showed glimpses of his immense technical talent. He kept the ball moving well in tight spaces and showed maturity in a high-stakes European environment, helping Spurs control the middle of the park.
Archie Gray – 5
A learning experience for the versatile teenager. Gray found it difficult to impose himself on the game and was occasionally bypassed by the Dortmund midfield during their better spells in the match.
Xavi Simons – 6
Simons had a tale of two halves. While he was industrious defensively—winning six duels and making three tackles—his attacking output was frustrating. He failed to create a single chance and saw only one of his five shots hit the target.
Djed Spence – 6
Deployed in a more advanced role, Spence used his athleticism to stretch the Dortmund defense. He provided a decent outlet for the team, though he lacked the clinical final ball to truly punish the Bundesliga side.
Wilson Odobert – 8
The undisputed man of the match. Odobert was electric, providing both assists and completing four successful dribbles. With a 95% pass accuracy and eight duels won, he single-handedly drove the Tottenham attack and may have saved his manager’s job.
Dominic Solanke – 7
The striker did exactly what was asked of him by finding the back of the net to double the lead. His hold-up play was vital in allowing Odobert and Simons to join the attack, and he worked tirelessly to harass the Dortmund defenders.
Substitutions
Junai Byfield – 5
Introduced to help see out the game, but he struggled to get into the rhythm of the match and didn’t offer much in the way of ball retention or defensive cover.
Randal Kolo Muani – N/A
A late introduction that didn’t provide enough time on the pitch for a fair numerical rating.