Tottenham Draw with Frankfurt in Entertaining Europa League Quarter-Final First Leg
Tottenham Hotspur were made to work hard for a 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-final, as Pedro Porro’s clever flick cancelled out Hugo Ekitike’s early strike. The result extends Spurs’ impressive unbeaten home run in European competitions to 19 games, but it also leaves the tie finely balanced ahead of the return leg in Germany.
The match marked the first knockout meeting between the two sides since 1982, when Spurs comfortably won the first leg 2-0 in the Cup Winners’ Cup. History looked unlikely to repeat itself this time as Frankfurt made a blistering start.
Frankfurt Strike First in Early Stages
The visitors were on the front foot immediately, capitalising on a Tottenham mistake in the sixth minute. James Maddison was caught in possession by Ellyes Skhiri, who quickly played the ball wide to Hugo Ekitike. The French forward cut inside with confidence and unleashed a stunning curling strike into the far corner, giving Guglielmo Vicario no chance. It was Ekitike’s 20th goal of a standout season and a dream start for Frankfurt.
That early setback jolted Spurs into life. Ange Postecoglou’s side began to control possession and create chances, with Dominic Solanke heading tamely at Kaua Santos before Brennan Johnson glanced a header just over the crossbar from a tight angle.
Pedro Porro’s Brilliant Flick Levels the Score
Tottenham’s pressure paid off in the 26th minute. Solanke found Maddison in the box, and the England international showed great composure to square the ball to Pedro Porro. The Spanish full-back produced a moment of magic, flicking the ball into the net with his heel to beat Santos and bring the hosts level. It was a deserved equaliser and a reminder of Porro’s attacking instincts.
Spurs dominated the rest of the first half, pushing forward with intent, but couldn’t find another breakthrough before the interval. Maddison and Solanke continued to link up well, while the Frankfurt defence began to sit deeper in an effort to contain the pressure.
GOAL | Tottenham 1-1 Frankfurt | Pedro Porro
WHAT A FINISH FROM PEDRO PORRO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!pic.twitter.com/tHNHio73jR
— Tekkers Foot (@tekkersfoot) April 10, 2025
Tottenham Take Control After the Break
The second half saw both teams come out with attacking intent, but Tottenham gradually took control. Destiny Udogie charged down the left with purpose, and Frankfurt’s Jean-Matteo Bahoya also looked dangerous in transition. However, a series of last-ditch blocks and interceptions kept the scoreline level.
The best chances of the second half fell to Spurs. Young midfielder Lucas Bergvall went closest when he smashed a powerful long-range effort off the crossbar. Moments later, Son Heung-min saw a low drive tipped behind by Santos. From the resulting corner, Rodrigo Bentancur rose highest but could only head against the woodwork as Frankfurt’s goal continued to live a charmed life.
Tottenham kept coming. Maddison was denied by Santos again, this time from close range, as the Frankfurt goalkeeper stood firm under immense pressure. Bentancur had another opportunity from a corner late in the game, but once more Santos came to the rescue for the Bundesliga side.
All to Play for in Second Leg
Despite dominating large spells of the match, Tottenham couldn’t find a winning goal. Frankfurt, on the other hand, will be thankful to be heading home with the tie level after withstanding wave after wave of second-half pressure. Kaua Santos was unquestionably the man of the match for the visitors, making a string of crucial saves to keep his team in the tie.
Tottenham will now travel to Deutsche Bank Park for the second leg with confidence, knowing they created enough chances to win the first leg comfortably. However, they will also be aware of the threat Frankfurt carry, particularly on the counter-attack. With Ekitike in top form and the support of a home crowd, the German side remain very much in contention.
This pulsating quarter-final remains wide open, and both teams will feel they have a shot at reaching the Europa League semi-finals. For Spurs, a strong attacking performance away from home will be needed to turn pressure into progression.
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