Tottenham v Bodo/Glimt LIVE: Spurs have one foot in Europa League final despite late scare
Tottenham 3-1 Bodo/Glimt: Goals from Brennan Johnson, James Maddison and Dominic Solanke have Spurs dreaming of a first trophy since 2008
Tottenham defeated Bodo/Glimt 3-1 to take control of the Europa League semi-finals and move a step closer to ending their 17-year trophy drought.
Brennan Johnson opened after just 41 seconds and James Maddison scored a magnificent second, controlling Pedro Porro’s long pass and finishing, as Ange Postecoglou’s side dominated the first half.
Dominic Solanke’s penalty on the hour-mark put Spurs in a commanding position, but Bodo captain Ulrik Saltnes pulled one back late on to offer the Norwegian champions some hope ahead of next week’s return leg.
Bodo are still huge underdogs but they knocked out Italian side Lazio in the quarter-finals and will have home advantage on their next week as they return to their home inside the Arctic Circle.
And a potential Tottenham-Manchester United final moved a step closer too after Ruben Amorim’s side won 3-0 at Athletic Bilbao ahead of next week’s return leg at Old Trafford.
Follow reaction from Tottenham vs Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League semi-final below
Tottenham deliver for Ange Postecoglou but late twist is a warning for what’s to come
Right then, how tricky is this artificial pitch? What kind of ice storm could Bodo/Glimt summon for the arrival of Tottenham next week? Because the underdogs from the edge of the Arctic Circle are going to need as hostile an environment as possible if they are to turn this Europa League semi-final around.
In the first leg, Spurs made full use of their home advantage: a resounding 3-1 win, only dampened by a late deflected strike by Bodo’s stand-in captain Ulrik Saltnes, has Tottenham with one foot in the final and brought a smile to the face of Ange Postecoglou.
Jamie Braidwood reports from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium:
Tottenham deliver for Ange Postecoglou but late twist is a warning for what’s to come
Tottenham edge closer to Europa League final with commanding win over Bodo/Glimt
Dominic Solanke gives post-match thoughts
"Pleased with the performance,” he told TNT Sports. “We know they are a good team at home. We know that it is a tough place to go so it is nice to have a lead.
"It's always nice to score, especially in these big games. It is that bit more special.
"It wasn't ideal conceding that late on. We wanted to keep the clean sheet and take the 3-0 lead there. We lacked a bit of concentration in the end and let them get that goal.
"It doesn't change things much. We know that we need to go there and put on performance and get the job done."
Tottenham wasted no time to get going
It only took 39 seconds for Spurs to get going!
How much will that late goal mean for Bodo/Glimt?
A three-goal deficit looked somewhat insurmountable. Two looks very much doable, on an Arctic night on the astroturf.
Bodo/Glimt have slain some of Europe’s big hitters already this season, and they’ll have hope they can do it again when Spurs come to town.
Spurs have one foot in Europa League final despite late scare
James Maddison and Dominic Solanke injury update
Ange Postecoglou believes the injuries sustained by Dominic Solanke and James Maddison were "hopefully nothing too serious" and hints they were just niggles.
With a Europa League final potentially on the docket, Postecoglou will be desperate to have these two fit.
Read what the Spurs manager had to say in full:
Postecoglou gives Maddison and Solanke injury updates after Tottenham win
Brennan Johnson 'set the tempo' with his first-minute strike
"If before the game you would have said that we'd have a two goal cushion then we'd be happy with it,” Johnson told TNT Sports.
"I didn't realise it was that early [his opener]. They are a team that build in confidence with time to play so we knew that we had to be onto them straight away. Getting the early goal really set the tempo and I thought we started really well.
"Maddison has scored a few goals like that this season and makes the run really well. Porro has the quality to find that pass and when it comes off it works really well. So when they get the timing right and Madders can finish it off it is a really well worked goal.
“They are a tough team. There is a reason why they have beaten other teams in the past. Disappointed to concede at the end but we are happy with the performance.”
A good night for English teams
We could have three Premier League teams in European finals as Manchester United and Chelsea joined Tottenham on the winners table.
United stunned Athletic Bilbao on their own turf with a 3-0 win, meaning it could very well be Man United vs Tottenham in the Europe League final.
And in the Conference League, Chelsea thrashed Djurgarden 4-1 to edge closer to their own continental finale.
There, they could face either Real Betis or Fiorentina, whose tie is the closest out of the four played tonight. Betis lead 2-1 after the first leg, with United loanee Antony getting the decisive goal in Seville.
FULL-TIME! Tottenham 3-0 Bodo/Glimt
Spurs are in control after the first leg and will bring a two-goal lead to Norway next week.
Goals from Brennan Johnson, James Maddison and Dominic Solanke put Ange Postecoglou’s side in complete control, but a late strike from Ulrik Saltnes may have put a grain of doubt in the minds ahead of their Artic expedition.
Nevertheless, they’ll have a lead to defend, which they surely would have taken at the beginning of the night.
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