Tottenham recorded a vital 3-2 victory over Hoffenheim in a thrilling Europa League encounter at the PreZero Arena.
Goals from James Maddison and Heung-Min Son gave Spurs an Earl lead, and despite a spirited fightback from the hosts in the second half, Son’s second goal sealed victory for Ange Postecoglou’s side.
The visitors couldn’t have asked for a better start as Maddison opened the scoring in the third minute.
Pedro Porro provided an assist, slotting the ball through the Hoffenheim defense to find Maddison, who finished past goalkeeper Oliver Baumann.
The England international’s goal was Spurs’ fastest in Europe this season and set the tone for a dominant first-half performance.
Tottenham doubled their lead in the 22nd minute. Maddison was involved again, capitalizing on Hoffenheim’s sloppy defense to set up captain Son Heung-min.
The South Korean’s left-footed shot was deflected, flying over Baumann and into the net.
A special evening for Sonny ✨ pic.twitter.com/X2CHbIodo2
– Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 23, 2025
The visitors could have added to their tally before the break, with Richarlison and Son both going close, but they headed into half-time with a comfortable 2-0 advantage.
The second half saw a completely different Hoffenheim team. Supported by their home fans, the German team pressed Tottenham relentlessly and created numerous chances.
Their perseverance paid off in the 68th minute when Anton Stach found the net.
A quick counter-attack led to David Jurasek delivering a low cross, which Stach expertly converted to give Hoffenheim a lifeline.
The goal marked the end of Hoffenheim’s long drought in the Europa League, and the momentum shifted firmly in their favor.
Tottenham found themselves stuck, with Hoffenheim dominating possession and creating wave after wave of attacks.
Kramaric went close with a looping header that hit the crossbar, while a penalty appeal involving goalkeeper Brandon Austin was overturned after a VAR check.
Despite Hoffenheim’s best efforts, Tottenham weathered the storm and delivered the decisive blow in the 77th minute. Youngster Mikey Moore, who had replaced Richarlison earlier, provided the assist for Son’s second goal of the evening.
Rodrigo Bentancur initiated the move by passing the ball to Moore, who released Son with a perfectly weighted pass.
The Spurs captain rushed into the box and fired a low shot past Baumann to restore their two-goal lead.
There was more drama just minutes from time after David Ngabi Mokwa Ntusu headed home to make it 2-3 with more stoppage time in play.
But the visitors saw things come to an end, moving closer to qualifying from their Europa League group, while Hoffenheim were left to rue their missed opportunities as their struggles in the competition continued.
