Ange Postecoglou’s bid to end Tottenham Hotspur’s long trophy drought remains finely balanced after a 1-1 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday.
Spurs fell behind early in North London as Hugo Ekitike fired Frankfurt in front, but Pedro Porro struck before half-time to restore parity for the home side.
Despite dominating the second half and striking the woodwork twice, Tottenham were unable to find a winner, leaving Postecoglou needing a defining result in the return leg in Germany on April 17 to keep his silverware hopes alive.
The winner of the tie will advance to face either Bodo/Glimt or Lazio in the semi-finals, with the Norwegian side carrying a 2-0 advantage into the second leg.
Postecoglou, who boldly stated earlier in the season that he “always wins a trophy in his second campaign,” now faces the weight of that promise amidst mounting pressure. Tottenham’s Europa League campaign has become a lifeline in a season marred by inconsistency and fan unrest.
Speaking before the match, the Australian manager joked that even winning the Europa League might not be enough to keep him in the job, given the low approval ratings among Spurs supporters.
Tottenham’s struggles are underscored by their dismal 14th-place standing in the Premier League, raising the possibility of their worst top-flight finish since 1993/94.
Frankfurt, third in the Bundesliga and 2022 Europa League champions, looked more assured from the outset and will be confident heading into the second leg on home soil.
