Tottenham Hotspur were left to rue a string of missed chances in their 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-final. Despite dominating large portions of the match at home, Spurs' lack of clinical finishing has left their hopes of reaching the semi-finals hanging by a thread ahead of the decisive second leg in Germany.

It was a nightmare start for the North London side. Just six minutes in, a costly midfield turnover by James Maddison gifted Frankfurt the opportunity to strike. Ellyes Skhiri intercepted the pass and found Hugo Ekitiké, who drove forward with purpose before slotting a low finish past the helpless Guglielmo Vicario to give the visitors a shock lead.

Spurs, however, responded with authority and flair. They kept the ball moving with confidence and were rewarded for their positive play in the 26th minute. James Maddison made amends for his earlier error, cutting the ball back to Pedro Porro in the box. The Spanish full-back produced a moment of magic, flicking the ball in with a clever backheel to equalize.

From then on, Tottenham controlled the tempo and created wave after wave of attacking opportunities. Lucas Bergvall nearly put them ahead with a stunning long-range effort that struck the junction of post and bar. Rodrigo Bentancur also came close with a thumping header that clipped the crossbar, while Son Heung-min forced a brilliant save from Frankfurt goalkeeper Kauã Santos.

Despite their attacking intent, the breakthrough never came. Time and again, Tottenham’s finishing fell short, turning a dominant display into a frustrating draw. The final whistle blew with the tie delicately poised, and Spurs now face the daunting task of getting a result in Frankfurt if they hope to continue their European campaign.

Manager Ange Postecoglou was understandably frustrated post-match but remained hopeful:

“We had the chances. If we can perform like that over there, then we’ll give ourselves a good chance.”
That optimism will need to be matched by greater composure in front of goal. With the club currently sitting 14th in the Premier League, the Europa League may be their only realistic path back into European competition next season a fact not lost on supporters or the manager.

The second leg in Germany is now make-or-break for Tottenham. While the performance in London showed flashes of promise and attacking quality, only a clinical edge will be enough to see them through. Failure to capitalize again could spell the end of their European ambitions for the year and perhaps raise bigger questions about the club’s trajectory under Postecoglou.