Tottenham still have life under Ange Postecoglou but struggling Heung-min Son must step up | OneFootball

Frustrated Spurs need more from their captain if they are to save their season in Germany next week

Ange Postecoglou will want to see an improved performance from Heung-min Son next week

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Ange Postecoglou hopped down the touchline, hands on his head, his face a mask of stunned disbelief.

It was the final minute of stoppage time and Kaua Santos, Eintracht Frankfurt's goalkeeper, had just pulled off another acrobatic save to deny Tottenham, stretching to tip Micky van de Ven's stooping header over the crossbar.

The save ensured Frankfurt will take a 1-1 draw back to Deutsche Bank Park for next Thursday's Europa League quarter-final decider and left Postecoglou wryly suggesting that the "football gods" had deserted his side in the first leg in north London.

Bergvall's strike was a stunning, swerving long-range effort that would have made a leading goal-of-the-competition contender if it had crept under the woodwork.

As it was, Pedro Porro's gorgeous flicked finish cancelled out Hugo Ekitike's sixth-minute strike to leave Frankfurt as the more content of the two sides.

"We’re very happy with the game, how it went, with the experience we had and the end result," said Frankfurt boss Dino Toppmöller.

"We’ve laid a good basis for at home next week in front of a full house against Tottenham. We’re looking forward to it hugely."

With away goals no longer counting in Europe, next week's match is effectively a one-off for a place in the semi-finals where FK Bodo/Glimt, who beat Lazio 2-0 at home in their first leg, are the most likely opponents.

Postecoglou admitted to being "frustrated" by the result but the under-pressure head coach could take encouragement from a front-foot performance, which suggested there is still plenty of life in his Spurs team yet.

"If we can repeat that next week, and there's no reason we can't, we'll give ourselves a good chance," he said.

"I really felt like we overwhelmed them with our football, with our running and with our press. It wasn't just the chances we created but the chances we almost created.

"We're going to have to go there and fight now to get what I thought we deserved tonight and that's what we'll try to do."

Postecoglou singled out Bergvall, Bentancur and his whole back four by name afterwards, while claiming the front three were "really creative".

If there is a concern for the Australian, along with his side's ability to cope with a ferocious atmosphere in Germany, it was surely the ineffectiveness of his wide players, with neither Son nor Brennan Johnson anywhere near their most effective.

"We had their wingers under control," said Toppmöller, candidly.

Johnson is primarily a goalscorer but missed his big chance, blazing over a left-footed shot from Djed Spence's cutback in an identical position to his opening goal against Southampton on Sunday. It was another missed opportunity that left Postecoglou hopping in frustration.

"With guys like Mathys [Tel], Djed and Pape [Matar Sarr] coming on, we could really go at them," said Postecoglou, reflecting on the chance. "They almost pulled off an unbelievable move again when Mathys played it to Djed and Djed to Brennan and it was a carbon copy of the weekend but it went over the bar."

Son, meanwhile, was involved in the equaliser, sending a clever pass into the channel for Dominic Solanke, but it was another below-par display from the South Korean, who equalled Harry Kane's record of 67 European appearances for Spurs.

"We managed to keep Son fairly under control," added Toppmöller. "He didn’t manage to make his runs inside."

Given his experience and quality, Spurs needed more from their captain, whose only chance was a shot too close to Santos, and he will need to raise his game on his latest return to Germany next week, presumably after being given a rest in Sunday's visit to Wolves.

Surrounded by home comforts, Frankfurt may be more adventurous in the decider, having set up to counter-punch on Thursday night, although Postecoglou predicted a "cagey affair", decided by "moments".

If he is right, there is still no better moments player than Son in the Spurs squad and for all his struggles this season, the 32-year-old remains capable of producing a goal or assist from nothing.

Son's quality, and a little more help from the deities, are likely to be crucial to Spurs' hopes of keeping their season alive in Germany.