Eagles’ European journey ended by Spurs | OneFootball

Eintracht Frankfurt were beaten 1-0 by Tottenham Hotspur as Dominic Solanke’s 43rd-minute penalty sent the English Premier League side through to the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League.

Kaua Santos was penalised for a foul on James Maddison late in the first half and Solanke took full advantage, scoring the game’s only goal from the penalty spot. Eintracht applied heavy pressure in search of a late equaliser which would have sent the tie to extra time, but it was not to be for Dino Toppmöller and his players.

No changes from first leg

Toppmöller fielded the same team that started last week’s first leg at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Hugo Larsson, Nathaniel Brown and Mario Götze – who were all rested against 1. FC Heidenheim at the weekend – returned to the side, leaving Farès Chaibi and Can Uzun on the bench. Oscar Højlund was not involved on Thursday evening as the Dane was not part of Eintracht’s squad for the knockout stages.

Santos penalised; Solanke breaks deadlock

Only a last-ditch challenge from Spurs defender Micky van de Ven denied Hugo Ekitiké a clear sight of goal as the Eagles, roared on by a magnificent home crowd at Deutsche Bank Park, made the brighter start. Mathys Tel scuffed a shot wide in Tottenham’s first real opportunity of the contest not long afterwards, and the Bayern Munich loanee went even closer five minutes later when his curling effort was parried away by Eintracht goalkeeper Santos.

With seven minutes of the first half remaining, the Brazilian stopper collided with James Maddison inside the area and, after a lengthy check by the video assistant referee, Santos was deemed to have committed a foul on the England international and the visitors were awarded a penalty kick. Up stepped Solanke, who sent his effort straight down the middle to give Ange Postecoglou’s team a narrow lead at the halfway point.

No way through for Eagles

Chaibi – an early replacement for the injured Götze – sent a free-kick narrowly off target six minutes into the second period, but Spurs very nearly made it 2-0 on the night when Cristian Romero nodded narrowly wide from a corner. Tel then sent a rasping drive past Santos’ goal as Eintracht struggled to relieve the pressure and create clear-cut openings of their own.

Toppmöller’s charges gradually started to swing the momentum back in their favour and went close twice in quick succession with a quarter of an hour left on the clock. Guglielmo Vicario produced a smart save to deny Chaibi after a fine move down Eintracht’s right, before Rasmus Kristensen sent a header narrowly wide from a tight angle. The Dane went closest to forcing extra time, steering Uzun’s delivery past the post from close range as Eintracht’s European adventure came to an end.