Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven acquired again in favour with Thomas Frank because the defender’s gorgeous solo aim stole the present in a 4-0 rout of Copenhagen within the Champions League on Tuesday.
Van de Ven and Djed Spence had been pressured to apologise to Tottenham boss Frank this week after they ignored his plea to applaud followers following Saturday’s loss to Chelsea.
The pair, annoyed by boos from offended Tottenham followers through the Premier League defeat, walked straight down the tunnel relatively than comply with Frank’s order.
However Van de Ven retained his place within the beginning line-up and made peace together with his supervisor and the supporters in thrilling style.
He ran over half the size of the pitch earlier than delivering a medical end that ranks among the many finest targets scored within the Champions League up to now this season.
By then Tottenham had been already main by two targets due to strikes from Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert in north London.
Johnson was despatched off within the second half when his lunge on Marcos Lopez was upgraded from a reserving to a purple card after VAR intervened.
Joao Palhinha netted the fourth aim as Tottenham received for less than the second time of their final six matches in all competitions.
Frank’s aspect stay unbeaten on this season’s Champions League with two wins and two attracts forward of their journey to holders Paris Saint-Germain later in November.
Tottenham had produced just one shot on course towards Chelsea as they endured yet one more dismal defeat on residence turf in 2025.
The lacklustre efficiency raised issues about Frank’s prosaic techniques, that are a distinction to the membership’s ‘to dare is to do’ ethos.
However this was precisely the type of attacking show that Tottenham followers demand, albeit their first residence win since September 24 got here towards weak opponents.
Frank’s males had been gifted the lead within the nineteenth minute.
Slick Spurs
Xavi Simons’ incisive lengthy move despatched Johnson racing by way of on aim, prompting goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski to rashly race out of his space.
Kotarski made a whole hash of the try and intercept Johnson’s run and the Wales winger calmly slotted into the empty web from an acute angle for his first aim in 9 matches.
Randal Kolo Muani ought to have doubled Tottenham’s lead, however the striker shot wastefully large from six yards, then headed over from Simons’ cross.
However Kolo Muani’s profligacy would not come again to hang-out Tottenham as they struck within the 51st minute.
As soon as once more Kotarski was at fault as he recklessly sprinted out of his space and smashed a panicked clearance straight at Kolo Muani.
The ball looped over Kotarski and Kolo Muani rolled it again to Odobert, who slotted residence from shut vary.
Johnson was dismissed within the fifty fifth minute after clattering into Lopez, a unnecessary problem that originally earned a yellow card from Erik Lambrechts earlier than VAR despatched him trudging to the dressing room.
Tottenham had been nonetheless far too slick for Copenhagen and Van de Ven buried the hatchet within the sixty fourth minute.
Advancing from inside his personal half, the Dutch centre-back swept by way of the Copenhagen defence, evading a pair of tackles earlier than smashing a superb low end past Kotarski from simply inside the world.
Van de Ven cheekily cupped his ear to the group earlier than team-mates made a degree of embracing him to indicate their assist after Saturday’s spat.
Palhinha slid a medical end previous Kotarski from six yards within the 67th minute.
Richarlison ought to have made it 5 however he blasted a stoppage-time penalty towards the bar after Dane Scarlett was fouled by Viktor Claesson.
