Match Report: Tottenham 3-1 AZ Alkmaar: One step closer to Europa League glory

Tottenham Hotspur overturned a 1-0 deficit from the first leg, winning the second 3-1 (3-2 aggregate) against AZ Alkmaar. A Wilson Odobert brace and James Maddison’s strike sealed the comeback and Spurs’ quarter-final spot where German side Eintracht Frankfurt now wait.
You just don’t know what to expect from this Tottenham Hotspur team. Last week, they couldn’t string together two passes against the same opponent but tonight looked like a different team that showed up.
Ange Postecoglou once again made six changes to the side that started against Bournemouth on Sunday. Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero returned for the first time this year, and for the first time since October, all four of Spurs’ leaders were named in the starting XI.
Wilson Odobert made his full European debut on the right after impressing at the weekend, a decision that raised a few eyebrows. But Spurs may have discovered a star. Son Heung-min, Maddison, and Lucas Bergvall all returned, while Ben Davies was back on the bench for the first time since mid-February.
Let’s get into the match report.
First half: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 AZ Alkmaar
From the first whistle, Spurs started with real intent. AZ tried to stick to their first-leg game plan, but it simply didn’t work. Spurs were aggressive, and despite a few sloppy early turnovers and some frustration at not finding a breakthrough, the goal eventually arrived.
In the 26th minute, Tottenham broke the deadlock. Son Heung-min’s pressing forced a defensive error, allowing Dominic Solanke to tee up Odobert. The French winger made no mistake, sweeping home for his first goal in a Spurs shirt.
With the tie level on aggregate, Spurs remained the more aggressive side until half-time. Son was energetic but somewhat sloppy in possession, misplacing multiple passes, particularly when trying to find Djed Spence’s overlapping runs with his ‘no-look’ back passes. The captain lost possession 16 times in the first half alone but still managed a few blocked attempts on goal.
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AZ, meanwhile, struggled to create anything of note. Their only dangerous effort came from Zico Buurmeester, who saw his long-range shot drift inches wide of the left post.
Second half: Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 AZ Alkmaar
AZ Alkmaar came out pressing with intensity and it looked like Tottenham might be in trouble, but this time, they had their solutions: counter-attacks. Guglielmo Vicario almost gifted the visitors a goal within 30 seconds of the restart. But just two minutes into the half, Spurs struck again.
Maddison played a quick one-two with Son inside the box before firing into the bottom right corner. 2-0 on the night, 2-1 on aggregate.
But there’s no Tottenham without a bit of chaos. Parking the bus isn’t in Postecoglou’s vocabulary, and AZ found a way back in.
Troy Parrott found himself in great positions multiple times but simply couldn’t put in the right foot. Jordy Clasie came close to equalising later, but his well-timed shot drifted inches wide once again.
With just over an hour played, Spurs handed AZ a lifeline. A mix-up between Bergvall and Odobert just outside their own box gifted the ball to Peer Koopmeiners, who rifled the ball into the bottom-left corner. Out of nowhere, AZ were back. 2-2 on aggregate.
Maddison nearly restored the lead, while AZ threatened from a free kick, but Spurs had the final say.
In the 75th minute, Tottenham produced the goal of the night. Spence and Son combined down the left, delivering a low cross into the box. Solanke flicked it on at the near post, and Odobert fired home his second of the night. 3-1
Ten minutes to go, AZ squandered a massive double chance. Parrott was denied by a brilliant diving save from Guglielmo Vicario. The rebound fell to Mees de Wit, who tried to volley home, but Yves Bissouma produced an unbelievable last-ditch block. Spurs managed to see out the game, despite some late pressure.
FT: 3-1. Tottenham Hotspur are into the Europa League quarter-finals.
Our takeaways from 3-1 win over AZ Alkmaar
Lucas Bergvall‘s spot is reserved in the starting XI. Barring his error for AZ’s goal, Bergvall was an absolute delight to watch. He won the most duels in the game (11), made five interceptions, and recorded eight recoveries; an all-round midfield display. The Swede teenager complemented Maddison perfectly, and once Dejan Kulusevski returns, Spurs’ midfield could look even more balanced. Although he did limp off injured late on; hopefully, it’s just a knock.
Wilson Odobert: The right right-winger? The first player to score a brace on his European debut in the knockout stages for Spurs. That’s something special. Postecoglou had no natural left-footed wingers available, but Odobert’s weak foot did the job. His performance also brought the best from Brennan Johnson, who looked sharper after coming on. After weeks of Spurs’ attack looking disconnected, this was a front-three performance to be proud of. Son got an assist, Solanke provided two, and Odobert bagged two goals. The future’s bright.
Spurs’ defence is back. Spurs’ first choice centre-backs finally started together, and it has been a sweet, long wait. Despite Alkmaar’s pacey wingers being a trouble for the Spurs’ fullbacks, they could never win a footrace against Van de Ven or get past Romero. It’s definitely not some sort of coincidence that Alkmaar were able to score just 2 minutes after Van de Ven was substituted.
What’s next for Spurs?
We predicted a four-goal thriller, and that’s exactly what we got. This was arguably the best team performance of the season so far. A fast, fluid, attacking display that silenced the critics. Peak Ange-ball. It’s still a work in progress, but if Spurs can maintain this level, they’ll be serious contenders.
Next up in the Europa League? Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals. Spurs got the better of them when the Germans were arguably at their best, but a lot has changed since then.
Before that, it’s back to Premier League action. Spurs travel to Fulham on Sunday for their final match of the month.
COYS!