Hoffenheim 2 Tottenham 3: Spurs take giant step to avoiding dreaded play-off but leave fans biting their nails at end

ANGE POSTECOGLOU began his big week well enough, thanks to an explosive start and a rocket from skipper Son Heung-min.

Despite being woken up at 2am by fireworks let off outside their hotel by cheeky home fans, Spurs raced into a two-goal lead through James Maddison and Son.

The spark started to fizzle out though with hosts Hoffenheim missing a number of big chances, and having a penalty overturned, before netting through Anton Stach.

At that point you feared another collapse from confidence-sapped Spurs.

But then up stepped Son to crash home a blistering drive into the far corner.

Sub David Mokwa did ensure a nervy finish with a late header but the visitors hung on.

It put Tottenham, who were missing FOURTEEN players through injury and ineligibility, on the brink of automatic qualification for the knockouts.

A point at home to Swedish side Elfsborg should be enough to secure a top-eight spot and avoid a pesky play-off in February.

But more importantly it kicked off a pivotal seven days for under-pressure Postecoglou, whose injury-hit side have slumped to 15th in the league and are pinning all their hopes on the cups.

Spurs were so short of players that they only named eight out of a possible 12 subs, including two goalkeepers and six teenagers.

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They were 1-0 up inside two minutes when Maddison cleverly controlled Pedro Porro’s high ball with one touch and dispatched in past keeper Oliver Baumann with the other.

Son, Porro and Richarlison, making just his second start this term due to his own personal injury woe, went close with shots.

Then on 22 minutes, the former doubled the lead to give Spurs some breathing room.

Once again Maddison was involved, clipping a ball through which Son controlled on his chest, just about, before firing a shot which looped up off Pavel Kaderbek and bounced into the net.

It was the most comfortable Tottenham had looked in ages as they bossed the opening 25 minutes – though Hoffenheim were poor.

But this would not be Spurs this season without some jeopardy and they were lucky when their hosts squandered three good chances before the break.

Two fell to striker Max Moerstedt but he could not beat Europa League debutant Brandon Austin, who also saved well from Bayern Munich-bound Tom Bischof.

The hosts piled on the pressure after the break, with ex-Leicester man Andrej Kramaric heading onto the crossbar.

Veteran Kramaric then thought he was about to take a penalty after one was given when Austin appeared to clatter Moerstedt with his fist when trying to punch away a cross.

But as the Croat waited to take the spot-kick, ref Morten Krogh was called to his touchline monitor to have a second look – and found that Austin had made contact with the ball first.

Hoffenheim shook off the disappointment and within minutes did have a goal back as Stach turned home David Jurasek’s cross.

Son looked to have killed it off with a vintage strike, going round Kevin Akpoguma with a drop of the shoulder and belting the ball into the far corner.

But nothing is coming easy for Spurs right now.

And when Mokwa headed home with two minutes to go, it was a matter of hanging on, which they just about did, much to Postecoglou’s relief.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk