Odobert double helps us progress to quarter-finals

Wilson Odobert struck his first Spurs goals to help us overturn a first leg deficit against AZ Alkmaar and steer us into the last eight of the UEFA Europa League.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg in the Netherlands last week, our French forward levelled the tie in the first half with his opening goal in our colours after an injury-hit campaign, and then scored the tie’s winning goal when he put us 3-1 ahead late in the second period – applying the finishing touch to a superb team goal.

In between times, James Maddison put us 2-0 up on the night and in front for the first time in the tie, only for Peer Koopmeiners to make it 2-2 on aggregate and leave the game in the balance, until Odobert struck again to see us through to a quarter-final clash with Eintracht Frankfurt next month.

We started the game with defenders Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero in the side for the first time since we lost to Chelsea in N17 in December and the atmosphere cranked up as kick-off approached with so much at stake. Although there was a good tempo to the game with both sides trying to take control, goalmouth action was at a premium in the opening quarter and it wasn’t until the 22nd minute that either goalkeeper was called into service and that was just for AZ’s Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro to punch clear Heung-Min Son’s tempting cross under pressure from Dominic Solanke.

Four minutes later though came the opening goal, almost out of nothing. A heavy pass sent AZ back-tracking deep into their defensive third and Son chased down centre-half Wouter Goes as he went to clear his lines. The ball deflected straight to Solanke in the area, he laid off to Odobert charging in from deep and the forward powered home from 15 yards out.

Son was seeing plenty of the ball down our left although couldn’t find an end product after a couple of driving runs, one ending with Odobert scooping a shot over the bar, while we gifted the visitors a glimpse of goal in the 42nd minute but Zico Buurmeester hit a half-volley wide from 20 yards. Just before the break, Maddison’s 22-yard free-kick skimmed off the wall and flew a yard over the bar and we went into the half-time interval with the tie all square at one apiece.

We survived an early scare in the second period when Guglielmo Vicario got his feet in a muddle when going to clear and Koopmeiners almost nicked the ball but the goalkeeper just managed to get rid of it in time and, moments later, we doubled our advantage to lead the tie for the first time. Pedro Porro started the move with a tackle just inside our half, Odobert moved the ball on to Maddison who played wide to Son, the skipper then picked out Maddison inside the area and he produced a neat right-footed finish into the far corner.

AZ hadn’t carried much of an attacking threat up to that point but they now needed a goal and went close on 58 minutes, a short corner routine ending with a Jordy Clasie effort drifting just wide of the far post. Five minutes later, they did score to level it all up again, Koopmeiners firing home after Odobert and Lucas Bergvall got in each other’s way in the area.

Back we came though, Odobert with his second to put us 3-2 up on aggregate – and what a goal it was, a stunning team goal. It started with Vicario and we worked the ball from defence, through midfield and out to the left flank where Djed Spence delivered a cross, Solanke flicked it on and Odobert was on hand to touch home at the back post. Superb!

The game was getting stretched going into the final 10 minutes and Vicario made a fine save to deny former Spur Troy Parrott, with Yves Bissouma making an excellent goalline clearance from Mees de Wit on the rebound, before Mexx Meerdink headed over a good chance shortly after. Just before the 90 minutes were up, Kees Smit side-footed a volley into the side-netting as AZ pushed for the goal they needed to take it to extra time and they threw everyone up for a last-gasp free-kick, including the goalkeeper, but we cleared our lines and held on to extend our Europa League campaign into the quarter-finals.

Match data

Goals: Spurs – Odobert 26, 74, Maddison 48; AZ – Koopmeiners 63.

Yellow card: AZ – Clasie 90+5.

Referee: Joao Pinheiro (Portugal).

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Weather: Partly cloudy, light winds, three degrees.

Attendance: 58,302.