PARIS: Son Heung-min helped Tottenham gain some respite from their Premier League woes on Thursday with a double in a 3-2 Europa League win at Hoffenheim to put them on course for the knockout rounds.
Goals from Son and James Maddison lifted Spurs up to provisional fourth in the revamped league phase of European club football’s second-tier competition ahead of the night’s later games.
It also lifted some of the heat off manager Ange Postecoglou with his injury-ravaged team arriving in Germany after losing seven of their last Premier League games.
Postecoglou had pledged to win silverware for the first time for the London side since 2008 in his second season as boss.
With Spurs struggling in 15th behind Liverpool at home that leaves the Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup to fulfil his promise.
A win against Swedish outfit Elfsborg in their closing league phase game at home next week will give them an automatic ticket to the next round as one of the top eight finishers.
“I told them to enjoy it,” Postecoglou told TNT Sports.
“Winning away in Europe, it’s a significant victory for us and gives us a good foothold to get into those top eight spots which will give us a week off,” the Australian added.
They charged out of the stalls with Maddison receiving a pinpoint pass from Pedro Porro to fire the ball past keeper Oliver Baumann and into the roof of the net to give Spurs the perfect start after just four minutes.
Richarlison, making only his second start of the campaign, could have doubled the advantage but the Brazilian’s shot went straight to Baumann.
Attacking at will Spurs were looking to put the game to bed against their out of sorts German hosts.
And on 22 minutes Maddison turned provider to set up Son whose shot deflected off a defender, the ball flying over Baumann and into the far corner.
The big problem for Spurs given their leaky defense was to hold onto their superiority.
Brandon Austin started in goal for them, two weeks after making his debut, and was called on to make a full-stretched save to deny Tom Bischof as half-time beckoned.
VAR overturned a penalty decision to Hoffenheim after the hour when Austin collided into Max Moerstedt.
With the wind in their sails Hoffenheim halved their deficit minutes later when Spurs got caught on the counter, Anton Stach toeing the ball past Austin.
But Son’s angled shot with 13 minutes left on the clock settled the issue, although David Mokwa’s goal two minutes from normal time meant another nerve-jangling ending for Tottenham’s long-suffering supporters.
Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce drew 0-0 at third-placed Lyon to lift the Turkish side provisionally 19th and the door open to make the play-offs.
In the 2000 GMT kick-offs Manchester United host Rangers and table toppers Lazio play Real Sociedad.
Two Real Sociedad fans were taken to hospital after their group was apparently attacked by hardcore Lazio supporters ahead of the match at the Olympic stadium in Rome, the Spanish club said.
Son helps Spurs hold off Hoffenheim in Europa League
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Son helps Spurs hold off Hoffenheim in Europa League
- Goals from Son and James Maddison lifted Spurs up to provisional fourth
- It also lifted some of the heat off manager Ange Postecoglou with his injury-ravaged team
Milan must maintain derby dominance to revive title race
- Milan are undefeated in the last six derbies, winning four
- Inter have dropped just two points in the last 15 games
MILAN: AC Milan need to maintain their recent dominance over neighbors Inter Milan in this weekend’s derby to keep alive any realistic hope of challenging for the Serie A title after losing ground to the league leaders.
Milan are undefeated in the last six derbies, winning four, and Sunday’s meeting at the San Siro feels like a must-win match for the second-placed side with Inter 10 points clear at the top.
At the start of January, three teams were battling for the Scudetto. Inter held a one-point lead over Milan, with reigning champions Napoli a further point back, but only one side has maintained title-winning form.
Inter have dropped just two points in the last 15 games to pull further away at the top while Milan have let seven points slip away in their most recent six games.
Massimiliano Allegri’s Milan have lost two league games all season compared to Inter’s four defeats, but drawing nine times has been their downfall and another stalemate on Sunday would be of little use to a side playing catch-up.
“In derbies there are no favorites,” Milan defender Strahinja Pavlovic told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“We saw it last season too, in the league we struggled and finished eighth, but we often won derbies. The derby is a story in itself.
“Nothing is over yet. There are 11 games left and the important thing is to stay united and give our best until the last minute.”
Inter are still without injured striker Lautaro Martinez, with Francesco Pio Esposito likely to lead the attack while Milan defender Matteo Gabbia is expected to be out for a month after undergoing a hernia operation.
DERBY DAY VERDICT
Inter’s most recent derby win came in April, 2024, where an away victory allowed them to clinch their last league title in front of the Milan fans.
That win was the last in a run of six successive victories over Milan, and while another derby victory would not seal the title this time, a gap of 13 points with 10 games left would leave Inter in cruise control for the rest of the season.
Napoli, meanwhile, are four points behind Milan, their title defense ended by two defeats in their last six games and they host Torino on Friday.
AS Roma, fourth in the standings, are at Genoa on Sunday, while Como are away to Cagliari on Saturday as Cesc Fabregas’ side have European qualification firmly in their sights.
Como are fifth, three points off Roma and one ahead of Juventus who host relegation-battling Pisa on Saturday.
