Tottenham Hotspur Secures Victory Against Slavia Prague in Champions League
Tottenham Hotspur returned to winning form in the Champions League with a decisive victory over Slavia Prague.
Following a 5-3 defeat to reigning champions Paris St-Germain, it was crucial for Thomas Frank's side to secure three points and build on their recent morale-boosting Premier League win against Brentford.
The match took a favorable turn for Spurs when Slavia defender David Zima mistakenly headed Cristian Romero's flick from Pedro Porro's corner into his own net, giving Tottenham the lead after 26 minutes.
Slavia had their chances, with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario making a solid save from Youssoupha Sanyang. However, Spurs doubled their advantage five minutes into the second half when Sanyang's reckless challenge brought down Porro in the penalty area, allowing Mohammed Kudus to score emphatically from the spot for his first Champions League goal with Spurs.
Spurs extended their lead with another penalty in the 79th minute, as Xavi Simons converted after being fouled by Igoh Ogbu.
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The atmosphere at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was vibrant from the outset, especially when Son Heung-min received a warm welcome on his first return since signing with Los Angeles FC during the summer.
Emotional from the reception, Son, who scored 173 goals in 454 matches and made his farewell as captain in the Europa League win against Manchester United in Bilbao, addressed the fans who idolized him before kick-off.
This setting provided the perfect backdrop for Spurs to demonstrate their positive intent, in an atmosphere devoid of the negativity that has characterized this season.
Richarlison could have opened the scoring early on, but his effort was thwarted by an impressive save from Slavia keeper Jindrich Stanek, despite the Brazilian having a clear opportunity to score.
On the other end, Guglielmo Vicario rose to the occasion when Slavia threatened, and even though Zima's own goal had a hint of farce, it was a deserved lead for Spurs.
Spurs could have increased their tally but were repeatedly denied by Stanek, particularly when he executed a remarkable double save from substitutes Mathys Tel and Pape Sarr.
This performance was precisely what Frank and Spurs needed to maintain their momentum following a draw against Newcastle United, where they twice came from behind to equalize, and a 2-0 victory over Brentford.
The only downside for Spurs was a yellow card given to key defender Micky van de Ven, which will rule him out of their next Champions League match at home against Borussia Dortmund.