Lucas Bergvall sends a clearance into his own net against AZ Alkmaar.
Lucas Bergvall sends a clearance into his own net against AZ Alkmaar.
Ange Postecoglou urged his Tottenham Hotspur players to seize their opportunity. Instead they let it slip through their fingers.
Lucas Bergvall’s unfortunate own goal leaves them with a deficit to turn around at home next week and the biggest positive was that AZ Alkmaar could not convert their dominance into more goals.
This was a sloppy and careless performance from Spurs as the attack was easily muted and the defence was at times made to suffer by former striker Troy Parrott.
After a cagey start, with neither side appearing capable of imposing themselves, there was a massive slice of misfortune about Bergvall’s own goal.
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A deep corner was sent towards Troy Parrott, the former Spurs forward who has been in fine form. And when he sent the ball back across goal, Bergvall swung his left leg at it to clear.
The problem was it spun off his shin and over Djed Spence’s leap on the line.
That Bergvall was Tottenham’s best performer in an overall lacklustre outing will have mattered little.
Tottenham continued to struggle in the final third after falling behind and Parrott offered AZ a constant threat, especially after going ahead.
He had an attempt blocked by Archie Gray before Guglielmo Vicario made a fine save to deny the Ireland international after being played marginally onside by Kevin Danso.
In response James Maddison wasted a promising free kick and Brennan Johnson twice went close from range.
Yet Vicario offered up a stunning stop early in the second half to deny the lively Ernest Poku, the goalkeeper getting down low to his right, as AZ continued to push for a second.
Lucas Bergvall is told chin up by his Tottenham team-mates.
Not even Dominic Solanke’s return from almost two months out with injury - part of a triple substitution - could provide some attacking inspiration and the striker went down clutching his lower back in the final seconds after a collision with goalkeeper Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro.
The final stages had already become a case of protecting their mild disadvantage with AZ frustrated by their inability to extend their lead.
Spurs remain in this tie but much better will be required next week if they are to keep their season alive.
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