**Porro’s Equaliser Earns Spurs a Draw as Frankfurt Hold Firm in Europa League Quarter-Final First Leg**
Pedro Porro’s inventive finish cancelled out an early strike from Hugo Ekitike, as Tottenham were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt. Despite a strong performance, Ange Postecoglou’s side now face a difficult task in the return leg at Deutsche Bank Park next week.
Spurs entered the tie with the weight of expectation, knowing that their hopes of ending the season with silverware—and securing European football next term—rest heavily on the Europa League. However, they were dealt an early setback when Ekitike broke the deadlock just six minutes in. The 22-year-old Frankfurt forward drove in from the left flank and calmly slotted his shot into the bottom right corner, finishing off a slick counter-attacking move to stun the North London crowd.
The goal, however, served as a wake-up call for the home side, who gradually grew into the match and began to assert control. Their persistence paid off in the 28th minute when Pedro Porro capped off a superb team move. Drifting into the box from his right-back position, Porro met James Maddison’s clever ball with an audacious back-heel finish, restoring parity and swinging momentum back in Spurs’ favour.
Tottenham came out for the second half with renewed intensity and pushed hard to seize the advantage. Lucas Bergvall thundered a long-range strike off the crossbar, Heung-Min Son forced a fingertip save from Frankfurt keeper Kaua Santos, and Micky van de Ven also struck the woodwork in the closing stages. Despite creating the better chances, Spurs were ultimately left frustrated as Frankfurt held firm under pressure.
Although a draw keeps Tottenham in the tie, there’s a lingering sense of a missed opportunity. With the German side now returning home to their fortress-like Deutsche Bank Park—known for its fierce atmosphere, especially evident from the traveling supporters in London—the second leg promises to be a real test of Spurs’ resolve.
They’ll need to be at their best if they are to advance to the semi-finals, where a meeting with either Bodø/Glimt, who currently lead 2-0, or Lazio awaits.
