Dominic Solanke silences Bodø and books Tottenham’s price ticket to Bilbao

Who are you and what have you ever finished with Ange Postecoglou? There used to be a messy target from a collection piece, a plan with pragmatism at its core and a crew ready to seek out good looks in the type of powerful efficiency that has so steadily gave the impression alien to Postecoglou’s whole footballing imaginative and prescient.

All the cool got here from Tottenham Hotspur within the Arctic Circle. Their contact used to be certain at the notorious ­plastic pitch on the Aspmyra Stadion and they didn’t thoughts turning this Europa League semi-final in opposition to Bodø/Glimt right into a grind. Serious moderately than impressive, they had been by no means underneath danger of failing to seal their position within the last in opposition to Manchester United.

Goals from Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro had been sufficient for Spurs to win 2-0 at the night time and 5-1 on combination. Through to their first European last since 2019, silverware is inside succeed in for the primary time in 17 years. This has been this type of difficult season for Postecoglou however vindication may but arrive for the Spurs supervisor.

The sprinklers had been on lengthy sooner than kick-off, drenching a floor already designed to play temporarily. Warming up in incessant rain, Spurs knew they needed to have their wits about them. This is a spot designed to commute up unsuspecting guests and the vibe a few of the locals used to be remarkably positive.

They had already noticed Porto, Besiktas, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Twente, Olympiakos and Lazio depart this quirky little floor empty-handed this season and the argument that Spurs had now not constructed up sufficient of a first-leg lead started to really feel extra compelling as the ambience within the stands grew ever extra adverse. So a lot so it gave the impression that Bodø/Glimt’s 8,200 enthusiasts rarely wanted the jolt of a pre-match fireworks display to get them on their ft.

This faraway, windswept Arctic outpost had by no means skilled anything else reasonably this momentous sooner than. Buoyed up via the go back of the influential duo of Patrick Berg and Håkon Evjen from suspension in midfield, Bodø/Glimt believed a 3-1 deficit can be burnt up. They had been certain that fact used to be now not going to intervene at the fairytale.

If anything else, despite the fact that, the hosts had been too keen throughout the early levels. Spurs had been faster to settle, with Richarlison inflicting issues for Fredrik Sjøvold at the left, and had been final to pulling transparent when Pedro Porro coated up a free-kick within the 9th minute. It took a effective save from Nikita Haikin to stop the right-back’s effort from discovering the highest nook.

Postecoglou should had been thrilled together with his aspect’s get started. It used to be a 12 months to the day since Spurs pulled off their miraculous comeback in opposition to Ajax within the semi-finals of the Champions League however this gave the impression extra sedate. Richarlison persevered to threaten, Dominic Solanke’s hold-up play used to be spectacular and there used to be an break out for the hosts when Destiny Udogie failed to seek out any individual after sneaking thru at the left.

Calm {and professional}, Spurs had been the use of the ball neatly, even with accidents stripping their midfield of the poise introduced via James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall. Dejan Kulusevski, Maddison’s alternative, used to be proving efficient in disrupting Bodø/Glimt’s makes an attempt to play out from the again. Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur mopped up in entrance of the again 4. The simplest misstep from Spurs got here when Brennan Johnson picked up a reserving for an inept problem.

Bodø/Glimt struggled to building up a head of steam. Ole Didrik Blomberg fired into the aspect netting and Berg compelled Guglielmo Vicario to tip a free-kick over however if truth be told there used to be now not a lot to fret Spurs sooner than half-time.

The curious factor is that Postecoglou has now not hesitated to dispense together with his idealistic way in Europe. Spurs have now not been afraid to take a seat deep and be extra direct in opposition to continental opposition, in particular on their travels. Ruggedness used to be a distinguished function of their quarter-final win in opposition to Eintracht Frankfurt they usually had been set as much as do a equivalent task on Bodø/Glimt. It used to be now not lengthy sooner than Maurizio Mariani, the Italian referee, used to be caution Vicario about timewasting sooner than a goal-kick.

Bodø/Glimt attempted to play with extra urgency originally of the second one half of. There used to be encouragement when Jens Petter Hauge flashed a low supply around the face of target. Udogie then needed to be sturdy when Fredrik André Bjørkan attempted to seek out Kasper Høgh with a move against the some distance publish within the 59th minute.

Spurs had been unperturbed. They taken with compressing the gap they usually had been heading for Bilbao once they went forward with a scrappy target within the 64th minute. Mathys Tel, who had simply changed Richarlison, delivered a nook from the left, Cristian Romero gained the primary header and Solanke used to be unfastened to package deal the ball in from shut vary.

Reality intruded on Bodø/Glimt’s fairytale, their problem fading when Porro’s mis-hit move drifted over and inside of his some distance publish. Postecoglou can nonetheless make excellent on his promise about all the time successful a trophy in his 2d season.