Tottenham Hotspur took a strong step toward the Europa League final with a 3–1 home victory over Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt, delivering one of their sharpest performances of a chaotic season. But in typical Spurs fashion, a late defensive lapse means the job is far from finished ahead of next week’s treacherous trip to the Arctic Circle.
This quarter-final first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium began with a roar, as Brennan Johnson fired the hosts into the lead inside 38 seconds. It was a blistering start and a rare moment of clarity in a campaign clouded by inconsistency. Richarlison nodded down a cross from Yves Bissouma, and Johnson reacted quickest at the back post, steering his header across goal and into the far corner. The Norwegian defence had barely set their shape.
Tottenham’s intensity never dipped in the first half. James Maddison doubled the lead in the 34th minute with a goal of real class. Pedro Porro sent a looping ball over the top from deep in his own half. Maddison controlled it with a feathered first touch before dispatching a low drive past Nikita Haikin, despite the attention of three retreating defenders. That moment brought the home crowd to life again—this was the Spurs they had been promised but rarely seen.
Bodø/Glimt, hampered by suspensions and a threadbare bench with just five outfield substitutes, struggled to impose their usual high-tempo style. They managed only two shots in the opening half, and neither tested Guglielmo Vicario. Their compactness and organisation faltered with regular captain Patrick Berg suspended and key defenders missing.
The third goal came shortly after the break. In the 61st minute, a VAR review confirmed that Cristian Romero had been hauled down in the box. Dominic Solanke stepped up and coolly rolled his penalty into the net, barely glancing at the goalkeeper. It was his 16th goal of the season and appeared to put the result beyond doubt.
But Tottenham’s fragile confidence was exposed yet again in the closing stages. In the 83rd minute, a hopeful Bodø/Glimt attack took a fortuitous turn. Ulrik Saltnes, wearing the armband in Berg’s absence, unleashed a speculative effort from just inside the box. The shot took a wicked deflection off Micky van de Ven and looped beyond Vicario, giving the visitors a crucial away goal with their only shot on target in the match.
The mood shifted immediately. What had been a celebratory atmosphere turned tense. Dejan Kulusevski had a golden chance to restore the three-goal cushion in stoppage time but saw his shot smothered. As the final whistle blew, there was more relief than triumph.
Manager Ange Postecoglou cut a composed figure afterward,s but knows the job is far from complete. Tottenham travel to Aspmyra Stadion next Thursday, where the artificial pitch, biting cold, and Bodø/Glimt’s remarkable home record await. The Norwegian side have defeated Lazio, Olympiakos, and Porto at home in recent years and boast a 70 percent Europa League win rate at the venue since 2022.
Still, there were plenty of positives. Spurs were sharp in transition, aggressive off the ball, and finally looked like a side with ambition. Johnson’s early goal was the club’s fastest ever in a major European knockout fixture since 1971, and Maddison looked as confident as he has all season. Pedro Porro’s deliveries from deep added an edge, while Bissouma, reinstated due to Lucas Bergvall’s training injury, was energetic and effective in midfield.
Injuries remain a concern. Both Maddison and Solanke were forced off in the second half with suspected knocks. If either misses the return leg, Tottenham’s slim margin becomes all the more precarious.
Despite sitting 16th in the Premier League and enduring their worst top-flight season since 1977, Spurs remain alive in Europe. A trophy may not save Postecoglou’s job after 19 league defeats, but this campaign could still end with a final in Bilbao and long-overdue silverware. The 17-year wait since the 2008 League Cup continues to weigh heavily, and every match now feels like a referendum on the club’s direction.
Tottenham have put one foot in the door to the final. The question is whether they can avoid slipping on the ice waiting for them in Bodø.