AZ Alkmaar Stuns Tottenham as Bergvall’s Own Goal Proves Costly
What a night of Europa League action, and it’s safe to say Tottenham fans will be feeling frustrated after that performance. Spurs traveled to the Netherlands for their last-16 first-leg clash against AZ Alkmaar, hoping to take control of the tie early. Instead, they found themselves on the back foot almost immediately, thanks to an unfortunate own goal from Lucas Bergvall.
It was a nightmare moment for the young midfielder, who sliced the ball into his own net while attempting to clear a cross. Just like that, AZ Alkmaar was gifted the lead, and Tottenham never really recovered. The Dutch side looked sharper, more aggressive, and better organized. Every time they came forward, they looked like they could cause problems for Spurs' shaky defense.
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Despite AZ’s dominance, Tottenham did have their moments. Son Heung-min tried to spark some life into his team with a few solo runs, but the final product just wasn’t there. Lucas Bergvall, clearly desperate to make up for his own goal, unleashed a long-range effort that narrowly missed the target. But aside from those glimpses, it was a flat and uninspiring display from the Premier League side.
At the other end, goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario had to step up multiple times to prevent AZ from extending their lead. One standout save came against former Spurs academy player Troy Parrott, who nearly added to Tottenham’s misery. Vicario was the only reason the scoreline wasn’t worse.
To make matters even worse for Tottenham, Rodrigo Bentancur picked up a yellow card, which means he’ll miss the crucial second leg. And if that wasn’t enough bad news, record signing Dominic Solanke, just back from injury, had to limp off late in the game with a suspected back issue.
Ange Postecoglou has a lot to think about before the return leg in London. His team will need a massive improvement if they want to turn this tie around. As it stands, AZ Alkmaar has the upper hand, and Spurs are running out of chances to keep their European dreams alive.
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