Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur secured a 3–1 win over Bodø/Glimt in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final, giving themselves a valuable two-goal cushion ahead of a tricky second leg on Norwegian soil.
Spurs struck early in front of a raucous home crowd, with Brennan Johnson finding the net just 38 seconds after kickoff—the fastest goal recorded in a Europa League semi-final. The goal came via a clever sequence, as Richarlison nodded down Pedro Porro’s cross into Johnson’s path.
James Maddison extended the lead on the half-hour mark with a calm, clinical finish, before Dominic Solanke converted from the penalty spot in the 61st minute following a foul on Cristian Romero.
Despite Tottenham’s dominance—registering 24 shots to Bodø/Glimt’s three—the visitors managed to claw one back in the 83rd minute through Ulrik Saltnes, whose deflected strike shifted the momentum and raised the stakes for the second leg on Bodø/Glimt’s challenging artificial turf.
Postecoglou praised his side’s aggressive and structured play but admitted frustration over missed chances that could have widened the margin. He remained optimistic ahead of the return leg, despite Bodø/Glimt’s strong possession statistics (59%) and 519 completed passes compared to Spurs’ 353—signs of the Norwegians’ composure under pressure.
Injury concerns also emerged, as Richarlison was subbed off at halftime for tactical reasons, while Maddison and Solanke exited with minor knocks to the knee and quad, respectively. Postecoglou downplayed the issues, confirming the squad is expected to be fit for the second leg.
Elsewhere, Manchester United cruised to a 3–0 win over Athletic Club in the other semi-final, setting up the possibility of an all-English final. Tottenham, notably, remain unbeaten against United this season.
The late goal by Bodø/Glimt took a little of the shine off of what was otherwise a solid win. Tottenham might have taken a virtually unassailable lead into next week’s return fixture in Norway, but settled instead for a two-goal advantage.
