Gareth Bale was influential as Tottenham battered Wolfsberger AC 4-1 at Puskas Arena in the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 first leg.
Tottenham Hotspur were at their rampant best, as they throttled the opposition’s defensive unit from the very first whistle of this fixture. Gareth Bale had been troubling opponents’ backline and in the 13th minute, Son Heung-min broke the deadlock, as his lethal header in front of the goal, with the Welshman setting it up.
The second goal for Jose Mourinho’s men was served by the right-back Matt Doherty, which was then excellently smashed by Bale in the 28th minute. As the game progressed to the latter phases, Spurs started to pose more threats. In the 34th minute, Lucas Moura’s dream run inside the box shattered Wolfsberger AC into pieces as the Brazilian made it 3-0.
In spite of being at the receiving end, the hosts were desperately trying to make the most out of the opportunities. But their tireless efforts went in vain, as the Tottenham goalkeeper played a pivotal role to deny their attackers to gain any momentum. However, Ferdinand Feldhofer’s men were able to pull one back, as Michael Liendl made no mistake from the penalty spot.
Wolfsberger could have grabbed their second goal in the 68th minute, but the score remained intact. In the final minutes, substitute Carlos Vinicius snatched the fourth goal for Spurs, which was exquisitely presented by Erik Lamela.
In an affair where Tottenham Hotspur had to establish their superiority, Jose Mourinho will be delighted with the proceedings. Here at The Hard Tackle, we run the rule over the Tottenham stars.
Hugo Lloris: 7/10
The Frenchman had a decent outing in goal, as he was steady enough to cut off any threats from the opponents. On a few occasions, his agility stood tall to frustrate the hosts.
Matt Doherty: 7/10
The Irishman played an influential role in this tie, as his tireless efforts on the right flank were visible. His contributions towards two of the four goals were immense, where his versatility in the attacking zone flourished in the crucial phases.
Good to see Matt Doherty get an assist – hopefully a sign he's returning to a bit of form. pic.twitter.com/UyCLbvuQur
— Dave Donnelly (@YeSecondPost) February 18, 2021
Eric Dier: 5.5/10
The Englishman had a not so promising outing, where his mistake in the defensive half was the reason behind the sole goal of the Wolfsberger AC. Other than that, in most parts of the game, the centre-back seemed steady enough to hold the backline in perfect shape.
Toby Alderweireld: 6/10
The Belgian international showcased his credibility in such a crucial encounter. With 63 accurate passes out of attempted 76, the player was solid with his distribution.
Ben Davies: 6/10
The Spurs left-back had a quiet outing in this affair, as he did not provide much into the game in the attacking sense. Defensively he was well organised, having won five out of eight duels.
Moussa Sissoko: 4.5/10
Sissoko does a Sissoko and gives a needless penalty away. #THFC
— Jonathan Veal (@jonathandveal83) February 18, 2021
The Frenchman had displayed vulnerability on a few significant occasions, which allowed the hosts to pounce on the opportunities. He tried to narrow down the spaces, but failed miserably, as he lost positions. Conceded the penalty in the second half and Michael Liendl took full advantage of it by slaughtering the ball back into the net from the spot-kick.
Harry Winks: 7.5/10
The English central midfielder needed to be decisive on his task, as his colleague was not able to establish the permanency in the middle of the park. He was dominating the midfield region with ease, as he completed 68 passes out of 71.
Gareth Bale: 8.5/10
Gareth Bale created more chances and made more tackles than any other Spurs player this evening.
? 4 Chances Created
? 4 TacklesHe came off in the 63rd minute and also got a goal and an assist. ⚽️?️
| #THFC | #COYS | @GarethBale11 | pic.twitter.com/2dNcW5WQwd
— ProudSpurs (@proud_spurs) February 18, 2021
The Welshman was the man of the hour for the visitors, as he provided an inspiring performance. His assist to Son Heung-min was able to set the tone for his team, and his top-notch finish in the 28th minute killed the game off in a blistering manner. The right-winger crafted a sensational performance, which should boost his confidence a great deal.
Dele Alli: 6.5/10
The Englishman returned to the lineup with a significant point to prove, and with his first-half performance, he could breathe a sigh of relief. Throughout the first forty-five minutes, he looked dangerous. But in the second half, the Lilywhites No. 20 was a tad bit sluggish. Needs to be consistent in upcoming proceedings to change his fortune in Spurs’ colours.
Lucas Moura: 6.5/10
The Brazilian forward has been relishing this particular competition throughout this campaign, as he was able to rattle the cages of the opponents with a sensational run in the final third. The player had won 15 duels out of possible 22, which does define his impetuous emergence in the opponents half.
#Video Maradoniano golazo de Lucas Moura en la #UELxESPN: arrancó desde mitad de cancha, dejó 5 rivales en ridículo y definió con clase para el tercero de un Tottenham intratable en Budapest. https://t.co/PVXEXwvpIO
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) February 18, 2021
Heung-Min Son: 6/10
With another goal to display his authority in the first eleven, the South Korean international has been one of the standout performers of Jose Mourinho’s scheme. His early strike in the 13th minute of the first leg was vital as it set up the platform for a comfortable outing.
⚽️ 18 goals
?️ 12 assistsHeung-min Son now has 30 goal involvements this season ? pic.twitter.com/WP6H6oSWER
— PubitySport (@PubitySportIG) February 18, 2021
Substitutes
Carlos Vinicius: 6/10
Came in as a substitute in the second half, and his job was to maintain the fluidity upfront. In the dying minutes of the game, the player snatched the fourth goal for Spurs, as his dream run in the UEFA Europa League continues.
Erik Lamela: 6.5/10
Came into the scene by replacing Gareth Bale in the 65th minute. Created the fourth goal and looked bright.
Steven Bergwijn: 5.5/10
In the 65th minute, the player came as a substitute in place of Lucas Moura. He was trying best to pull the strings in the attacking half.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg: N/A
The central defensive midfielder was placed onto the field in the 78th minute, and he ensured Spurs got across the line without any problems.
Tanguy Ndombele: N/A
The French midfielder had final 12 minutes. Little time to make an impact.
