Tottenham Hotspur produced a dazzling performance in the Champions League on Tuesday night, brushing aside FC Copenhagen 4-0 despite playing a large portion of the game with ten men.
The North London side, determined to redeem themselves after their disappointing derby defeat to Chelsea, delivered a display full of energy, precision, and ruthless finishing.
Head coach Thomas Frank was without Lucas Bergvall due to concussion protocol, while Mohammed Kudus missed the clash after being absent from training. Djed Spence was fit enough for the bench, but Kudus didn’t feature in the squad at all.
Tottenham’s attacking intent was clear from the first whistle. Brennan Johnson broke the deadlock after just 19 minutes, finishing off a beautifully crafted move.
Xavi Simons threaded a perfect pass into the path of the Welshman, who showed composure and skill to glide past the goalkeeper before curling a stunning strike into the net from outside the box. The goal lifted the entire stadium and set the tone for what would become a statement victory.
Randal Kolo Muani missed a couple of golden opportunities before half-time, but he made amends early in the second half.
The French forward showed great determination to chase down a long ball from Pedro Porro, intercept the goalkeeper’s clearance, and keep his cool before setting up Wilson Odobert for Tottenham’s second goal. It was a moment of quality that highlighted Spurs’ sharpness in transition.
The evening wasn’t without drama, however. Johnson, who had been one of Tottenham’s brightest players, was shown a red card following a VAR review of his tackle on Marcos Lopez.
The challenge was clumsy rather than malicious, but the referee decided to give the winger his marching orders, leaving Spurs a man down for the remainder of the match.
Even with ten men, Tottenham refused to sit back. Their third goal was something special. Micky van de Ven picked up the ball deep inside his own half, sprinted the length of the pitch, and unleashed a powerful shot that flew inside the goalkeeper’s near post.
It was a solo effort reminiscent of Son Heung-min’s unforgettable strike against Burnley years ago, and it rightly sent the Tottenham fans into raptures.
Spurs continued to attack, and they added a fourth late on. Odobert surged up the pitch before finding Cristian Romero, who showed great awareness to square the ball to substitute Joao Palhinha.
The midfielder calmly slid his finish under the keeper’s hand to complete the rout. Dane Scarlett came on late, winning a penalty after a smart run into the box, but Richarlison struck the crossbar from the spot his second effort of the night to bounce the wrong side of the goal line after also heading against the bar earlier.
It was a night filled with energy, unity, and moments of brilliance the kind of performance that reaffirms Tottenham’s growing confidence in Europe. Every player played their part in the victory, but a few stood out above the rest.
Tottenham Player Ratings:
Guglielmo Vicario – 7: Had little to do but dealt comfortably with crosses and celebrated Van de Ven’s goal like a fan.
Pedro Porro – 7: Worked tirelessly up and down the right flank and played the ball over the top that led to Spurs’ second goal.
Cristian Romero – 8: Commanding at the back, composed on the ball, and provided an assist for Palhinha’s goal.
Micky van de Ven – 9: Outstanding display capped off by an incredible solo goal that will live long in the memory.
Destiny Udogie – 7: Brought balance and drive down the left, often tucking inside to help Odobert push forward.
Pape Matar Sarr – 7: A bundle of energy, pressing tirelessly and offering crucial defensive cover when Spurs went down to ten men.
Rodrigo Bentancur – 8: Instrumental in the midfield battle, his pressing won the ball for Van de Ven’s goal and kept Tottenham ticking.
Xavi Simons – 8: Pulled the strings in attack with a stunning assist for Johnson and constant creativity before being subbed off after the red card.
Brennan Johnson – 7: Scored a fine opening goal and looked dangerous until his harsh sending-off.
Randal Kolo Muani – 7: Missed chances early on but showed great skill and awareness to set up Odobert’s goal.
Wilson Odobert – 8: Brilliant performance, full of flair and end product. Took his goal well and was involved in most of Spurs’ best moments.
Substitutes:
Joao Palhinha – 7: Came on to good effect, scoring a well-taken goal to round off the victory.
Djed Spence – 6: Made some lively runs after coming on late.
Richarlison – 6: Unlucky not to score after hitting the crossbar twice.
Kevin Danso – 6: Solid cameo, helping maintain the clean sheet.
Dane Scarlett – 7: Energetic late showing, winning a penalty and showing flashes of maturity.
It was an emphatic response from Tottenham following their domestic disappointment — a reminder that under Thomas Frank, this team has both the talent and the mentality to make serious progress in Europe.
