Hoffenheim 2 Tottenham 3: Spurs take giant step to avoiding dreaded play-off but leave fans biting their nails at end

Ange Postecoglou started his big week well enough, thanks to an explosive start and a rocket from Schipperzoon Heung-Min.

Although he woke up by fireworks at 2 o'clock in the morning, she left out of their hotel by brutal housing fans, racete Spurs in a lead of two goals by James Maddison and son.

The spark, however, began to brown with hosts Hoffenheim who missed a number of great opportunities and destroyed a penalty before he came through Anton Stach.

At that moment you feared a collapse of traces with confidence.

But then the son got up to crash home a sizzling ride in the far corner.

Sub David Mokwa caused a nervous finish with a late header, but the visitors hung on.

It brought Tottenham, who missed fourteen players due to injury and non -subsidiaability, with regard to automatic qualification for the knockouts.

A point at home from the Swedish side Elfsborg must be enough to secure a top-eight place and to prevent an annoying play-off in February.

But more importantly, it started a crucial seven days for Postecoglou under the pressure, whose injury side has been submitted to the 15th in the competition and all their hope for the cups of pins.

Spurs were so short of players that they only mentioned eight of a possible 12 subs, including two keepers and six teenagers.

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They were 1-0 higher within two minutes when Maddison Slim controled the high ball from Pedro Porro with one touch and sent with the other in the past keeper Oliver Baumann.

Son, Porro and Richarlison, who only made this period his second start because of his own injury injury, went close to Schoten.

Then at 22 minutes the first lead the lead to give Spurs some breathing space.

Maddison was again involved, cut a ball through which the son checked on his chest, just about, before firing a shot that pavel framework beak fired from Pavel Kaderbek and bounced in the net.

It was the most comfortable that Tottenham had seen in centuries when they bossed the opening for 25 minutes – although Hoffenheim was poor.

But this season would not be traces without any danger and they were lucky when their hosts wasted three good chances for the break.

Two fell against striker Max Moerstedt, but he could not beat the Europa League debutant Brandon Austin, who also saved well from Tom Bischof, Bayern Munich.

After the break, the hosts stacked the pressure, with ex-Leicester man Andrej Kramaric on their way to the bar.

Veteran Kramaric then thought he was about to take a penalty after one was given when Austin seemed to complain with his fist when he tried to hit a cross.

But while the Croat waited to take the spot -kick, Ref Morten Krogh was called to his touchline monitor to take a second look -and discovered that Austin had first made contact with the ball.

Hoffenheim shook the disappointment and had a goal back within minutes when Stach turned home the cross of David Jurasek.

Son seemed to have killed it with a vintage strike, around Kevin Akpoguma with a drop of shoulder and to hit the ball in the far corner.

But now nothing is easy for Spurs.

And when Mokwa went home with two minutes to go, it was a matter of being full, what they almost did, to the great enlightenment of Postecoglou.

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