Before a ball was struck, Tottenham found themselves anchored by a familiar presence. Son Heung-min, back in N17 for the first time since his move, walked out from the tunnel and the reaction was instant. Supporters rose almost in unison. For a season that has swung between impatience and cautious optimism, seeing Son again offered something steadier, a reminder of what Spurs look like when excellence is lived rather than hoped for.
He surveyed the stands, smiled, and said, “I hope you guys don’t forget me… I will be always Spurs and I will be always with you.” The applause rolled on. Players paused their routines to acknowledge him. Later, Thomas Frank summed it up simply. “A true Tottenham legend coming back home.” It set a clear tone. This was not a night for sentiment; it was a night for standards.
Tottenham started with that clarity. Inside the first minute, Odobert drove inside and fired a low cross toward Richarlison. The Brazilian connected well, but Stanek reacted sharply to turn it away. Spurs had set the pace early.
Slavia Prague, though, arrived exactly as Frank expected. Direct. Aggressive. Determined to create transition moments before Tottenham’s structure could lock in. Sanyang found too much space down the right. Provod’s sliced volley drifted close enough to draw a moment of quiet. Sadilek stepped through midfield and forced Vicario into alert footing. Spurs had control of the ball, but not always control of the moments around it.
Frank captured the issue plainly. “Slavia are very direct. They always pose a threat on transition. You need to close those moments down.” It was the kind of honesty that has defined his handling of this squad. Tottenham were stronger, but still dealing with recurring details that need refinement.
Their breakthrough came from the basics. Porro’s corner carried pace into the near-post zone. Romero attacked the space early. The ball clipped David Zima and dropped into the net. It settled the temperature of the match without settling the match itself. Spurs had the lead, but the performance still required care.
The first half moved into a pattern Spurs have seen before this season. They dictated territory and possession. Slavia waited for loose spacing and looked to break quickly when it appeared. It was not a contest of pure control. It was more of a negotiation, Spurs managing risk while trying to impose rhythm.
After the interval Tottenham played with greater purpose. Porro pushed higher. The timing of the press improved. Slavia were forced into deeper positions, often defending while retreating. When Porro cut inside the box and was tripped, it felt like a sequence created by sustained pressure rather than a single moment.
Kudus converted confidently from the spot. His larger performance mattered more. This was his sharpest outing in weeks: protective in duels, decisive when carrying the ball, and consistently drawing defensive attention. Frank said, “He looks sharper. More decisive. More in sync,” and it showed. Kudus offered Spurs a focal point that Slavia struggled to contain.
Xavi Simons provided the composure around him. His display was not about bursts or headlines. It was about control. He worked into the right spaces, linked midfield to attack, and kept Tottenham’s phases connected. His movement into the area to win the second penalty reflected his understanding of where the gaps were and when to accelerate into them.
What followed revealed just as much about the internal dynamics of the team. He had wanted the first penalty. With Kudus off the pitch, Romero listened and handed him the responsibility. Xavi placed the ball in the corner, calm and assured. Afterwards he said, “I really wanted to shoot the second one so happy he gave it to me.” Frank later praised the detail of his work. “Good link up play. Good acceleration. And I loved the recovery run in the ninety plus minutes.”
Even with the scoreline comfortable, Spurs were reminded of the work ahead. Doudera should have scored when unmarked. Another shot forced Vicario into quick footwork. These were not threatening moments, but they were instructive ones. Dortmund will not let them pass without consequence.
Frank acknowledged that directly. “There are still moments where we can be more in control.” He also admitted his frustration with Micky van de Ven’s yellow card, which rules him out of the Dortmund tie. Losing that level of recovery speed is a blow for any European fixture.
Yet across the match, the pattern was positive. Tottenham have now beaten Villarreal, Copenhagen and Slavia at home in Europe this season without conceding. They managed this game with more composure than earlier months. They found solutions when needed. They showed continuity from the Brentford win rather than drifting back into inconsistency.
After the final whistle, supporters lingered a little longer before heading out into the cold. Many walked toward the new mural on the High Road. Son smiling in paint, a reminder of the professionalism, quality and expectation he represented for ten years. The kind of standard this team is still trying to grow into.
Nottingham Forest will test Tottenham’s control. Dortmund will test their level. Both fixtures will demand sharper detail and more consistency.
But this night helped. It added to the momentum that has been building since Brentford. It showed clearer roles, better structure and key players rising at the right times.
A performance with intent. A step taken with purpose. And for a team trying to stabilise its direction, a night that mattered.