Son Shines as Tottenham Edge Hoffenheim in Europa League Thriller

Tottenham Hotspur secured a vital 3-2 victory over Hoffenheim in Germany, with goals from James Maddison and Son Heung-min sealing the win in a tense UEFA Europa League encounter. The result keeps Spurs on track in the competition under Ange Postecoglou.

James Maddison opened the scoring just two minutes and 57 seconds into the match, making it Tottenham’s earliest Europa League goal since Erik Lamela’s strike in 2015. Maddison’s opener also marked Spurs' second goal inside the opening five minutes of a Europa League match this season, showcasing their knack for fast starts.

Son Heung-min continued his remarkable consistency, scoring twice to reach double figures for goals across all competitions for the ninth consecutive season. The South Korean superstar remains the only Premier League player to achieve this feat in every campaign since 2016/17.

Despite Tottenham’s early dominance, Hoffenheim fought back in the second half. Anton Stach pulled one back, and David Mokwa’s late strike ensured a nervy finish. However, Son’s second goal proved decisive, helping the north London side hold on for all three points.

The match was evenly contested, with both teams generating similar expected goals (xG) figures — 2.13 for Hoffenheim and 2.12 for Tottenham. The narrow scoreline highlights the resilience Tottenham displayed under a late onslaught from the German side.

Interestingly, the win also brought to light Tottenham’s defensive challenge under Postecoglou. Spurs have faced 1,000 shots across all competitions since his first game in charge. Among Premier League managers, only Eddie Howe (Newcastle United), Thomas Frank (Brentford), and Erik ten Hag (Manchester United) have seen their teams face more shots in the same period.

With this win, Spurs strengthened their position in the Europa League and will look to build on the momentum as they aim for European glory.