Tottenham produced one of their most spirited first-half performances of the season, finally showing the hunger and drive that fans have been craving. From the outset, Spurs looked sharp, with the defence and midfield working in sync to contain Frankfurt’s attacking threat. However, an early lapse from James Maddison led to a moment of brilliance from Hugo Ekitike, who punished the mistake with a superb long-range strike in the sixth minute. Maddison didn’t take long to make amends. In the 20th minute, the England international displayed his trademark quick feet to beat his man and whip in a dangerous low cross that Pedro Porro finished with the finesse of a seasoned striker. It was a lively, end-to-end first half, with both sides pressing for a second goal but ultimately going into the break level. Spurs came out in the second half with renewed energy, dominating possession and dictating the tempo against a disciplined Frankfurt side. Ange Postecoglou’s men looked the more dangerous, with Son Heung-min testing the goalkeeper and Maddison continuously probing for openings. Rodrigo Bentancur rattled the crossbar with a powerful effort, while Lucas Bergvall also struck the woodwork, underlining Spurs’ attacking intent. Brennan Johnson nearly grabbed a winner with a volley that flashed just wide, while Micky van de Ven was immense at the back—using his pace and physicality to silence Ekitike and lead the defensive line with authority. Substitutes Djed Spence and Mathys Tel added fresh legs and energy, helping to maintain pressure in the closing stages. Despite a flurry of corners and sustained late pressure, Tottenham couldn’t find a decisive winner. Still, this was a performance full of grit and promise, arguably one of their most complete displays in recent weeks and a vital step in the right direction. Lets us now take a look at how the players fared on the night. Tottenham Player Ratings Guglielmo Vicario: 7/10 Could have positioned himself better about Ekitiké’s early strike, but the blame pins on the defence. Made his daily routine saves and was consistent throughout the game Destiny Udogie: 6/10 Decent going forward but caught out of position a couple of times. Did manage to contain Frankfurt’s attack Micky van de Ven: 7/10 Physically dominant but gave away a few fouls. Did well to deal with Ekitiké’s runs in behind after the early goal. He was by far the fastest player on the pitch and it’s hard to believe anyone can outrun the Dutchman Cristian Romero: 7/10 A solid yet understanding performance from the World Cup winner. But did manage to give away a needless handball and looked slightly sluggish in recovery runs at times Pedro Porro: 8/10 One of the standout performers. Scored the equaliser and provided dangerous crosses throughout. He was brilliant defensively as well and showed the much-needed confidence today Rodrigo Bentancur: 7/10 Really sharp in midfield. Dictated tempo, won fouls, hit the bar with a header and got into some excellent positions. He even managed to put in a decent cross, which Van de Ven failed to deliver Lucas Bergvall: 8/10 Busy and energetic. Hit the woodwork with a strong effort and wasn’t afraid to take risks. Showed flashes of class. Truly outclassed the Frankfurt defence, holding the ball and making progressive plays James Maddison: 7/10 Involved in many attacking phases and showed vision, but the final product wasn’t always there. Due to his mistake, The Lilywhites conceded but was quick to make up for it. Showing glimpses of brilliance with the new hair Brennan Johnson: 6/10 It was not the best night for the Welshman after his spectacular brace against Southampton. Had one big chance but fired over. He worked hard but lacked composure in key moments Dominic Solanke: 6/10 Held the ball up well at times but lacked sharpness. Squandered a massive opportunity late on to square the ball to Tel for a likely winner Heung-min Son: 6/10 Lively in the first half, forced a save and had some neat touches. Faded slightly before being subbed Substitutes Djed Spence: 7/10 Delivered a dangerous cross that led to Johnson’s miss. Looked fresh and lively Pape Matar Sarr: 6/10 Tidy in possession, didn’t overcomplicate things. Helped Spurs maintain midfield control late on. Mathys Tel: 6/10 Made some promising runs after coming on. Would’ve had a tap-in if Solanke had squared it. Unlucky not to be involved more. Richarlison: N/A Good to see the Brazilian back. did not get enough minutes but will be seeing more of him in the next couple of games