Tottenham Hotspur began their UEFA Champions League campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 home victory against Villarreal, marking their first-ever meeting in the competition. The win extends Villarreal’s winless streak against English opponents in the Champions League to 15 matches.
The only goal of the game came early, in the 4th minute, in rather bizarre circumstances. A cross from Spurs’ Lucas Bergvall was mishandled by Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Junior, who inadvertently fumbled the ball into his own net, giving the hosts an early lead. Despite the early gift, the match was a scrappy affair with few clear-cut chances for either side.
Villarreal, the winners of the Europa League last season, responded with intent, with former Arsenal man Nicolas Pepe proving to be a constant threat. He came close to an equalizer on several occasions, including a shot that curled just wide of the post. The Spanish side was also denied a potential goal when a close-range effort from Tajon Buchanan was skewed wide.
The second half saw Villarreal continue to press, and the match became more open. However, Spurs’ defense, led by Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, held firm and did not allow a single shot on target throughout the entire game.
For Tottenham, the victory provides a winning start to their European campaign and a clean sheet, a positive sign for manager Thomas Frank in his first Champions League game as head coach. The team will be looking to build on this result as they navigate a new tournament format with a demanding schedule.
Meanwhile, the defeat leaves Villarreal without a win in their last three matches across all competitions. They will be looking to rebound when they face Juventus in their next Champions League match.
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