Tottenham Hotspur booked their place in the Europa League final with a composed 2-0 victory over Bodø/Glimt in northern Norway, sealing a 5-1 aggregate win. The performance, built on discipline and pragmatism, was a marked departure from the high-risk, attacking football often associated with their manager. In the frigid, windswept conditions at the Aspmyra Stadion, Spurs showed a grittier side, blending resilience with just enough quality to snuff out any threat of a comeback.
Tottenham embraced the grind in the Arctic Circle. The artificial pitch and relentless rain created a hostile environment, but Spurs adapted well. Rather than attempting to dazzle, they tightened up at the back, controlled the tempo, and took their chances when they came. Their plan was simple and effective — frustrate the hosts, maintain shape, and strike when the moment was right. It was a victory forged in maturity, not magic.
Bodø/Glimt, energetic and hopeful after the return of suspended midfielders Patrick Berg and Håkon Evjen, initially believed in overturning the 3-1 first-leg deficit. Yet reality set in quickly. Tottenham took control from the outset. Richarlison was a constant menace on the left, and Pedro Porro came close to opening the scoring early with a dangerous free-kick. With Dominic Solanke’s hold-up play providing a reliable out-ball and Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur screening the defence effectively, Spurs rarely looked in danger.
Although deprived of creative forces James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall due to injury, the midfield remained functional. Dejan Kulusevski, drafted in as Maddison’s replacement, pressed aggressively and disrupted Bodø/Glimt’s attempts to build from the back. Tottenham’s tactical discipline was evident in the way they prevented the hosts from finding any rhythm. Every time Bodø/Glimt threatened to create, there was a white shirt there to break things up.
The opening goal came from a set piece after an hour of play. A corner dropped into a crowded box, and Solanke pounced, driving the ball home through a sea of bodies to effectively end the contest. Bodø/Glimt’s belief evaporated. Less than ten minutes later, Porro’s mishit cross from the right eluded everyone, including goalkeeper Nikita Haikin, and nestled into the far corner of the net. It was a fluke, but one that perfectly symbolised Tottenham’s night: not flashy, but undeniably effective.
Despite a couple of half-chances for the home side a side-netting effort from Ole Didrik Blomberg and a free-kick from Berg tipped over by Guglielmo Vicario Spurs rarely wobbled. Calm and composed, they closed out the match with professional ease.
The final whistle sparked jubilant scenes. Players and staff celebrated with the travelling fans, just over 400 of whom had made the long journey north. After a turbulent domestic season, European competition has provided relief, and now, the reward is a final against Manchester United in Bilbao. While uncertainty continues to swirl around the manager’s future, a trophy could offer vindication. Spurs may not have dazzled in Norway, but they delivered and that, in this moment, was all that mattered
