Tottenham spot on against Slavia Prague to close in on top eight

Tottenham Hotspur boosted their hopes of securing an automatic place in the Champions League last 16 with a commanding 3-0 victory over Slavia Prague, a result that moved them to the verge of the top eight in the new league-phase format. On a night when efficiency from the penalty spot proved decisive, Spurs combined set-piece pressure, attacking fluency and defensive control to keep their European campaign firmly on track.​

Thomas Frank’s side made the breakthrough midway through the first half, when Pedro Porro’s dangerous corner was turned into his own net by Slavia defender David Zima under heavy pressure in the six-yard box. The goal settled any early nerves and allowed Tottenham to dictate the tempo, with the hosts regularly finding pockets of space between the lines while limiting Slavia to sporadic counter-attacks.​

Spurs tightened their grip after the interval as their attacking quality began to tell inside the box. Porro, lively throughout on the right flank, drew a foul in the area to win the first penalty, which Mohammed Kudus dispatched with conviction to double the advantage and effectively break Slavia’s resistance. Later, Xavi Simons stepped up to convert a second spot-kick, underlining Tottenham’s composure from twelve yards and giving the scoreline a margin that reflected their control.​

Although the visitors carved out a handful of openings, Spurs’ back line held firm and ensured goalkeeper involvement was largely routine. The clean sheet will please Frank as much as the goals, with Tottenham looking increasingly balanced between attack and defence as the league phase enters its decisive stretch.​

Under the revamped Champions League system, the top eight sides in the 36-team table qualify directly for the last 16, and this win lifted Tottenham up to ninth with 11 points from six matches, just outside those coveted spots. With momentum building and key players like Kudus, Simons and Porro stepping up on big European nights, Spurs have put themselves in a strong position to push into the top eight in their remaining fixtures.​

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