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Just three days after refusing to applaud supporters and complaining about the boos, Micky van de Ven set about soothing Tottenham’s wounds with an outrageous solo goal.
Collecting the ball on the edge of his own penalty area, the centre half accelerated down the centre of the pitch, roared on as he carved through Copenhagen’s green shirts and thrashed a shot into the net.
Van de Ven could not resist cupping an ear as he wheeled away to celebrated. It was his sixth of the season and the third of the night for Spurs, who were down to 10 men. Brennan Johnson, scorer of the first, had been sent off for a mistimed sliding tackle from behind, but that did not stop Thomas Frank’s team.
Joao Palhinha came on in the reshuffle and added the fourth. Wilson Odobert was also on target against the Danes, whose ordinariness was a welcome boost for compatriot Frank. The Spurs boss had started to look a little beleaguered amid incessant questions about creative flair and style.
Saturday’s defeat at home to Chelsea came with a bitter aftertaste. First, Van de Ven and Djed Spence blanking Frank’s request to go around the pitch and applaud supporters. Then the public complaints about those who booed before the game had ended.
It all made for an uneasy prelude to this tie. Not helped by the sub-capacity crowd and swathes of empty seats.
Collecting the ball on the edge of his own penalty area, Van de Ven accelerated down the centre of the pitch, carving through Copenhagen's defence to score an outrageous solo goal
Copenhagen were careless in possession and easily sliced open, a handy remedy for Spurs
The Danish champions were not an attractive draw for those asked to keep forking out for some of the highest ticket prices in world football, but they did bring a boisterous following and were not deterred when Johnson dashed clear of goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski to put Spurs into the lead in the 19th minute.
Tottenham’s home form in the Premier League has been simply awful, with just three wins in 2025, but they have long and impressive record at home in European competition.
Excluding a tie forfeited against Rennes in the Europa Conference, when several players tested positive for Covid and were forced to isolate, Spurs kicked off here having not lost in 21 European home games, a run stretching back to a defeat by Leipzig in the Champions League in February 2020.
Often, it must be said, the opposition has not been an elite standard. And the same accusation could be made of Copenhagen, whose own domestic form has been criticised recently.
They were careless in possession and easily sliced open, which was a handy remedy for Frank’s team who had not scored in three of their previous four outings and were finding it increasingly difficult to create chances from open play.
Here, they created plenty and Simons was revived after his early assist for Johnson. Confidence came rushing back and the Dutch playmaker buzzed around demanding the ball and looking to thread passes into the wingers and Randal Kolo Muani, who got the nod up front ahead of Richarlison.
With still no sign of injured centre forward Dominic Solanke, the position is up for grabs. Richarlison started the season with promise but soon faded. Here, Kolo Muani wasted two clear chances for his first Spurs goal at the end of the first half.
Both were created by Simons. The first, jinking into the penalty box, linking up with Wilson Odobert and sliding a pass square. Kolo Muani side-footed it wide when he seemed certain to score. Then a cross clipped from the right, which Kolo Muani headed over.
Xavi Simons' confidence looked restored and the Dutch playmaker was frustrated to be subbed
Tottenham’s home form in the Premier League has been simply awful, with just three wins this calendar year - but they have a long and impressive record at home in European competition
Simons was crestfallen when he was sacrificed to strengthen midfield after the red card and refused to engage with Frank’s attempts at consolation.
Kolo Muani could have done with a goal but instead made Tottenham’s second by charging down a clearance by Kotarski and pulling the ball down out of the sky with a sublime touch before lining up Odobert with an open goal.
Just as it seemed matters might be complicated by Johnson’s red card, awarded after a VAR check, Frank’s team sped clear with goals by Van de Ven and then Palhinha. Richarlison came on, headed against the bar and missed a penalty, also crashed against the woodwork.
By which time, the team who registered an xG of 0.05 against Chelsea seemed as if they might score at will with only 10 men.
Questions remain about the quality of Copenhagen. Can Tottenham deliver this fluency against better opposition? We will find out. The next three games are against Manchester United, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.
