Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Borussia Dortmund Player Ratings: Spurs Dominate Ten-man Dortmund to Seal Easy Win

Tottenham Hotspur recorded a dominant 2–0 win over Borussia Dortmund at home in the Champions League. The result was effectively decided early in the match.

Spurs started strongly and took the lead in the 14th minute. Cristian Romero scored with a header from a corner. Dortmund’s problems increased soon after. Daniel Svensson was sent off following a reckless challenge before the half-hour mark.

With a numerical advantage, Tottenham took control. Dominic Solanke scored the second goal shortly before halftime, finishing from close range.

The second half was comfortable for the home side. Tottenham controlled possession and managed the game well. Dortmund, reduced to ten men, were unable to mount a comeback. It was a calm and professional performance from Spurs.

Tottenham Hotspur Player Ratings vs Borussia Dortmund

Goalkeeper

Guglielmo Vicario - 7.0: Honestly, he had very little to do for most of the game. Dortmund's attack was blunted after the red card. He made one important save late on to preserve his clean sheet, showing good concentration. His distribution was decent, though he wasn't really pressed. A quiet and comfortable evening for the Spurs keeper, which is exactly what you want at home.

Defenders

Kevin Danso - 7.0: A solid and composed performance at the back. We noticed he was strong in the air, winning most of his aerial duels. He handled Dortmund’s limited attacking threat with ease and his positioning was generally sound. Passed the ball well out from the back, contributing to Spurs' control of possession. A very straightforward night for the defender.

Destiny Udogie - 7.5: Another impressive display from the left-back. He was defensively solid, making eight recoveries and winning most of his duels. What stood out to us was his energy getting forward, constantly providing an outlet on the left. His link-up play was tidy and he never stopped running for the team. He has become such a reliable performer.

Cristian Romero - 8.5: A captain's performance. He set the tone with his early goal, a powerful header from a corner. Defensively, he was a rock, making six clearances and winning five duels. He was aggressive, commanding, and led by example throughout. We barely saw a mistake from him all game. He looked completely in control and was a deserving goalscorer.

Pedro Porro - 7.5: A typically all-action performance from the right-back. He was a constant menace going forward, delivering some dangerous crosses. Defensively, he was diligent, making an incredible ten ball recoveries and five interceptions. He did lose possession a bit too often for our liking but his positive intent far outweighed the negatives. A key part of the team's attacking structure.

Midfielders

Xavi Simons - 8.0: He was at the heart of so much of Spurs' good play. While he didn't get a goal or assist, he was constantly trying to make things happen. He had five shots and was always looking to break the lines with his passing and dribbling. From our perspective, his movement was too much for the Dortmund midfield to handle. A very lively and creative outing.

Archie Gray - 7.0: A tidy and disciplined performance in the middle of the park. His pass accuracy was an impressive 95%, keeping possession ticking over nicely. He worked hard, won his tackles, and provided a solid base for the more creative players to shine. The yellow card was a minor blemish on an otherwise very mature and controlled display. He did his job effectively.

Lucas Bergvall - 7.0: Looked bright and energetic before his game was cut short by injury. He was involved in the build-up play and showed some neat touches. His pressing was good, making three interceptions in his 62 minutes. It was a real shame to see him go off injured as he was growing into the game. Hopefully, the injury is not too serious.

Djed Spence - 6.5: A mixed bag of a performance. He showed flashes of his blistering pace and ability to beat a man, but his final product was often lacking. He created a couple of chances but also lost possession quite a few times. From our perspective, he seemed to be trying a bit too hard at times. A decent outing, but you feel there's more to come from him.

Wilson Odobert - 9.0: Our Man of the Match, without a doubt. A truly sensational performance from the winger. He laid on both goals with perfect assists, showcasing his incredible vision and quality. What stood out was how he created four chances in total, always looking like Spurs' most dangerous player. His confidence was sky-high, and he was a joy to watch. A masterclass in attacking wing play.

Forwards

Dominic Solanke - 7.5: He got his goal, which is the most important job for a striker. It was a classic poacher's finish, being in the right place at the right time. He worked hard and linked up play well, but he was caught offside once. He did what was asked of him before being substituted to a deserved round of applause. A good, effective shift.

Substitutes

Ai Byfield - 6.5: Came on for the injured Bergvall and slotted into midfield seamlessly. Kept things simple and helped Spurs maintain control of the game. A steady if unspectacular appearance.

Randal Kolo Muani - 6.5: Replaced the goalscorer Solanke for the final 20 minutes. He looked energetic and his movement caused some problems. He had a good shot on target that forced a save from the keeper. Did his part to see the game out.

Manager

T. Frank - 8.0: His game plan worked to perfection. The team started on the front foot and got the crucial early goal. They exploited the man advantage ruthlessly to kill the game before halftime. The second half was managed perfectly, conserving energy while giving nothing away. An excellent tactical victory for the Spurs manager.

Borussia Dortmund Player Ratings vs Tottenham Hotspur

Goalkeeper

Gregor Kobel - 6.0: A difficult night for the keeper. He couldn't do much about either of the goals. He made a few decent saves to stop the scoreline from getting worse, particularly the one to deny Kolo Muani late on. His distribution was a bit shaky, but he was put under pressure. A tough evening behind a struggling defence.

Defenders

Waldemar Anton - 5.0: He had a torrid time against Spurs' fluid attack. We felt he was particularly vulnerable, being dribbled past twice. He made a few clearances but looked off the pace for large parts of the game. It was a real struggle for him and he never looked comfortable dealing with the movement of the home side's forwards.

Nico Schlotterbeck - 6.5: The best of a bad bunch at the back. As captain, he tried to hold things together and won an impressive 12 duels. He was fighting a losing battle, especially after the red card. He made a number of important tackles and clearances, but it wasn't enough. You have to feel for him, he was let down by those around him.

Ramy Bensebaini - 5.5: He struggled to contain the threat down his flank. He was dribbled past a couple of times and offered little going forward. He made a couple of blocks and clearances but was largely penned back in his own half. From our perspective, he was just overwhelmed by the pace and movement of Spurs' wingers. Not his best night.

Midfielders

Yan Couto - 6.0: He worked hard but had a limited impact on the game. He made a few tackles but struggled to get involved in an attacking sense. He was eventually substituted after chasing shadows for much of his time on the pitch. It was a frustrating evening for the midfielder who couldn't impose himself on the match.

Jobe Bellingham - 6.0: He showed some fight in midfield, winning eight duels. He tried to drive his team forward but was often isolated. The game seemed to pass him by, especially after his team went down to ten men. He kept trying but it was an uphill battle he was never going to win against a superior midfield.

Felix Nmecha - 5.5: A quiet and ineffective performance. He was a passenger for most of his 64 minutes on the pitch. He lost possession eight times and failed to create anything of note. It was no surprise to see him substituted. He just couldn't get a foothold in the game at all.

Daniel Svensson - 3.0: A disastrous outing that cost his team the match. His red card in the 26th minute was born out of pure recklessness. It was a moment of madness that left his teammates with an impossible task. Before being sent off, he had already committed fouls and looked off the pace. A performance he'll want to forget, but one that sealed his team's fate.

Forwards

Serhou Guirassy - 5.0: Completely anonymous. He barely had a touch of the ball and lost all of his duels. He was a victim of his team's poor performance and was rightly hooked at halftime. It’s hard to even rate him as he had virtually no service and made zero impact. A ghost of a performance.

Julian Brandt - 5.0: Similar to Guirassy, he was completely ineffective and was substituted at halftime. He was a tactical sacrifice after the red card, but he had offered nothing in the first half anyway. He lost the ball too easily and failed to get involved in any meaningful way. A really poor showing.

Karim Adeyemi - 5.5: Showed some brief flashes of pace but it led to nothing. He lost possession nine times and was generally well-marshalled by the Spurs defence. He tried to take players on but was often unsuccessful. A frustrating night for the attacker who was living off scraps and couldn't make an impact.

Substitutes

Julian Ryerson - 6.0: Came on at halftime and showed some fight, but the game was already lost. Picked up a yellow card.

Emre Can - 6.0: Brought on to add some steel to the midfield after the red card, but it was too little, too late.

Fábio Silva - 6.0: Injected a bit of energy but had very little service to work with.

Carney Chukwuemeka - 6.0: Had a late shot from distance but couldn't trouble the keeper.

Maximilian Beier - N/A: Came on too late to have any real impact on the proceedings.

Manager

N. Kovač - 4.0: His team was outplayed from the start. The game plan, whatever it was, failed completely. His side looked disjointed and were second best all over the pitch. While the red card was a huge blow, his team showed no fight or creativity even before that. A terrible night at the office for the Dortmund manager.