SPURS SLUMP TO DREADFUL DEFEAT AT AZ ALKMAAR

Tottenham endured a miserable night at AZ Alkmaar as a first-half own goal by Lucas Bergvall saw them slump to a 1-0 UEFA Europa League defeat in the first leg of a one-sided last-16 tie.

Ange Postecoglou’s side managed only one shot on target, a mishit cross, against a vibrant Dutch team, who should probably have won by more than a solitary goal at a bouncing AFAS Stadion.

As it was, they at least earned the victory on the night with Bergvall somehow slicing into his own net on 18 minutes after former Spurs forward Troy Parrott had knocked a corner back across goal.

Visiting goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario made several notable stops to keep alive Tottenham’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals in London next Thursday.

They defeated AZ 1-0 in the group stage of this tournament at their own stadium, but will need a big improvement if they are going to emerge victorious against an AZ side who always carried a threat.

A forgettable evening for Spurs was complete when substitute Dominic Solanke was helped off late on with what appeared to be a hip injury less than 20 minutes after the forward returned from a 10-game absence due to a knee issue.

SPURS ICON GLENN HODDLE ON TNT SPORTS

“They were lacklustre in their performance,” said Hoddle. “But that’s a better result for Tottenham than it is for AZ.

“To play so mediocre and come home with just a one-goal deficit, they’ll be happy with that. Not the performance, but the result.”