Spurs 2-0 Borussia Dortmund | Thomas Frank’s verdict

Thomas Frank was impressed with the team’s ‘intense’ start to a key fixture against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League – the first half laying the foundations for a fine victory against the Bundesliga giants at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Cuti Romero led from the front again with the opener on 14 minutes, the first of an assist double for Wilson Odobert, who then crossed for Dominic Solanke to score his first UCL goal on his UCL debut with 37 minutes on the clock.

We dominated that first half, front foot, 11-0 efforts at goal - and Dortmund were also reduced to 10 men on 26 minutes when Daniel Svensson's yellow card for a challenge on Odobert was upgraded to red via a VAR review. It was impressive stuff against a team who has lost just three times – once in 18 in the Bundesliga – all season.

We kept the visitors at arm's length in the second half - Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani denied by Gregor Kobel - to make it four wins and two draws in our seven league phase matches - that means we're guaranteed a place in the play-off round, at least - with a place in the top eight, and therefore straight through to the Round of 16, still very much on the table as we travel to Eintracht Frankfurt in MD8 – victory there, and we’ll finish top eight.

Speaking to us afterwards, Thomas said: “The first half was really good, really happy with that. I think the way we started the game - so aggressive, so intense, so focused in every aspect, and we got the well-deserved 1-0 lead, carried on, tried to push for the second.

“Then the red card came, but we still kept the momentum and scored, actually, in every aspect, a very good second goal - probably a little bit of a triple touch from Dom, but very happy to see it go over the line for the team, but also for Dom. I think that was a big moment for all of us.

“In the second half, we had some big transition opportunities where we needed to kill the game with, also needed to keep the ball a bit better, playing 11 against 10. They changed a little bit their formation, but keeping the ball was a big thing. I think also there was a little bit of confidence. We all knew it was a big game to get over the line, and now we got the win and so many positives and need to build on that.

“I think the crowd was amazing. I asked the fans to please support everyone, to support the team, and especially the first half, you felt there was a little bit of that magic European night over it, so that was amazing to feel."

We started the game without 13 players – the bench packed with our Academy players, including Jun’ai Byfield, who came on for his debut in the second half – and Thomas indicated beforehand that a few players would have to ‘push through’ – which they all did admirably.

Thomas added: “It was very pleasing to see the way they did that. They were so forward, so focused. We didn't have that many players available, but everyone just pushed through. I think I said it to Xavi, he pushed through the pain to play, Destiny - first start (since early December) really pushed through that, Dom pushed as long as he could as well, so that was very positive.”