Tottenham 4-0 FC Copenhagen: Spurs end home rot despite Johnson seeing red
Tottenham cruised a comfortable 4-0 victory over FC Copenhagen in the Champions League, getting back on track at home in the process.
Tottenham ran riot against FC Copenhagen in the Champions League on Tuesday, cruising to an emphatic 4-0 win despite being reduced to 10 men.
Micky van de Ven's stunning solo effort was the highlight at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Brennan Johnson put the hosts ahead with his first Champions League goal, knocking the ball past Copenhagen keeper Dominik Kotarski before firing into an open net from an awkward angle off the right.
Wilson Odobert doubled Spurs’ advantage after the break, finishing coolly off Randal Kolo Muani’s centre, before Johnson was shown a straight red for a studs-up challenge on Marcos Lopez in the 57th minute.
Rather than retreat, Spurs were somehow sparked to life after being reduced to 10 men, as they added two more goals within three minutes.
Van de Ven showcased some brilliant attacking flair with a remarkable individual goal 64 minutes in, running almost the entire length of the pitch on his own before rifling in a powerful near-post finish.
Joao Palhinha, who was brought on following Johnson’s sending off, then added a fourth, latching onto Cristian Romero's pass and slotting home calmly from close range.
Spurs could easily have had more. Kolo Muani was denied by Kotarski and Richarlison twice struck the woodwork, first with a header and then from the penalty spot, after Dane Scarlett drew a foul inside the box.
The victory lifts Spurs up to seventh in the Champions League standings and marks their first home win in any competition since September.
Data Debrief: Spurs shine in all-round showing
Spurs are now unbeaten in their last five Champions League matches – their longest run in the competition since a seven-game stretch from October 2018 to April 2019.
They were certainly worthy winners, generating 3.31 expected goals (xG) to Copenhagen’s 0.33 xG.
Johnson, meanwhile, made headlines for the right and wrong reasons. He became the first British player ever to score and be sent off in the same Champions League match.
Johnson's opener was the earliest a Tottenham player has netted a Champions League goal since Son Heung-min struck after 15:42 against Red Star Belgrade in October 2019.
