Starting the final matchday in fifth, Tottenham thought they had made the perfect start against already-eliminated Frankfurt when Xavi Simons tapped in from a rebound, only for the Spurs players to be left surprised by the referee’s decision to chalk it off for a foul in the build-up.
After being given an early reprieve, the Frankfurt goal continued to live a charmed life in a one-sided first half. Wilson Odobert drove a long-range effort against the upright, shortly before Simons failed to take advantage of Kauã Santos’ poor pass out.
Spurs were nearly made to rue those missed opportunities when Hugo Larsson lashed a fierce strike against the crossbar in the closing stages of the half, offering a warning to under-pressure Tottenham boss Thomas Frank ahead of his HT team talk.
The Dane’s words ultimately had the desired effect, with his side requiring just two second-half minutes to break the deadlock through a familiar face to Frankfurt supporters.
Simons delivered a deep cross for Cristian Romero to head back across goal for Kolo Muani to steer home against the club where he scored 26 goals in 50 appearances.
Any doubt over the result was quashed in the 77th minute when Dominic Solanke pounced on a wayward Frankfurt header, allowing him to drive into the box before sliding a composed finish beyond Santos.
At the opposite end of the pitch, Romero and company stood firm to claim their sixth clean sheet of the league phase, with the strong display securing them fourth spot in the standings. As for the hosts, they are left to reflect upon a disappointing 33rd-place finish after mustering just four points from their eight games.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)
