Doom and gloom has followed Tottenham Hotspur like a pesky shadow this season, rightly or wrongly. The specific genre of despondency changes with the context – sometimes an injury crisis of epic proportions brought the mood down,

It was a near-perfect night in north London, until Spurs gave up an 83rd-minute goal to make things nervy ahead of the second leg in Norway next week.

Spurs have a slight edge against Bodo, especially if they capitalize on home support in the second leg. Their attacking flair, led by James Maddison, could overwhelm Bodo’s defense, but they must avoid complacency against the Norwegian underdogs. A disciplined performance could see them reach the final.