Son Heung-min demands Spurs response after 'wake-up call' defeat to AZ Alkmaar

The North Londoners have work to do after a lifeless display in the Netherlands left them trailing in a tie they can ill afford to lose.

Spurs were outplayed at the AFAS Stadion, where a freak own goal from teenage debutant Lucas Bergvall handed AZ the advantage. The midfielder's attempted clearance from a corner looped horribly over goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and into the net, summing up a night to forget for Ange Postecoglou's men.

AZ, unbeaten in their last 13 Europa League home games, could have stretched their lead, with Vicario making vital stops to deny ex-Spurs striker Troy Parrott and substitute Denso Kasius.

Tottenham barely threatened, managing just one shot on target all night. A late blow saw record signing Dominic Solanke hobble off injured on his return from a two-month layoff, adding to the gloom.

Son didn't hold back in his assessment: "It's nowhere near where we should perform. It was very disappointing, including me. There are no excuses - we were not good enough."

The South Korean captain refused to pin the loss on caution, despite the tricky nature of away ties in Europe. "We didn't create anything in the first half - sloppiness, not performing how we should," he said. "Everyone is disappointed with the individual and team performance. It's just 1-0, it's not finished, but next week we have to be much better."

AZ Alkmaar have reason to feel confident heading to London. Their disciplined display neutralised Spurs, with Parrott's near-miss against his old club a highlight.

Manager Maarten Martens praised his side's resilience, especially after losing winger Mayckel Lahdo to injury early on. "We stayed positive and took our chance," Martens said post-match.

For Tottenham, the Europa League remains their last shot at ending a 17-year trophy drought this season. Postecoglou, known for his attacking philosophy, cut a frustrated figure as his team failed to test AZ goalkeeper Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro until the dying moments. The Aussie boss admitted: "We weren't at the races tonight. We've got to find a way to flip this at home."

A recent X update from Tottenham confirmed Solanke's knock is under assessment, with no timeline yet on his recovery. Fans voiced their frustration online, with one post reading: "From top to bottom, that was abysmal. Next week's a must-win now."

Spurs have beaten AZ once already this term, a 1-0 league-phase win, but this defeat exposed frailties they must fix fast. The second leg looms large, and Son's rallying cry suggests the Lilywhites are ready to fight. Whether they can deliver remains the burning question for a fanbase desperate for silverware.

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