Europa League Odds: Uphill Climb for Spurs vs Gent
Tottenham Hotspur (-300) vs Gent (+1300), Draw (+480)
After losing the first leg 1-0, Tottenham return home to host Gent in the second leg this Thursday, February 23, in the Europa League’s Round of 16. Tottenham will have to close the one-goal deficit at Wembley Stadium in order to advance to the quarterfinals.
It’s an embarrassing moment for English football when the third-ranked team in the EPL loses to the eighth-ranked team in the Belgian league. But that’s the Europa League for you. Teams like Tottenham have other concerns to balance, like chasing the league title and winning the FA Cup. Teams like Gent can afford to throw everything they have into the Europa League. But still, it was a game Tottenham were expected to win quite easily.
The game started off slowly and the first half was largely uneventful. Dele Alli had a decent shot from range, pulling it just wide. Other than that, the 0-0 scoreline was an accurate description of the half. Both teams appeared uneasy and lacked any real rhythm.
Tottenham started strong in the second half, pressing well and dictating play for the most part. But a goal out of nowhere by Jeremy Perbet put an end to their momentum. Tottenham fought back with a few half-chances but failed to create any real opportunities. Gent didn’t play particularly well; their defending was all over the place and their execution was poor. Yet the game ended 1-0 despite a mediocre performance by the Belgian side.
Tottenham are the favorites coming into the second leg. On paper, they are a far superior team and their record this season suggests that they have the capability to run circles around a team like Gent. If the Spurs are able to play as they have been in the Premier League, beating Gent shouldn’t be too tough of a task.
The problem is Gent will be content with a draw, and if they manage to score an away goal, then Tottenham will have to win by at least two. It’s a tough ask for the Totties, and I think putting them at -300 is a little too generous.
Pick: Draw (+480)
Don Aguero is a man of many talents, writing about nearly anything you can put odds to. Don has been writing for SportsBettingDime since 2015, covering sports, entertainment and politics. You name it, he's covered it! He is also a steadfast West Ham fan, and has learned to embrace that suffering.
