Tottenham Edges Villarreal 1-0 in Thrilling Champions League Opener

Own goal sets up Tottenham's 1-0 win over Villarreal in Champions League

Tottenham Hotspur kicks off their Champions League campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Villarreal, thanks to an own goal from Luiz Junior.

The solitary own goal ultimately proved sufficient for Tottenham to secure a 1-0 victory...

Tottenham Hotspur's UEFA Champions League campaign got off to a winning start as they edged out Villarreal 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The only goal of the game came courtesy of a bizarre own goal from Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Junior, who inadvertently turned Lucas Bergvall's cross into his own net inside four minutes.

Back where we belong 😍

🤝 @thfcflags pic.twitter.com/0v37A2BBr4

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 16, 2025

The Spanish side attempted to respond promptly, with former Arsenal player Nicolas Pepe making a notable effort. He drove at the Spurs defense before cutting inside and curling his shot just past the post. Despite their best efforts, Villarreal struggled to find the back of the net, ultimately extending their winless streak against English opposition in the Champions League to 15 matches (D6, L9).

Nicolas Pepe posed a significant threat to Tottenham's defense, capitalizing on a poor clearance to set up Tajon Buchanan with a precise pass. However, the Canadian winger failed to capitalize on the opportunity, skewing his shot wide and sparing the Spurs defense.

As halftime approached, Tottenham thought they had earned a penalty when Richarlison was brought down in the box. However, after a VAR review, the decision was overturned, and no penalty was awarded, leaving the score unchanged at 1-0 in favor of the home side as the teams headed into the break.

After the break, Villarreal posed a significant threat, creating several promising opportunities. Juan Foyth headed wide, and Nicolas Pepe flashed a shot narrowly past the post following a high press that forced Spurs to give away possession in a dangerous area.

Tottenham kick off their campaign with a win 💪#UCL pic.twitter.com/gma7FTnAVt

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 16, 2025

As the match entered its final stages, Tottenham began to gain momentum, creating several half-chances that ultimately failed to materialize. Despite a frenetic finish, neither team could capitalize on their opportunities. Pepe's evening was summed up by a late free-kick from the edge of the box, which he flashed wide of the post, as Tottenham held on for a 1-0 win.

The solitary own goal ultimately proved sufficient for Tottenham to secure a 1-0 victory, marking a successful start to their UCL campaign with a clean sheet. For Villarreal, the defeat extended their winless run to three matches across all competitions, setting up a challenging encounter against Juventus in their next matchday fixture.

As far as @ChampionsLeague debuts go... pic.twitter.com/ruwmQwzrGp

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 16, 2025

Match Statistics:

• Possession: Tottenham Hotspur 58% - Villarreal 42%

• Shots: Tottenham Hotspur 9 - Villarreal 10

• Shots on Target: Tottenham Hotspur 1 - Villarreal 0

• Corners: Tottenham Hotspur 3 - Villarreal 3

• Fouls: Tottenham Hotspur 14 - Villarreal 13

Tottenham's victory marked a successful start to their Champions League campaign, with Thomas Frank's side holding on for the win despite a sloppy second half. The win stretches Tottenham's unbeaten home run in Europe to 21 matches.