Thomas Frank made a perfect start to life in the Champions League as Tottenham Hotspur earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Villarreal in North London on Tuesday night.

Spurs were gifted the decisive goal inside the opening stages when Villarreal goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen, under no pressure, fumbled Lucas Bergvall’s cross into his own net.

It was enough to hand Frank a winning debut on the biggest stage, though his side had to withstand spells of heavy pressure.

Villarreal threatened an equaliser before the break, with Micky van de Ven producing a crucial block to deny former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pépé, while Tajon Buchanan fired wide from close range.

Spurs, however, might have doubled their advantage when Pape Matar Sarr forced Jörgensen into a strong save midway through the half.

The visitors dominated possession after the restart but were met by resilient defending from Tottenham’s back line. Richarlison squandered a golden chance to seal the points with a header, but Frank’s men held firm to open their group-stage campaign with three points.

For Frank, who guided Brentford into the Premier League before taking over at Spurs this summer, the win marked a significant milestone, his first taste of Champions League football ending in victory.