In Frankfurt, Ange Postecoglou's team spent a lot of time without the ball and under pressure, and Tottenham missed several chances to win the first leg, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Spurs were awarded a penalty as half-time approached when Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos mistimed his jump and clattered into James Maddison while attempting to claim a long ball forward.
Maddison's teammates were furious when referee Davide Massa didn't award a spot kick, but after a video assistant referee (VAR) review, he changed his mind and booked Santos. Solanke stepped up to take the spot-kick - Postecoglou appeared to indicate he wanted the striker to take it - and stroked the ball down the middle as Santos dived to the left.
Maddison - who initially continued after receiving treatment - was replaced in first-half stoppage time by Dejan Kulusevski.
After losing the England midfielder, Spurs had trouble keeping the ball in the central areas and spent the first 15 minutes of the second half thwarting wave after wave of attacks from Frankfurt. After the break, the hosts dominated possession, but Tottenham still posed a threat on the counterattack and from set pieces. Cristian Romero headed narrowly wide from a corner just after the hour mark, before Rodrigo Bentancur headed over from a similar situation.
Guglielmo Vicario produced a magnificent save with his legs to keep out Fares Chaibi from close range as Eintracht upped the pressure, before Leeds loanee Rasmus Kristensen dragged wide with the goal gaping following a cut-back.
Tottenham will face either Lazio or Bodo/Glimt in the final four.
The Spurs fight when it counts the most. It has been an abysmal season for Tottenham and their supporters, but with one last shred of hope on the line, Postecoglou's players turned up.
Spurs fought and scrapped all night, and in the second half managed to weather a Frankfurt storm on a rainy night in Germany.
The hosts were only given half-chances in the first half, and a curling effort by Mathys Tel gave Tottenham a comfortable start. However, the kind of defensive error that has plagued their Premier League campaign almost cost them. Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike looked primed to score after a Santos goal-kick split the Spurs defence in half, but Micky van de Ven recovered to deny the Frenchman with a last-ditch tackle.
The penalty was the defining moment of the night, and not just because it produced the game's only goal.
Maddison's self-sacrifice summed up an attitude that has been lacking at times this season, a willingness to put bodies on the line and stand firm in the face of adversity.
A mature performance from a team that had looked anything but mature for much of this season resulted in only the third European semifinal appearance in 44 years. With little else to play for and Postecoglou's job on the line, Tottenham came of age. They are now just three games away from their first trophy in 17 years.
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