Spurs give White Hart Lane a fitting finale
Tottenham beats Man U for second in last match at 118-year-old stadium
LONDON— With the concrete shell of the new stadium to his right, Harry Kane stretched out his right boot to flick the ball into the net.
The striker who grew up supporting Tottenham will go down as the north London club’s last scorer at its White Hart Lane home after 118 years.
A 2-1 victory against Manchester United was the perfect send-off on Sunday, especially as it ensured Tottenham signed out of the stadium as Premier League runners-up — the club’s highest finish in 54 years.
“What a way to finish,” Kane said after fans flooded the field at the final whistle. “We’re disappointed after losing out on the title again.”
Not since 1961 has the league trophy been paraded at White Hart Lane.
“But we’re growing and getting better,” Kane said. “Third (in 2016), second (this year) and hopefully next season we’ll be No. 1.”
The last-ever goal came from Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney, but by that time Tottenham already had the goals it required — from Victor Wanyama’s sixth-minute header and Kane’s 28th goal of the season.
“To be unbeaten at White Hart Lane in the last season here is something to be happy with,” Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said.
While it was a party atmosphere for the hosts, who are seven points behind champion Chelsea, it was another miserable day for Jose Mourinho in his erratic first season in charge of United.
Mourinho has already lifted the League Cup. But defeat at Tottenham ensured United will finish outside the top four just as it did under Louis van Gaal last season, with Champions League qualification now depending on beating Ajax in the Europa League final.
With two games remaining, sixthplace United is 15 points behind Tottenham despite vastly outspending the north London club. Since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 after delivering United’s last league title, United’s net transfer spending has been around 350 million pounds ($450 million). In that time, Tottenham has spent about as much as it has recouped on transfers.
And it is the goals from academy graduate Kane over the last three seasons that have propelled the side up the standings. For the first time ever, Tottenham will play a second consecutive season in the Champions League, providing valuable income from UEFA as it completes the building work on a new 61,000-seat stadium.
After a season across north London at Wembley, Tottenham is due back here for the start of the 2018-19 season.
“It’s an unbelievable stadium and we just have to make sure we feel comfortable there,” midfielder Dele Alli said.
“We’ve got to make sure next season it’s going to be our home for the year so we’ve got to make it as much of a fortress as White Hart Lane has been.”