EASY DOES IT FOR SON AND KANE
Table-toppers Spurs sail through
DELE Alli jinked inside from the left, past two yellow shirts, drew in the third and found Son Heung-min who curled a shot into the top corner and washed away the pain of losing in a North London squabble.
What a difference a goal makes, and what a decent 45 minutes can make, for that matter.
Mauricio Pochettino’s team were subdued in the first-half and trailed to a goal from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who has been in dispute with his club but always seems to cause trouble for Spurs with his electric pace.
Harry Kane came to the rescue with a clinical equaliser, his first goal for a month. It was set up by Alli who then created the second for Son with a fabulous piece of individual skill.
Real Madrid were going goal crazy against APOEL in Cyprus but victory means Spurs are guaranteed to top a very competitive Group H and go into the last 16 in the seeded half of the draw.
It represents good progress after last season’s Champions League flop and their second-half performance will restore confidence.
Pochettino now has the chance to rest players in the final game against APOEL next month as the Premier League gears up for a congested fixture schedule, starting with West Bromwich Albion at home on Saturday.
Moreover, the Spurs boss will be relieved to see his attacking players back in form after minor injuries and a disappointing display at the Emirates Stadium.
Four points from two games against defending champions Real Madrid meant Tottenham travelled to Germany knowing they were safely into the last 16 but determined to respond to Saturday’s defeat at Arsenal.
Pochettino made four changes, with a recall for Danny Rose who was omitted from the squad for the North London derby.
Rose’s first contribution was to bring down winger Andriy Yarmolenko. His next was to attempt a pass with his shoulder, which went horribly wrong.
Son was paired with Harry Kane up front in the 3-5-2 formation preferred by the Spurs boss for Champions League away games.
Son scored five in five against them while in the Bundesliga with Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen and has scored twice against them as a Tottenham player, including one in a 3-1 win at Wembley.
Dortmund came into the game having won only once in their last eight games and that a cup tie against third-tier opposition but they opened with confidence, Yarmolenko forcing an early save from Hugo Lloris.
Aubameyang ought to have put them ahead when released by Ukrainian winger Yarmolenko.
Pochettino reshuffled his backthree, deploying Davinson Sanchez in the centre in an attempt to check Aubameyang’s pace.
But the Dortmund striker slipped clear onto Yarmolenko’s pass in the 19th minute and Spurs were only saved by his terrible finish.
But Aubameyang proved more clinical with his next chance.
Again released by by Yarmolenko, he showed more composure, driving the ball low past Lloris from an angle.
Spurs created very little in the first half. Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki made a routine stop to deny Son before two excellent saves in quick succession. The first from Christian Eriksen who connected firmly with a low cross by Rose and then from Eric Dier’s header from the following corner.
Pochettino’s team stirred and returned after the interval with more purpose and intensity, with Alli operating higher up the pitch.
Within four minutes of the restart they were level. Rose won the ball, wide on the left, and Alli found Kane, who shifted the ball quickly and fired it low past Burki. It was an 18th goal in his last 17 games for club and country and his sixth in five in the Champions League.
From here, Alli became the dominant force in the game, smashing one effort wide from 20 yards and preying on Dortmund mistakes.
His jinking run helped Son score the winner with a cool finish, curled into the top corner.
Dortmund’s disappointing evening ended when Swiss keeper Burki was carried off in stoppage time after a save at substitute Fernando Llorente’s feet.
But for Spurs, the North London derby was forgotten. They were heading for the business end of the Champions League and Arsenal were in the Europa League
Their fans, who sang all night, felt safe to taunt their neighbours with ‘Are you watching, Arsenal?’. BORUSSIA DORTMUND (4-3-3): Burki 6 (Weidenfeller 90min); Toljan 6, Bartra 6, Zagadou 6.5 (Toprak 78), Schmelzer 6; Kagawa 6 (Castro 66, 5), Weigl 6, Gotze 6.5; Yarmolenko 7, Aubameyang 7, Guerreiro 6. Subs not used: Sahin, Dahoud, Philipp, Schurrle. Scorer: Aubameyang 31. Booked: Schmelzer, Toljan. Manager: Peter Bosz 6. TOTTENHAM HOTPSUR (3-5-2): Lloris 6; Dier 6, Sanchez 6, Vertonghen 6.5; Aurier 6, Eriksen 7 (Sissoko 85), Winks 6.5, ALLI 7.5 (Dembele 81), Rose 5.5; Son 7, Kane 7 (Llorente 86). Subs not used: Vorm, Trippier, Foyth, Davies. Scorers: Kane 49, Son 75. Booked: None. Manager: Mauricio Pochettino 6.5. Referee: Clement Turpin (Fra) 6. Attendance: 65,849.