KILLER KANE
Job done for Spurs but it’s over and out for Bale and Madrid
HARRY KANE fired Tottenham into the Champions League quarter-finals with a clinical finish in Germany last night.
The England captain scored from Moussa Sissoko’s pass after 49 minutes against Borussia Dortmund for his 14th goal in 17 games in the competition, making him Spurs’ record goalscorer in Europe. ‘It was a mature display,’ said Kane. ‘We’re delighted.’
Ajax pulled off a stunning 4-1 triumph in Spain to knock out Real Madrid, winners in four of the past five seasons, 5-3 on aggregate.
AND that’s how you do it. Harry Kane had spoken of Tottenham needing to show they can rise to the biggest challenges, the main events — and here, they did.
Nothing Spursy about this. It was a magnificent example of big-match finishing. Not just Kane’s goal, but the whole team performance.
What needs to change is the view that Tottenham are a work in progress, and this Champions League campaign has a glass ceiling. Any team who can beat the Bundesliga leaders 4-0 on aggregate is not subject to limitations.
Yes, there are better teams in Europe; yes, many of those in the quarter-final draw will have considerably more experience. Yet across the last two seasons, Tottenham have defeated Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and got a draw at Barcelona when required. It can no longer be said they do not have the pedigree.
Jan Vertonghen and Hugo Lloris carried on where they left of at Wembley on Saturday. They were outstanding. Then, given one chance to end the game as a contest, Kane did not disappoint.
He is now Tottenham’s leading European goalscorer — an accolade he takes from Jermain Defoe and not, for once, from Jimmy Greaves — and this showed why.
It was the perfect finish, from a perfect finisher. Had Dortmund possessed one like him, they might have stood a chance.
Christian Eriksen’s pass in the heart of midfield was cut out, but the ball ran loose to Moussa Sissoko. He saw Kane’s sublimely judged run and reacted quickly.
Kane, free of his markers, lashed a right-foot shot past Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki.
As Kane had noted, too often in the past Tottenham had found ways to lose. They did a year ago, drawing and scoring two away goals against Juventus, leading them 1-0 at Wembley, and then conceding two in quick succession to go out in the last 16. It was imperative, he said, that they go deeper this time.
And they have. Yet they have
achieved more. Who might Tottenham be ready to take on after this? The answer is anybody.
The problem with three-goal leads — and most coaches will understandably say that is a misnomer — is that it places the advantaged team in a dilemma. Hold what you have, or force that advantage further?
So, early on here at least, Spurs appeared a little unsure. They are a good attacking team but with three centre halves and two fullbacks lying deeper than usual, it was clear Mauricio Pochettino had instructed them not to take unnecessary risks. Inviting opponents on, however, is not natural for them and there were several close shaves in the initial exchanges.
Seeing Eriksen in his own box making crucial blocks was confirmation of Tottenham’s plan. They
were still trying to win, albeit on the counter attack, but the starting point was defiance.
Anyone who saw the conclusion to the game with Arsenal on Saturday will know Vertonghen is good at that. It was his quite stunning tackle on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang that denied Arsenal victory in the last minute. And he carried on where he left off, with a brilliant tackle on Marco Reus to stop Dortmund’s captain in his tracks after 11 minutes.
Reus it was again, from the next attack, hitting a cross which Davinson Sanchez did well to clear. Capping an excellent passage of play for Dortmund, Reus then had a deflected shot saved at the second attempt by Lloris, after a cross from Raphael Guerreiro.
There were two moments when all inside this wonderful arena
thought they had the first goal. Julian Weigl forced two titanic stops — first from Lloris from close range, then a block from Kane when the follow-up fell fortuitously to the same Dortmund man.
Then, after Reus had tested Lloris, Mario Gotze did the same — his effort necessitating a superb, acrobatic stop. Pochettino pulled Son Heung-min back even deeper and reverted to 5-4-1.
The impact was hardly immediate. Just four minutes later, Lloris was needed again — this time to keep out Jadon Sancho, Marius Wolf frustrated following in. And yet, given a goal from Tottenham would leave Dortmund requiring five, defensive tactics were hardly unreasonable. Indeed, it almost paid off for Tottenham — Dortmund caught out as they threw numbers forward. Their move
broke down and an Eriksen flick played in Son. It could have been game over but Son has not looked the same striking force since Kane returned. He snatched at his shot.
Pochettino would have been delighted with the half-time score — but mindful it was the same at Wembley in the first leg, and the home team that night scored three second-half goals.
DORTMUND (4-3-3): Burki, Wolf (Bruun Larsen 62), Akanji, Weigl, Diallo, Sancho, Reus (Delaney 74), Witsel, Gotze, Guerreiro (Pulisic 62), Alcacer. Subs not used: Hitz, Zagadou, Hakimi, Schmelzer. TOTTENHAM (4-3-3): Lloris, Aurier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies, Winks (Dier 55), Sissoko, Eriksen (Rose 83), Son (Lamela 71), Kane. Subs not used: Gazzaniga, Wanyama, , Llorente, Lucas Moura. Referee: Danny Makkelie (Holland)