Kane ecstatic as Spurs win Champions group
TOTTENHAM Hotspur striker Harry Kane has hailed his side’s achievement of winning their Champions League group after coming from behind to win 2-1 at Borussia Dortmund.
Spurs clinched top spot in Group H following goals by Kane and Son Heung-min sealed victory after Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave the hosts a first-half lead.
The result took already-qualified Tottenham to 13 points and consigned holders Real Madrid to second place in the group with a game left.
“It’s massive, an unbelievable night for us, for the fans, for the club to finish top of the group with one game to spare,” Kane told BT Sport.
“Everyone was down on us before the group.
“It’s a tough place to come and win. Fantastic night.”
Tottenham’s qualification to the Champions League knockout stages as group winners had proved doubters wrong, Kane said.
Tottenham had been expected to struggle in a tough Group H that contained holders Real Madrid and 2013 finalists Dortmund, but the London side have progressed to the knockout stages unbeaten with four wins and a draw after five of six fixtures.
“The group we had, a lot of people doubted us and we wanted to prove them wrong,” Kane said.
“Hopefully we can build on this now for the rest of the campaign.”
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino said Kane’s goal four minutes into the second half had kick-started Spurs.
“The Harry Kane goal turned things around.
“It’s a fantastic achievement to be top of the table as group winners – it’s a big deal for us,” he said.
The Argentine said it had been the perfect response to Saturday’s 2-0 defeat by rivals Arsenal in the Premier League.
Pochettino compared this season’s tough draw to last year’s, when Spurs dropped to the Europa League after failing to progress from a group consisting of AS Monaco, Bayer Leverkusen and CSKA Moscow.
Tottenham Hotspur, who are fourth in the Premier League, host bottom side APOEL Nicosia in their final Group H game next month, with their immediate attention turning to Saturday’s league fixture against 17th-placed West Bromwich Albion. – AFP, Reuters