POCH’S SON IS SHINING
Super Spurs on top after Harry hits back
TOTTENHAM fans greeted their side’s victory with a chant of “Are you watching Arsenal?” after winning their group with a game to spare.
Who cares if you lose to your local rivals when you finish above Real Madrid?
Harry Kane’s sixth Champions League goal means that Cristiano Ronaldo is the only man in front of him in the hunt for the golden boot.
It leaves the Spurs striker four short of the half-century he has set his sights on in 2017 for club and country.
Despite falling behind, the win was no more that Mauricio Pochettino’s side deserved.
They showed that no setback, such as the loss to Arsenal on Saturday, can disguise how far they have come in recent years.
It was 20 months ago that Spurs left this impressive and intimidating cauldron with their tails between their legs.
Education
They were then left staring at an exit from the last 16 of the Europa League following a 3-0 first leg defeat. It had been an education.
Only Kane and Hugo Lloris from that night in March 2016 were among the starters last night.
But it was not just the faces that had changed – it was Spurs’ attitude.
Tottenham had already qualified for the knockout stages and had looked every bit the part in doing so.
Now the only thing up for grabs was whether they could top a group that included Real Madrid as well as last night’s German opponents.
A surprisingly strong line-up started brightly.
Within the opening minutes, Heungmin Son, who was to strike the winning goal, was put through by Dele Alli.
Dan-Axel Zagadou had to scurry back to prevent the South Korea international from drawing first blood.
Dortmund are on a poor run of form and striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was suspended by the club for their game at the weekend for his attitude in training.
In the 19th minute, Aubameyang should have announced his return after a clever chip from Andriy Yarmalenko but scuffed a poor shot wide.
Aubameyang is not one to stay quiet for long, however, and when he was put through by Yarmolenko’s clever flick just after the half-hour, he finished calmly.
He was, rather pointedly, hardly excitable in his celebration.
Tottenham rallied and Dortmund keeper Roman Burki twice pulled off world class saves to keep the German side in front heading into the break.
A brilliant move started by Christian Eriksen looked to have been ended by the Dane, too, when he swept the ball goalwards only for Burki to make an extraordinary block.
Tottenham won a corner and Eric Dier’s header looked destined for the corner before again being clawed away by the Dortmund stopper. Then Kane scored his first goal for 30 days.
Danny Rose won possession, Alli quickly switched the ball inside and for all the heroics in the first half, it was a relatively simple strike that beat Burki.
Eriksen’s sublime pass could not quite find Kane just after the hour and Alli ended up shooting wide but Tottenham were the team pressing.
Alli, who had a disappointing north London derby, helped turn the game around.
In the 76th minute, he was at his quicksilver best, slipping through the Dortmund defence to tee up Son to seal another fine European victory.