Eriksen fires Spurs to first league win at Wembley
The Harry Kane team? Perhaps Hugo Lloris and Christian Eriksen are equally entitled to the epithet after playing key roles in Tottenham’s belated first league triumph at their temporary Wembley home.
Goalkeeper Lloris denied plucky Bournemouth with crucial saves in each half, while Eriksen, outstanding throughout, struck moments after the interval to give his side a long-overdue Wembley lift-off with their first victory in four attempts.
But if you insist on a Harry, how about new England World Cup squad prospect Harry Winks, who shone in the middle of the park?
Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, had been labelled “disrespectful” and “sad” by Tottenham counterpart Mauricio Pochettino for suggesting his side were a one-man team, after Kane had taken his club tally to 11 goals in six matches.
Pochettino’s players came up with their own collective riposte, for as Kane uncharacteristically struggled to find the goal touch, others stepped forward to ensure a huge week – that continues with a Champions League visit to Real Madrid on Tuesday and rounds off against Liverpool back at Wembley on Sunday – got off to a successful start.
“The most important thing is the quality of the group and winning games, but it is also important different players score the goals,” said Pochettino. “It was so important for us to win today. It was not a great performance but it was enough to win.
“We had a bit of a problem and it was difficult but in the second half we changed our positions, moved the ball more quickly to create openings and move forward.”
The Tottenham manager was also relieved to collect that elusive first Wembley three-pointer. “It is important that you feel you can win here, that Wembley is your home,” he said.
Bournemouth had pace in attack, and Joshua King threatened to discomfort the Spurs rearguard on the visitors’ occasional breakaway moments. It took nearly 20 minutes for Bournemouth to mount their first serious attack but it nearly silenced Wembley. Adam Smith broke free down the right and his cross was perfectly placed for Junior Stanislas, just inside the penalty area, whose shot cannoned off Davinson Sanchez for a corner.
Moments later, after Bournemouth had forced a second corner, Lloris then reacted brilliantly to push away the ball after an inadvertent ricochet off Eric Dier’s shoulder.
So secure in the first half, but unlocked within seconds of the restart. It was a shattering blow for Bournemouth but how the relief rolled around the huge stadium. Heung-min Son was the creator, skipping in from the right to find Eriksen, who conjured the ball around Simon Francis, with the help of a kindly bounce, before stroking a leftfooted finish just inside Asmir Begovic’s right-hand post.
Tottenham were quickly moving up the gears and could have been out of sight if Kane’s unusually subdued afternoon in front of goal had not continued. The England marksman had a header ruled out for offside in the 58th minute, saw two efforts saved pointblank in quick succession by Begovic, then tried a volley that, 90 degrees off target, rolled out for a throw-in.
From a current Tottenham striking favourite to a Spurs legend. Bournemouth introduced Jermain Defoe to rapturous Wembley applause in the 74th minute, and four minutes later he almost levelled, Lloris utilising a foot to thwart his goalbound effort. Kane had been withdrawn, with one eye on Madrid in mind, before the final late drama in which Spurs might have doubled their lead. A swift break, led by Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, ended when the substitute was poleaxed by Begovic just outside the penalty area.
The Bournemouth goalkeeper was probably relieved to escape with a yellow card, Nkoudou required lengthy treatment but not a stretcher ride and, eventually, Eriksen flashed the free-kick too high.
It was not always pretty but Tottenham were left to celebrate a triumph built firmly on the foundations of teamwork. Pochettino could not have made the point better himself.