NVERTONGHEN HELPS SPURS TAKE A GIANT STEP TOWARDS LAST EIGHT
THIS was a statement of intent, a statement that Tottenham have come of age on this grand stage, as they overpowered Borussia Dortmund to all but seal their place in the Champions League quarter-finals in what was a glorious European night for them.
“He’s magic, you know, Mauricio Pochettino,” chanted the Spurs fans soon after the third goal went in and this was a magical night for them; a memorable, magnificent night. They travel to Dortmund in under three weeks time knowing it will take some extraordinary reversal for them not to reach the last eight for the first time since their first Champions League involvement in 2010-’11.
Son Heung-min started it; he broke Dortmund’s resolve with his 11th goal in 12 games and his ninth in 11 matches against Dortmund – a record stretching back to his time in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen.
Here comes the Son and he illuminated this encounter with the prospects made even brighter as Jan Vertonghen also added a volley and, then, substitute Fernando Llorente scored a third which surely ended any doubt as to the outcome of this tie.
Injuries had bit hard for both sides. Spurs missed Harry Kane and Dele Alli but Dortmund were also denied their two biggest threats in captain Marco Reus and Paco Alcacer. Not that it made it cagey.
Both sensed a tie there for the taking; an advantage to be gained.
It was Spurs, pressing high, working hard, who threatened first with Davinson Sanchez winning a header from a clearance with the ball looping back into the Dortmund penalty area where Lucas Moura took it down deftly and sent an angled, crisp volley just past the far post. That was close. Very close.
Surprise
Mauricio Pochettino had sprung something of a surprise by including Juan Foyth, brought into the Champions League squad having been excluded for the group stages to accommodate Mousa Dembele who has since departed for China. But Foyth’s first contribution was poor as he dallied and was dispossessed by Christian Pulisic.
The Chelsea-bound winger bore down on the Spurs goal only for his shot to be deflected away by goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
It encouraged Dortmund with Jadon Sancho showing his pace, as well as his skill, bursting away from Sanchez and then, soon after, playing a smart pass to Mario Gotze only for Pulisic to get his angles wrong with a shot – or was it a cross? England manager Gareth Southgate will have approved of Sancho’s contribution while the 18-year-old had his work cut out with Vertonghen marking him tightly.
Dortmund were also well-drilled in defence and Spurs struggled to find a way through with Son Heung-min starved of possession until he drove in a low cross inside the six-yard area, intended for Moura but which goalkeeper Roman Burki did well to improvise and kick away.
Christian Eriksen was also unable to pick a way through although he was unfortunate when he met Foyth’s low cross only to hook his shot over.
Meanwhile, Lloris beat out shots from both of Dortmund’s defensive midfielders: first from Axel Witsel, then from Thomas Delaney, as the leaders of the Bundesliga reminded Spurs of the threat they posed.
Five points clear of Bayern Munich at the top, having finished their Champions League group ahead of Atletico Madrid, they were a formidable proposition and claims that this was a 50:50 tie were valid. It was. On half-time, Lloris excelled himself as Dan-Axel Zagadou rose to meet Sancho’s cross. It appeared his header was going to beat the Spurs captain but Lloris clawed the ball out one-handed.
Zagadou’s next involvement was far less impressive. Achraf Hakimi was hustled out of possession down Dortmund’s right flank with Eriksen finding Moura who laid the ball off to Vertonghen. He sent in a deep cross
with Son being allowed to run away from Zagadou and guide a side-footed volley past Burki from close-range.
It was the fourth successive game at Wembley in which Son had scored having come back from the Asian Cup after South Korea were eliminated to underline – again – his importance in the absence of Kane and Alli.
Son caused further panic with Delaney taking a swipe at him, earning a caution, as he turned sharply 25 yards out. Soon after, he should have had two more opportunities with Vertonghen again superbly winning the ball back but shooting, instead of playing in Son, and then Eriksen’s cross was cut out by Zagadou.
From the corner, Burki held Toby Alderweireld’s flicked header having already saved from Eriksen. Spurs had raised their game. They were sharper and Dortmund were struggling to contain them although Sanchez had to be alert to deny Pulisic as was Foyth. It was Spurs, though, who struck again. Once more they won the ball back quickly, through Sanchez, with Serge Aurier then crossing.
Vertonghen stole in to crash a brilliant volley high into the net. That shifted the balance of the tie emphatically with Llorente surely sealing their place in the last eight as he met an Eriksen corner at the near post and headed smartly beyond Burki.
Dortmund were beaten; the tie apparently over. What another defining effort by Spurs. (© Daily Telegraph, London)