Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WE KANE STILL PULL THIS OFF
Super skipper to the rescue as Spurs keep Euro dream alive
JUST what would they do without him?
For what seemed like the umpteenth time this season, Harry Kane saved Tottenham.
This time it was a dramatic late show, scoring twice to just about keep their Champions League hopes alive.
They still need a miracle of course, but where there is Kane there is always hope because Spurs’ go-to man just refuses to give up.
Make no mistake, the hosts were heading for the Europa League until somehow Kane delivered once again in the last 12 minutes.
Blimey, when the new stadium finally opens they might as well put up a statue of Kane straight away because he is already a club legend and their main man.
It was not even as if the striker had a great game – anything but – and yet he has this remarkable knack of always finding the net, this time to break PSV hearts.
It just about keeps Mauricio Pochettino and his side’s campaign alive, even if they constantly seem to make life so hard for themselves in this tournament.
They got off to a disastrous start at Wembley. There were just 63 seconds on the clock when PSV went ahead.
Slack marking, a lack of defensive discipline and an absolute gift of a goal for opponents who Spurs would surely beat if this was a Premier League game, PSV are hardly European heavyweights.
But Pochettino seems to have had a mental block at times in Europe and mistakes they would not dream of in the Premier League have become a regular occurrence.
Gaston Pereiro’s corner caused mayhem in the
Spurs box, Dele
Alli was blocked off and lost his man, and that allowed Luuk de
Jong to climb above
Toby Alderweireld and head powerfully home.
Big sections of Wembley were still taking their seats and fans sat down open mouthed at the early blow.
The hosts, to their credit, came back and will still be wondering how on earth they did not score from a deluge of first-half pressure and chances.
Davinson Sanchez’s header was flicked goalwards by Alli only for PSV defender Angelino to clear it off the line. Lucas Moura was easily Tottenham’s best player, the Brazilian winger’s power and pace putting Eindhoven on the back foot.
His 23rd-minute run was superb, ghosting past three defenders only for PSV keeper Jeroen Zoet to make a super save. Lucas caused havoc shortly afterwards, his run and cross just beyond Sanchez at the back post as PSV defended for their lives.
Zoet then made brilliant saves, first to deny Christian Eriksen and Alli, and then Alli went through again, only for the PSV keeper to deny him with a brilliant last-ditch stop. Tottenham just could not find a way through and, amid the frustration, the fans booed when Pochettino took off Lucas to bring on Erik Lamela.
It says something when even supporters who sing about Pochettino’s magic voice their frustration at their beloved manager. It was the first time some regular Spurs watchers can ever remember a Pochettino (left) substitution being booed.
But it was another switch, bringing on Fernando Llorente, which at last changed Spurs’ fortunes and gave them an extra edge in attack.
Llorente linking up with Kane suddenly gave PSV problems. Sure enough, Llorente’s clever lay-off set up Kane to drive home the equaliser after 78 minutes.
Spurs had the bit between their teeth but, as they stormed forward, they also left gaps in defence for PSV substitute Donyell Malen, whose driven shot forced a brilliant save from stand-in keeper Paulo Gazzaniga.
But just when it was slipping away, up popped Kane again.
Ben Davies put over a good cross from the left,
Kane rose above the PSV defence and his header took TWO deflections before dribbling past Zoet.
Spurs are still clinging on by their fingernails. But with Kane, they always have a chance.