BOUF HURTS FOR SPURS
Sub’s screamer takes Jose to another replay
Sofiane Boufal’s screamer forced tired Spurs into another FA Cup replay but Jose Mourinho was just relieved to escape from St Mary’s alive.
It looked like Mourinho’s men would finish the job on the south coast when Son Heung-Min fired them ahead in 58 minutes.
But Saints sub Boufal popped up with three minutes to go to lash home a stunning left-peg leveller from 16 yards.
Tottenham were taken to a replay in the last round by Middlesbrough and yet another fixture is the last thing they need in a crowded schedule.
They have a Champions League last-16 clash with Leipzig coming up next month and Mourinho’s squad is being stretched.
The Spurs gaffer admitted: “We don’t need one more match but we have to play.
“We are alive. We are going on that difficult way! It’s better to draw than to be out. We have a match at home which is difficult of course, but better than losing.”
Both managers fielded close to their strongest sides and Mourinho added: “The desire to do it (win the cup) is the same for everyone.”
Oppos ite number Ra lph Hasenhuttl had a similar outlook and said: “Both sides took it very seriously. We both wanted the win and this is what a cup game is for.
“It was ping-pong a little bit, it could have been 3-3 or 4- 4.
“A replay is not perfect for us but we must accept it.”
Giovani Lo Celso set up the opener for Son with a superb pass and that looked like being the game’s decisive moment.
But Danny Inghs, who had missed a series of chances, made amends by delivering the pass that Boufal thumped home.
Moroccan ace Boufal now plans to dump Spurs in the replay on the road to Wembley.
He said: “We want to go to the final. We are winning a lot of games so we have a lot of confidence.”