Kane helps tame Wolves, boost Spurs’ European chances

LONDON — Tottenham Hotspur’s England striker Harry Kane yesterday scored his 22nd Premier League goal of the season to help his side to a 2-0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers which boosted their bid to secure European football for next season.

After Kane’s late first-half strike, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg grabbed Tottenham’s second just past the hour to seal a victory which lifted Ryan Mason’s team to sixth in the standings.

Kane, the league’s leading scorer, struck on the stroke of halftime, shortly after seeing Conor Coady block his header on the goal-line with the England defender then also clearing a goalbound follow-up shot from Giovani Lo Celso.

Hojbjerg spotted Kane with space in behind and played in the England captain who took the ball into the area and showed composure to hold off Coady and deliver a cool finish past a diving Rui Patricio.

Spurs hit the post twice in a matter of seconds shortly after the break but finally doubled their lead when a low drive from Gareth Bale was parried into the path of Denmark midfielder Hojbjerg who ran into the six-yard box to tap the ball home.

Wolves rarely threatened and Spurs comfortably held on to move to 59 points, within five points of fourthplaced Chelsea with two matches to play. They are one point behind Liverpool, who are fifth with a game in hand. Wolves remained 12th.

Liverpool visited bottom side West Bromwich Albion late yesterday.

Earlier on, Wilfried Zaha scored his 11th Premier League goal of the season as Crystal Palace came from behind to defeat Aston Villa 3-2.

Goals from Christian Benteke, Zaha and Tyrick Mitchell helped the Eagles grab maximum points after they came from behind twice at Selhurst Park

The 28-year-old benefitted from Eberechi Eze’s assist in the 75th minute to put the hosts level at 2-2 before Mitchell’s late match-winning goal.

Zaha’s effort yesterday was his first goal at home since January 26 against West Ham United, and it took him past his best goalscoring tally in an English top-flight campaign when he scored 10 goals in 34 matches in 2018-19.

This season, the Ivory Coast international has scored 11 goals in 28 matches for Roy Hodgson’s side so far, which is an improvement after he grabbed four goals in 38 league outings last year.

Aston Villa, on the other end, continued their struggles in the Premier League as they have lost four of their last seven matches after scoring first.