Sunday, November 20, 2016

Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 West Ham: Harry Kane's late double downs the Hammers

Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 West Ham: Harry Kane

Harry Kane scored two goals in the final two minutes to secure a 3-2 victory over West Ham which keeps the pressure on the Premier League top four.

The Hammers took the lead twice during the game, Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini netting either side of Harry Winks’ equaliser on his first ever Premier League start.

But when it appeared Lanzini’s goal was going to be the winner, Kane scored two late goals – including one penalty – to claim all three points and ensure Tottenham’s unbeaten run continues.

The hosts started on the front foot, Winks and Kane combining well with the latter firing wide with a volley, and Eriksen seeing his stunning strike correctly ruled out for offside.

But for all the attacking threat Spurs were showing, their defence was certainly looking porous at the back; Sakho and Antonio both going through on goal but wasting their opportunities.

But Antonio got his goal, opening the scoring after 25 minutes with another header.

A corner caused chaos in the hosts’ area, and when Reid smashed a shot across goal, Antonio was there to crash the ball into the back of the net from a yard out.

The goal appeared to knock the wind out of Spurs, and passes that were earlier sticking were no longer finding their target.

Payet hit the wall with a free-kick and Rose flashed a strike wide from inside the area, as neither team managed to test the opposition keeper again before the break.

The second period started slowly, with both sides struggled to recreate the energy shown in the opening 45 minutes.

The first real chance was presented to Payet, who was brilliantly dispossessed by Vertonghen with a last ditch sliding tackle inside the box.

But then, out of nothing, Spurs grabbed an equaliser through Winks, scoring on his first Premier League start.

Rose tore down the left flank and sent a powerful cross into the area, which Janssen did well to bring down, before turning with possession and forcing a save from Randolph in goal.

It was an impressive stop from the Irishman, but he could only parry the ball straight out to Winks, who converted from inside the six-yard-box to level.

The hosts started to dominate following the goal, Kane and Rose both having strikes blocked as they flew towards goal, and Dier forcing a remarkable reaction save from Randolph with a header.

But, the shaky Spurs defence crumbled again when West Ham broke forward, with Antonio winning a corner off Rose.

From the set piece, the Hammers won a penalty after Janssen pulled Reid to the ground, and Lanzini fired the resultant spot-kick past Lloris to regain the lead for the visitors.

West Ham wasted the chance to extend the lead twice in quick succession, Zaza firing wide and then forcing an easy save from Lloris, and Bilic’s men looked likely to score the next goal as the hosts chased their own equaliser.

There were unheeded calls for a Spurs penalty, when Kane was seemingly hauled down in the area, before Alli and Eriksen missed free-kick opportunities as the draw seemed to be falling out of reach.

But, with just two minutes remaining, Kane tapped the equaliser into the empty net after some great work from Son on the left wing.

And as the game passed the 90-minute mark, Son was taken down in the box by Nordtveit, and Kane smashed the resultant penalty home – securing all three points in the process, with Reid being sent off for visitors seconds before the final whistle was sounded.