With Son Heung-min (29) starting out, Tottenham (England) grabbed Dynamo Zagreb (Croatia) in the first round of the European Football Federation (UEFA) Europa League round of 16 and lit a green light to advance to the quarterfinals.
Son Heung-min started in the home game of the 2020-2021 Europa League round of 16 against Zagreb held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on the 12th (Korean time), and played until he was replaced by Stevan Berchbain in the 19th minute of the second half.
Son Heung-min, who is scoring 18 goals and 16 assists (3 goals and 1 assist in the Europa League final) in various tournaments this season, could not add goals or help on this day.
After scoring the 18th goal of the season in the first leg of the 32nd round against Wolfsberger (Austria) on the 19th of last month, he made three assists in four EPL games, but his goal silence increased to his fifth official game.
In the 25th minute of the first half and the 25th minute of the second half, Tottenham won 2-0 thanks to Harry Kane’s multi-goal, and were in an advantageous position to win the second leg of the away game on the 19th.
If Tottenham maintains its dominance in the second game and climbs to the quarterfinals, it will enter the Europa League quarterfinals eight years after the 2012-2013 season.
Even though Tottenham was ahead of the’North London Derby’ against Arsenal in the league at dawn on the 15th, both Son Heung-min and Kane were sent out as starters, aiming for a definite breakout.
Although he was leading the game from the beginning, he couldn’t easily take the lead due to a tight opponent’s defense, but Kane’s first winning goal came out in the 25th minute of the first half, and the game was solved as planned.
After Eric Lamela penetrated into the penalty area with a single dribble, a left-footed shot hit the right post, which Kane finished with his right foot from the left side of the goal area and shook the net.
Tottenham needed an early extra goal to get the main players to rest for Arsenal, but Zagreb, who focused on counterattacking after the defense, didn’t open the door easily.
In the second half of the 19th minute, 1-0 followed, Tottenham played a replacement card with Berchbain, Lucas Mora and Gareth Bale, excluding Son Heung-min, Delhi Ali, and Lamela, and Kane’s additional goal was not long afterwards.
In the 25th minute of the second half, Sergio Orier on the right flanked a long pass from the other side at once into the penalty area, and Kane picked up the ball that opponent defender Kevin Theophyl-Kathrin couldn’t break and shot a right footed shot.
In the 38th minute of the second half, Bale’s sharp left-footed free kick from the left flank was blocked by goalkeeper Dominique Rivakovic and Tottenham missed the chance to score another goal.