in Match Review, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United

Match Report: Harry Kane Double Helps Tottenham Ward Off Late West Ham Counter-Attack

Tottenham Hotspur survived a huge scare at the London Stadium on Saturday after they defeated a combative West Ham United side 3-2. The Spurs have their striker Harry Kane to thank after his two early strikes ensured they had enough to keep the lead after ninety minutes.

Apart from Kane, Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen also got himself in the scoresheet by scoring at the hour mark. Spurs, however, made it more difficult for themselves when defender Serge Aurier got sent off in the 70th minute. Goals from Javier Hernandez and Cheikhou Kouyate kept things tense until the final minute. Still, 10-man Tottenham would hang on to secure all three points come full time.

The game kicked off with Tottenham firmly in the driver seat, eager to attack during the early stages. It was West Ham, however, who would shoot their first attempt at goal. Hammers’ summer arrival Javier Hernandez nearly scored the opening goal with a volley, but misses the target and instead hits the roof of the net.

The Hammers were doing brilliant defending and the away side were unable to unlock West Ham’s back line. Kane had a couple of attempts at goal but none were able to find the net. That breakthrough, however, soon came in the 34th minute. Andy Carroll blunders the ball away, passing it straight towards midfield magician Dele Alli, who nimbly passes through the entire West Ham defence. He then crosses the ball to Kane in the centre, who heads home for the opening goal.

Kane would score his second just four minutes after. Clearly distraught from conceding the first goal, West Ham lost focus and let in another goal, with Kane once again doing the damage.

Early in the second half and Spurs resume their cruise control. Come the hour mark, a brilliant goal from Christian Eriksen made it seem like the job was done for Mauricio Pochettino’s men. They were three goals ahead, with West Ham’s defence appearing to be in disarray.

However, the Hammers found themselves a glimmer of hope when a Jose Fonte flick-on sent the ball towards Chicharito, who heads the ball home from close-range.

What seemed like a consolation goal soon gave way to an unlikely comeback when Spurs’ Aurier was sent off for a second yellow card in the 69th minute. West Ham obliged, scoring three minutes from regular time through Cheikhou Kouyate with a powerful header.

From there, the Hammers smelled blood, but were unable to find their prey in the end as Spurs escape the match with three points still in the bag.

The win propels Tottenham to third place after six games with 11 points. However, the rest of the league are yet to play and Spurs would do well not to rest on their laurels. They have scored the same amount of goals the same time last season, 10, but conceded more than double than what they did in the same period. If they are keen to chase for the title once again this season, they would have to be more clinical and more efficient.

If this match is anything to go by, it appears Spurs need a lot more to improve on.

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