Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City. UEFA Champions League Quarter Final.
Tottenham Hotspur StadiumAttendance60,044.
Report as Hugo Lloris saves a first-half penalty from Sergio Aguero and Harry Kane suffers ankle injury in Champions League quarter-final first leg
Wednesday 10 April 2019 06:51, UK
Heung-Min Son's late strike gave Tottenham a 1-0 win over Manchester City in their Champions League quarter-final first leg, after Sergio Aguero had missed a first-half penalty.
Manchester City were awarded a spot kick 11 minutes in after a VAR review as Raheem Sterling's shot hit the arm of Danny Rose, but Hugo Lloris guessed correctly to save Aguero's effort.
There was concern for Spurs as Harry Kane was forced off - later leaving on crutches - having been caught on his troublesome left ankle by Fabian Delph before the hour mark, but the hosts got their goal as Son kept the ball in at the right byline, found a yard on Delph and struck left-footed under Ederson inside the box (78).
Spurs now take a narrow advantage into the second leg at the Etihad a week on Wednesday, looking to reach their first European Cup semi-final since 1962, while City must come from behind to keep their quadruple hopes alive.
There was controversy early on as Rose blocked Sterling's effort inside the box, and despite being just four yards away from the City man when the effort was struck, referee Bjorn Kuipers pointed to the spot after a VAR review.
Aguero, back in the side for Gabriel Jesus, chose to go right, but Lloris saved for the third time in 2019 to keep the scores level.
That save seemed to jolt Spurs as they marginally had the better of the remainder of the half, going closest through Kane as he found himself free 12 yards out and forced Ederson into a decent save.
With a huge second leg and vital top-four battle to come for Spurs, they were dealt a blow when Kane was taken off with an ankle injury as he went in hard on Delph, who inadvertently caught his ankle, the same left ankle which kept him out for six weeks at the beginning of the year. His manager Mauricio Pochettino admitted after the game that Kane could be out for the rest of the season.
Towards the end of a second half lacking in chances, Spurs got their goal through Son, who just stayed onside from Christian Eriksen's pass and showed great balance to keep the ball in play at the byline.
Moving onto his left foot, the man who scored the first goal at Spurs' new stadium on its opening night last week found the back of the net again through Ederson from 10 yards to send the home crowd into a frenzy.
City were flat throughout and failed to find a leveller and vital away goal late on, as Spurs made it two from two in their new stadium.
Two games. Two handballs. One penalty given. One not. Tuesday night saw VAR bring confusion to the Champions League again, but what exactly are the rules?
Spurs' win didn't stop Pochettino letting loose on the system, fearing: "We are going to see a different sport, not the football we grow up watching."
We run through the incidents, the reaction, the social media interpretations and the rules…
Asked after the 1-0 win whether he feels Kane could miss the rest of the season, Mauricio Pochettino said: "Yes. We need to check tomorrow but it looks the same, a similar issue.
"I'm very sad, very disappointed, and it's going to be tough for the rest of the season."
Stuart Pearce and Danny Murphy reacted to Spurs' injury blow on The Debate, with both of the opinion Pochettino's side could progress in his absence.
Spurs' most effective player in the final third, finding a few half-chances in the first half and taking the goal superbly. Spotted a weak link in Delph and took full advantage after showing fine balance to keep the ball in play. Spurs' big-game player.
Mauricio Pochettino: "Still, a lot of work to do, still Man City is the favourite to win the Champions League. Of course it is going to be tough. In one week it will be a completely different game. But the win gives us the belief, we are going to be there and fight a lot."
Pep Guardiola: "It leaves us in this situation in the second leg, but sometimes 1-0 can be better than 0-0 because you know exactly what you have to do.
"At 0-0, you think about whether to attacking or defend, but we know we have to score goals. We'll be analysing the result, but right now I feel good about how we played - we controlled the game and maybe next week it will work."
Tottenham now host Huddersfield on Saturday at 12.30pm, live on Sky Sports Premier League from 11.30am, while City are at Crystal Palace on Super Sunday at 2.05pm on Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage from 1pm. The second leg of this tie takes place at the Etihad on Wednesday, April 17, at 8pm.
