Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United. Premier League.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Report and free highlights as Kane and Soucek own goal settle derby after Heung-Min Son thwarted by VAR in marginal offside call; David Moyes fumes at opener
Wednesday 24 June 2020 06:04, UK
Harry Kane scored his first goal since returning from injury as Tottenham boosted their hopes of European football with a 2-0 win that keeps West Ham deep in relegation trouble.
Tomas Soucek unwittingly bundled into his own net (64) - the ball hitting Davinson Sanchez's arm in the build-up - to finally gift the breakthrough to a Spurs side that had seen Heung-Min Son denied by VAR at the end of an even first half.
Kane, passionately backed to thrive in a Jose Mourinho team by his manager ahead of kick-off, then raced onto Son's through-ball and finished smartly (82) on his 200th Premier League appearance for the club.
Mourinho's men had struggled for fluidity in attack against their London rivals but a first league win in five moves them to seventh - six points off fourth-placed Chelsea - for now at least.
Jarrod Bowen hit the post for West Ham before Kane made sure but a fifth defeat in six means David Moyes' beleaguered team stay above the relegation zone only on goal difference, having played a game more than the sides below them.
Both sides knelt again before kick-off in Spurs' cavernous stadium but it was West Ham who had early sight of goal when Michail Antonio cushioned a ball on his chest and flicked into the path of Mark Noble, whose penalty appeals were futile.
The visitors were far perkier after a damaging defeat to Wolves and a double Spurs intervention was needed as Hugo Lloris blocked Antonio's angled shot with his shins, before Eric Dier repelled Bowen's follow-up.
But Moura, jinking to craft space, forced Lukasz Fabianski into a fingertip save at the other end and Kane, without a single touch in the penalty box against Manchester United, rifled one fierce effort and then flashed a header wide as Spurs sought a foothold.
Mourinho watched on pensively as a string of home attacks instead fizzled out, and subsequent delight proved short-lived. Son spun to celebrate after cutting inside and drilling low into the corner, only for Stockley Park's red line to render him marginally offside. "That's what VAR has been brought in for," said Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp. "Whether you like it or not, it's the right decision."
Moura should have found the net legitimately seconds later, side-footing wide when well-placed, but Spurs returned with fresh impetus, Dier taking aim and then Kane going close with an improvised flick at the byline.
Pablo Fornals spurned a rare West Ham chance, scuffing Bowen's cut-back, but Spurs' aim remained equally off as Dele Alli dragged wide and Kane drilled across goal but just beyond the far post.
The deadlock was finally broken in scrappy - and controversial - style.
Soucek failed to adjust his feet as Moura flicked on Lo Celso's delivery, though replays showed the ball had brushed Sanchez's arm and Moyes fumed after full-time.
West Ham were agonisingly close to hitting back when Bowen struck an upright but Spurs instead doubled their lead within minutes, Kane timing his run to collect Son's pass and curling into the corner.
The England striker might have grabbed a second from Serge Aurier's centre just before the whistle but Kane was already back in the goals after a six-month lay-off and back, as Mourinho predicted, in the headlines.
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho on Harry Kane: "I'm happy for him. Again, he worked a lot. He worked phenomenal during this period, even in lockdown he did amazing work in his house to recover, and then with us to get in condition to help the team. He had the power, the will to go, and then in front of the goalkeeper, I used to say a tired player misses the majority of the time, but facing Fabianski he was Harry, he didn't miss. he's coming back."
"I am happy with lots of things today, first of all, the result, then the clean sheet. The team is more solid, the players have less doubt."
West Ham boss David Moyes on Spurs' first goal: "I can't believe they've ruled it as a goal. We had a great goal ruled out against Sheffield United for something - and they've not ruled that one out? I don't think it's a particularly good rule but it's the rule. For them not to give that, I can't believe it.
"I thought the team worked really hard. We had a shape to make it difficult for Tottenham and we had chances in the game, so there were a lot of good things I can take from the game. They put in a tremendous amount of effort but ultimately we need points to go with it. We're lacking goals and are short on options to make that happen. We have to take our chances as we're not going to have loads of opportunities."
Tottenham face Sheffield United at Bramall Lane - live on Sky Sports - on Thursday July 2, while West Ham play Chelsea in another London derby that night before. That game is also live on Sky Sports.
