West Ham United vs Tottenham Hotspur. Premier League.
London StadiumAttendance56,988.
Saturday 23 September 2017 20:09, UK
Harry Kane scored twice as Tottenham beat West Ham 3-2 in the Premier League on Saturday, surviving a red card and a late home fightback.
Kane produced a leaping header to score the opener at the London Stadium (35) and added his second with a simple tap-in not long after (39), before Christian Eriksen hit a hard, low effort to add the third in the second half (60).
There were some hopes of a West Ham comeback when Javier Hernandez (65) and Cheikhou Kouyate (87) cut the deficit and Serge Aurier was sent off after picking up a second yellow card for two fouls (70).
But Spurs saw out the game to take all three points and sit joint-fourth in the fledgling table, while West Ham dropped to 18th with just four points from six games.
It was a mostly quiet first half and it took 24 minutes for the first real chance to materialise. Aurier burst down the right wing, before driving in a low cross that Kane got caught in his feet and could not slot home at the back post. However, the offside flag made the outcome irrelevant.
But Kane made no mistake 10 minutes later as he gave Tottenham the lead. It was a superb passing move from the visitors as Eriksen picked out Dele Alli on the right flank with a superb diagonal ball. The midfielder then delivered a cross for the striker who produced a leaping header to hammer the ball into the net and continue his superb scoring record in London derbies.
Kane made it two just four minutes later with a simple tap in. Alli's initial shot after a lovely slotted pass from Jan Vertonghen was parried away by Joe Hart but the Spurs striker was lurking in acres of space in the middle of the box to slide home.
Tottenham added their third goal on the hour mark, and Kane was involved again. His sweeping free-kick clattered off the crossbar, landing at the feet of Aurier, whose own deflected cross fell to Eriksen. The Dane then hit a low shot through the box that saw the ball evade Hart.
The goals kept coming, but this time at the other end as West Ham pulled one back five minutes later. It was a first goal against Tottenham for Hernandez, who nodded home at the back post after Jose Fonte had flicked on a corner.
It signalled a slight turn of fortune for the visitors, who went down to 10 men with 20 minutes left to play. It was a second yellow card for Aurier for two fouls - the second a reckless challenge on Andy Carroll - and he was given his marching orders by referee Michael Oliver.
Tottenham were made to work for their victory as Kouyate powered a superb header home in the 87th minute, converting a fantastic cross from Arthur Masuaku on the left flank, but they could not find the final finish as Spurs took all three points back to north London.
Slaven Bilic: "We are disappointed we lost the game. Until that first goal we were proper like last year when we beat them, it was a really good performance.
"Then we lose one ball, with enough players behind, and it was a brilliant finish. But it was a good fight from our side."
Mauricio Pochettino: "I find it hard to find the words to describe him [Harry Kane]. I am in love like the fans are in love, like his team-mates are in love.
"He is so humble, he keeps all the values that managers like me appreciate a lot. That is why I am in love with him for different reasons."
Jamie Redknapp: "Tottenham have the best centre-forward in the country by a mile in Harry Kane.
"Everything is there for him at Spurs and they have a great young team but it's a case of rewarding him now. Make it right that he stays at Tottenham.
"Whatever the top player in the country earns per week, he should have parity. It's as simple as that. He was sensational."
It was another match-winning performance from the Tottenham striker. He added two goals to his tally for the Premier League season (4), and netted his 25th goal in 23 appearances for Spurs in 2017 - only Lionel Messi (34 in 26 apps) has scored more in Europe's top 5 leagues.
It was also his sixth and seventh goals against West Ham, with former Spurs striker Teddy Sheringham calling him the "complete player" in his post-match analysis. He could have nabbed his hat-trick after he twice struck the crossbar in the second half, but he will surely be pleased with his haul at the London Stadium nonetheless.
West Ham will be back in action at the London Stadium next weekend as they welcome Swansea in the Premier League on Saturday.
Tottenham are in Champions League action on Tuesday as they travel to Cyprus to face Apoel before a Nissan Super Sunday clash with Huddersfield at the John Smith's Stadium live on Sky Sports.
