Tottenham Hotspur 5-0 Red Star Belgrade
How Spurs needed this!
This was a Champions League cruise for last season’s defeated finalists, who are back in control of their own destiny in Group B.
In truth, this result will not surprise too many.
Spurs may have been terribly out of form by winning just three out of 12 going into this encounter, yet they remained white-hot favourites with the SBOBET Champions League 2019 betting odds to prevail against opposition who have never taken a point on their travels in this tournament.
Certainly, it was a much-improved showing from their domestic struggles at the weekend and should help towards a much happier camp.
It was also a far cry from their last home European match where those watching could barely believe what they were witnessing.
Highlights of the game
Red Star came into this on a run of six consecutive wins in all competitions. However, they were without much support in the stands as the club was banned from selling tickets to its fans as part of a punishment for racist chanting at a July qualifier against HJK Helsinki in Finland.
Spurs, therefore, had a full allocation but could not quite fill it – fans who became club members in the last month were not able to buy tickets in a bid to avoid any potential chicanery on the part of opposition fans.
One thing supporters of both clubs would have been united in was the memory of a former favourite at both clubs – the memory of Goran Bunjevcevic lives on.
From the first whistle, the hosts seemed intent on creating Champions League 2019 highlights and were a team on a mission with plenty of intensity and pressing. Red Star found themselves on the back foot as the home crowd were in full voice.
Almost immediately, Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min linked up with the South Korean driving to the edge of the area and firing a shot into the hands of Milan Borjan.
And nine minutes in, Erik Lamela delivered an inviting corner from the right-wing and Kane nipped in front of his marker to flick a header into the far corner.
One soon became two as Argentine Lamela cut in from the right again, got the ball on his left foot and produced a superb cross from which Son expertly cushioned a volley into the roof of the net.
Red Star were not awful. In fact, they did even manage to create two half-chances of their own as Nemanja Milunovic headed wide from a Marko Marin cross and Rajiv van la Parra saw a header well-saved.
Indeed, for a team with supposedly no fans inside the stadium, the few that made it inside were certainly making themselves heard.
However, this was a night where Spurs were determined to put things right, and on the stroke of half-time, the match was over as a contest.
The unfortunate Marin trod on the ball and Spurs were slick and unforgiving. Tanguy Ndombele drove forward and played in Son, whose finish at the near post was clinical.
Into the second period and the pressure remained the same as Lamela volleyed over the top and fired narrowly wide.
It was to be third time lucky for the winger, though. He was not to be denied as he rifled the ball into the roof of the net after the impressive Kane teamed up with Serge Aurier.
Only the side-netting prevented Son from adding a hat-trick. Then, Kane quickly added his second, even nutmegging one of his markers before stroking a finish beyond Borjan.
What a delight for the home crowd and coach Mauricio Pochettino who was quick to rubbish pre-match pressure, although acknowledged results need to improve.
Now he and his players need to keep this up.
Key statistics
Kane has scored 16 of his 18 Champions League goals in the group stage of the competition. He has also scored in each of Spurs’ three group games so far this term.
This was the first time Lamela has assisted two goals in a single game for the club since August 2014 against QPR.
This was the first time Spurs had ever scored three goals in the first half of a Champions League game in what was their 40th match in the competition.
This was the third-ever meeting between the two sides.
When they met it was in round three of the UEFA Cup in 1972/73.
On that occasion, Tottenham won the home leg 2-0 thanks to goals from Martin Chivers and Alan Gilzean.
They lost the second leg 1-0 but progressed to reach the semi-finals.
What’s next?
Up next for Spurs is a Premier League trip to face leaders Liverpool in a repeat of last season’s Champions League final.
Meanwhile, Red Star are back in action at the weekend in the Serbian league when they visit Radnik Surdulica.
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