Agency :
Harry Kane showed his renewed commitment to his club’s cause by scoring twice on his first start of the season. Passage to the group stages of the Europa Conference League, which Giovani Lo Celso secured by claiming a third goal, may not be the summit of Spurs’ ambitions but Kane’s role in a rousing team performance lifted the mood music around Tottenham.
A day after pledging his immediate future to Spurs, and perhaps while still trying to block out envious thoughts about the draw for the group stages of the Champions League, Kane made his first start of the season – in Europe’s third-tier club competition.
Entrusted with the captain’s armband after shelving his Manchester City leanings, he represented the ultimate available upgrade to Spurs’ attack after last week’s limp 1-0 defeat in the first leg. Lucas Moura also proved to be a dynamic addition to a lineup that featured eight of the players who started that loss.
Spurs fans cheered Kane on to the pitch and Cristian Romero, who gave an accomplished performance in central defence, presented him with a chance to raise the volume higher within 20 seconds of kick-off. But after taking down the defender’s splendid diagonal pass, Kane steered his shot wide as the goalkeeper André Ferreira closed him down. That merely delayed the almost inevitable.
Kane opened the scoring for the dominant hosts in the ninth minute. Harry Winks was the instigator, personifying the hosts’ vigour by sliding in to win the ball in midfield and then releasing Bryan Gil down the left. From the byline the impressive Spaniard picked out Kane, who took a touch to control the ball before prodding it past Ferreira from seven yards.
With Gil and Moura incisive on the flanks and Winks and Lo Celso progressive in midfield behind Kane, who alternated between dropping deep and leading the line, Spurs threatened to overwhelm their opponents. They were aggressive, smart and incisive. Lo Celso dodged two defenders in the box in the 17th minute and sent the ball rolling towards the back post, where Ryan Sessegnon tried to help it into the net but could not get a touch.
