Son Heung-min loves playing Borussia Dortmund, the record books show that. He has scored more goals against them than any other club: five in five games during his time with Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, and now four in five games for Tottenham in Europe. It is an amazing run.

Yet credit where it is due. Son’s winner on Wednesday night was not fated or inevitable. His form against Dortmund, the certainty of him scoring, is not written in the stars. This was the work of a striker absolutely at the top of his game. It wasn’t just that he found a way around the yellow wall again; right now, Son could find a way through just about any defensive line. 

With Tottenham beset by injuries he is keeping the momentum going in this corner of north (west, temporarily) London. If Harry Kane and Dele Alli return to a team that is still in Champions League and title contention, they will know who to thank. Son has scored 11 goals in his last 12 games, and more importantly, in 10 of the last 12, too. He is getting a lot of singles, which is keeping Tottenham hot; his goals are often a vital breakthrough, and the odd winner. 

Forward Fernando Llorente added a third after coming off the bench late on to put Spurs in control of the tie

Llorente celebrates after scoring Tottenham’s third goal of the Champions League tie in the 86th minute

Defender Jan Vertonghen doubled Spurs’ lead in the final 10 minutes of last-16 tie with a left-footed volley

Vertonghen celebrates after scoring Tottenham’s second goal in the 83rd minute of the match against Borussia Dortmund

Tottenham’s Son Heung-min scores their first goal of the game against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League tie

Son celebrates after scoring Tottenham’s opener in the 47th minute of the Champions League clash at Wembley Stadium

Son celebrates after opening the scoring two minutes after half-time with a tidy volley from a Vertonghen cross

Son celebrates with his Tottenham team-mates after breaking the deadlock in the second half in the first leg of last-16 clash

Nice, too, that so many of his countrymen – and women – are making the journey to see the best Asian player in Premier League history. 

The streets around Wembley before kick-off were noticeably peopled by either visitors from Asia or members of the ex-pat Korean community in Britain. There have been good Korean players here before, but none quite like this.

Ji Sung-Park had an excellent spell at Manchester United, but he was invariably part of the fine supporting cast, rather than a marquee name. Son is Tottenham’s star right now – surely their player of the season – and a genuine contender for Footballer of the Year. 

He led the line on Wednesday night, broke the deadlock and inspired a victory against a team that currently stands five points clear in the Bundesliga. Tottenham were superb, particularly in the second half, and have close to ended the tie in 90 minutes. It would take a catastrophe for them not to progress now.

A word too, for Jan Vertonghen. He says he hates playing full back, let alone wing back, but took to the role like Roberto Carlos after half-time. He made Son’s goal and scored the second. The third, a Fernando Llorente header from Christian Eriksen’s corner, came at a time when Dortmund were quite simply in despair.

Son did that to them, with a finish that undid so much good first-half work from the visitors. Tottenham’s high press boxed them in and possession was won on the left flank. Vertonghen’s cross passed over the head of defender Dan-Axel Zagadou, who was poorly positioned, and Son took it on the volley, perfectly placed.

The second took a similar route to goal. This time the cross came from Serge Aurier and Vertonghen’s run took him beyond his man at the far post, another volley defeating goalkeeper Roman Burki. 

Borussia Dortmund defender Dan-Axel Zagadou heads the ball on target towards the end of the first half at Wembley Stadium

Hugo Lloris manages to save the header from Zagadou and prevent Spurs from going behind before the break

Lloris produced a good save to deny Zagadou from opening the scoring for Borussia Dortmund in the first half of the clash

Tottenham’s Lucas Moura shoots at goal early on in the last-16 clash but his volley was just wide of the post

Moura and Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki watch the volley just go the wrong side of the post in the first half

The last time Dortmund visited Wembley it was they who had the injury problems, and Tottenham blew them away.

No-one was imagining a repeat on this occasion, shorn of Kane and Alli, and sure enough the first half was about hard graft and staying in the game. Tottenham pressed high and buzzed around in midfield, without testing Dortmund greatly, bar one shot from Son, which goalkeeper Burki kept out with his legs.

That aside, their only goal attempt of significance came after seven minutes when Davinson Sanchez won a mighty header in midfield which fell to Lucas Moura. He chested the ball down, then hit it on the volley just wide of the far upright. It was chess after that, Borussia Dortmund occasionally breaking out down the flanks through new Chelsea signing Christian Pulisic, and Jadon Sancho, aka the one that got away.

What a boon he would have been for Manchester City, had his club been more interested in giving the best of their youth team opportunity. Sancho certainly made the right call, when deciding he had more to offer than City were willing to place on show. He was at the heart of all that was good about Dortmund here, not least one move that he began by taking two Tottenham men out of the game, laying the ball off, before joining in again farther down field and whipping in a cross that unfortunately came to grief when it clipped one of his team-mates on its way into the area.

Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho dribbles with the ball during the Champions League encounter on Wednesday evening

Tottenham midfielder Moussa Sissoko (right) tackles Borussia Dortmund defender Achraf Hakimi during a tight first half

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino watches on as his side faced Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday

It hardly made it easier that Aurier, too often the weak link for all his European experience, went into the book of referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz after just 12 minutes. The Spanish official had little choice when Pulisic eased past him and Aurier clipped his heels. Tottenham were probably fortunate that he did not spot a similar offence by Moussa Sissoko later in the match, or one by Vertonghen on Achraf Hakimi. All were worthy yellow cards given the punishment meted out to Aurier.

Still, for all Dortmund’s pressure – and this was an improved team on 2017, injuries notwithstanding – actual chances were limited. In the 15th minute, Tottenham got into a terrible tangle when the desire to play out from the back becomes a cheque they cannot cash. Toby Alderweireld was placed under pressure and clipped one in a panic to Juan Foyth, who received the ball with all the pleasure he might a parking ticket. Pulisic pounced but the angle was tight and Lloris saved at the near post.

The game then passed with possession but not huge pressure from Dortmund, until Thomas Delaney forced a save from Lloris after 35 minutes. The ball came out to Sanchez, who made a terrible hash of the clearance before danger passed. The best chance of the half, though, was Dortmund’s last. 

There were seconds remaining when Sancho crossed from the right, the ball finding defender Dan-Axel Zagadou at the far post. The pace was taken out of his header by Foyth, allowing Lloris to claw it back when it seemed certain Dortmund were going to claim a vital away goal. Not quite Gordon Banks in Guadalajara, but on the night Wembley fell briefly silent in memory of the greatest goalkeeper, he would have surely appreciated the athleticism of a fellow World Cup winner. 

Tottenham’s Brazilian midfielder Moura (left) vies with Borussia Dortmund’s Turkish defender Omer Toprak at Wembley

Spurs defender Juan Foyth (left) fights for the ball with Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mario Gotze in the first 45 minutes

Borussia Dortmund defender Hakimi (left) vies for the ball with Tottenham defender Vertonghen on Wednesday evening

Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks (second right) fights for the ball with Borussia Dortmund midfielder Christian Pulisic 

Versatile Jan Vertonghen puts on a masterclass in Tottenham’s victory over Borussia Dortmund

• Jan Vertonghen showed his versatility as Tottenham beat Borussia Dortmund 3-0
• Vertonghen was deployed as a left wing-back and produced an excellent display 
• The Belgian got forwards well as he scored and provided an assist 

By

Chris Sutton for the Daily Mail

Published:
17:26 EST, 13 February 2019

|
Updated:
17:26 EST, 13 February 2019

Tottenham’s greatest strength is the versatility of their players. With doubts over the fitness of Danny Rose, Mauricio Pochettino asked centre half Jan Vertonghen to play as a left wing back. He responded with an assist and a goal. 

Jadon Sancho caused Spurs real problems in the first half but — as our graphic shows — by staying high up the pitch after the break, Vertonghen put the England starlet on the back foot. 

Vertonghen (No5 in our graphic) has a cultured left foot but his cross for Son Heung-min’s goal was perfect. 

Jan Vertonghen showed his versatility as Tottenham beat Borussia Dortmund 3-0

You almost had to check that it was not Christian Eriksen who had swung it in. 

He remained an attacking outlet throughout and found himself in the centre forward’s position to score the second. 

Deployed at left wing-back, Vertonghen scored and also provided an assist

Pochettino is fortunate to have players who don’t just fill in but deliver outstanding displays on the biggest stage.

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Ajax 1-2 Real Madrid: Substitute Marco Asensio hits winner for holders as Ajax have goal controversially disallowed by VAR

• Substitute Marco Asensio scored a late winner as Real Madrid beat Ajax 2-1 in Champions League 
• Real Madrid opened scoring in 60th minute, with Karim Benzema scoring after good work by Vinicius Junior 
• Ajax equalised in the 74th minute when Hakim Ziyech scored after he was set up by David Neres
• Ajax found net when Nicolas Tagliafico scored after Thibaut Courtois mistake but goal was disallowed
• Tadic was ruled to be offside in build-up to the effort, with referee Damir Skomina consulting VAR 
• Tadic struck the post for Ajax with a curling effort midway through the first half of the clash  

By

Pete Jenson for MailOnline

Published:
16:55 EST, 13 February 2019

|
Updated:
17:07 EST, 13 February 2019

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Cometh the hour, cometh the teenager. 18-year-old Vinicius brilliantly conjured up Real Madrid’s opening goal converted by Karim Benzema as the holders took a 2-1 lead away form Amsterdam.

After Benzema’s 60th minute goal, Ajax – denied a first half opener by VAR – grabbed a deserved equalizer from Hakim Ziyech but then collectively dropped to their knees as substitute Marco Asensio scored a vital late winner.

The irrepressible Vinicius was found with a lobbed pass dropped into space for him by Sergio Reguilon for the first goal. He changed gears to zoom past Ajax right-back Noussair Mazroui and then changed direction darting across the face of the penalty area drawing red and white shirts towards him until Benzema was unmarked. He played him and the French forward arrowed a right-foot shot into the far corner of Andre Onana’s net. 

Marco Asensio is delighted after scoring what proved to be the winning goal for Real against Ajax

Substitute Asensio scored a late equaliser as Real Madrid beat Ajax 2-1 in the Champions League

Hakim Ziyech scores after he scored Ajax’s equaliser during the second half of their Champions League clash

Ziyech scored in the 75th minute of the game after he was set up by David Neres

Real Madrid coach Santiago Solari immediately took off Gareth Bale and brought on Lucas Vazquez. Had he been planning to take off Vinicius? How could he now? Vinicius remained and it would be Benzema who was next to go off with a knock leaving the 18-year-old leaving the line.

Benzema’s departure was the cue for Ajax to equalize. Ziyech converted after David Neres had crossed from the left. VAR delayed full-blown celebrations as Real Madrid complained, ultimately in vain, about a foul in the build-up.

VAR had produced the moment of the first half too, five minutes before the break when it saved Real Madrid from going behind. 

Karim Benzema celebrates after putting Real Madrid in the lead in the 60th minute of the game

Benzema showed impressive composure to steer the ball into the net after being set up by Vinicius Junior

The Real Madrid players congratulate Benzema on his goal after he opened the scoring at the Johan Cruyff arena

Real Madrid goalscorer Benzema had beer thrown at him by Ajax supporters as he celebrated

Matthijs de Ligt climbed above Casemiro to head goalwards. The ball bounced up and hit Thibaut Courtois in the shoulder, Nicolas Tagliafico headed in the rebound and the Johan Cruyff Arena erupted to celebrate a deserved opener but VAR had instructed referee Damir Skomina to review the goal pitchside.

Dusan Tadic was offside. It was up to Skomina to decide if he was interfering or not. The Serbian striker was right under Courtois’s nose and the goal was ruled out.

Madrid were off the hook and so was Courtois who had failed to deal with the corner just seconds after making the save of the first half from Ziyech.

Ajax had also hit the frame of the goal through the electric Tadic who capitalized on Sergio Reguilon giving the ball away. Sergio Ramos did just enough to put Tadic off balance without fouling him.

Ajax controversially had a goal by Nicolas Tagliafico ruled out for an offside call against Dusan Tadic after VAR was consulted 

Referee Damir Skomina consulted VAR before ruling that Ajax’s Tadic was in an offside position

Courtois failed to hold the ball, and Tagliafico took full advantage as he found the net, but the goal wasn’t given

Ajax were showing none of their dismal league form. Tadic could have scored again having slalomed into the area only to slice his shot.

Madrid’s best chance came when Toni Kroos released Vinicius and he set off with only one thought in mind to get into the area and shoot. Andre Onana tipped his effort over.

Reguilon, in the team ahead of Marcelo, burst forward and found Bale but he had no extra support and the move fizzled out. Ajax were playing a high line but so effective and intense was their pressing that Madrid could catch a breath to get Bale or Vinicius running in behind them in the first half.

Frenkie De Jong meanwhile was having a fascinating duel with Luka Modric – the old Madrid maestro against Barcelona’s new signing. In among the pinball passes Modric played the ball of the first half to send Vinicius clear but he ran in-field and into trouble. 

A jubilant Tagliafico celebrates after he thought that he scored, but the goal was subsequently ruled out

Real Madrid goalkeeper Courtois can only watch as Ajax’s Dusan Tadic struck the post with an effort in the first half

MATCH FACTS AND MATCH ZONE 

Ajax: Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Blind, Tagliafico; De Jong, Schone; Ziyech, Van de Beek, Tadic; David Neres

Subs: Kristensen, Veltman, Sinkgraven, Huntelaar, Dolberg, Lamprou, De Wit 

Real Madrid: Courtois; Carvajal, Nacho, Ramos, Reguilon; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Bale, Benzema, Vinicius Junior

Subs: Navas, Jesus Vallejo, Diaz, Marcelo, Vazquez, Asensio, Ceballos

Marco Asensio scored Real Madrid’s second goal after a neat move

The second half started with Onana saving down at his near post from Benzema’s shot. Immediately Ajax hit back with De Jong playing a superb pass through to Neres who was foiled by Courtois.

Ajax had not adjusted the settings for the second half, the pressure on Madrid all over the pitch was intense. But Benzema’s goal winded them. They had dominated. They had been in front for those few moments while VAR and then Skomina deliberated. Now they were behind.

When Ziyech struck with 15 minutes left it seemed they had got a deserved draw but Asensio scored from close range from Dani Carvajal’s perfect cross. Madrid still needed an extra-time close range save from Courtois to finish the game on top ahead of next month’s second leg. 

Gareth Bale attempts to push forward for Real, while Ajax defender Tagliafico tries to track the Welshman

Ajax’s Donny van de Beek is involved in a midfield tussle with Real Madrid’s Casemiro during the Champions League clash

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