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Wednesday Dec 11, 2024
Tuesday, 14 March 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
REUTERS: Tottenham Hotspur booked an FA Cup semi-final place with a 6-0 thrashing of third-tier London rivals Millwall on Sunday but an injury to Harry Kane marred the party as they marked their last tie at their current White Hart Lane stadium.
England international Kane, the Premier League’s joint top scorer with 19 goals, had to hobble off after falling awkwardly and suffering an ankle injury in a sixth-minute challenge with defender Jake Cooper during their sixth round tie.
Yet his absence was not missed on the day as Spurs’ South Korea striker Son Heung-min netted a brilliant hat-trick and Kane’s replacement Christian Eriksen also scored a beauty before Dele Alli and substitute Vincent Janssen got in on the act.
It all made for an emotional occasion at Spurs’ storied 118-year-old ground which they will leave for a season at the end of the campaign before returning to a new stadium at the site.
Third-tier side Millwall had beaten three top-flight teams en route to the quarter-finals but Premier League title chasers Spurs dominated them from the outset at the grand old ground where they have not lost all season.
Eriksen made the key breakthrough with a brilliant snap shot on the turn on the half-hour mark before Son crashed home a thunderous left-foot strike 10 minutes later.
The Korean then struck a sweet first-time, right-foot volley from Kieran Trippier’s through ball in the 54th before Alli netted his 16th of the season in all competitions, a tap-in after a well-crafted move, in the 72nd.
The icing on the cake was a first goal from open play in the 79th minute for Spurs’ under-achieving striker Janssen. The Dutchman may yet be needed in their title challenge if Kane, who will be assessed on Monday, is out of action for long.
Son’s third came in stoppage time, a volley that slipped through the clutches of hapless Millwall keeper Tom King.
