Harry Kane, Son Heung-min score as Tottenham beat Forest 3-1

Football

Published: 12 Mar. 2023, 08:25 Updated: 12 Mar. 2023, 18:01

Harry Kane, Son Heung-min score as Tottenham beat Forest 3-1

Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring the third goal during a Premier League match against Nottingham Forest at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday. [EPA/YONHAP]

Tottenham Hotspur rolled back the clock on Saturday, sinking Nottingham Forest 3-1 in a comfortable win with goals from Harry Kane and Son Heung-min that came straight out of the 2021-22 season playbook.

The confident victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London gives manager Antonio Conte some breathing room, allowing fans to, at least briefly, forget the humiliating FA Cup exit to Sheffield United or the dismal exit without a fight from the Champions League.

Spurs got off to a flying start against Forest, with Richarlison looking to have scored in the fourth minute only for a VAR review to rule the goal offside.

The home fans did not have to wait long for the chance to celebrate. Pedro Porro, looking far more confident now, fired a cross across the box to Kane, who headed it into the far corner to take the score to 1-0 at 19 minutes.

The chance for No. 2 came fifteen minutes later when Richarlison was brought down in the box by Joe Worrall. Kane stepped up to the penalty, his first since the Qatar World Cup, and converted with ease to take the score to 2-0.

Son’s opportunity to make it three came shortly after the break. Picking up a cross from Richarlison on the edge of the box, Son took a touch to beat Serge Aurier before shotting across the goal with his left foot for his sixth goal of the 2022-23 season.

Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur scores the third goal during a Premier League match against Nottingham Forest at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday. [EPA/YONHAP]

Forest got one back in the 81st minute but it was little consolation as Spurs romped to one of their most comfortable wins in recent memory.

Speaking after the game, Tottenham manager Antonio Conte was happy with the team’s performance as they look to hold on to a top-four spot with 11 games left this season.

“Today it was really important,” he said, “it was vital to get three points, especially because after the game against Milan we weren't able to go to the next round of the Champions League but for this reason today it was really important because we know we only have the league now.

“There are 11 games to go and we needed today to bounce back to show that we are strong mentally and in this type of situation the morale can be really down but instead I see the right spirit, the right fight and the right desire to get the three points. The right desire to get the win and it was positive but at the same time I said to my players now this is the past.”

Spurs have a full week to rest before they face Southampton on the road next week in their last game before the international break. Premier League games resume next month, when Spurs will face Everton on April 3.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]