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Rediff.com  » Sports » EPL PIX: Son double shoots Spurs into fifth spot; Leicester win

EPL PIX: Son double shoots Spurs into fifth spot; Leicester win

March 21, 2022 00:39 IST
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Images from Premier League matches played on Sunday.

Tottenham Hotspur's Heung-Min Son scores their side's second goal beating West Ham United's Kurt Zouma during their match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London

IMAGE: Tottenham Hotspur's Heung-Min Son scores their side's second goal beating West Ham United's Kurt Zouma during their match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Photograph: Eddie Keogh/Getty Images

Striker Son Heung-min scored twice as Tottenham Hotspur rose to fifth in the Premier League table with a 3-1 win over West Ham United on Sunday that left them three points off the top four and the chance of Champions League football next season.

 

The afternoon got off to a terrible start for Hammers defender Kurt Zouma when he steered Harry Kane's low centre to Son into the net in the ninth minute, the 10th own goal of the season that Spurs have benefited from.

It got worse for the French centre back midway through the first half as Son made it two for Spurs, collecting a defence-splitting pass from Kane before firing a left-foot shot that glanced Zouma's outstretched leg before looping into the net.

Said Benrahma pulled one back for West Ham in the 35th minute, twisting his body to side-foot a volley from a flick-on into the net.

West Ham weathered a couple of early second-half chances before finding their rhythm, and they should have levelled after a sweeping move that ended when Michail Antonio volleyed over the bar in the 56th minute.

Having suffered through a poor spell, Spurs got their passing back on track and recent signing Dejan Kulusevski curled an effort just over and wide as the home side began to take back control.

Harry Kane missed an even better chance, somehow blazing the ball over after a superb pass from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg left him with only the keeper to beat.

Son came to the rescue again in the 88th minute, chasing down a long ball from Kane and firing home to send Spurs fifth in the table, three points behind North London rivals Arsenal, who are currently fourth on 54 points and have a game in hand over Spurs.

The result was a bitter blow for David Moyes' West Ham as they slipped to seventh in the table, with their chances of Champions League football next season rapidly fading.

Castagne, Maddison strikes earn Leicester win over Brentford

Leicester City's James Maddison celebrates after scoring their side's second goal against Brentford at The King Power Stadium in Leicester

IMAGE: Leicester City's James Maddison celebrates after scoring their side's second goal against Brentford at The King Power Stadium in Leicester. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty Images

Leicester City beat Brentford 2-1 in the Premier League on Sunday to move 10th in the standings thanks to long-range efforts from Timothy Castagne and James Maddison in the first half.

Castagne celebrated his return to the team after a thigh operation with a 20th-minute goal when the full back unleashed a venomous shot from outside the box that arrowed into the top corner and gave keeper David Raya no chance.

Raya had been rewarded with a maiden call-up to the Spanish national team this week after fine performances in goal, but he could do nothing about the second when Maddison curled a free kick over the wall and into the net.

"We played Leicester two times and three of their goals were top corner worldies," Brentford manager Thomas Frank told the BBC, adding that he felt his side were the better team in the second half.

"I knew Maddison could do it and (Youri) Tielemans earlier this season. Maybe not Castagne, but fair play to him."

Raya's opposite number Kasper Schmeichel denied Brentford twice with quick reflex saves early in the second half, palming away a bullet header from Pontus Jansson before stopping a Bryan Mbeumo header from point-blank range.

Brentford were dealt a blow before the game when midfielder Christian Eriksen, who had made a significant impact since he joining in January, was ruled out with COVID-19.

But Yoane Wissa gave Leicester reason to sweat towards the end when he halved the lead in the 85th minute, firing a shot past Schmeichel for the third long-range goal of the game.

Brendan Rodgers's Leicester held on for three points while Brentford remained 15th in the standings, eight points above the relegation zone but having played more games than the bottom four teams.

"We need to be more precise, that's why I won't get too carried away as there's so much more to improve on," Rodgers said.

"But I can never accuse them of a lack of effort and determination. Brentford put the ball into the box, we stood up to that."

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Source: REUTERS
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