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Tottenham blast past Red Star Belgrade to help improve mood in north London
Son Heung-min and Harry Kane helped Tottenham rediscover their feel-good factor as Spurs thrashed Red Star Belgrade 5-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Kane’s early header and Son’s first-half brace helped Mauricio Pochettino’s men into cruise control as Spurs aimed for their first win in Group B.
Erik Lamela, who assisted the opening two goals, added a fourth before Kane completed the rout midway through the second half.
It ensured Spurs claimed their biggest Champions League win as Pochettino and company helped lighten the atmosphere in north London.
READ MORE: Harry Kane praises Tottenham for ‘perfect’ response by thrashing Belgrade
Tottenham, troubled by a poor start to the season, sensed blood from the off and Son fired a warning shot inside five minutes when he jinked past two defenders but hit an effort straight at Milan Borjan.
The hosts, not to be deterred, struck shortly after. Lamela’s whipped corner was met by talisman Kane - having easily shrugged off Australia’s Milos Degenek - who flicked a header into the far post.
Pochettino’s side have endured false starts previously this season - most notably against German giants Bayern Munich, who progressed to thrash their hosts 7-2 at the same ground.
With that memory all too fresh, alongside failures to beat Brighton and Watford in the league, Spurs set about dismantling their own opponents.
Kane led by example, waltzing into the box and forcing Borjan into another save, before the Premier League side had their second on 16 minutes.
Lamela was again involved, the Argentinian played into the channel before picking out the arriving Son at the far post.
The South Korean star still had plenty to do but dispatched a stunning half-volley, on the rise, beyond the helpless Red Star goalkeeper.
A meek header wide and a wayward ward cross from a promising position were all the visitors had to show for their efforts in the opening 20 minutes.
Serbia’s SuperLiga leaders were rattled and the situation threatened to spiral further out of control when Tanguy Ndombele won the ball back on the edge of the box and curled an effort towards goal - which Borjan once more had to parry to safety.
Lamela, who already had two assists to his name, almost had his name on the scoresheet when Ben Davies picked him out near the penalty spot - but his stretching effort afforded Borjan the extra moment he needed to palm the shot behind.
It proved difficult not to increasingly question the quality of opponent on offer in north London, who were captained by former Chelsea man Marko Marin and also featured Rajiv van La Parra - who was relegated with Huddersfield last season.
But the Dutch winger came closest to scoring for the Serbian side, testing Paulo Gazzaniga with a header at the far post. Not long after, Marin inadvertently blocked a team-mate’s effort on goal.
From there, it was almost entirely Spurs. A sweeping Kane pass found Serge Aurier, whose attempt to pick out Dele Alli in the centre was denied by a desperate Degenek slide.
Inevitably, though, Pochettino’s side added a third. Ndombele poached the ball off German winger Marin before playing Son through on goal, with the forward keeping his cool before sliding under the onrushing Borjan.
The Canadian international was repeatedly tested in the opening half and Spurs were unrelenting as they pushed forward again in the second half.
Lamela twice attempted to get in on the action; his first a volley over the bar after a fine cross by Kane, the second a shot from 10 yards which he slid wide of the far post.
But on his third attempt, he succeeded. Aurier was allowed a run into the box and picked out the Argentina winger, who was afforded the time and space to control the ball, turn and fire an effort into the corner in the 57th minute.
It was proving to be a mixed night for Lamela, who just two minutes later found himself in on goal again only to be denied by Borjan.
Son, in what proved to be his final attempt at completing the hat-trick before his eventual substitution, continued to torture the Red Star defence and drilled an effort fractionally wide of the near post.
His contribution ended, but the visitors rallied as both Garcia and Marin tried their luck, the former’s prod forcing Gazzaniga into a rare save.
Kane then made it five. An initial poor touch looked to have stemmed the move, before the England international composed himself and timed a simple pass into the far corner for the hosts’ fifth.
Not long after, in a move which encapsulated the mood on this particular Champions League night, he then attempted a lob from a tight angle.
Desperate for his third, the prolific Tottenham forward then fired into the side-netting but Spurs claimed their first European win of the season to send fans home happy.
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