It says plenty about the unrest around Tottenham Hotspur that even the beloved Son Heung-min has faced severe criticism from the club’s supporters in recent days. Some have even questioned whether, at the age of 32, the South Korean has lost the sharpness that has defined his Spurs career.
It was perhaps with those barbs in mind, then, that the Spurs captain struck two important goals to secure a battling, draining and ultimately rewarding victory over Hoffenheim in Germany. His second goal, which proved to be the winner, was the sort of strike he has been scoring for years: a sway of the hips to create some space, and then a powerful finish into the corner of the net.
One suspects that Son could reach the age of 50, long past the point of retirement, and still be able to produce this precise move on this precise part of the pitch. It is so ingrained in his muscle memory that, it seems, he does not even have to think before unleashing such a finish.
Pinpoint from Son 🎯. A stepover and a lovely left foot strike from Heung-Min Son gives Spurs a 2-goal advantage, a 3-1 lead in Germany. 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/GcBUX9282w. “Sonny led from the front,” said Ange Postecoglou. “Look, we are all copping stick at the moment. That is the nature of the beast. What we do, as footballers and managers, we are all in the firing line at the moment. Whether it is warranted or not, you have to stand up and reply to it in the proper way. I thought he did that tonight.”.
