Tottenham return to form with thrashing of Red Star

Harry Kane and Son Heung-min both struck twice as Tottenham Hotspur rekindled their Champions League hopes with a club record 5-0 thrashing of Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday.
After suffering their heaviest home defeat in Europe on matchday two, a 7-2 humiliation by Bayern Munich, they responded to claim their biggest win in the Champions League.
Red Star arrived in second place in Group B behind Bayern Munich while Tottenham were desperate to kickstart their European campaign after taking only one point from two games.
But once Kane headed in Erik Lamela’s corner after nine minutes and Son’s half-volley, also from a Lamela assist, made it 2-0 after 16 minutes, the gloom that had descended over the north London club after a troubling start to the season on all fronts finally began to lift.
Red Star responded in spirited fashion to the early setbacks but Son’s second just before halftime killed off any hopes they harboured of a comeback.
The excellent Lamela, making his 200th appearance, made it 4-0 in the 57th minute and Kane’s exquisite finish in the 72nd minute took his Champions League tally to 18 goals in 22 appearances.
Victory put Tottenham into second spot with four points, five behind runaway leaders Bayern and one clear of Red Star who they face in the Serbian capital in a fortnight.
Tottenham’s form has been one of the most puzzling themes of the English season so far with Mauricio Pochettino’s side winning only three of their nine Premier League games and losing to fourth-tier Colchester in the League Cup.
But Spurs responded with a display much more in keeping with what people have come to expect under Pochettino.
On the front foot from the start, Kane and Son had already had chances before Kane found space in the area to plant a header past Red Star keeper Milan Borjan from Lamela’s delivery.
Lamela was the provider again seven minutes later, picking out Son to hammer a side-foot volley high into the net.
Red Star were backed by a noisy contingent of fans high in the upper tier, despite a UEFA punishment for racism which meant they were unable to buy tickets.
But the fans were silenced in the 44th minute when captain Marko Marin, formerly of Chelsea, was robbed of the ball by Tanguy Ndombele and he powered forward before releasing Son who took a touch before slotting home.
The onslaught continued after the break as the confidence flooded back into the Spurs ranks.
Lamela beat Borjan with a rising shot on the turn and Kane completed the rout with a clinical finish.
Reuters/NAN.