Son Heung-min (33) recorded his 12th assist of the season, helping Tottenham Hotspur (England) advance to the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals.
On March 14, Son provided an assist in the second leg of the Europa League Round of 16 against AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands) at home, where Tottenham secured a 3-1 victory. After losing the first leg 0-1 and facing elimination, Tottenham turned the tie around with a 3-2 aggregate win, reaching the quarterfinals for the first time in 12 years since the 2012–2013 season. This marks their first quarterfinal appearance in a European competition since finishing as runners-up in the 2018–2019 UEFA Champions League. Tottenham will face Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) in the quarterfinals on April 11 and 18.
Playing as a left-wing forward, Son was involved in all three of Tottenham’s goals. In the 26th minute, Alkmaar defender Wouter Goes attempted a pass to a teammate, but Son intercepted it with a pressing move. The loose ball was struck low by Dominic Solanke, allowing Wilson Odobert to rush into the penalty area and score. Three minutes into the second half, Son delivered a pass inside the box to James Maddison, who finished with a right-footed shot from the center of the penalty area. In the 74th minute, with Tottenham leading 2-1, Son played a pass down the left flank to set up a sequence that included a cross from Djed Spence, a backheel pass from Solanke, and a goal by Odobert.
Tottenham, which has not won a major title since lifting the League Cup in 2008, continues its pursuit of ending a 17-year trophy drought. For Son, it is another opportunity to chase his first professional title. Currently, Tottenham sits 13th in the English Premier League (EPL) and has already been eliminated from the League Cup semifinals and the FA Cup Round of 32. Son has now recorded 11 goals (7 in the EPL, 3 in the Europa League, 1 in the League Cup) and 12 assists (9 in the EPL, 2 in the Europa League, 1 in the FA Cup) this season.
조영우 jero@donga.com