UK Edition
Tottenham 3 Borussia Dortmund 1: Harry Kane shows his class as Spurs banish Wembley woes
Harry Kane craves the Champions League to be his stage; to be his proving ground; to show he is world class and he provided more compelling evidence that he is just that as Tottenham Hotspur thrillingly defeated Borussia Dortmund to banish their Wembley woes and give themselves an outstanding opportunity, already, of progressing in Group H.
It may only be the first tie of six but, with Real Madrid also in this group, and with Apoel Nicosia expected to be the whipping boys, the head-to-heads against Dortmund were always going to be defining.
Afterwards manager Mauricio Pochettino was clear on how important the result was for his team. “Massive,” he said, adding that it felt like more than just three points to “build the confidence and trust at Wembley and the perception we can get for the future”.
Kane scored twice, and created Spurs’ opening goal in an entertaining, open tie, although they were fortunate when Dortmund had a goal ruled out for offside, which would have made it 2-2. Moments after, Kane scored.
Spurs will believe they were due that luck having suffered at this stadium for so long but, even in victory, there was a setback, with Jan Vertonghen shown a second yellow card after it was deemed he had caught substitute Mario Gotze with a flailing arm in the face in injury time. He will receive a one-match ban.
This was only Spurs’ second win in 12 matches at Wembley and only their third victory in 10 Champions League games. It was an important win against one of the big European beasts, who serially reach the knockout stages and whose last appearance here was in the 2013 final.
Kane thrived against them. He has now scored 29 goals in 27 matches in all competitions for Spurs this year and this was the third successive Champions League match in which he has scored. Kane is getting better and better and is beginning to belong in that rarefied company of elite strikers, imposing himself for club and country. Europe is taking notice and, when he was substituted late on, he departed to a standing ovation.
There was much debate afterwards over Spurs’ tactics; that they have learnt from bitter experience to box a little bit more cleverly, to defend a little deeper and strike on the break and, while there was a variation in their approach, they were simply not as secure as that would suggest, although Serge Aurier was impressive on his debut at right wing-back.
Dortmund, depleted by injury, were dangerous throughout and there was an outstanding save from Hugo Lloris to deny Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after he met a flicked-on corner at close-range.
Aubameyang was again denied a goal when he slammed a crisp half-volley around Lloris only for the striker to have – wrongly – been deemed offside. Before that, Dortmund had another effort ruled out after the ball was turned in by Christian Pulisic, with Aubameyang, in an offside position, also attempting to score.
But that should not detract from Spurs’ performance and particularly the contribution of Kane. With Dele Alli serving the first game of a three-match ban, imposed for his dismissal in the dismal Europa League exit last season to Gent, even more responsibility fell on his fellow England international.
Kane seized it. In fact he did not so much seize it as gleefully grab hold of it and simply would not let go. For all of Dortmund’s dominance of possession – 67 per cent over the game – Kane always provided the greatest threat.
Whenever he had the ball there was danger and none more so inside the opening four minutes, when his header found Christian Eriksen, who returned possession for Kane to slide a clever pass through for Alli’s replacement Heung-min Son.
Son surged down the left with Sokratis Papastathopoulos woefully slow to cover and struck a left-foot shot, catching out goalkeeper Roman Burki – who stuck out an arm but was far too easily beaten at his near post.
But it was a short-lived advantage. Andriy Yarmolenko, acquired as Ousmane Dembele’s replacement, after the French international’s extraordinary near £100 million move to Barcelona, made his mark.
Dortmund pushed forward, with Yarmolenko cutting in from the right and playing the ball to Shinji Kagawa, who turned it back to the Ukrainian whose superb first-time shot arced high beyond Hugo Lloris and into the net for his first goal for his new club.
It appeared ominous. How would Spurs respond? They did by retaking the lead; a goal that owed everything to Kane’s strength and determination as he held off one challenge and then another, brushing aside Papastathopoulos, to work his way down the left before striking a left-foot shot which, again, squeezed just inside the near post. Once more Burki appeared at fault, having failed to close down the space, showing far too great a corridor for Kane to shoot into.
Despite the protestations of Dortmund coach Peter Bosz, who argued vehemently that Kane had fouled his captain during his run, the goal stood.
Dortmund created more chances and there were last-ditch interventions from Vertonghen and Ben Davies, with Pulisic and Aubameyang threatening, before Spurs steadied themselves and fashioned opportunities of their own – Kane and Son both skied over and then, after Dortmund had that goal wrongly ruled out, there was a fine attacking move involving Mousa Dembele, who played the ball into Davies. His first-time pass found Eriksen, who turned the ball wide to Kane, and he drove a low shot back across goal, clipping off Lukasz Piszczek, as the defender attempted to block, to beat Burki.
Soon after and Kane departed – replaced by Fernando Llorente, also making his debut – to a standing ovation. It was certainly deserved. This was Spurs’ night and Harry had lifted the hoodoo.
A win is a win
It wasn't exactly vintage Pochettino - that was really hard work for Tottenham tonight, with Dortmund enjoying long, long periods of possession and having two goals disallowed for offside, one of which was an awful decision.
That said, Spurs were clinical in a way they weren't against Chelsea or Burnley and took their chances. Despite Dortmund seeing plenty of the ball, you'd probably say Spurs were good value for the win. Just.
Full time
Spurs have done it! They have won at Wembley Stadium! Is the hoodoo over? Who knows, but both the performance and result here will have been extremely pleasing to Mauricio Pochettinom and that is all that matters right now for Tottenham.
They start off their Champions League campaign with a hard-earned, and just about deserved, victory.
70 mins
Sanchez charges out of position and concedes a throw in, which Aubameyang then throws over him for Gotze, who wins a corner off Davies.
His cross is flicked on at the near post for Aubameyang who is waiting at the back stick, but his low shot is saved brilliantly with his legs by Hugo Lloris.
Another disallowed goal!
Dortmund have the ball in the Spurs net again, and the linesman's flag is up again. It's a terrible decision, though, as Sahin's cross finds Aubameyang (top of the picture below), who is definitely onside and finished on the half volley with a sensational finish past Lloris. A let off for Spurs.
Half time
And Spurs go in 2-1 up when it could be a very, very different story. Spurs have had two shots to Dortmund's five and just 32 per cent possession. The visitors have been the better side but have been let down by their goalkeeper/hurt by Spurs's lethal finishing.
45 mins
Disallowed goal for Dortmund! The linesman's flag goes up and replays show Aubameyang was offside as Spurs fail to clear their lines with the ball pinballing around their area. It wasn't even Aubameyang who scored the goal, but he was behind the Spurs defence and did move towards the ball, which could have affected play. A lucky late escape for Spurs.
30 mins
Dortmund looking the more comfortable of the teams, and Spurs can't really get near the ball. They come down the left, and when Aurier dives into a tackle he leaves a gaping hole behind him, which Pulisic goes charging into. He plays a low ball across the Tottenham box and Aubameyang is waiting to tap it home, only for Vertonghen to intervene with a brilliant challenge to poke it away for a corner, which comes to nothing.
GOAL!
Ooooh wow this is incredible! Spurs are ahead with an almost identical goal, this time from Harry Kane.
He does really well to beat off two challenges to bring a ball down from out of the sky, and then he is away, accelerating away from the Dortmund defence on the left. He looks up and sees Eriksen in support but decides against using him, cutting out onto his left foot and, just like Son earlier, beating Burki at his near post. It looks like a goalkeeping error at first but the replays show that it an astonishingly accurate finish from the Spurs striker.
GOAL!
1-1: Andriy Yarmolenko scores a sensational leveller for Borussia Dortmund.
It's all Dortmund now and Spurs have caved in early on. The ball is worked out wide on the right, and cut back to Yarmolenko on the top-right corner of the area. He shifts the ball onto his left foot and curls a wonderful effort into the far corner of the net, with Lloris left helpless.
GOAL!
Davinson Sanchez wins the ball as Dortmund look to pass their way into the Spurs box, and his lofted clearance is nodded down into Kane's path in midfield. He sends a beautifully weighted through ball for Son to chase down the left, and he's clear through.
He checks back as support arrives but then goes onto his left foot out wide, the chance looks like it might have gone for a split second but then Son unleashes a powerful effort past Burki. Spurs are ahead! What a start!
Poch talks
"It's exciting to play here at Wembley in the best competition in the world. It's exciting for everyone.
"It's important to rotate the squad, we have a strong squad, For Serge [Aurier's] first game, it's important to get used to those around him. He's a great player, an experienced player, he's played a lot of games in the Champions League.
"Dortmund have fantastic players, they might have problems now [with injuries] but they have a strong squad."
Kane versus Aubameyang
A goal machine at either end of the pitch tonight, Spurs and Dortmun have very different strikers but each is equally capable of scoring tonight. Both have scored consistently for years, but doing it consistently in the Champions League is the next step for two players who will want to move into football's elite group. Both could well be on the scoresheet tonight.
The whole Wembley thing
A hell of a lot has been made of Tottenham's woes at the national stadium, and last season's botched Champions League campaign was a case in point.
One win from three - that coming after they had been eliminated from the competition - at Wembley was an extremely disappointing return, and dropping into the Europa League was an utter disaster.
The recent draw with Burnley was an awful result but the performance against Chelsea (even though they lost) really did give reason for optimism.
Spurs have one win in their last 11 at Wembley, and they really do need to stop that becoming 'a thing'. Tonight would be a good place to start.
Looking at the benches
Mario Gotze is the standout name, and he will have an impact at some point tonight, you'd expect.
Gotze was at Wembley for the 2013 Champions League final against Bayern Munich, but he missed that match through injury, so he won't have very happy memories of the ground.
Shinji Kagawa starts for Dortmund
It's a strong Dortmund lineup, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leading the line, flanked by Andriy Yarmolenko (who has been linked with Spurs a fair few times over the years) and young Christian Pulisic.
Also in the team is Jeremy Toljan, who makes his debut at left-back, having signed for Dortmund in the summer, when Spurs had also been linked with a move.
Everything you need to know
What is it?
It is Tottenham vs Borussia Dortmund in the first round of matches in this season's Champions League.
When is it?
It is on Wednesday September 13 - ie tonight.
What time is kick-off?
It's a 7.45pm BST start at Wembley.
What TV channel is it on?
You can watch this one on BT Sport 3. Alternatively, we will be bringing you all the very latest from the match right here throughout the night.
What is the team news?
Tottenham
Dele Alli will miss Tottenham's Champions League opener against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday through suspension.
Alli serves the first of a three-match ban for his red card picked up against Gent in February, with Son Heung-min likely to take his place at Wembley behind Harry Kane.
Danny Rose and Victor Wanyama (both knee) are out, along with Erik Lamela and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, who are still recovering from hip and foot problems respectively.
Provisional squad: Lloris, Vorm, Gazzaniga, Davies, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Sanchez, Foyth, Trippier, Aurier, Walker-Peters, Dembele, Dier, Winks, Eriksen, Sissoko, Son, Llorente, Kane.
Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund are facing an injury crisis ahead of Wednesday's Champions League clash against Tottenham as up to nine players look set to miss out.
Dortmund and Spurs go head to head in what could prove a pivotal clash in the race for qualification, with Real Madrid and Cypriot side APOEL expected to top and tail Group H.
But a raft of fitness problems have derailed Dortmund's preparations as Neven Subotic became the latest concern on Tuesday after the defender fell ill and was unable to arrive for training.
Meanwhile captain Marcel Schmelzer was stretchered off against Freiburg on Saturday with ruptured ankle ligaments, not long after Marc Bartra had departed with a groin problem. Neither have travelled to London.
Also likely to miss out are Julian Weigl (ankle), Andre Schurrle (thigh), Sebastian Rode (knock) and Erik Durm (hip), while Raphael Guerreiro and Marco Reus are recovering from foot and knee operations respectively.
What are they saying?
Harry Kane:
"I have said before I want to break into that world-class bracket. To do that you have to play well in the Champions League," Kane said.
"The Champions League is a big stage, all the best players in Europe, if not the world, are here.
"And to be the best you have to produce your best against the best. I have six group games to prove that by hopefully scoring as many goals as possible and performing well."
Peter Bosz:
"Our long-term injuries are well-known and we have some short-term ones as well," Dortmund manager Peter Bosz said.
"Subotic is sick. Maybe he will come (on Wednesday) but he is not with the group (on Tuesday)."
What are the odds?
- Tottenham win - 6/5
- Borussia Dortmund win - 11/5
- Draw - 5/2
What's our prediction?
Too tight to call - we're going for a goal-scoring draw. 2-2.