Porro cracker settles Spurs' FA Cup tussle with Burnley
WINNER, WINNER: Tottenham's Pedro Porro celebrates after scoring his side's goal during the English FA Cup third-round match between Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley. Pic: AP Photo/Ian Walton
JUST AS IT looked like Spurs were on the verge of their first blank of the season, with a misfiring forward line struggling to convert chances, up stepped Pedro Porro to smash home a spectacular strike to send Tottenham into the fourth round of the FA Cup.
The Spanish defender was signed from Sporting of Lisbon a year ago, and has had a fine season as an inverted full-back, but showed great attacking instincts to settle this slow-burner of a cup tie with a cracker in the 78th minute.
His swerving, dipping shot from 25 yards was one moment of real magic in a match that took a while to get going.
Both teams were stalwarts of this competition a generation or so ago, and met in the 1962 final, but the magic of the cup was sadly lacking in a tepid first-half.
Ange Postecoglou put out a full-strength side, allowing for injuries and absences, the most notable of which was Heung Min Son, away at the Asian Cup with South Korea.
Richarlison took on the mantle of goalscorer in chief, but fluffed his lines twice before half-time, dragging his shot wide of the far post when through on goal.
For all Tottenham's superiority in possession, especially in the Burnley penalty area, stand-in goalkeeper Arijanet Muric did not have a lot to do, although the Kosovan did well to tip away a curling shot from Brennan Johnson, who also had a tame header saved.
Burnley had chances too, with Guglielmo Vicario diving full-length to keep out a long shot from Wilson Odobert.
Zeki Amdouni had the best chance of the half, however, when a clever flicked pass put him one-on-one with Vicario, but the Swiss international lifted his shot over the bar from close range.
Johnson tried spectacular volleys either side of half-time, but both missed the target, and he then had a rasping shot saved high by Muric, who did well to tip away a long-range effort from Giovani Lo Celso before the Argentinian playmaker was replaced around the hour mark.
Vincent Kompany also made changes, sending on Josh Brownhill and Nathan Redmond, and still chances were created and missed at both ends, with Richarlison and Johnson both missing the target again.
Finally, Porro took the initiative.
After yet another promising Tottenham attack came to nothing, Burnley looked to break quickly and Amdouni looked to bring the ball out of defence.
But Porro was firm with his interception, an old-fashioned block tackle winning the ball 40 yards from goal.
The Spanish right-back advanced on goal, spotted Muric off his line and hit a rocket of a shot from 25 yards, the ball swerving and dipping before it flew into the far corner of the goal.
A frantic finale ensued as Burnley went desperately in search of an equaliser, and Pierre Emile Hojbjerg had to clear a shot off the Tottenham line in the seventh minute of stoppage time.
Muric went up for the ensuing corner, and headed on to Amdouni, who managed to hook his volley over the bar from five yards.
The Burnley man was offside anyway, pretty much summing up the fate of Kompany's side right now.
But Tottenham held on for victory, and with key players likely to return in time for the next round, can go forward with confidence in a competition they and their fans love so much.
Vicario; Porro, Royal, Davies, Udogie; Skipp 6 (Hojbjerg 77), Bentancur 8 (Donley 87); Kulusevski 6, Lo Celso 7 (Gil 58), Johnson 7 (Sessegnon 83); Richarlison 5 (Scarlett 83).
Muric 8; Vininho 6, O'Shea 6, Delcroix 6, Taylor 7 (Al-Daakhil 67); Zaroury 6 (Tresor 67), Ramsey 6 (Redmond 67), Cullen 7, Odobert 6 (Brownhill 58); Foster 6 (Bruun Larsen 46), Amdouni 6.
Sam Barrett 7/10
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