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Son Heung-min struck a last-gasp winner as Tottenham clinched a dramatic 3-2 victory at Aston Villa to boost their Champions League hopes.<\/p>\nSon Heung-min struck a last-gasp winner as Tottenham clinched a dramatic 3-2 victory at Aston Villa to boost their Champions League hopes.<\/p>\n
The South Korea forward cashed in on Bjorn Engels\u2019 stoppage-time error to snatch the three points for Jose Mourinho\u2019s side after Engels\u2019 53rd-minute header had looked like earning Villa a priceless point in their fight against relegation.<\/p>\n
Son\u2019s first goal, following up after Pepe Reina saved his penalty, had given Spurs the lead at the break after Toby Alderweireld\u2019s equalizer cancelled out his early own goal.<\/p>\n
Fifth place in the Premier League is now likely to offer a Champions League spot following Manchester City\u2019s two-year European ban, although it is yet to officially be confirmed and City are appealing.<\/p>\n
The result moved Spurs \u2013 who face fellow European hopefuls Chelsea and Wolves in their next two top-flight games \u2013 above surprise package Sheffield United into fifth, while Villa remained a point above the drop zone in 17th.<\/p>\n
It all started so well for Dean Smith\u2019s side, who were gifted the lead after just nine minutes.<\/p>\n
Anwar El Ghazi\u2019s deflected cross completely flummoxed Alderweireld and, under little pressure from Mbwana Samatta, the Belgium defender stabbed into his own net from five yards.<\/p>\n
The visitors appeared unnerved and Villa looked for an instant second, swarming all over Tottenham with Jack Grealish curling wide from the edge of the box.<\/p>\n
Spurs were floundering but still found an opening when Lucas Moura seized on El Ghazi\u2019s loose pass and Dele Alli\u2019s shot was blocked by Kortney Hause.<\/p>\n
Yet they desperately needed to regain their composure as they struggled to handle a marauding Grealish, who continued to create clear openings for Villa.<\/p>\n
The midfielder was on top form and, after 18 minutes, he breezed past Alderweireld to cut back for Douglas Luiz only for his goal-bound shot to hit a covering Ben Davies and fly over.<\/p>\n
Villa were the dominant force and Spurs had struggled to create yet leveled out of the blue after 27 minutes when Alderweireld made amends.<\/p>\n
The hosts failed to clear Son\u2019s corner and switched off when the ball dropped to Alderweireld who swiveled to fire a neat finish high past Reina on the half-volley.<\/p>\n
Villa had paid the price for missing their chances and almost fell behind 10 minutes before the break but Alli horribly miscued his attempt to curl in from an angle.<\/p>\n
The game opened up and Hugo Lloris kept out El Ghazi\u2019s drive from distance before Alli\u2019s shot was blocked and Steven Bergwijn\u2019s follow-up hit Engels.<\/p>\n
Spurs had fought their way back after a nightmare start but completed their first-half recovery in injury time.<\/p>\n
Bergwijn raced down the right only for his run to be halted by the sliding Engels.<\/p>\n
Referee Martin Atkinson initially refused to give a penalty but a VAR review correctly awarded the spot-kick and, while Reina went to his right to save Son\u2019s penalty, the forward prodded in the rebound.<\/p>\n
The scoreline was harsh on Villa but they regrouped at the interval and swiftly fired a warning when El Ghazi\u2019s snapshot flew straight at Lloris.<\/p>\n
It was a warning which Spurs ignored, though, and Villa leveled after 53 minutes as Engels earned his own redemption when he rose above Alderweireld to head in Grealish\u2019s corner.<\/p>\n
Yet the hosts failed to build on the equalizer and needed Reina to be at his best until he was beaten at the death.<\/p>\n
First, Bergwijn shot at the goalkeeper and the veteran made a smart save after Son found space in the box just after the hour.<\/p>\n
Marvelous Nakamba blocked Bergwijn\u2019s effort 10 minutes later and Alli should have done better than to shoot tamely at Reina when Ezri Konsa\u2019s mistake allow him through.<\/p>\n
The former Liverpool goalkeeper also twice denied Son with five minutes left, expertly turning his angled drive wide and, from the resulting corner, making a low stop.<\/p>\n
But Son stole the points in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Engels missed a routine clearance and the striker ran through to roll under Reina.<\/p>\n