Tottenham registers only two shots on target in its defeat to Sheffield

Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min started in the 32nd Premier League round against Sheffield United on Thursday in his 154th match in the league. Son has tied for second place with Park Ji-sung, who played for Manchester United as the first Korean footballer in English Premier League, in most league outings.

But Son could not enjoy the achievement as his team lost to Sheffield 1:3. Despite having a ball possession percentage of 67.5, Tottenham had just two shots on target from a total of nine due to poor finishing. Harry Kane scored a goal in the 90th minute when his team was losing 0:3, receiving the ball from Son but it was too late to reverse the result. Adding one assist, Son has recorded nine goals and nine assists this season. Son never had attempts at shooting at the game, following Jose Mourinho’s instructions to participate in defense.

Thursday’s defeat has put a dent on Tottenham’s Champions League hopes, which are given to teams finishing in the top four places. Tottenham fell from seventh to ninth in the Premier League with 45 points. With six games remaining, Tottenham’s gap with Chelsea, which currently stands at fourth place, has widened to nine points. Tottenham will seek to clear the air in its match against Everton on July 7. Son will attempt to score double-digit goals for four seasons in a row in the Premier League.


Yun-Cheol Jeong trigger@donga.com