Farewell to White Hart Lane
Written By: Robert Halter
Tottenham Hotspur finally said farewell to White Hart Lane on the 14th of May 2017 to a ground that had been their home since 1899, with the last game to be played a Premier League fixture against Manchester United and the Lilywhites got off to a perfect start taking the lead on six minutes when from a short Christian Eriksen corner, a delivery on the left by Ben Davies was met with a well timed header from Victor Wanyama, that rocketed into the roof of the net. The Red Devils pressed a minute later, with a cross on the left by Daley Blind, but a wayward header from Juan Mata, went over. On twelve minutes, from a Blind corner, United captain, Wayne Rooney, skied a header over the upright. In the eighteenth minute, an over the top delivery by Rooney, spearheaded an attacking move by Anthony Martial, who drove the ball wide of the right post. Within a minute, Heung-Min Son was the driving force, as he made his way through before David De Gea parried away his strike at goal, as the ball deflected back off Chris Smalling, before the rebound was put wide of the left post by Eriksen. In the twenty second minute, from an Eriksen cross on the right, Harry Kane sent a high rising header onto the right part of the crossbar. Three minutes later from a Kane assist, a swerving ball over on the right by Eriksen, had to be clawed away by De Gea, at his far post. On the half hour mark, from an incisive pass by Kane, the ball rocketed off the right boot of Dele Alli, and De Gea sprung into action to produce a flying save to tip the ball over. Before half time, after collecting a pass by Eriksen, a low drive by Kane at the near post, was kept out through a block with the outstretched foot of De Gea. At the start of the second half, from a Blind corner, a header was miscued by Rooney. But on forty eight minutes, as Alli drew a foul after being sandwiched in between Smalling and Eric Bailly, from a powerful free kick by Eriksen, on the volley, Kane lofted the ball over De Gea, at close range, to double the Spurs advantage. Four minutes later, from an Eriksen assist, a shot by Son was pushed away by De Gea. A minute later, Son turned provider, but Kane bent the ball past the left post from outside the box. Man U later switched Axel Tuanzebe with Ander Herrera and Jesse Lingard with Henrikh Mkhitaryan. On sixty three minutes, after Rooney set up the move, Martial bent the ball past the right side of the goal, as a diving Hugo Lloris, was untroubled. However in the seventy first minute, the Red Devils pulled a goal back as Mata combined with Martial down the left, whose low cross was tucked away by Rooney at close range. The Lilywhites then switched Son with Mousa Dembele. On seventy six minutes, a quickly taken throw in by Alli, was curled over the crossbar by Eriksen. United soon changed Mata with Marcus Rashford. Just after Kieran Trippier fell uncomfortably off the back of Martial, an enforced change was made by Spurs as Kyle Walker was brought on. In the eighty fourth minute, as Kane found an unmarked Alli on the left, his bending strike was headed away from the line by Phil Jones. In stoppage time Georges-Kevin Nkoudou took over from Eriksen. At the end from a long range pass by Michael Carrick, a header on by Rashford, finished with a right footed chip over the bar which preserved a Spurs 2-1 victory in the final game at White Hart Lane with a sea of flags raised as Tottenham Hotspur remained unbeaten at home all season and ended their Premier League campaign as runners up to title winners Chelsea.