Son Heung-min scores winner for Tottenham in 200th English Premier League game but misses milestone
- South Korean’s free kick is 29,999th goal in the English Premier League since it was founded in 1992-93 season
- Forward hits second match-winner of the campaign in 1-0 win over Watford as Tottenham keep up 100 per cent record
Son’s whipped free kick from the left wing evaded everyone in the Watford box as it found the corner of Daniel Bachmann’s goal to give Spurs the lead in the 42nd minute.
With the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium goalless to that point, just as it was at the match between Burnley and Leeds United at Turf Moor – the other 2pm Sunday afternoon kick-off in the UK – that meant Son’s goal was the 29,999th of the English Premier League era.
Burnley’s Chris Wood scored the landmark 30,000th goal in the English top flight since it rebranded at the beginning of the 1992-93 season.
With his 72nd goal in a Spurs shirt, Son overtook Brian Deane in the English Premier League’s all-time top-scorer list. Deane was the scorer of the first goal in the English Premier League back on the opening day in 1992.
Son also went past former Spurs striker Chris Armstrong, who is level with Deane on 71 goals.
The 28-year-old South Korea skipper, who was applauded off as he was substituted in the second half, will have to console himself with the second match-winner of the season, following his goal in the 1-0 win over Manchester City on the opening weekend.
Spurs, under new manager Nuno Espirito Santo, are the only team in the English Premier League with a 100 per cent record after three matches as the top flight heads into the international break.
They play Iraq in Seoul on Thursday followed by Lebanon in Suwon next Tuesday in group A. South Korea is on the UK’s amber list so Son will be allowed to return to play for Spurs without quarantining if he is fully vaccinated.
