It may have appeared to be a relatively simple home win over lower league opposition, but Tottenham Hostpur’s 1-0 success over Portsmouth in the Third Round of the FA Cup was pivotal.
Next month, on the 24th February, it will be 15 years since Tottenham won a trophy of any kind. One and a half decades without silverware. For a club that has dragged itself into the self-proclaimed ‘big six’ of English football, that simply isn’t good enough. So is this the year that finally, it all changes?
Judging by Antonio Conte’s aggressive line-up, he is in no mood to be dumped out of the FA Cup prematurely this year. Harry Kane and Heung-min Son both started as the Italian boss made his intentions clear from the first minute at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which had been invaded by a large contingent of those from the south coast.
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The 4-0 win away at Crystal Palace last time out stopped the tide of negativity that seemed to be creeping in around the football club. Conte, for all the excitement he brought to the club, seemed to be losing the unwavering backing of those in the stands. That huge Premier League win certainly helped and with another success here, Spurs are beginning to go on a mini-run.
Although Champions League football is always the aim for Daniel Levy and his bank account, the FA Cup this season has taken on huge importance. That 15 year anniversary feels momentous, and given they were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Nottingham Forest in November, this becomes their best chance of winning anything this season.
They are out of the Premier League title race and despite their progression to the knockout stages of the Champions League where they will face AC Milan, they aren’t serious contenders to go all the way against Europe’s elite.
So the FA Cup is all there is left to win, and Conte knows it. Portsmouth, who recently sacked Danny Cowley and sit 12th in League One, put up a fierce fight, but were undone by one moment of pure quality.
Harry Kane, mocked throughout by the travelling faithful, broke the deadlock and made it four goals from four games since the World Cup, with a wonderful finish from outside the area. He played a one-two and then bent one into the top corner past Josh Griffiths, who had no chance at stopping it.
Bryan Gil, who has played his way back into Conte’s mind, was a bright spark for Spurs as he started along with Son and Kane. He was a constant bundle of energy and almost got an assist as he set up Oliver Skipp, who blasted over the bar from close range.
Skipp was fortunate to still be on the pitch at that point, given in the first half he got away with one as he went in late on with Michael Morrison and although VAR was in action at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, there was no further punishment.
That will be the moment Pompey fans will rue, as they struggled to create much against a strong Tottenham side. But Conte will be immensely satisfied with the early afternoon’s work, even though his side only mustered one shot on target. If he can win a trophy, his time at this football club will likely be remembered as a success, simple as that.
Another win and another clean sheet, but most importantly, Spurs’ goal of ending that 15-year trophy drought, remains firmly on track.
Other FA Cup results:
Gillingham 0-1 Leicester City
Crystal Palace 1-2 Southampton
Preston North End 3-1 Huddersfield Town
Reading 2-0 Watford
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