Son Heung-min’s scoring streak ends at 3 matches in Tottenham’s victory

May 16, 2022

Tottenham Hotspur’s South Korean forward Son Heung-min saw his three-match scoring streak snapped on Sunday, as his chase for the Golden Boot will come down to the season finale a week from now.

Harry Kane’s first-half penalty helped Spurs defeat Burnley 1-0 in their Premier League action at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Son got the start and played the full match without finding the back of the net.

Son had scored four times during his three-match run, climbing to second place in the race for the Golden Boot. With a career-high 21 goals, Son remains one behind the leader, Mohamed Salah of Liverpool.

Tottenham have one match remaining this season — next Sunday at Norwich City. Liverpool will play two more matches this season — Tuesday at Southampton and next Sunday against Wolverhampton — but Salah suffered a groin injury during Liverpool’s FA Cup final victory over Chelsea on Saturday. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said Saturday that his leading scorer would be fine and the injury wasn’t serious.

Tottenham also kept their top-four hope alive. Spurs have momentarily moved into fourth place with 68 points, two more than Arsenal, which have a match in hand on Tottenham. The Gunners will play Newcastle United on Monday for their penultimate match of the season before closing things out next Sunday against Everton.

The top-four clubs in the Premier League each season qualify for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League for the following season. Tottenham haven’t played in the top European club competition since the 2019-2020 season. They lost to Liverpool in the final of the 2018-2019 Champions League.

Son had two glorious opportunities turned aside by goalkeeper Nick Pope. In the 65th, Son one-timed a pass by Ryan Sessegnon from close range, but Pope punched it out with his right hand falling to his right.

Some 16 minutes later, Son, again set up by Sessegnon, fired one with his right foot from almost the same spot, and Pope denied Son with his right arm.