Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham) was very busy. After playing a key role in the goal, he recorded an assist and also had to mediate a dispute among his teammates.

Tottenham won 3-1 against AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands) in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League (UEL) round of 16 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, on the morning of the 14th (Korean time).

Tottenham, which lost 0-1 in the away first leg on the 7th, turned the tables in the second leg. They progressed to the quarterfinals with a cumulative score of 3-2.

Tottenham, currently remaining in 13th place in the English Premier League (EPL), has been eliminated from both the EFL Cup and the FA Cup, making the UEFA Europa League the only tournament where they realistically have hopes of winning this season.

Tottenham deployed a 4-3-3 formation. Son Heung-min, Dominic Solanke, and Odegaard were positioned in the attacking line. In midfield, Madison, Bissouma, and Sarr started, while the defensive line consisted of Spence, Van de Ven, Romero, and Pedro Porro. The goalkeeper was Vicario.

Son Heung-min led Tottenham's attack. In the 22nd minute of the first half, he delivered a sharp cross from the left flank. It seemed like it would connect to a teammate, but the opposing goalkeeper punched the ball away first.

Tottenham scored the opening goal in the 25th minute of the first half. Son Heung-min played a key role. Seeing Son Heung-min pressing him, AZ Alkmaar defender Hook attempted a kick to clear the ball from his own half. However, the ball hit Son Heung-min and then deflected to Tottenham forward Solanke, who was near the box. In an instant, Tottenham created a counterattack opportunity. As Odegaard rushed into the box, he received the ball and scored with a powerful shot.

With Odegaard's goal, the cumulative score for the first and second legs was balanced at 1-1.

Although Tottenham moved tirelessly for an additional goal, team captain Son Heung-min had to intervene and mediate when his teammates argued about taking a free kick.

Just before the end of the first half, Tottenham earned a free kick opportunity. At that moment, Madison and Porro were both claiming to take it. When Madison picked up the ball and prepared to kick, Porro appealed that he would take it, leading to a brief conflict among Tottenham teammates. Son Heung-min calmed Porro, who was agitated, and Madison was decided as the final kicker.

The British tabloid 'The Sun' described the situation at the time, stating, "The two players were embroiled in a fierce psychological battle, and Son Heung-min intervened to ensure Madison took the free kick."

According to 'The Sun', a fan who witnessed the scene said, "It's so embarrassing," while another fan expressed anger, saying, "I really hate such situations." The implication was that the team should be united in their approach to the match, making the conflict scene disturbing.

As a result, Tottenham achieved a good outcome and reached the quarterfinals.

In the 3rd minute of the second half, Tottenham scored another goal. Son Heung-min provided the assist while Madison scored. In a counterattack, Son Heung-min received a cross-field pass on the left side. Moving into the AZ Alkmaar box, he made a short pass to the unmarked Madison. Madison successfully scored with a precise shot into the right corner of the goal. Tottenham led with a cumulative score of 2-1.

In the 16th minute of the second half, there was a change in Tottenham's defense. Manager Ange Postecoglou substituted Van de Ven for Gray.

Immediately after the change in Tottenham's defensive line, AZ Alkmaar scored in the 18th minute of the second half. This was due to Tottenham's careless play in their own half. Bissouma and Odegaard failed to communicate, resulting in neither effectively handling the ball. Taking advantage of this, Koopmeiners snatched the ball near the box and scored with a rapid shot. The cumulative score became tied at 2-2.

In the 29th minute of the second half, Tottenham regained the lead. Once again, it began with Son Heung-min's foot. Receiving a pass from Madison coming from the back on the left side, Son Heung-min wisely passed the ball to the advancing Spence. He immediately crossed into the box, where Solanke touched it with his heel, allowing the ball to slip to Odegaard, who had provided the prior goal-scoring opportunity. Odegaard scored with an inside shot using his right foot. Tottenham led with a cumulative score of 3-2.

Four minutes of added time were given. AZ Alkmaar struggled to secure an additional goal, but Tottenham did not give any openings. Tottenham confirmed their advancement to the quarterfinals.

[OSEN = No Jin-ju reporter]