PREM: Tottenham 3-1 Fulham

Harry Kane scored his first Premier League goal

Harry Kane scored his first Premier League goal in August to help Spurs to a 3-1 win over Fulham at Wembley.

Lucas Moura gave Spurs the lead on the stroke of half-time with a wonderful curling effort from the edge of the area but Aleksandar Mitrovic equalised shortly after the break with an opportunistic close-range header.

Spurs regained the lead with a quarter of an hour remaining as Kieran Trippier bent in a free-kick from distance before Kane rounded off the victory with a clinical finish.

 

It had been a tough week for Spurs following the news that their move into the new stadium at White Hart Lane had been delayed but they made a fast start at their temporary home.

 

Lucas missed a gilt-edged chance with a header before Kane saw a goal ruled out shortly afterwards when the Brazilian had been adjudged to have fouled Fabri in the build-up.

Kane also had a penalty appeal waved away in a decision that incensed his manager Mauricio Pochettino.

After a subdued start, Fulham grew into the game and had two decent opportunities to score after the half-hour mark as Tom Cairney and long-term Spurs transfer target Ryan Sessegnon forced Hugo Lloris into smart saves. Sandwiched in between those efforts was a Christian Eriksen free-kick that drew a good stop from Fabri.

However, it was Spurs who took the lead and it was an exceptional strike that broke the deadlock. Lucas was lively from the outset and when Calum Chambers' clearance fell to his feet he confidently dispatched a curling effort with his weaker left foot beyond the despairing dive of Fabri for his first Premier League goal on 43 minutes.

 

Rather than being deflated by that goal, Fulham came out for the second half in confident mood and almost equalised after a couple of minutes when Mitrovic's low shot hit the post with Lloris rooted to the spot. The Serbian would not be denied, though, and soon after he was on hand to head the ball in from under the bar after Sessegnon's miscued shot had bounced into his path.

 

That goal roused Spurs and they almost went ahead when Dele Alli's goal-bound effort was blocked on the line by Maxime Le Marchand before Kane smashed the crossbar from a Trippier cross.

Eventually, they made their pressure pay as Trippier - recalled to the starting line-up at Serge Aurier's expense - whipped a free-kick into the bottom corner in a strike reminiscent of his effort for England against Croatia at the World Cup.

 

The third came swiftly afterwards as Kane, after 15 games, 1065 minutes and 49 shots, finally scored his first Premier League goal in August. Substitute Erik Lamela led a counter-attack after a Fulham free-kick appeal had been denied and laid the ball into Kane's path and he made no mistake with the finish, curling it ruthlessly into the far corner.