The Korea Herald

소아쌤

Son Heung-min sets new personal single-season best in goals

By KH디지털2

Published : April 9, 2017 - 09:38

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South Korean footballer Son Heung-min set a new personal best for the number of goals in a single season after scoring two goals in Tottenham Hotspur's 4-0 win over Watford on Saturday.

Son grabbed a brace at White Hart Lane in London to make 11 goals in the English Premier League. Including other competitions, such as the English Football Association Cup and the UEFA Europa League, he now has 18 goals this season, which surpasses his previous career high of 17 goals in the 2014/15 season with Bayer Leverkusen. 

South Korean footballer Son Heung-min (Yonhap) South Korean footballer Son Heung-min (Yonhap)

Son is now also only one goal shy of Cha Bum-kun's single season scoring record in Europe by a South Korean. Cha, now vice president of the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup local organizing committee in South Korea, previously netted 19 goals with Leverkusen in all competitions in the 1985/86 season.

Starting as left wing for Tottenham, Son first scored with his left foot outside the box in the 44th minute and gave the home side a 3-0 lead. With this goal, Son became the first Asian player to mark two-digit goals in a single EPL season. He already set a single EPL season scoring record for an Asian player on Wednesday after scoring a goal against Swansea City.

Son's South Korean compatriot Ki Sung-yueng was the previous record holder with eight goals, which he achieved with Swansea in the 2014/15 season.

Son then rounded off the scoring for Tottenham in the 55th when he volleyed home Kieran Trippier's cross to set the highest goal tally of his professional career. The former Hamburg man received a standing ovation from fans in the 88th when he was replaced by Joshua Onomah and left the pitch.

Son, who became the most expensive Asian player when he moved from Leverkusen to Tottenham in 2015, has now scored seven goals in the last five matches for Tottenham. (Yonhap)