Porro cracker settles Spurs' FA Cup tussle with Burnley
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1 (Porro 78) BURNLEY 0
JUST AS IT looked like Spurs were on the verge of their first blank of the season, with a misfiring forward line struggling to convert chances, up stepped Pedro Porro to smash home a spectacular strike to send Tottenham into the fourth round of the FA Cup.
The Spanish defender was signed from Sporting of Lisbon a year ago, and has had a fine season as an inverted full-back, but showed great attacking instincts to settle this slow-burner of a cup tie with a cracker in the 78th minute.
His swerving, dipping shot from 25 yards was one moment of real magic in a match that took a while to get going.
Both teams were stalwarts of this competition a generation or so ago, and met in the 1962 final, but the magic of the cup was sadly lacking in a tepid first-half.
Ange Postecoglou put out a full-strength side, allowing for injuries and absences, the most notable of which was Heung Min Son, away at the Asian Cup with South Korea.
Richarlison took on the mantle of goalscorer in chief, but fluffed his lines twice before half-time, dragging his shot wide of the far post when through on goal.
For all Tottenham's superiority in possession, especially in the Burnley penalty area, stand-in goalkeeper Arijanet Muric did not have a lot to do, although the Kosovan did well to tip away a curling shot from Brennan Johnson, who also had a tame header saved.
Burnley had chances too, with Guglielmo Vicario diving full-length to keep out a long shot from Wilson Odobert.
Zeki Amdouni had the best chance of the half, however, when a clever flicked pass put him one-on-one with Vicario, but the Swiss international lifted his shot over the bar from close range.
Johnson tried spectacular volleys either side
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