Carlos Vinicius bags hat-trick as Tottenham end Marine FA Cup fairytale
Tottenham did what was expected of them as they beat non-league side Marine 5-0 in the FA Cup third round tie.
It was a dream occasion for the eighth-tier club, who welcomed a squad full of star players to their home ground.
While the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min were left out, there were plenty of famous faces in the starting lineup. Toby Alderweireld, Dele Alli and Lucas Moura were some of the biggest names to feature from the first whistle.
Understandably, Tottenham bossed possession in the early stages, with Marine not registering a shot in the opening 15 minutes.
When they did, though, the non-league outfit went closer than their Premier League opponents had so far. Receiving the ball on the half-way line, Neil Kengni dribbled forwards before hitting the crossbar with a shot that almost looped over Joe Hart.
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Tottenham took the lead in the 24th minute, and Alli was the architect. After a give-and-go, the out-of-favour midfielder set up Carlos Vinicius with a cross along the ground.
The striker eventually got the ball out of his feet and finished with a tap in. It marked his first goal in English football after previously making an impact in some European matches.
Alli pulled the strings again as Spurs doubled their lead in the 30th minute. The England international chipped the ball over the top for Matt Doherty, whose effort was palmed away by goalkeeper Bayleigh Passant.
However, it fell straight into Vinicius’ path, leaving the Brazilian with an almost identical tap in.
While the first two goals had been simple finishes, the third goal was a sublime effort from Moura.
The winger sent a free kick flying in from the edge of the box. Considering how close he was, the way he got the ball over the wall and into the top corner was impressive.
Vinicius then completed his hat-trick with a clever finish. As the ball bounced in front of him in the box, he chipped it into the net with the inside of his left foot.
Hat-trick hero, Vinícius #EmiratesFACup @SpursOfficial pic.twitter.com/XEDgn5tfjR
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 10, 2021
Debutant scores for Spurs
While the match was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Marine’s players to test themselves against top class opposition, it also provided a chance for a Spurs youngster to make his mark in senior football.
Alfie Devine came on as a substitute at half-time, and on the hour-mark, the debutant scored his first senior goal.
Cutting in from the left-hand side, the 16-year-old fired in from a tight angle to announce himself to the Tottenham first team. In doing so, he became the youngest player to ever score for the club.
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Our youngest ???????????????? goalscorer #THFC #COYS pic.twitter.com/2dULHEminW
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 10, 2021
Spurs were happy to take their foot off the gas for the rest of the match. The introduction of Gareth Bale may have been daunting for some, but only added to the special nature of the match for Marine.
Bale nearly set up Vinicius for what would have been his fourth goal as the game entered stoppage time. However, this time, the forward could not provide the finish.
Hence, the scoreline remained 5-0 – respectable for Marine and a job well done for Tottenham.
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