A Boxing Day London derby with Brentford will see Harry Kane make his first appearance since the England captain and Tottenham talisman sailed a penalty kick over the crossbar, in Three Lions’ loss to arch-rival France in the World Cup quarterfinals. When Kane missed the spot kick, a potential late equalizer, it wasn’t just England versus France, it was also a head-to-head battle with his club teammate, the France captain/goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
The fallout from a missed PK always creates a lot of stress for the wayward marksman, but this was also a failed shot heard ’round the world, as it has a lot of ramifications for both club and country. in the quarterfinals of the World Cup.
Tottenham vs Nice Club Friendly FYIs
Kickoff: Wed 7pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, UK
Tickets: Limited capacity, first-come, first-served, £15 Adults; £5 Under-18s
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Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Matt Doherty knows how hard this must be for Kane right now, having to live with that missed opportunity and all the adversity that comes with it. He says that he and his Spurs mates will rally around the Tottenham talisman to “get him up and running again.”
During an in-house interview with the club’s website, Doherty said: “I thought England played well against France, to be fair, and France didn’t really get going. I feel like France had one attempt at goal and scored twice – the first wasn’t even a half-chance. England looked dangerous. Harry obviously scored the first penalty, and then everyone knows what happened.
“It will be tough for him now but when he gets back in, we’ll rally around him and get him up and running again. He’ll be fine. He’s one of the strongest characters, mentally, that we all know.”
Kane has 261 club goals, and with just six more, he’ll break Jimmy Greaves’ all-time Tottenham record of 266.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.