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Son makes history for Asia with milestone goal

17 Feb 2020
Son Heung-min

South Korean becomes first Asian to reach 50 goals while he also scored one of Spurs' latest winners

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Son Heung-min not only secured a valuable victory for Tottenham Hotspur at Aston Villa on Sunday, he also achieved a Premier League first.

Spurs were drawing 1-1 when Son stepped up to the penalty spot at the end of the first half. And, although his initial spot-kick was saved by Pepe Reina, the South Korean reacted quickly to follow up and score.

In doing so he became the first Asian player to hit 50 goals in the Premier League and he took his tally to 51 later in the match.

Watch Son score twice at Villa

He is the sixth Spurs player to reach a half-century after Teddy Sheringham, Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe, Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen.

"I've scored 50 Premier League goals but without the team, without the supporters, it's impossible," Son told Spurs' official website.

"I just want to share this feeling with the fans, everyone in South Korea and with the lads. I just want to say thank you for helping me."

Highest-scoring Asian players
Player Goals Country
Son Heung-min 51 South Korea
Park Ji-sung 19 South Korea
Ki Sung-yueng 15 South Korea
Shinji Okazaki 14 Japan
Lee Chung-yong 8 South Korea

Son's second goal at Villa Park was also significant, again not only for Spurs' top-four challenge but their history books too.

After Dean Smith's hosts had levelled the match at 2-2, Son struck decisively in stoppage time to take Spurs one point behind Chelsea.

Coming after 93 minutes and 34 seconds, it was the club's latest winning goal in the Premier League for over a decade.

"It's really amazing," said Son. "Winning is always positive but especially that way, how we won - 2-2, last seconds - a better afternoon is impossible."

Spurs' latest PL winners*
Player Time Opponent Date
Paul Stalteri 94:59 WHU 04/03/2007
Aaron Lennon 94:24 BIR 29/08/2009
Son Heung-min 93:34 AVL 16/02/2020
Harry Winks 92:47 FUL 20/01/2019
Roman Pavlyuchenko 92:42 BIR 22/05/2011

*since 2006/07

Alexis Sanchez holds the record for the latest Premier League winner since Opta began collecting such data in 2006/07.

The Chilean secured a 2-1 home victory for Arsenal over Burnley when he struck after 97 minutes and 14 seconds in January 2017.

The latest goal ever scored in a Premier League match was an equaliser, scored against Arsenal, in the 12th minute of stoppage time by Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt in April 2011.

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