LONDON (AP) — Harry Kane scored a goal and lost the game in his last home appearance for Tottenham.
The England captain, who reconnected an offseason with Tottenham, returned home after an oblique free-kick in the 8th minute for Bryan Mbeumo to score twice and score another second-half goal for Brentford in a 3-1 win. Premier League victory on Saturday.
Tottenham may now struggle to qualify for any European festival for next season, as they entered the game in seventh position, the division’s qualifying spot for the tier three Europa Conference League.
Brentford remained in ninth position, but Tottenham are just one point away from the teams’ final games of the season next weekend.
Kane’s 28th league goal this season is perhaps the most productive of the crusade, as he took the most sensitive corner with a 25-yard shot after Dejan Kulusevski rolled the ball back with the sole of his foot from a free kick. That put Kane within 8 goals of the league’s most sensible scorer, Erling Haaland.
Kane turns 30 at the start of next season. With only one year remaining on his contract, he and Tottenham may this summer be the time to combine tactics to give the club a chance to get money for their star player and for him to have a greater chance of winning trophies.
“Speculation is speculation,” said Tottenham caretaker manager Ryan Mason, whose last short-term term in the rate will end after the trip to Leeds on May 28.
“We have a vital game against Leeds and there will be talks. Big decisions have to be made, but we can’t look too far. It’s after the last game of the season and those conversations will take place.
Kane joined the rest of the team to return to the pitch at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the season-ending recognition round, when he also won the Fans’ Club Player of the Season award.
By then, most of the house enthusiasts were gone, and Tottenham fell to a fifth defeat in their last seven games.
Mbeumo cut in from the left for his two goals, in the 50th and 62nd minutes, then led a counter-attack before setting up Yoane Wissa for a compound to seal Brentford’s win in the 88th.
Brentford was without Ivan Toney, who won an eight-month suspension on Wednesday for breaking the rules.
Brentford hosts Manchester City in their last match.
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