Kane fires Spurs into FA Cup fourth round

Tottenham Hotspur’s English striker Harry Kane (C) celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the English FA Cup third round football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Portsmouth at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on January 7, 2023. (Photo by Ian Kington / AFP)

Harry Kane fired Tottenham past third-tier Portsmouth and into the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday as 2021 winners Leicester emerged unscathed from a tricky tie against lowly Gillingham.

Elsewhere on a packed day of third-round action, Southampton came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 in an all-Premier League tie.

Antonio Conte rang the changes for Spurs for the match against League One Portsmouth but retained a heavyweight forward line including Kane and Son Heung-min.

The in-form Kane broke the deadlock in the 50th minute, receiving the ball on the edge of the box and bending a fine curled effort past the despairing dive of Josh Griffiths.

The England captain, with four goals in four matches since the World Cup, now has 265 goals for Spurs — just one behind the club’s all-time record scorer, Jimmy Greaves.

Spurs, who have won the FA Cup eight times, were unable to add to their tally but saw out the match fairly comfortably.

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers, who led his side to the trophy two years ago, made multiple changes after his team’s third straight Premier League defeat this week but retained veteran forward Jamie Vardy for the match against Gillingham, who are rock bottom of England’s Football League.

Vardy was the provider as Kelechi Iheanacho scored the only goal of the game in the 56th minute.

Palace took the lead against Premier League basement club Southampton through Odsonne Edouard.

But Saints levelled in the 37th minute after some poor