Europa League Roundup: Son double keeps Tottenham on knockout course

Son Heung-min scored twice as Tottenham beat Hoffenheim 3-2 in the Europa League on Thursday.

The South Korea star struck in each half at PreZero Arena to help ease the pressure on manager Ange Postecoglou.

It was only Tottenham’s second win in its past nine games overall and kept it on course for the round of 16 in Europe’s second-tier competition.

Son doubled the lead in the 22nd minute after James Maddison had opened the scoring in the third. He got his second to make it 3-1 in the 77th. Son was making his 436th appearance for the club — moving up to 10th on Spurs’ list.

Anton Stach scored for Hoffenheim in the 68th and David Mokwa sparked hope of an unlikely comeback in the 88th.

Tottenham is fourth in the standings, with the top eight teams automatically advancing to the round of 16.

Roma lost 1-0 to Dutch club AZ Alkmaar after Troy Parrott’s winner in the 80th.

With one game to go, the Italian giant is 21st, with teams from ninth to 24th moving on to a playoff round. Roma, on nine points, is just one point above 25th-place Union Saint-Gilloise.

Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce is 22nd, also on nine points, after a 0-0 draw with third-place Lyon.

Porto is 24th after a 1-0 loss to Olympiakos in 13th.

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