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London - Heung-Min Son scored another brace as Tottenham Hotspur defeated Middlesbrough 2-1 in an entertaining Premier League encounter at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.
Son, who scored two in the 4-0 defeat of Stoke City, opened the scoring on seven minutes with a neat finish following soon good hold up play from Vincent Janssen before adding a second on 23 minutes with a superb curling shot - but the hosts ensured a tense finish after Ben Gibson headed home on 66 minutes.
The visitors started brightly, with Christian Eriksen smashing a third-minute shot at Cristhian Stuani, before Moussa Sissoko fired a 20-yard effort just over the Boro goal.
The hosts responded with Alvaro Negredo almost benefiting from a superb through ball from Stewart Downing, but Hugo Lloris was quickly off his line to get to the ball first.
Victor Valdes then did well with a dive to his left to palm a Deli Alli effort wide of the goal, but he could do nothing to deny Son on seven minutes as he hit home from 10 yards out after a neat lay-off from Janssen with his back to goal.
Tottenham continued to dominate and doubled their lead with Son netting his second of the day midway through the half with a superb shot into the top corner of the net after some poor Boro defending.
Son then burst down the left flank before cutting the ball back to Eriksen whose first-time shot was blocked before Valdes responded well to deny Sissoko at the far post.
Spurs should have had a penalty on 41 minutes when Adam Clayton bundled over Alli in the box but the referee waved play on, while the last piece of action of the first half saw Alli blaze over from 10 yards after a good cut-back from Eriksen.
Janssen should have done better with a half chance at the start of the second half that he blasted over before Eriksen saw his goal-bound effort blocked en route to goal.
The Dutch striker had another sight on target on 53 minutes after being fed with a Alli ball inside the box but his shot deflected wide after a good turn and release.
With Spurs very much in control, Boro boss Aitor Karanka withdrew Gaston Ramirez and Alvaro Negredo for Adama Traore and Jordon Rhodes.
And Traore almost made an instant impact with a searing run through the Spurs midfield before just over hitting his pass to Rhodes with just the goalkeeper to beat before forcing the visitors to clear after a good cross from the right-hand side.
Alli fired over as the action swung to the other end of the pitch but Boro were back in the tie on 66 minutes as Ben Gibson threw himself at a Downing free-kick from the left to head home into the bottom far corner of the net.
Erikson fired over as Spurs attempted to reassert themselves, but reinvigorated by their goal, Boro went in search of an equaliser with Troare receiving loud cheers from the home fans when ever he looked to drive his side forward.
Son thought he was in for his hat-trick as he latched on to a forward pass from substitute Erik Lamela, but his shot from wide left was well blocked.
Rhodes then connected well to a Downing delivery from the left but he directed his header straight into Lloris' arms.
Valdes got down to his left to keep out a weak Lamela shot on 83 minutes after some excellent approach play on the edge of the Boro box from Spurs while fellow Spurs substitute Georges-Kevin Nkoudou fired over shortly after his introduction for the final memorable moment of this tie.
