sport news Dortmund 0-1 Tottenham (agg 0-4): Kane sends Spurs through to Champions League ...

And that’s how you do it.

Harry Kane had spoken of Tottenham needing to show they can rise to the biggest challenges, the main events – and here, they did. Nothing Spursy about this. It was a magnificent example of big match finishing. Not just Kane’s goal, but the whole team performance, keeping Borussia Dortmund at bay in the first-half, killing them off in the second.

What needs to change is the view that Tottenham are a work in progress, and this Champions League campaign has a glass ceiling. Any team that can beat the current Bundesliga leaders 4-0 on aggregate is not subject to limitations. Yes, there are better teams in Europe; yes, many of those in the quarter-final draw will have considerably more experience. Yet across the last two seasons, Tottenham have defeated Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and got a draw at Barcelona when required. It can no longer be said they do not have the pedigree. That is pedigree, right there. This was a pedigree performance, too. If a European team did it, we would dub it a masterclass. 

Mauricio Pochettino set Tottenham up to defend knowing Dortmund had to be aggressive, and they did so magnificently. Jan Vertonghen and Hugo Lloris carried on where they left of at Wembley on Saturday. They were outstanding.

Then, given one chance to end the game as a contest, Kane did not disappoint. He is now Tottenham’s leading European goalscorer – an accolade he takes from Jermain Defoe and not, for once, from Jimmy Greaves – and this showed why. It was the perfect finish, from a perfect finisher – had Dortmund possessed one like him, they might have stood a chance.

Christian Eriksen's pass in the heart of midfield was cut out, but the ball ran loose to Moussa Sissoko. He saw Kane’s sublimely judged run and reacted quickly; Kane, free of his markers, lashed a right foot shot past Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki. It was Tottenham’s first shot on target, only their second opportunity of note, but nights like this are not necessarily about dominance. 

As Kane had noted, too often in the past, Tottenham had found ways to lose. They did a year ago, drawing and scoring two away goals against Juventus, leading them 1-0 at Wembley, and then conceding two in quick succession to go out in the last 16. It was imperative, he said, that they go deeper this time.

And they have. Yet they have achieved more. The manner of this victory, the confidence, the well-executed plan – the only negative was what looked to be a groin injury to Harry Winks – are all signs of growing maturity. And this is a cup competition, for all its grandeur. Who might Tottenham be ready to take on after this? The answer is: anybody.