Dane Scarlett and Richarlison were on target as an under-strength Tottenham opened their pre-season tour with an entertaining 2-0 win over the A-League champions, Auckland FC, on Sunday.
Roberto De Zerbi rested most of his top players but the Premier League side dominated a match played in damp conditions. The 40,112 who packed into the All Blacks’ famed rugby ground formed the biggest crowd to watch a men’s football match in New Zealand. It surpassed the previous best of 37,034 for a New Zealand World Cup qualifying match against Peru in 2017. They were treated to a fast-paced contest, even if both sides were missing several of their best players.
Tottenham have embarked on an aggressive summer of spending after narrowly avoiding relegation last season, when they finished 17th. However, the only notable new signing to take the field was the former West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes, who scored in the 1-0 win over MK Dons in London on Wednesday.
De Zerbi said he would ease others into the tour, with Tottenham to play games in Sydney next week against the A-League side Sydney FC and their London rivals Chelsea.
“It’s a chance for the young players,” De Zerbi told TVNZ before kick-off, declaring Jan Paul van Hecke, signed from Brighton, and the former Liverpool stalwart Andy Robertson not yet up to speed. “After a very long trip, we can’t take a risk with the players who are not ready to play yet.”
The cecord club signing, Sandro Tonali, was not considered because the former Newcastle midfielder had suffered an unspecified injury – “one small problem” – before the team left London, De Zerbi added.
Fernandes came on with half an hour remaining and Spurs bagged their second goal shortly afterwards through the work of two other substitutes. Mathys Tel burst into the box and set up a tap-in for Richarlison.
Scarlett, one of several Spurs academy players in action, opened the scoring in the 12th minute, pouncing after the Auckland goalkeeper Michael Woud parried Manor Solomon’s shot.
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