Dane Scarlett and Richarlison were on target as an under-strength Tottenham opened their pre-season tour with an entertaining 2-0 win over Auckland FC on Sunday.
- A record crowd of 40,112 packed Eden Park, the largest attendance for a men's football match in New Zealand.
- Roberto De Zerbi rested most senior players and said he will ease others into the tour, with fixtures in Sydney and vs Chelsea.
- Tottenham have launched aggressive summer spending after narrowly avoiding relegation, finishing 17th last season.
- Mateus Fernandes was the only notable new signing to feature; record signing Sandro Tonali missed the tour with a reported minor injury.
Spurs coach Roberto De Zerbi rested most of his top players as the Premier League side dominated a match played in damp conditions in front of a record Eden Park crowd. The 40,112 who packed into New Zealand’s famed rugby ground was the biggest 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 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 A-League side Sydney FC and London rivals Chelsea.
“It’s a chance for the young players,” De Zerbi told TVNZ before kick-off, declaring Brighton signing Jan Paul van Hecke and 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.”
Record club signing Sandro Tonali wasn’t considered because the former Newcastle United midfielder had suffered an unspecified injury – “one small problem” – before the team left London, De Zerbi added.
Fernandes entered the game 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 seasoned forward Richarlison, who was omitted from Brazil’s World Cup squad.
Scarlett, one of several Spurs Academy players in action, opened the scoring in the 12th minute, pouncing after Auckland goalkeeper Michael Woud parried Manor Solomon’s shot.
