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SportsTottenham beat Auckland FC 2-0 in pre-season tour opener, set New Zealand attendance record
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Tottenham Hotspur opened their pre-season tour with a 2-0 victory over A-League champions Auckland FC at Eden Park in New Zealand. Goals from Dane Scarlett (12th minute) and Richarlison secured the win in damp conditions. The match attracted a record crowd of 40,112 for a men's football match in New Zealand, surpassing the previous record of 37,034 set in 2017. Manager Roberto De Zerbi rested most of his top players, citing travel fatigue and injury concerns. Notable absentees included new club-record signing Sandro Tonali (minor injury) and veterans Andy Robertson and Jan Paul van Hecke (not match-fit). New signing Mateus Fernandes made an appearance as a substitute. Tottenham, who narrowly avoided relegation last season (finishing 17th), will continue their tour with matches against Sydney FC and Chelsea in Sydney.
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Richarlison celebrates after scoring the second goal for Tottenham at Eden Park. Photograph: Lynne Cameron/Tottenham Hotspur FC/Shutterstock
- Scarlett and Richarlison on target in Spurs’ 2-0 victory
- 40,112 a record crowd for a men’s match in New Zealand
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 record 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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Football | The GuardianWestern
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Tottenham begin tour with victory over Auckland FC in front of record crowd