FRIENDLY MATCH
WEDNESDAY 26TH JULY, 2023
LION CITY SAILORS 1(1) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 5(1)
(Played at The Singapore National Stadium – 7.30 pm local time)
Lion City Scorer:-
Anuar, 14
Spurs scorers:-
Kane (pen), 45+4
Richarlison, 48, 52, 90+1
Lo Celso, 73
Referee:- Mr. A. Verolino (Singapore)
Attendance:- 25,035
Teams:-
Lion City (5-4-1):- Rohaizad (Azahari 79); Suzliman (Nor 46), Super (Mamadou 60), Wright (Harun 46), Henrique (Tan 60) Van Huizen (Abdullah 46); Anuar (Diego Lopes 46), Anumanthan (c) (Syahin 46 (Mao 88)), Rui Pires (Salime 60), Lestienne (Swandi 46 (Pashia 79)); Zivkovic (Rasaq 46 (Asis 88))
Subs not used:-Mahbud
No bookings
Spurs (4-3-3):-
First half:- Vicario; Pedro Porro, Romero, Davies, Udogie; Sarr, Bissouma, Maddison; Kulusevski, Kane (Capt.), Son
Second half:- Austin; Royal, Tanganga, Dier (Capt.), Reguilon; Hojbjerg, Skipp, Lo Celso; Solomon, Richarlison, Perisic
Subs not used:- White, Devine
No bookings
Second half hat-trick for Richarlison as Spurs coast home against Sailors.
Four years ago in this very stadium, Harry Kane scored a sensational late winner against Juventus from the half-way line. Today, against local opposition, described as the third best team in the Singapore League, Kane scored a first half added time equaliser after Spurs had gone one down, despite dominating in terms of possession, shots, and corners.
Spurs are driven by their new coach Ange Postecoglou to go forward, and the second-half side took the lead in the 48th minute thanks to Richarlison who added two more goals to enable us to coast to a win. Giovani Lo Celso impressed again and scored his second goal of the tour in which our second game in Bangkok had to be abandoned before kick-off due to monsoon conditions.
There was still no sign of Tanguy Ndombele, or Davinson Sanchez in the selected squad of players. Sanchez has been linked with a controversial move to Spartak Moscow, whilst Ndombele is presumably still nursing the knock/injury he sustained in training nearly two weeks ago.
The local side kicked off and played backwards. Spurs don’t seem to do that anymore. We won a very early corner (the first of many) thanks to Kulusevski. This was taken by Pedro Porro and Pape Matar Sarr had the first of several shots off target. Udogie started at left back and his short cross inside was cut back by Maddison into Kane’s path. The captain hit a left-footed shot just wide. Maddison soon had a shot deflected wide for another corner. Spurs were definitely on top.
Maddison is the creator we have been missing since Eriksen’s departure and he sent a ball forward for Kulusevski who was in collision with the goalkeeper, who might have conceded a penalty. Both players needed treatment and the referee was not interested in a potential offence.
Spurs suffered a surprise deficit when the “Lions” broke forward and Lestienne delivered a cross from the right. Pedro Porro (surely not our first choice right back in the forthcoming season) was at fault again and allowed scorer Anuar to get goalside and beat Vicario with not the cleanest of touches. It was one of probably only two attacks by the Singapore side in the first half.
Maddison hit a right-footed shot from 25 yards which was pushed out for another corner. This was headed over by Romero. A nice run by Kulusevski drew a foul just inside the “Lions” half. After the free kick and another corner, Maddison hit another shot off target. Maddison had been hoping to meet his former Leicester team-mates in Bangkok on Sunday.
Romero headed over again from a corner taken this time from the left by James Maddison. After good skill by Maddison and a pass to Son to the left of the box, Son’s cross/shot passed clear of danger. Kulusevski subsequently tried a landmark curler which passed wide. Spurs had had 9 shots off target already.
Harry Kane took a quick free kick after a foul on Pedro Porro and Son hit the net but was adjudged offside. We had a few of those decisions too. Sarr was in the box for a Pedro Porro corner, but headed over and Maddison was just off target with a left-footed shot after Son’s cut back from his left. Kulusevski tried a right foot cross, but the ball was picked up by the keeper.
Sarr fed Kulusevski with a good pass and the right—side player passed to the centre where Maddison forced a save by the keeper with a right-footed shot. Sarr had a shot himself (off target) after approach play by Kane and Maddison. Another Sarr sot skimmed the crossbar after Kane had headed the ball back from the edge of the box.
Ben Davies advanced and crossed deep to Kulusevski, whose shot forced another save. After the resulting corner, Son’s shot passed just over goal. In added time, Sarr was fouled just inside the area, and Kane made no mistake with a powerful right foot penalty kick which passed to the left of the keeper who had chosen the wrong direction for his dive.
1-1 was the least we deserved, but we have conceded from almost every defensive error so far on this compacted tour.
Eric Dier wore the armband for the second half when we fielded a completely different side. Brandon Austin hardly had a touch.
Spurs kicked off and within three minutes had the lead after Lo Celso carried a loose ball into the box and had a shot deflected (twice). The ball fell to Richarlison who made no mistake with his shot.
Richarlison scored again minutes later latching onto a poor backward defensive header to head past the keeper himself. It was 3-1 and the fear of embarrassment was over for the touring side. The Lion City Sailors rarely got out of their half.
Richarlison had a hat-trick chance with a header after Reguilon popped up a nice cross, but the keeper saved cleanly. Lo Celso and Perisic combined well in an advanced position and Perisic’s cross was pulled wide. Lo Celso was prominent again when he won a corner through persistence on the left. Richarlison had the ball in the net after Oliver Skipp headed the ball forward, but the Brazilian World Cup star was offside. He was offside again when he headed in Lo Celso’s ball into the box.
Manor Solomon had been playing on the right and he hit the post with a good shot after another Reguilon cross. After good play and a deflected cross by the former Fulham man, Lo Celso scored with a left foot shot.
Spurs were well and truly cruising now, but they had to wait until added time for Richarlison’s hat-trick goal which followed flicks by both Emerson Royal and Skipp before the striker deftly lifted the ball over the keeper.
It is early days, but the players seem to be enjoying the new coach’s style of football, but they do need to iron out those defensive frailties. The next game is at New White Hart Lane on Sunday August 6th (2pm) against Shakhtar Donetsk.
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