Tottenham 3-2 Juventus — Kane midfield 93’ lob wins match for Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur are back! Spurs played their first match of the preseason today in Singapore against Juventus in the International Champions Cup, and it was a beauty! Spurs got goals from Erik Lamela and Lucas Moura before Harry Kane lobbed a former Arsenal keeper from 60 yards with virtually the last kick of the game to win the match 3-2. Tanguy Ndombele also made his Tottenham Hotspur debut.

This was the first preseason match in a couple of years where most of Spurs’ biggest stars were available, but it was still a preseason match, and Mauricio Pochettino gave starts to a few youngsters, including 17-year old Irish striker Troy Parrott, who made his senior debut in a starting role. Young center back Japhet Tanganga also started alongside Toby Alderweireld in defense, as did Anthony Georgiou. Oliver Skipp began the match in the center of midfield alongside Harry Winks, while Dele Alli, Erik Lamela, and Son Heung-Min also were on the team sheet. Paulo Gazzaniga started in goal for Hugo Lloris, who was ill.

Mauricio Sarri, in his first Juventus lineup, came out strong, starting Gianluigi Buffon, Cristiano Ronaldo, Miralem Pjanic, Blaise Matuidi, Emre Can, and Joao Cancelo among others in what could be a starting lineup in Serie A. However, it did not include any of his new signings, so no Aaron Ramsey, Adrien Rabiot or Matthijs de Ligt.

First Half

Spurs started in the Pochettino traditional high press, and in the midfield diamond that worked so well last season for Tottenham.

4’ — Shot by Son! Matuidi caught in possession, coughed up the ball under pressure. Son forced wide on the counter, Buffon parries away his shot from an acute angle.

9’ — Son with another chance! Georgiou with a chip into the box, but Son can’t control the close range effort on target.

11’ — First effort for Juventus, and it’s Ronaldo from close range, but Walker-Peters is there to get a boot on the shot and block it out.

20’ — For an early preseason match, this has been pretty fun! Lots of pressure, lots of possession for Tottenham. Spurs have had the majority of the attacking moments thanks to Son.

21’ — Nearly a chance for Parrott as he latched onto a half-chance inside the box but had it taken away before he could get a shot off. Pretty auspicious debut for the teenage striker!

25’ — Walker-Peters has been given the job of shutting down Cristiano Ronaldo, and to his credit he’s done a great job. Has blocked one potential shot attempt and has put in a couple of timely tackles, wearing CR7 like a shirt.

26’ — Juventus’ first real shot, again from Ronaldo, but it goes wide of the left post.

31’ — GOAL TOTTENHAM! It’s Erik Lamela poking home the goal right in front of goal. Spurs on a 4 on 3 break, Parrott finds Son centrally, who plays it back to the youngster out wide. Parrott’s shot was well-saved by Buffon, but Lamela was right there to tap home the rebound effort. Spurs lead 1-0!

34’ — Another break on Juventus’ goal from Son Heung-Min, but he was flagged for offside. Replay showed it was close... he looked onside.

36’ — Chance for Juventus. A looping ball over the top from De Sciglio to Mandzukic from the left side, but his header is collected by Gazinga.

44’ — Yellow card for Parrott after a dangerous high boot grazes the head of Cancelo and draws blood. A deserved card, though very clearly unintentional from the youngster.

HALFTIME! — Spurs take a 1-0 lead into the break, and it’s been an impressive outing from an experimental Spurs side. Walker-Peters has kept Ronaldo quiet on the whole, and there have been impressive showings from young players Parrott and Tanganga. Erik Lamela has looked solid, which is good to see, and Son Heung-Min has been very dangerous in transition.

Second Half

Halftime changes a-plenty for both sides — Juan Foyth, Jan Vertonghen, Harry Kane, Moussa Sissoko, and Lucas all on for Spurs; Parrott, Dele, Alderweireld, Tanganga, Son all off. A few changes for Juventus as well, including Gonzalo Higuain and former Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny.

49’ — Lamela with a lovely through ball to Lucas in the box. Di Sciglio catches the back of Lucas’ leg in the box and he goes down, but no penalty given by the match official. In a competitive match that’s probably a penalty.

51 — Bernadeschi with a shot for Juventus, but it’s right at Gazzaniga, who collects easily. Juventus have come out with a different intensity — trying to press Spurs’ defense and force errors. Immediately afterwards, Lucas gets a no-look pass from Oliver Skipp on the counter, but Lucas’ powerful shot goes wide right.

56’ — Goal Juventus. It’s Higuain. Juventus finally gets through Spurs’ defense. A little give and go with Bernadeschi and Higuain goes low and hard, putting the ball past Gazinga into the corner of the net. It’s tied up at 1-1.

59’ — CLOSE from Harry Kane! A Lamela crossed ball finds Harry’s head who skies over Bonucci but puts his header just wide. Unusual — Harry usually buries that kind of chance.

60’ — Goal Juventus. It’s Ronaldo, who fires past Gazzaniga on a one-touch shot off a cross from Di Sciglio. Defense lost CR7 completely, he was wide open. Juventus lead 2-1.

63’ — Sub for Juventus, as Ronaldo makes way for the new boy Matthijs De Ligt. Dos Santos Aviero also comes on for Bonucci. Subs for Spurs as well — Tanguy Ndombele is on, as is Jack Roles. Harry Winks and Erik Lamela make way.

65’ — GOAL TOTTENHAM! It’s Lucas! Ndombele sets up Moura with his first pass of the match! He wins the ball back, fires a through ball to Lucas who sprints into the box on a diagonal run. What a goal! This match is fun as hell! Levels the score at 2-2.

67’ — OMG NDOMBELE WITH A SHOT THAT NEARLY GOES IN HE’S GOING TO BE A DESTROYER OF WORLDS

70’ — Good save from Gazinga! Bernadeschi with a blast but Gazzaniga down low to block it away. George Marsh and Harvey White on for Spurs in a double-sub.

75’ — Lucas looking super bright. George Marsh puts in a nice cross to him and Lucas tries to juke Matthijs De Ligt out of his boots, leaving him on the ground. It’s Spurs-Ajax all over again! Ball out for a goal kick. Meanwhile, two more subs for Juventus that I didn’t catch because I was typing this.

82’ — Chance for Kane! Sissoko with one of his trademarked driving runs through the center and passes to Kane, who, marked by De Ligt, is still able to get the shot off. Unfortunately, it dribbles just left of the post. Higuain also goes close just after this play.

86’ — Ndombele and Lucas seem to be on the same wavelength offensively. Tanguy seems to like to try and find Lucas on his diagonal runs into the box. You love to see it.

90’ — A player down on the pitch for Spurs — it’s Skippy, who looks like he just wanted to get Jamie Bowden on the pitch before the end of the match. Skippy subbed off.

93’ — GOAL TOTTENHAM! HOLY MOLY KANE FROM MIDFIELD! Lucas dispossess Rabiot at the center circle and Kane loops a long ball over Szczesny and it’s in the net! Wow! What a goal and that has to be the winner! RIDICULOUS!

FULL TIME — It is! Harry Kane’s long shot over Szczesny is the difference and Spurs win the match! The final score is 3-2.

Reactions

• It’s a preseason friendly, so I’m not going to get too excited but I think Spurs are going to win the league and Ndombele is winning the Ballon d’Or.
• Kane scoring a deeeeeeep winner over Szczesny — I will be playing that on repeat until infinity. Epic #banter.
• Really solid outings from the youngsters today — Tanganga and Parrott in particular impressed. Skippy played well even if he didn’t necessarily stand out. Less impressive outings from Jack Roles and George Marsh, but nobody looked awful.
• Spurs’ press was good and effective, especially in the first half.
• No Christian Eriksen in this match, and no I will not be reading anything into that, thank you.
• Juan Foyth played an entire half and didn’t play at right back, I am disappointed.
• We’re totally repeating as ICC champions, y’all.