Sydney FC holds Tottenham to draw in friendly, Spurs win shootout
Tottenham Hotspur were held to a 1-1 draw by Sydney FC in a pre-season friendly, though the Premier League club ultimately secured a 4-2 victory in a penalty shootout. The match saw a stunning free-kick from Mathys Tel for Tottenham and the debut of new recruit Andy Robertson.
The game, part of the Sydney Super Cup, took place at Allianz Stadium. Tel, a Frenchman, opened the scoring for Tottenham in the 29th minute with a curling free-kick into the top corner after Manor Solomon was fouled. However, Sydney FC equalised in the 55th minute through their new Japanese signing Takahiro Sekine, following a deflected pass from Kota Takai.
Match Action and Player Debuts
Tottenham’s manager, Roberto De Zerbi, opted to rest several key players after their recent 2-0 win against Auckland FC in New Zealand. Despite this, first-team players such as Archie Gray, Richarlison, Tel, Ben Davies, Solomon, and Martin Dubravka all started the match. Lucas Bergvall, a Swedish midfielder who has been linked with moves to Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, also started.
Tel’s goal came after early opportunities for both him and Conor Gallagher, as Tottenham maintained possession and moved the ball quickly. Gallagher nearly extended Tottenham’s lead shortly after Tel’s goal, hitting the post before the break. After the restart, Tottenham substitute Luca Williams-Barnett rattled the crossbar, but Sekine’s goal brought Sydney FC level.
Later in the second half, Tottenham winger Yang Min-Hyeok missed two chances to score, one from close range after an assist from Robertson and another with a header. The match concluded with a 1-1 scoreline, leading to a penalty shootout.
In the shootout, Sydney FC‘s Joe Lacey hit the post, and Alex Popovic had his penalty saved by Tottenham goalkeeper Dubravka. Tottenham secured the 4-2 victory with successful penalties from Sandro Tonali, debutant Robertson, and Dane Scarlett, who scored the winning spot-kick.
Squad Rotation and Player Futures
The match also marked the debut of Andy Robertson, who played for 25 minutes. Midfielder Sandro Tonali, a club-record signing at £100m from Newcastle, made an appearance in the second half after missing the first tour game due to a niggle. However, Mateus Fernandes, who joined from West Ham last month, was not part of the matchday squad, having played the last half an hour in Auckland. British media suggested he may have sustained an injury.
Other notable absentees from the Tottenham squad included James Maddison, Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven, and Jan Paul van Hecke. The team featured 10 academy players during the game, with Archie Gray, aged 20, captaining the side for the second consecutive match.
Manager De Zerbi addressed the situation surrounding Bergvall, stating he would like the player to remain with the club but cannot guarantee a starting role. De Zerbi acknowledged that Bergvall is potentially a top player but also mentioned that Tottenham is a top club regardless, and they do not need to convince anyone to stay. Bergvall is understood to desire a deeper midfield role, a position he occupied in the 1-1 draw alongside Gray.
The arrivals of club-record signings Fernandes, for £85m from West Ham, and Tonali have added to the competition in midfield, potentially raising further questions about Bergvall’s future. De Zerbi emphasised that competition within the squad will be strong, highlighting the need for a robust squad of 21 or 22 high-level players, especially given the injuries suffered in previous seasons.
De Zerbi also stated that he cannot guarantee a place in the first XI for any player and wants to be honest about this. He noted that Bergvall needs to improve in his role as a central midfielder, particularly in attacking, holding, and moving the ball faster. The manager concluded that if Bergvall wishes to leave, CEO Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange would need to facilitate an exit on favourable terms for Tottenham.
Sydney FC captain Rhyan Grant expressed that it was “very special” to play against a Premier League club, noting the rarity of world-class teams visiting Australia. Tottenham’s next fixture is against Chelsea at Accor Stadium.
Source: foxsports.com.au
Nathan Crowley is the Sports News Writer at NewsUK, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with six years of reporting experience. He moved from regional newspapers into digital sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Cardiff University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Cardiff, he plays amateur rugby and follows the Six Nations closely. “Speed and accuracy are not a trade-off in sport news.”
