AUCKLAND: Strikers Dane Scarlett and Richarlison scored goals as an under-strength Tottenham Hotspur opened their pre-season tour with an entertaining 2-0 win over A-League champions Auckland FC on Sunday.
Spurs coach Roberto De Zerbi rested most of his top players as the English 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.
The the only notable new signing to take the field was former West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes.
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 kickoff, declaring Brighton and Hove Albion signing Jan Paul van Hecke and former Liverpool stalwart Andy Robertson not yet up to speed.
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.
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.
GOMEZ INJURED
On Saturday, Andoni Iraola said Joe Gomez’s injury in Liverpool’s friendly win against Sunderland was the “worst news” at the start of his reign.
Iraola was taking charge of his first match since arriving from Bournemouth in the close season to replace the sacked Arne Slot.
The Spaniard watched as goals from Kieran Morrison, Dominik Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa and Lewis Koumas gave Liverpool a 4-2 victory in the opener of their United States tour in Nashville.
But Gomez, who started the game as centre-back and captained Liverpool, was forced off in the eighth minute.
Gomez’s premature exit added to Iraola’s defensive issues, with new signing Jeremy Jacquet still being eased back after his own fitness problems and Giovanni Leoni recovering following a long-term absence.
“Probably the worst news has been straight away the injury of Joe,” Iraola said.
“We were happy because we were kind of going through all the training without losing any player. Unluckily for us, straight away we’ve lost Joe.
Despite the injury woes, Iraola hopes the win will give Liverpool a platform to improve when they meet Wrexham in New York and Leeds United in Chicago.
Virgil van Dijk has been given extra time off following the Netherlands’ World Cup campaign.
But Iraola confirmed that Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch are in Chicago after their post-World Cup breaks and will soon rejoin the squad.
Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2026