Sydney hosts Tottenham in pre-season friendly
Tottenham secures pre-season victory in Sydney
Tottenham secured a 4-2 penalty shootout victory over Sydney FC after their pre-season friendly concluded in a 1-1 draw. The match, held in Sydney, saw Mathys Tel open the scoring for Spurs with a free-kick in the 29th minute. Sydney FC equalised after half-time through Takahiro Sekine. The shootout saw Martin Dubravka save a penalty, allowing Dane Scarlett to score the winning spot-kick.
The fixture marked the second of three pre-season tour matches for Tottenham. The team wore their new 2026/27 away kit for the first time in a senior men’s game. The weather in Sydney was mild with clear skies and temperatures around 13 degrees at kick-off.
Player performances and squad insights
Mathys Tel, who recently joined Tottenham permanently in a £30m deal from Bayern Munich, delivered a notable 45-minute performance from the left wing. His stunning free-kick was a highlight, and he was described as Spurs‘ brightest attacker in the game. This display came amid reports of Tottenham‘s interest in Manchester City winger Savinho, suggesting depth in the left-wing position.
Andy Robertson made his first appearance for Spurs as a second-half substitute, playing for 25 minutes. He was handed the captain’s armband during his debut and was involved in creating two chances while also having a shot saved before converting a penalty in the shootout. Robertson‘s performance indicated an attacking influence from the left-back position.
Midfielder Lucas Bergvall started the match, playing his first pre-season minutes before being replaced at half-time by club-record signing Sandro Tonali. Bergvall has reportedly received offers from Premier League rivals Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, and there are indications he wishes to leave the club this summer. Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has expressed a desire for Bergvall to stay, acknowledging his potential as a top player but stating he cannot guarantee a starting role.
De Zerbi admitted to making errors in his handling of Bergvall towards the end of the previous season. The manager highlighted the strong competition within the squad, particularly with the arrivals of Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali. Bergvall reportedly desires to play in a deeper midfield role, a position he occupied in the 1-1 draw alongside Archie Gray. However, De Zerbi cannot guarantee any player a spot in the first XI.
Archie Gray captained the team for the second consecutive pre-season game, despite the presence of more experienced players like Conor Gallagher and Richarlison. This suggests a vote of confidence from De Zerbi in the young midfielder. Conor Gallagher had three significant chances in the first half, while Richarlison played for 60 minutes.
The match also featured 10 academy players. Several key players, including James Maddison, Destiny Udogie, Kevin Danso, Dominic Solanke, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, and Micky van de Ven, were not involved in the game. De Zerbi noted that player conditions vary, with some like Archie Gray, Ben Davies, Tonali, and Conor Gallagher appearing ready for extended playing time, while others are still working to improve their fitness.
The team’s next fixture is against Chelsea on Saturday in Sydney.
Source: skysports.com