Scorers:-
Bent, 10
Dos Santos, 55
O’Hara, 88

Referee: - Mr. K. Blom (Holland)

Teams:-
Spurs (4-4-2):- Gomes; Zokora, Dawson, Huddlestone, Gilberto; Bentley (sub Gunter, 63), Jenas (Capt.) (sub Smith, 71), O’Hara, Bale (sub Lennon, 46); Dos Santos, Bent (sub Berbatov, 46)
(Armband to Dawson)

Subs not used: - Jansson; Ekotto; Modric

No Bookings

Borussia Dortmund (4-4-2):- Ziegler; Owomoyela, Subotic, Hummels (sub Sadrijaj, 70), Schmelzer; Federico (sub Hille, 82), Kruska, Hajnal (sub Sahin, 59), Kringe (Capt.) (sub Santana, 70); Valdez (sub Klimowicz, 59), Petric

Subs not used: - Weidenfeller; Buckley

Booked: - Owomoyela, Hajnal, Klimowicz

Spurs have been part of the “hors d’ouevre” on both nights of the Feyenoord Jubileum Trophy, but they assured themselves as outright winners before the final game was even commenced, thanks to another convincing pre-season win. This time former German Bundesliga Champions and Champions League winners Borussia Dortmund were the victims, losing by three well-taken goals scored by Darren Bent, Giovani Dos Santos, and finally Jamie O’Hara. These days, the Dortmund side provide more moderate opposition, finishing 13th in last season’s league programme and currently recovering from financial difficulties.

The Dortmund side (which had after all beaten Feyenoord on Friday) was not at its strongest, and part from occasional flashes of skill from strikers Valdez and Petric, they showed little threat in the first half, as Gomes seemed to be in for another comfortable night between the sticks. Spurs’ Brazilian guardian was more tested in the second half though, and succeeded in keeping a clean sheet behind an improvised defence of Zokora, Dawson, Huddlestone and Gilberto (Adam Smith and Chris Gunter were the full backs in the latter stages).

Modric, of whom there has been a slight injury scare since Friday, remained on the bench, and Dos Santos played a supporting role behind Darren Bent. David Bentley made his first start, and Gareth Bale played left side midfield. Dos Santos had a relatively quiet first half, but still featured when Spurs turned on the style on the odd occasion. Once again, there was little to report on that first half, as Spurs concentrated on possession.

Spurs did have a succession of early corners, but the yellow shirted Germans made a good break, and the Croatian striker Petric tried to go it alone, putting a disappointing shot wide across Gomes’ goal. Once again, Spurs ball players were confronted by some uncompromising tackles in a friendly, and Owomoyela was the first of three bookings for a tackle on Gareth Bale. Darren Bent finished off in style to give Spurs a tenth minute lead after a good passing move started by Jamie O’Hara on the right of centre. Bale and Dos Santos carried on the good work, before Dos Santos fed the ball to Jenas, who was given room to manoeuvre in the middle before sliding the ball to Bent, who also made room for himself, hitting a good low right footed shot past the keeper from the edge of the box.

Mid-way through the half, Gilberto conceded a free kick just outside the box, and Petric fired over the bar without worrying Gomes at all. O’Hara tried from 25 yards, hitting his effort over too, before Valdez should have equalised. The Paraguayan did well to collect the ball on his chest with his back to goal, and leave Huddlestone out of the equation, beating Dawson before hitting a very weak attempt wide across Gomes’ right hand. Gomes then got down to a 25 yarder from Hajnal.

Berbatov replaced Bent at half-time, whilst Gareth Bale was replaced by Lennon. Aaron took up the right wing, and David Bentley moved to the left. In the first minute of this half, Berbatov who showed great skill near the half-way line with some link-up play, before hitting a long pass over the defence for Dos Santos to reach, before the 19 year old finished weakly with only the keeper to beat. After 49 minutes, Zokora passed short to Dos Santos on the right, and he sent a great ball beyond the defence for the un-marked Bentley, whose powerful drive was well saved by Ziegler. Gomes was soon in action at the other end, smothering a shot by Valdez, who had been put in by Federico’s cross from the right. Bentley then appeared to be fouled inside the area, but Dutch referee Mr Blom was having none of it.

All was well for Spurs three minutes later when Jenas running through the middle picked out Dos Santos with a well-placed ball, finished cutely with Dos Santos’s left foot past the keeper. (Incidentally, it appears that we are to refer to our exciting 19 year old Mexican as Giovani)

The game was an hour old and the fans were filtering in for the Feyenoord-Celtic game. Spurs fans greeted the second goal with “Are you Celtic in disguise” aimed at Dortmund, and there was plenty of banter between the British fans thereafter.

The Germans brought on Argentinean Klimowicz for Valdez, and with their other changes, did look more lively in the last half-hour. Skipper Kringe was in space on the left and hit a good right footed shot that Gomes saved with his left hand. Bentley was replaced by Gunter, who took over at left back, with Gilberto moving up to midfield. Petric hit another free kick over the target, and Gomes had to make another good save from a shot by the substitute Klimowicz, at close range.

Youngster Adam Smith replaced Jenas, for his first appearance in the first team, and did a competent job at right back. Smith’s debut was to be capped by his part in the third goal. Now Zokora returned to his usual stomping ground. There was more work for Gomes who got both hands to the ball with his dive to the right at full stretch to push away a Sadrijaj shot. Four minutes later, Spurs played well out of defence, with Gilberto making the first pass to Berbatov. His ball sent away Dos Santos, but sadly he passed to Zokora, who lived up to scoring reputation with a sky-high attempt.

Two minutes from the end, Spurs made it three with an excellent team goal. O’Hara had started the final move, with a ball to Lennon, who slipped it to the over-lapping Smith. Smith sent over a beautiful cross that beat everyone in no-man’s-land, and was gratefully planted in the back of the net by Jamie O’Hara.

Spurs have to wait till after the second game of the night before being presented with their trophy, which is just reward for an excellent pre-season, concluded next week at White Hart Lane when Serie A runners-up A.S. Roma will be the worthy challengers

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