Premier League U-21
               International Cup 2015-16
         Lamex Stadium Broardhall Way, Stevenage,
          Wednesday 23rd December 2015, 12 noon

                SPURS     V     FC Porto B
              (4-2-3-1)          (4-2-3-1)
            (White/Blue)        (All Brown)

                 4(2)               0(0)

Spurs Team:- Glover; Walker-Peters, Carter-Vickers, Veljkovic(C), Amos; Lesniak, Winks; Townsend, Walkes(Sonupe 77), Onomah(Miller 46); Coulthirst(Harrison 70)

Unused Subs:- McDermott, Georgiou

Scorers:– Coulthirst 31, 34, Walkes 77, Sonupe 89

Booked:– Sonupe 85(Kicked ball away)

FC Porto:– Caio(C); Maurico, Trabulo, Soares, Gleison Moreira(Pedro 74), Ruiz, Rui Moreira(Cassama 57), Claudio Ribeiro, Varela(Santos 57), Sergio Ribeiro, Verdasca

Unused Subs:– Costa, Fernandes, Fonseca, Mata

Ref:– J. Smith
Assistants:– A. Humphries & S. Franklin
Fourth Official:– J. Mannix

It was a sunny if chilly morning for this the last group game in the International Cup and the last before Christmas. Spurs needed to win to go above Everton and join Porto on six points and into the next round. A two goal margin would put them top of the group.

Spurs lined up with a strong side of Glover in goal behind Carter-Vickers and Veljkovic with Walker-Peters at right back and Amos on the left. Lesniak anchored the midfield with Winks alongside him. In front of them Walkes was flanked by Townsend on the right and Onomah on the left in support of lone striker Coulthirst.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the South end with both sides taking time to settle. Trabulo had the first chance firing over from outside the area. Townsend was always a threat down the right and whipped in a cross which was just missed by Coulthirst. Ruiz fired over before Caio had to save from a Townsend cross which was deflected towards the near post after the winger had ran from his own half.

The Porto defence were having a hard time stopping Townsend and he should have had a penalty when Verdasca knocked him over. Onomah made room for a shot on the edge of the area which Caio could not hold. Coulthirst was quickest to the ball as it went to the right hitting a right footed effort under the keeper's body to open the scoring.

It was soon two when Porto failed to clear the ball on their right. Amos drove the ball in, and the keeper saved, but again Coulthirst was quickest to the loose ball finishing with his left. The visitors began to go down at the slightest of touches. However, Spurs continued to press with Winks running onto a long ball over the top by Veljkovic firing wide under pressure. Porto were getting forward less now but Varela had a chance that was wide before half time.

Spurs made one change for the second half with Miller replacing Onomah on the left. Spurs were now on top as the Portuguese side seemed to drop off a little, knowing they were through anyway, allowing Spurs to pass the ball more. Porto did make a double change which saw Cassama come on and take over the play-maker roll.

Townsend got down the right and crossed to the near post for Coulthirst but his effort was cleared at the post for a corner. Spurs made their second change replacing Coulthirst with Harrison. Townsend took a free kick over on the right which he played to Winks in a central position about 30 yards out. The midfielder hit it first time low towards the near post but Caio got across to save at the foot of the post for a corner.

From the right corner Townsend was curling the ball to the far post regularly and the defender had to put out for another corner as the likes of Veljkovic hovered. Ruiz intercepted a pass deep in the Spurs half and under no pressure fired over. When Spurs won the ball, Townsend got away and drew the keeper before playing the ball into the path of Walkes to side-foot it into an empty net for 3-0.

Walkes hardly had time to celebrate before he was replaced by Sonupe who went to the left allowing Miller to move in-field. Townsend was not quite quick enough to reach a through ball which would have rounded off his day. Sonupe kicked the ball away after he was penalised for handball which earned him a booking, but he made amends when he ran onto a through ball from Miller to beat the keeper and make it 4-0.

Lesniak played the ball through for Townsend on the left to curl the ball just wide of the far post. Having made all their substitutions Porto went down to twn men when Trabulo came off injured. In added time Townsend set Winks up for a chance which was saved.

This was a good performance from Spurs who had to overcome niggly play from the visitors who were quick to go to ground themselves. Spurs finish top of the group and I understand that they will play Chelsea who finished second in Group A.

Ray

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