INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS CUP
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
SATURDAY 22ND JULY, 2017
(8pm – local time)
PARIS-SAINT-GERMAIN 2(2) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 4(2)

PSG scorers:-
Cavani, 6
Pastore, 36

Spurs scorers:-
Eriksen, 11
Dier, 18
Alderweireld, 81
Kane (pen), 88

Attendance:- 33,322

Referee:-Ted Unker

PSG First half (4-3-3):- Trapp; Dani Alves, Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Kurzawa; Lo Celso, Thiago Motta (Capt.), Rabiot; Guedes, Cavani, Pastore

Second half:- Trapp; Dani Alves (sub Nkunku, 68), Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Kurzawa (sub Yuri, 68); , Jese, Thiago Motta (sub Callegari, 68), Matuidi; Guedes (sub Areola, 46), Bernede, Pastore (sub Di Maria, 68)
(Armband to Matuidi)

Booked:- Jese (foul on Dele)

Sent off (45):- Trapp (Handling outside his area)

Spurs First Half (4-2-3-1):- Lloris (Capt.); Walker-Peters, Carter-Vickers, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Dembele; Onomah, Eriksen, Nkoudou; Janssen

Second half (4-2-3-1):- Vorm; Trippier, Alderweireld, Wimmer, Davies; Wanyama, Dembele (sub Winks, 60); Eriksen, Dele, Oakley-Boothe; Kane (Capt.)

Subs not used:- Whiteman, Austin; Brown, Dinzeyi; Georgiou, Miller

Booked:- Alderweireld (foul on Di Maria)

Two cracking goals seal victory

This first match of the pre-season for Spurs (a second for PSG) is part of the International Champions Cup, much of which is being played in North America, and might have been billed as an exhibition match between two teams who will be participating in this season’s Champions League. The game was simply a “friendly”, which turned scrappy at times , a little farcical at moments, but which was ultimately won thanks to two stunning goals scored by Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld. Eriksen was one of very few players (Ben Davies was another) who played the full 90 minutes. The game was played in steamy Orlando in front of an enthusiastic crowd of over 33,000. With the numerous team changes, including substitutions not made clear to Premier Sports viewers it was difficult at times to keep track of events, but for the benefit of those unable to view the game, here is a summary.

Spurs featured inexperienced players on the right side of their defence, but they were not the only players at fault as Spurs struggled to settle in the early stages. 30 year old star striker Edinson Cavani had already had a header go wide before Eric Dier presented the French team with a chance, which thankfully went over the Spurs goal. It wasn’t long though before PSG took the lead. Carter-Vickers was caught the wrong side of Rabiot who took on Kurzawa’s ball out of defence, before presenting the pass to Cavani who made no mistake beating Lloris to his left.

Spurs began to assert themselves, and it was thanks to pressure by Mousa Dembele near the left touchline that the ball was passed backwards and inside to Eriksen by Nkoudou. Eriksen took the ball on and hit a rasping shot from fully 28 yards, which might have caught a slight deflection, but had German goalkeeper Kevin Trapp beaten all ends up as the ball flew into the top left of his goal.

Spurs did have to clear under pressure directly from the kick-off, with Cavani in the mix, and soon after that PSG skipper Thiago Motta headed wide from a free kick awarded on the left. It looked as if Cavani was offside when he received, but nothing was given, and Hugo Lloris had to pat the ball away from his feet. Pastore followed up but fired over.

Spurs were gifted the lead when goalkeeper Trapp could only clear a back pass to the feet of Eric Dier. It would be easy to say the ball rebounded into the net off Dier, but Eric did put a foot out and therefore deserves some credit! Thiago was lucky not to see a card for his heavy handed challenge on Eriksen, but cards would be shown in the second half, which is unusual in a friendly. Kyle Walker-Peters (who with Josh Onomah had been part of the successful England under 20 World Cup team) was handy going forward and got to the line just inside the box, hitting a cross to the back post where Georges-Kevin Nkoudou scooped over.

There was more danger in the Spurs box when Jan Vertonghen cleared well from Cavani. Cavani had another headed chance after a cross from the left, but Lloris saved. Spurs had a decent build up which ended in a dangerous cross by Nkoudou from the left, cleared by the PSG defence. Referee Ted Unker had words with Vertonghen after his challenge upon Lo Celso. Another effort by Cavani was held by Lloris. After a drinks break Janssen passed to Ben Davies, who looked offside. Davies tried a clever back heel past the keeper but this was cleared.

PSG equalised in the 36th minute. The right side of the defence was exposed as Pastore was fed a ball from the midfield. Pastore fired high into the roof of Hugo’s net with a right foot shot. At the other end, Eric Dier won a corner when being challenged for a header from a Spurs free kick on the left. In this period there was an ongoing niggly battle between Nkoudou and Dani Alves, who was wanted by Pep Guardiola, but who signed for the French side from Juventus in the summer.

The second half started with a degree of farce as Harry Kane raced for a long ball and goalkeeper Trapp handled outside his area in his desperation to clear. Harry actually put the rebound in the net, but the referee had already blown and quickly showed his red card. It wasn’t clear at the time which outfield player was sacrificed for substitute keeper Areola, but it was Guedes. Eriksen’s free kick was saved by Areola. Dele Alli had a chance soon after that, but he fired over from the same sort of position from which Pastore had scored in the first half. Second half PSG player Jese was shown yellow for an unnecessarily strong challenge upon Dele.

Mousa Dembele was replaced by Harry Winks on the hour, and Spurs seemed to revert to a 4-3-3 with Tash Oakley-Boothe playing on the right with Winks to the left of Wanyama. Oakley-Boothe had been found further forward early in the second half. Wanyama got forward and was gifted the ball taking it on and forcing another save from keeper Areola. Next up was Dele with another low shot and a save.

Dani Alves was one of four PSG substitutions and former Real Madrid and Manchester United man Angel Di Maria was one of those making an entrance. Harry Kane put in a dangerous cross from the left. Eriksen nearly got a killer touch and Dele had a chance in the follow-up play but that was cleared. Spurs were struggling to make too much headway against the 10 men, and Di Maria gave Spurs one or two problems. Alderweireld also saw yellow for his foul on the PSG man, much to his discontent. Eriksen hit a 22 yard shot just wide after Kane had passed back to him.

Kevin Wimmer seemed to be struggling for pace and he and Alderweireld were troubled by Bernede who won a corner off Wimmer. Michel Vorm had not been as busy as Lloris, but he was tested soon after, but made the save.

After another drinks interval, Spurs took the lead in quite spectacular fashion following some good build up work and final passes by Harry Winks and Wanyama, before Toby Alderweireld unleashed a powerful right footed drive from 25 yards to make it 3-2. PSG gifted the ball to Dele, who passed to Eriksen, whose shot from just outside the area was saved. PSG felt quite hard done by when the referee awarded a penalty when Trippier’s cross was handled at short range on the edge of the box. Kane (who else) stepped up and hit a power drive just left of centre which Areola could not stop, despite going the right way.

The 4-2 scoreline flatters Spurs, but Mauricio will be pleased with the win and the minutes under the belt for so many of our squad. Next up will be Roma on Tuesday night (8pm local time) in Harrison, New Jersey.

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