UEFA Champions Youth League, 2017-18, Gp.H
      Hotspur Way, Bulls Cross, Enfield
     Wednesday 13th September 2017, 3pm.

Tottenham Hotspur 4(3) – 0(0)  Borussia Dortmund
    (All White)                 (Black/Yellow)

Spurs(4-1-4-1):– Austin; Eyoma, Marsh, Tanganga, Brown; Skipp; Edwards(C), Oakley-Boothe, Duncan(S. Shashoua 64), Bennetts(Roles 71); Sterling(Griffiths 77)

Unused Subs:- De Bie; Hinds, Omolabi, Lyons-Foster.

Scorers:– Edwards 5(pen), 61, Bennetts 30, Sterling 32

Booked:– Roles 75(High foot)

Coach:– Scott Parker

Borussia Dortmund: Bansen; Stuhldreier, Beste, Schwermann (c, Kehr 73), Lippert, Pieper, Baxmann, Yilma, Kopacz, Kyeremateng (Aydinel 46), Bruun Larsen (Bulut 63).

Substitutes (not used): Jonas (GK), Missner, Raschl, Sechelmann.

Booked:– Schwermann(Holding71)

Coach:– Benjamin Hoffmann

Referee:– Bryn Markham-Jones(Wales)
Assistants:- H. Hendricks & A. Davis
Fourth Official:– J. Brooks

It was bright but there was a chilly wind in North London for the afternoon start of this UEFA Champions Youth League game. Spurs opened this season's group stage with a home game against German side Borussia Dortmund. The same teams met in the senior game played last night at Wembley, and these youth fixtures do follow the pattern of the Group games. Last season Spurs failed to get out of the group stage while Dortmund lost to Barcelona 4-1 in the knockout stage. Spurs come into the game having won their first U-18 game of the season 2-1 at Southampton while the visitors, who are the current German U-19 champions, won their last game 2-0 at Fortuna Koln.

Spurs lined up with Austin in goal behind Marsh and Tanganga with Eyoma at right back and Brown on the left. Skipp anchored the midfield with Oakley-Boothe and Duncan ahead of him flanked by Edwards on the right and Bennetts on the left in support of Sterling up front. Matthew Lock and Armande Shashoua were left out of the final eighteen which meant that we would not get the chance of seeing the Shashoua brothers play together.

Spurs defended the West end in the first half which saw the home side take the game to the visitors. Dortmund themselves were not shy in going forward which meant that it was an open game. Edwards led by example and it was his run off the right that won a penalty from Schwermann's challenge. The Spurs skipper sent keeper Elke Bansen the wrong way putting the ball into the left corner for the opening goal.

Kopacz had an effort blocked by Tanganga for a corner while Skipp got forward and also won a corner when his shot was blocked. Larsen got down the left and crossed for Kyeremateng to turn and shoot over the bar. Skipp played forward for Oakley-Boothe to send Sterling away but he took it too wide going round the keeper which allowed Bansen to recover and save at his near post.

Spurs got a second goal when Bennetts exchanged passes with Duncan before driving into the area to score at the far post. Spurs added the third shortly after when Sterling headed in Tanganga's powerful header from a corner. The defender's header may have gone in anyway but the change of direction from Sterling made sure. Kyeremateng fired wide as did Sterling before the break.

Dortmund made one change for the second half taking off striker Kyeremateng but pushing forward more. Spurs went close to a fourth when Edwards took a free kick on the left which Larsen tried to clear behind but only hit the far post with Duncan putting the rebound wide. It was four soon after when Edwards picked up the ball on the right and made a run coming inside to the edge of the area drilling the ball inside the near post.

Shashoua came on for Duncan in midfield as Spurs looked to freshen up the midfield. Schwermann was booked for holding Edwards before Sterling was played through for a one on one with the keeper who saved. Roles then came on for Bennetts with Shashoua moving to the left.

Yilna was booked before Dortmund replaced their captain and looked to contain Spurs. Another free kick by Edwards on the right was headed wide by Marsh at the near post with Shashoua returning the ball for Tanganga to head wide. Roles picked up Spurs' only booking for a succession of fouls. Spurs replaced Sterling with Griffiths up front and looked happy to see out the game but that did not stop Shashoua from having a shot blocked. Dortmund nearly got a consolation when Marsh, attempting to prevent a corner, only gave the ball to Dortmund who played it back to Baxmann for a shot that Austin saved tipping it over the bar. It was a good save from an under-worked keeper. From the corner, Kopacz's effort was deflected over and Spurs were able to see out the two minutes of added time to pick up the three points.

This was a good game with both sides looking to play. Spurs' early goal gave them the start they needed and they built on that to control the game adding more goals without conceding any unlike last season when they lost many games having taken the lead. Next up is the trip to Cyprus to play APOEL of Nicosia. They lost 10-0 in Madrid to Real who unsurprisingly are top of the group.

Ray

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