European U-21 Tournament 2018, Ploufragan, Brittany
      Centre Technique Bretagne Henri Guerin, Ploufragan
                   July 27 – 29th 2018

Spurs won this tournament last year. Spurs are in group A with OGC Nice, P.S.G. and Stade Rennais. In group B will be Besiktas, AS Monaco, EA Guingamp and FC Lorient. The tournament is being held at the CTB Henri Guerin in Ploufragan in Brittany.

Spurs started with the tough game against PSG on Friday 27th July at 11.15am, which was the second match of the day. Spurs then played OGC Nice at 4.30pm. The last group match will be on Saturday 28th July at 12.50am against local side Stade Rennais. There are no semi-finals so Spurs need to win the group to play the winners of the other group for the Cup on Sunday. On that day the fourth placed teams play each other followed by the third and then the second placed sides.

Tottenham Hotspur Squad:-

Jonathan De Bie
Tariq Hinds
Connor Ogilvie
Dylan Duncan
Armando Shashoua – In for Japhat Tanganga
Jonathan Dinzeyi
Marcus Edwards
Jake Roles
Shilow Tracey
Shayon Harrison
Samuel Shashoua
Jamie Bowden
Charlie Freeman
Paris Maghoma
Brooklyn Lyons-Foster
Dilan Markanday
Troy Parrott
Maxwell Statham

Tanganga was included in the original list but was called up by England U-19 and while Armando is not listed he did join the squad for a pre-match photo. It was confusing when the first game began as the names on the teamsheets were not numbered correctly and I had to step in to help.

Day 1 - Friday 29th July

Spurs began the tournament playing Paris St. Germain on the main pitch.

PSG(All Blue):– Innocent; Luzayadio(Nya 44), Hemans, Pembele, A. Yaisien(C)(Kouassi 49), Attah, Epaillard, Haddadou, Williams, Bernadou(Metehan 38), Dina Ebimbe

Unused Subs:– O.Yaisien, Chesneau, Billey, Mzaouiyani, Ouvry

Scorer:– Bernadou 21

Tottenham (White/Blue) (4-1-3-2):– De Bie; Hinds, Dinzeyi, Lyons-Foster, Ogilvie(C); Bowden; Edwards, Maghoma, Duncan(S. Shashoua 38), Tracey(Roles 45), Harrison

Unused Subs– Freeman; A. Shashoua, Markanday, Parrott, Statham

Scorer:– Dinzeyi 9

Spurs won 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out

Spurs kicked off attacking the South end and moved the ball well but found little favour from the referee when challenges went in, leaving them on the ground. Paris were quick to counter and Haddadou hit the far post early on.

Spurs did win a free kick out on the left for a foul on Tracey who had got past his marker again. Bowden hit the kick into the area with Dinzeyi leapping highest to head home.

Both sides showed good approach play and Dina Eimbe had a powerful effort saved by De Bie and Edwards got in a shot that was saved before Bernadou headed in the equaliser at the near post.

In the second half Dina Eimbe fired over while Tracey fired wide from Ogilvie's pass. Edwards set up Maghoma to also fire wide. Both sides began to make changes with Shashoua replacing Tarcey, moving to the left side of midfield, and Roles replacing Duncan in the centre.

Spurs had two penalty appeals turned down. Harrison was sent to the ground by sub Nya as he shaped to shoot from Edwards' ball and Edwards (having exchanged passes with Shashoua) was caught by the keeper but was ruled offside.

The game finished level and was decided on penalties. Epaillard and Metehan scored for PSG while Harrison and Roles replied for Spurs. De Bie saved the next one by Hemans but Shashoua saw his effort saved.Dina Eimbe put his away and Edwards kept Spurs level. De Bie saved the next one by Attah with Maghoma netting the winner.

Spurs' next game was against OGC Nice who drew their opening game against Stade Renais before losing 2-0 in the penalty shoot-out.

Tottenham (White/Blue)(4-1-4-1):– De Bie; Hinds, Statham, Dinzeyi, Ogilvie(C); Bowden; Edwards, Roles, Maghoma(Tracey 42), S. Shashoua(Markanday 37); Harrison(Parrott 37)

Unused Subs:– Freeman; Duncan, A. Shashoua, Lyons-Foster

Booked:– Dinzeyi 41(Handball), Parrott 49(Foul)

Nice (Red/Black) – Boulhendi; De Olivera, Hamache, Assoumani, Wade, Sylvestre(Drame 37), Valtriani, Mahou (Guessand 44),Mestrallet(C), Gameiro(Pelican 34), Eboko

Unused Subs:– Bezzina, Leveque, Maurin, Cox, Kurzawa, Lopez

Spurs won 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out

Spurs kicked off attacking the South end but found the Nice side closing them down and breaking at pace. This saw De Bie save from Valtriani after only a minute and a Wade free kick fly wide. Assoumani headed wide from a corner before Harrison had a shot saved from Shashoua's pass.

With Nice holding a high line Spurs began to play balls behind which saw Edwards play in Shashoua to draw a save. Valtriani drew a save and Harrison headed over from Ogilvie's cross as the game was being played at pace. Nice finished the half pressing with Sylvestre's effort blocked and Valtriani winning a corner from which Mahoufired wide.

Harrison had the first chance of the second half firing over from an Edwards ball. After an effort over the bar Nice made their first change. This was followed shortly after by a double change for Spurs. Parrott replaced Harrison up front and Markanday took over from Shashoua on the left.

Valtriani tried to catch De Bie out from the halfway line before Dinzeyi picked up a yellow for handball on the edge of the area. Mahou hit the free kick well over. Spurs replaced Maghoma with Tracey in an attempt to break the deadlock. De Bie saved again from Hamache before Parrott was booked for going in late on the keeper. Nice finished the half strongly with De Bie saving from Assoumani, Valtriai and Guessand to finish level meaning penalties again.

Spurs won the toss and went first. Edwards sent the keeper the wrong way to give Spurs the lead and after Pelican missed Roles did the same for a two nil lead. Hamache pulled one back for Nice but Parrott stepped up to make it 3-1. I was expecting five penalties a side but it appears that a lead of two wins it so Spurs got the extra point.

With all four matches in the group finishing as draws the extra point from the penalties made the difference.

               P   W   D   L  F-A   Pts.
Tottenham      2   0   2   0  1-1    4
PSG            2   0   2   0  2-2    3
Stade Renais   2   0   2   0  2-2    3
OGC Nice       2   0   2   0  1-1    2

Ray

· Day Two match report
· Day Three match report

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