FRIENDLY MATCH
SUNDAY 6TH AUGUST, 2023
(2PM)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 5(1) SHAKHTAR DONETSK 1(1)

Spurs scorers:-
Kane 38 (pen), 50, 55, 79
Scarlett 90+4

Shakhtar scorer:-
Kelsy 45

Attendance:- 56,331

Referee:- David Coote

Spurs (4-3-3): Vicario; Royal, Romero, Davies, Udogie; Hojbjerg, Sarr (sub Skipp 87), Maddison (sub Lo Celso 77); Kulusevski, Kane (c) (sub Scarlett 80), Son (sub Solomon 77).
(Armband to Davies)

Subs not used:- Austin, Gunter; Pedro Porro, Sanchez, Dier, Reguilon; Bissouma, Perisic

Booked:- Romero (foul), Scarlett (foul on Matviyenko), Royal (foul)

Shakhtar Donetsk (5-4-1):- Pyatov (Riznyk 17); Gocholeishvili, Kozik (Lemkin 46), Matviyenko, Topalov (Pedrinho 60), Zubkov (Kashchuk 46); Bondarenko (Ocheretko 60), Nazaryna (Traore 81), Kryskiv (Newerton 75), Sikan (Vyunnyk 75); Kelsy (Castillo 75)
Armband to Matviyenko

Subs not used:- Trubin; Puzankov, Tvardovskyi, Faryna, Korniyenko, Hlushchenko

Booked:- Castillo

Kane gives a great exhibition

Thanks to Paul Bonham for this picture

Hardly a day goes by at the moment without Harry Kane featuring in the sports headlines. Will he, won't he go to Bayern Munich is the question on everyone's lips. Well, apparently Daniel Levy flew off for a holiday across the Atlantic earlier this weekend, after Spurs ignored Bayern's deadline for a deal that was below Mr. Levy's valuation of our great striker.

The fact that Harry played and captained the side for 80 minutes tends to suggest "one of our own" is going nowhere - yet. Today, after full tribute had been paid to the people of Ukraine and the visiting side, it was all about the football, and what an exhibition our record goal scorer gave us, scoring four goals which demonstrated his various skills.

No less than 56,331 fans turned out for this pre-season friendly, before which the Ukrainian National anthem was sung by Ukrainian star Olya Polyakova. The Ukrainian team (Champions of their league) were draped in their national flag and full respect was given to the period of silence before kick-off.

Shakhtar have already played two domestic games and brought forward their scheduled fixture for this weekend to midweek. They will grace the Champions League this season. The visitors kicked off and played towards the South Stand on a bright day which followed recent under-par summer weather.

For Spurs, there was no sign of Richarlison, who has a knock, but will apparently be available for Tuesday's trip to Barcelona. Hugo Lloris was not sighted and other players with injuries such as Forster, Sessegnon, Bentancur and Gil were known absentees.

According to Twitter's Fabrizio Romano, Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven was in the stadium. He will apparently have his medical tomorrow and be announced as Spurs' new centre-back. His pace and ability may well be needed to cover at the back when we are busy attacking and pressing as high as we do under Ange Postecoglou. This was the new coach's first game at our stadium, and what a start it was!

Apart from Kane there were impactive performances by both James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevksi. "Kulu" popped up anywhere from right to centre and it was from the middle that he sent a sharp pass to Kane whose right-footed shot was saved by the veteran keeper and captain of the visiting side. After the corner, Sarr had a low shot held.

Kulusevski passed from right of centre to Son, who passed inside to Kane. Harry turned and hit a right-footed shot which 38-year-old Pyatov held. Hojbjerg was regularly spraying long passes and after one pass to Kane inside the centre circle and skill from our leader, Son's cross was deflected and cleared. Maddison tried to find a clear shot but saw the mass defence clear the ball.

Spurs' attacking policy is not without danger as both full backs are encouraged to get forward and sometimes numbers at the back are lacking. This could cause us problems when the season proper begins next Sunday at Brentford.

Indeed, Shakhtar won a corner when Vicario had to block outside his right post when faced with a real threat. The corner was delayed because goalkeeper Pyatov, who has actually retired (and is on the coaching staff) was replaced and seen off by a guard of honour from all his team's players and fellow coaching staff. He was presented with a trophy a shirt with the number 482 which relates to his appearances for the team since 2007. This team have not been able to play in their home stadium since 2014.

More danger followed the corner and Emerson Royal made a vital clearance. Kulusevksi had a shot saved after Maddison's short ball. This was followed by intricate passing inside the box on the left ending in a Kane-Udogie combination and a cleared cross. Son, who was not at his sharpest for much of the game, had a shot cleared and after Hojbjerg's pass, Sarr had a left-footed shot pushed over the bar by the new goalkeeper - Riznyk.

Hojbjerg hit a fantastic pass from deep in his own half to Son, but nothing came of his pass into the crowded box. Another Son pass did find Royal whose 25-yarder was saved. A Kulusevski cross from the bye-line was parried by the keeper and headed involuntarily by Sarr, going off target.

Thanks to Andy Park for this picture

Soon after this, Maddison was brought down, and Harry Kane made no mistake firing his right-footed spot-kick wide of the keeper who dived correctly to his left. Within a minute of the goal, Kane had a shot blocked after receiving Maddison's short pass. Maddison fired wide himself after demonstrating great footwork when inside the area.

Sadly, all Spurs' attacking domination was neutralised when Kelsy got between our two centre-backs and headed confidently past Vicario.

There were no changes to the Spurs team at the start of the second half. Perhaps most of the bench will start on Tuesday in Spain. We had lots of possession in and around the box after more Kulusevski artistry. It was Maddison though, who delivered a perfect ball from left of the area for Harry to head back across the keeper and into the net in front of the "White Wall". Harry's hat-trick followed within five minutes. Son was in the middle and passed to Kulusevski who pushed forward a clever defence-splitting pass for Kane to finish with his usual aplomb.

Maddison forced a save after receiving from Kane and Udogie fired over after Maddison's short ball to Son and another short pass on the left of the area. Kane nearly had a fourth goal after receiving from Son before flicking the ball just past the back post. Maddison had another shot saved.

The attacks continued with Hojbjerg having a low-driven shot saved. Riznyk saved well from Kulusevski after Royal provided the chance.

Spurs' first changes were made after 77 minutes when Lo Celso replaced Maddison and former Shakhtar player Manor Solomon took over from Son.

Vyunnyk had only just come on and he pulled a good chance wide before Harry Kane had his fourth goal. Lo Celso and Solomon were the providers with the keeper parrying Solomon's shot to the deadly feet of Kane. Where would we be without him? Dane Scarlett soon came on for our talisman.

Vicario was called into action again when he saved well from Newerton and subsequently saved at the feet of Traore. Kulusevski had another shot saved after Lo Celso's pass.

In added time there was a special moment for Dane Scarlett (still only 19) when he scored his first senior goal for the club. Kulusevski crossed from the right and Dane controlled before turning and smashing home a left-footed shot. It was the last kick of the game.

Thanks to Greg Smith for this picture

The Tottenham clock (now proudly again on display on Tottenham High Road) is ticking on that "Will he, won't he?" saga. I fancy that Harry will start at Brentford next Sunday. He was certainly lauded by today's crowd which had been so roundly entertained.

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