My thanks go to Declan Mulcahy for compiling this detailed report:-
FRIENDLY MATCH REPORT,
Saturday 27 July 2024,
8:00pm local time, 11:00am BST
Vissel Kobe (1) 2 Tottenham Hotspur (1) 3
Vissel scorers:-
Osako, 9
Jean Patric, 64
Spurs scorers:-
Pedro Porro, 16
Son, 47
Moore, 88
Vissel Kobe (4-2-3-1):-
1 D Maekawa (50 P Obi 45); 25 Y Kuwasaki (44 M Hidaka 73), 81 R
Kikuchi (37 S Terasaka 89), 3 Matheus Thuler (4 T Yamakawa 45), 19 R
Hatsuse (c) (33 J Homma 89); 7 Y Ideguchi (51 K Hamasaki 83); 6 T
Ohgihara (15 Y Honda 45); 2 N Iino (26 Jean Patric 45); 30 K Yamauchi
(35 N Tominaga 64), 11 Y Muto (55 T Iwanami 45); 10 Y Osako (22 D
Sasaki 45)
Subs not used: 54 Yamada, 21 Arai, 39 Takayama
Booked: Kikuchi (27 foul on Kulusevski)
Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1):-
1 G Vicario (40 B Austin 45); 23 Pedro Porro (55 G Abbott 66), 12
Emerson Royal (62 W Lankshear 65), 14 A Gray (35 A Phillips 64), 33 B
Davies (63 J Donley 45); 29 P Sarr (24 D Spence 64), 8 Y Bissouma (4 O
Skipp 45); 22 B Johnson (59 M Moore 58), 10 J Maddison (15 L Bergvall
45), 7 H-M Son (27 M Solomon 58); 21 D Kulusevski (45 A Devine 64)
Subs not used: 46 L Gunter, 73 T Hall; 36 A Veliz, 44 D Scarlett
Booked: Phillips (76 foul)
Absent: 41 A Whiteman, 6 R Dragusin, 13 D Udogie, 16 T Werner (ill), 9
Richarlison
Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Attendance: 54,255.
Referee: Futoshi Nakamura.
(Note: The names of the substitutes and the times are correct.
However the Spurs website has inconsistent information about which
substitute replaced which specific player.)
Outstanding Moore scores late winning goal
Spurs won their third consecutive friendly game of the pre-season.
Sixteen-year-old Mikey Moore scored the winning goal with two minutes
remaining. This was his second pre-season goal and this very young
player is having a major impact as a substitute in the pre-season matches.
This was the opening game of the tour to Japan and South Korea. Spurs
opponents were the current J League champions Vissel Kobe.
Ange Postecoglou made five changes from the team which beat Queens
Park Rangers a week ago. Vicario and Ben Davies made their first
appearances of the season. James Maddison, Emerson Royal and Dejan
Kulusevski all substitutes last week began the game. Austin, Skipp,
Bergvall and Donley all dropped down to the bench. Werner was absent
due to illness and four others were not included in the matchday squad
Whiteman, Udogie, Dragusin and Richarlison. Kulusevski played as a
withdrawn No. 9 today.
Among the notable Vissel Kobe players were the following. Takahiro
Ogihara, played under Ange Postecoglou when they were both at Yokohama
F Marinos in the J League. Yosuke Ideguchi spent time at Leeds United
without playing first-team football. He made three appearances for
Celtic during Postecoglou's time as manager. Yoshinori Muto has
played for Mainz 05 in Germany and Newcastle United making 25 league
appearances for the latter.
The weather was hot, 31C, and humid. Vissel Kobe have already played
24 competitive matches this season.
Given these factors it wasn't surprising that Vissel started the game
faster. In the first five minutes Muto volleyed the ball too high and
Davies blocked another attempt. They took the lead after nine minutes.
Iino's cross was diverted by Sarr to Osako who scored with a right
footed shot from close range to the top right corner.
Spurs could have equalised a minute later. Son crossed to Kulusevski
but the latter's effort was diverted by Kikuchi. However the equaliser
was not long in coming. Gray set up Kulusevski who then played the
ball wide to Johnson. He returned the ball to Kulusevski. He
backheeled the ball to Pedro Porro who scored with a nice shot from
outside the box.
Two minutes later Kulusevski could have put Spurs ahead but his shot
from a tight angle hit the side netting. Son then hit a curling shot
towards the top corner but goalkeeper Maekawa made a diving save.
Vissel then threatened with Iino making a run however Sarr atoned for
his part in their goal by clearing the ball for a corner. Kulusevski
was intent on making a break at the other end following a throw in but
was fouled by Kikuchi who received a yellow card for his troubles.
From a corner Maddison set up Kulusevski at the edge of the box. His
shot was blocked and Vissel capitalised with a counter attack which
was brought to a halt thanks to Pedro Porro. Spurs had a couple more
chances before the break. Son crossed from the left and Ideguchi did
well to deflect Johnson's goal bound tap in. Maddison set up Pedro
Porro from a free kick but the latter's shot was blocked.
Ange Postecoglou made four changes at the interval with Austin,
Donley, Skipp and Bergvall replacing Vicario, Davies, Bissouma and
Maddison. Skipp went into the back four with Gray moving to midfield
and Bergvall took over Maddison's position.
Spurs made a great start to the second half. Johnson made a break down
the right wing. He crossed towards the far post where he found Son who
scored with a shot from 10 yards.
Vissel created some opportunities. Patric's cross was just too far
from Sasaki. Austin made a good save diving at Yamauchi's feet. Patric
created another opportunity for Sasaki who could only shoot straight
at Austin. (Note his name is Jean Patrick but he is more commonly
known as Jean Patric.)
Iwanami cleared an effort from Kulusevski. Then Porro set up Solomon
who in turn passed to Donley. His curling shot hit the post.
In a period of six minutes around the hour mark Postecoglou replaced
the remaining seven starters. Moore, Solomon, Phillips, Spence,
Devine, Lankshear and Abbott replaced Johnson, Son, Gray, Sarr,
Kulusevski, Emerson Royal and Pedro Porro.
Within minutes of coming on Moore had a shot which beat a defender and
the goalkeeper. It was cleared by Iwanami. There were suggestions that
it hit his arm. There was no VAR and the referee didn't give a penalty.
Immediately afterwards Vissel equalised. Patric hit a shot from the
centre of the box which deflected off Emerson Royal into the bottom corner.
Vittel substitute goalkeeper then proved his worth by parrying a shot
from Devine and tipping a 25-yard shot from Donley over the bar.
Another youngster Lankshear then narrowly failed to connect with
Devine's cross.
With fifteen minutes remaining Donley set up Moore at the far post but
his header was high. Phillips became the first Spurs player to be
booked in the pre-season friendlies. Bergvall hit a powerful shot from
30 yards but it was blocked. Lankshear narrowly missed a Moore cross.
It fell to Solomon whose shot was too high.
Shortly before the end Solomon set up the running Donley. He sent a
nice cross from the left touchline which Moore just had to tap in for
the winning goal.
This was a good win against a strong J League team who are well into
their season. Mikey Moore has now scored two goals in three friendly
games this season. Earlier this he had a very good Under-17 European
Championship with England. Although England were eliminated in the
quarter-finals he ranked second at the tournament for goal
involvements (5), with four goals and an assist in four games. His
form is currently outstanding.
Four other young players Donley, Lankshear, Bergvall and Devine made
significant contributions in the second half today which is very
encouraging.
Spurs now journey on to South Korea and play a Team K League team on
Wednesday.
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