Tottenham begin tour with victory over Auckland FC in front of record crowd
Tottenham Hotspur began their pre-season tour with a 2-0 victory over A-League champions Auckland FC on Sunday, playing in front of a record crowd at Eden Park. Coach Roberto De Zerbi rested most of his key players, giving academy prospects and fringe squad members a chance to impress as Spurs look to build momentum after narrowly avoiding relegation last season, when they finished 17th in the Premier League.
Dane Scarlett opened the scoring in the 12th minute after Auckland's goalkeeper parried a shot, while Richarlison added a second late on following a Mathys Tel assist, with both players introduced as substitutes. The 40,112 crowd was the largest ever to watch a men's football match in New Zealand, surpassing the previous record of 37,034 set during a 2017 World Cup qualifier. New signing Mateus Fernandes made a brief appearance, while big-money arrival Sandro Tonali missed out through injury; Tottenham continue their tour with matches against Sydney FC and Chelsea in Australia next week.
- Tottenham beat Auckland FC 2-0 to open pre-season tour
- Eden Park crowd of 40,112 set a New Zealand men's football record
- Spurs next face Sydney FC and Chelsea in Australia
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Tottenham Hotspur is one of England's biggest football clubs, based in London. Last season was disastrous – they finished 17th in the Premier League, dangerously close to relegation to the second tier. The club has now appointed Roberto De Zerbi as their new manager to turn things around.
Before the competitive season starts, football clubs often play warm-up matches abroad to prepare. Tottenham's match in New Zealand drew a record crowd of over 40,000, the largest attendance ever for a men's football match in that country. This demonstrates how a major European club can attract huge interest on the other side of the world.
De Zerbi rested his main players for this match, instead giving opportunities to younger academy prospects and fringe squad members to impress. This approach is common in pre-season football, allowing managers to evaluate different players before the league season begins. Tottenham will continue their tour with further matches before the start of the new season.