Tottenham win Sydney friendly as De Zerbi tests heavy summer investments
Tottenham overcame Sydney FC on penalties in a pre-season friendly that offered early evidence of Roberto De Zerbi's squad integration following a costly summer of defensive and midfield recruitment.
Tottenham beat Sydney FC 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Australia, securing their third pre-season victory. Mathys Tel opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a 25-yard free-kick into the top-right corner. Takahiro Sekine equalised for the A-League side in the 55th minute before Martin Dubravka saved a penalty in the shoot-out to allow Dane Scarlett to net the winner.
For a club that has invested heavily in reshaping its squad, the friendly offered an early return on investment. Tel, who completed a permanent £30m transfer from Bayern Munich this summer, delivered a bright 45-minute display off the left wing amid reports that Tottenham are pursuing Manchester City winger Savinho. As Sam Blitz noted, pairing Savinho and Tel would provide "real depth" on the left wing.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi also used the match to evaluate his restructured midfield. Wantaway midfielder Lucas Bergvall started and played the first half before making way for club-record signing Sandro Tonali. Archie Gray was handed the captain's armband for a second consecutive pre-season game, raising questions over whether he is "the final piece of that three-man midfield" despite high-profile arrivals.
Andy Robertson made his debut as a second-half substitute, captaining the side and immediately demonstrating the attacking intent demanded from full-backs by setting up two chances. Despite this tactical coherence at the back, Tottenham's attack lacked precision. The side missed several chances, with Conor Gallagher hitting the post and Min-Hyeok Yang failing to convert close-range opportunities while Richarlison was largely ineffective.
This persistent wastefulness highlights a potential vulnerability in Tottenham's summer transfer strategy. While the club has substantially reinforced its defence and midfield, the forward line remains depleted. With Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Mohammad Kudus, Xavi Simons and Dejan Kulusevski all sidelined by injury, further attacking additions may be required before Tottenham face Chelsea on Saturday.
