Pre-season Friendlies: Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Sporting CP
The Red Bull Arena in New York witnessed one of the best games of the New York challenge as Spurs and Sporting put on a show for the fans that had come out to watch the game in the searing heat.
It was Spurs who opened the scoring, with Robbie Keane continuing his impressive pre-season form with yet another goal for the club. Niko Kranjcar, who joined Spurs last season from Portsmouth, produced an inch perfect through ball which was finished expertly by the Republic of Ireland International, Keane.
The lead did not last very long though, in fact only a minute, as Sporting equalized through Matias Fernandez. It was an excellent cross from the outside of the foot by Diogo Solomao and was put into the roof of the net by the on-rushing Fernandez. With the score at 1-1, both sides looked to take the lead but that is how it stayed until half time.
For Tottenham, left back Gareth Bale was particularly impressive with his runs down the left side and a number of good crosses for Robbie Keane. Despite his best efforts though, it was not the North London club who broke the deadlock.
Sporting took the lead soon after the second half started, with Jaime Valdes putting the Portuguese side ahead with a well taken goal. Valdes found his way in to the Spurs’ penalty area and as soon as he got some space to shoot, he sent an unstoppable shot past the substitute goalkeeper David button to make the score 2-1 to Sporting.
Sporting looked like they would run away with the game despite it being an end to end game, because they seemed to be rushing their attacks and could not find a way past the Sporting goalkeeper Rui Patricio. Spurs did, however, find an equalizer before the end of the game when one of their bright young substitutes, Jonathan Obika fired a low shot past Patricio after being put through on goal by the excellent Robbie Keane.
The Spurs Captain was influential throughout the game and with rumors linking him with a move away from the club, his performance would have made manager Harry Redknapp think twice about selling his. One the other hand, Redknapp will be very pleased with the performance of Jonathan Obika who looked assured on the field and could be a player to look out in the future.
The match concludes Tottenham’s tour of the North America as the New York challenge ended with the other game being played between New York Red Bulls and Manchester City finishing 2-1 to the New York side. It is Sporting, however, who take the New York Challenge Cup, after winning one and drawing one game in the competition.
The Portuguese team were the most impressive club at the event and deservedly won the title. Manchester City, on the other hand, finished with the lowest points which will be worrying for their manager Roberto Mancini. Tottenham boss, Harry Redknapp, will be pleased with his team's showing though, since they did well at the tournament despite being without a lot of their first team regulars. With a number of players out with injury though, Redknapp might have to go into the transfer market to get some much needed defensive cover.
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