Photo: Ali Gilmore
Valiant Spurs recover from first half football lesson to tie Barcelona at the Rosebowl
Barcelona 2 : 2 Tottenham Hotspur (Barca win 5-3 on penalties)
Tottenham recovered from a two goal deficit to draw 2-2 with Barcelona at the Rosebowl. Trailing at half time to a swashbuckling performance by the Catalan side, Spurs were comically gifted two goals inside two minutes in the second by some incredibly poor defending by what by then amounted to third string Barcelona players.
Spurs were utterly dominated in the opening half. It took just 15 minutes for Munir El Haddadi to give the Catalans the lead when he headed into an empty net. A deep cross from left midfield by captain Sergi Roberto was headed across Paulo Gazzaniga’s goal by Raffinha, where a grateful El Haddadi was waiting.
The first of many substitutions came in the 22nd minute when Carlos Perez replaced Denis Suarez who had embarrassingly blasted a very good chance wide earlier. Gazzaniga kept it at 1-0 shortly after when he parried a very powerful effort from Nelson Samedo
In the 28th minute, the lead became 2-0. Rafinha pulled back a great diagonal crossfield pass from the left for Arthur who thumped it home.
Spurs’ best chance of the first half came in 33 when Christian Eriksen produced a fine save from Jasper Cillessen from a free kick. Moussa Sissoko left the field with a worrying injury a minute later to be replaced by Georges Nkoudo.
The Korean star Son nearly put Eriksen through on the verge of half time but Kevin Stott’s whistle signaled far more of a relief for Spurs than Barcelona.
The Catalans made eight changes at half time, bringing on even younger reserves. For Spurs Davinson Sanchez and Oliver Skipp replaced Kyle Walker-Peters and Fernando Llorente.
Seven minutes after the interval, Eriksen produced another great save from Cillessen direct from a free kick.
Heung Min Son scored Tottenham’s first goal
Photo: Ali Gilmore
On 60, the voluntary changes continued for Tottenham, Michel Vorm and Anthony Georgiou coming on for Gazzaniga and Lucas. Malcom tested Vorm at his near post soon thereafter and and won a corner.
Spurs got their reward in the 74th minute. A series of terrible clearances and swipes presented Son with a an open goal after Eriksen’s initial shot was blocked. Spurs deserved that, as did their outnumbered army of fans.
The next goal seconds later was even more farcical.
Jorge Cuenca and his keeper Cillessen seemed to treat the ball as a hand grenade, which neither wished to touch. Geroges-Kevin Nkoudou could hardly believe his luck when got the final touch after the dance off, and a block on an effort by Georgiou. You’ll see it on a highlight reel very soon.
After the final whistle, the game proceeded to penalties.
Barcelona were 100% perfect and scored all five through Sergi Palencia, Abel Ruiz, Monchu, Ricard Puig and Malcom. Son Heung Min, Ben Davies and Sanchez scored for Spurs but Anthony Georgiou missed their third and that settled the outcome.
Spurs will wait on Sissoko’s injury who is being assessed tomorrow and news of Erik Lamela’s knee which kept him out the match. They fly to Minnesota where they will play AC Milan on Tuesday.
Attendance: 66,805
Starting XIs
Barcelona: Jasper Cillessen, Clement Lenglet, Juan Miranda, Nelson Semedo, Marlon Santos, Sergi Roberto (c), Andre Gomes, Denis Suarez (Carlos Perez 22′), Arthur Melo, Rafinha, Munir el Haddadi,
Tottenham: Paulo Gazzaniga, Serge Aurier, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Kyle Walker-Peters, Ben Davies, Moussa Sissoko (Georges Nkoudo, 35′) , Christian Eriksen (c), Lucas Moura, Luke Amos, Heung Min Son, Fernando Llorente
