Robertson and Tonali Debut as Tottenham Defeat Sydney FC on Penalties
Andy Robertson and Sandro Tonali made their first Spurs appearances in a pre-season friendly featuring a shootout win in Australia.
Tottenham Hotspur’s pre-season tour featured high-profile squad debuts as Andy Robertson and Sandro Tonali made their first appearances for the club during a 1-1 draw against Sydney FC, which Spurs ultimately won on penalties.
Former Liverpool defender Andy Robertson stepped onto the pitch as a 66th-minute substitute, immediately assuming captaincy duties. The full-back almost created a late winner when his trademark cross was poked wide by Yang Min-hyeok. Meanwhile, Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali entered at halftime to replace Lucas Bergvall, who had a quiet outing.
Mathys Tel opened the scoring for Tottenham in the 29th minute, curling a free-kick into the top right corner after being brought down on the edge of the box by Takahiro Sekine. The former Bayern Munich winger had threatened earlier with a shot saved by Sydney goalkeeper Gus Hoefsloot, while teammate Conor Gallagher hit the post shortly after Tel’s opener.
Sydney FC leveled the match ten minutes into the second half through Takahiro Sekine, who capitalized on an errant pass from Spurs substitute Kota Takai before finishing past goalkeeper Martin Dubravka. Sydney had previously pressured Tottenham before the break, with long-range efforts from Rhys Youlley and Mathias Macallister testing Martin Dubravka.
Head coach Roberto de Zerbi introduced several younger prospects throughout the second half. Luca Williams-Barnett nearly made an immediate impact by striking the woodwork, while Mason Melia, Jamie Donley, and Dane Scarlett were also brought on.
With the contest tied at 1-1 after full-time, the friendly proceeded to a penalty shootout. Joe Lacey and Alex Popovic missed for Sydney FC, while Jamie Donley failed to convert for Spurs, leaving Dane Scarlett to score the decisive kick.
The match serves as part of the broader summer schedule for Tottenham Hotspur. The club remains in Australia to face Chelsea at Accor Stadium on August 1, followed by a closed-doors fixture against Getafe on August 8, and consecutive games against Hoffenheim on August 15 and 16.
