De Zerbi starts Spurs reign with victory as youngsters shine in front of record New Zealand crowd

Roberto De Zerbi's first pre-season match as Tottenham Hotspur manager ended in victory, with a youthful Spurs side beating A-League champions Auckland FC 2-0 in front of a record football crowd in New Zealand.

Dane Scarlett opened the scoring early before Richarlison sealed the win after the break, as Tottenham kicked off their summer preparations on a winning note at Eden Park.

Despite a busy transfer window, only one of Spurs' marquee arrivals featured. Former West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes, signed for £85 million, came off the bench in the second half. At the same time, fellow recruits Sandro Tonali, Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi were all absent.

Explaining his team selection before kick-off, De Zerbi insisted he was unwilling to gamble with players still recovering from the demands of the off-season and the club's long journey to New Zealand.

"It's a chance for the young players," De Zerbi said. "After a very long trip, we can't take a risk with the players who are not ready to play yet."

Scarlett justified the manager's decision by firing Tottenham into an early lead, before De Zerbi introduced more experienced names including Ben Davies, Mathys Tel, Conor Gallagher, Richarlison and Fernandes shortly after the hour mark, before Richarlison then wrapped up the victory by doubling Spurs' advantage.

The occasion was memorable beyond the result. A crowd of 40,112 packed Eden Park, setting a new record attendance for a men's football match in New Zealand. The figure eclipsed the previous mark of 37,034, established when New Zealand faced Peru in a 2017 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

Tottenham will continue their pre-season tour on July 29, when they take on Sydney FC as De Zerbi steps up preparations for the new Premier League campaign. De Zerbi starts Spurs reign with victory as youngsters shine in front of record New Zealand crowd.