Juventus 2-3 Tottenham Hotspur
It may only be pre-season but the last-gasp goal which settled this International Champions Cup will be remembered for some time to come.
It was in stoppage time when the England captain Harry Kane – whose final part of last season was ruined by injury – looked up about a stride inside the Juventus half and sent the ball sailing over the Juventus goalkeeper.
The fact it was the former Arsenal man, Wojciech Szczesny, made it only sweeter for Kane, on as a half-time substitute.
That sealed a fitting end to a marvellous game in Singapore in which both sides impressed.
Highlights of the game
International Champions Cup highlights were expected in this encounter and it certainly delivered, fully living up to its mouth-watering billing.
There were so many reasons to be excited, including new faces galore.
Legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon started his first game since returning to Juventus, while new recruits Matthijs de Ligt and Adrien Rabiot were named among the substitutes.
This was also the unofficial debut in the Juve dugout for coach Maurizio Sarri – whose final match in charge at Chelsea saw him lift the Europa League.
Up top, Cristiano Ronaldo played on the left of a three-pronged attack with Federico Bernardeschi and Mario Mandzukic.
Spurs, meanwhile, named an under-strength XI that included youth products Kyle Walker-Peters, Japhet Tanganga, Anthony Georgiou, Oliver Skipp and Troy Parrott with record signing Tanguy Ndombele on the bench.
Yet it didn’t stop the north Londoners, captained by Toby Alderweireld, having the edge in the opening 45 minutes.
In fact, a number of the youngsters looked assured and confident – pressing the Italian champions high up the pitch and winning the ball back with aggression.
Son Heung-Min forced Buffon into a fine save after just four minutes before Alderweireld made a crucial block to prevent Ronaldo from giving the ‘Old Lady’ the lead.
The deadlock was broken on the half hour when young Parrott released Son Heung-Min who burst forward on the overlap to receive the return and, while his shot was stopped by Buffon, Erik Lamela tucked home the rebound.
It was clearly shaping up to be the Heung-min-Ronaldo show with spectators at the National Stadium cheering their every touch.
Ronaldo could have headed an equaliser soon afterwards but the Portuguese genius failed to connect with a Blaise Matuidi cross from close range.
Of course, SBOBET fans will know you can’t keep a good man down and it proved that way in the second half.
By then, Gonzalo Higuain, Szczesny, Merih Demiral – linked to a summer move to a number of clubs – and Rabiot had entered the fray for Juventus with Kane, Lucas Moura, Moussa Sissoko, Juan Foyth and Jan Vertonghen all on for Spurs.
Nine minutes after the restart and one of the introductions had levelled things up.
Miralem Pjanic, Higuain and Bernardeschi linked up and the Argentine marksman applied the finishing touch.
Handed the captain’s armband, Higuain could be a regular for Juventus this season under a manager he trusts in Sarri.
After Kane came within inches of restoring Spurs’ lead, Ronaldo pounced to send the International Champions Cup betting odds back in Juve’s favour.
Mattia De Sciglio’s cut-back found Ronaldo and his shot deflected off Vertonghen to leave Paulo Gazzaniga helpless.
Ronaldo was one of the players to make way moments later, De Ligt one of the players to arrive, but it was an introduction on the opposite side who played a part in the next goal.
Ndombele used his first touch to thread a perfect ball into the path of Moura whose finish was equally impressive.
Despite a few chances, the match seemed destined for a penalty shoot-out until Kane produced his moment of magic – a perfect strike after Moura won possession, unleashing a stunning first-time shot from just inside the Juventus half, sending the crowd wild.
A la Nayim – a former Spurs favourite – if Kane scores a better goal in his career it will be something special.
Key statistics
Higuain equalised with his first shot on target in the match.
Ndombele’s first touch set up Spurs’ equaliser in the 65th minute.
This crowd swelled the numbers attending Singapore’s two International Champions Cup games to more than 100,000 following Manchester United’s victory over Inter Milan in the same stadium yesterday (Saturday).
What’s next?
It’s an all-English clash next for Spurs – winners of the ICC last summer – when they face Manchester United in the Hongkou Football Stadium in Shanghai on Thursday (July 25).
Juventus face Inter Milan in an all-Italian affair 24 hours earlier in the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center in China.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
