Richarlison scores as Spurs beat Auckland at Eden Park

Club Friendlies

>Auckland 0 - 2 Tottenham Hotspur FT

Richarlison (right) was left out of Brazil's squad for the 2026 World Cup [Getty Images]Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi said he did not want to take any risks as he fielded a young side in a pre-season win against A-League champions Auckland FC in New Zealand.

>Dane Scarlett and Richarlison scored the goals for Spurs as Mateus Fernandes, an £85m signing from West Ham, was the only one of the club's major summer arrivals to feature.

>Sandro Tonali, who joined Tottenham in a £100m deal from Newcastle United, missed out with "one small problem", while defenders Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi also didn't figure.

>"It's a chance for the young players," De Zerbi told TVNZ before kick-off.

>"After a very long trip, we can't take a risk with the players who are not ready to play yet."

>Scarlett put Spurs into an early lead before some of Tottenham's more experienced players in Ben Davies, Mathys Tel, Conor Gallager and Richarlison came on, along with Fernandes, just after the hour mark.

>Richarlison added his side's second in a game watched by a record crowd for a men's football game in New Zealand.

>There were 40,112 at Eden Park, a ground where usual occupants the All Blacks are unbeaten in 32 years, as the figure surpassed the previous best of 37,034 who turned up when the New Zealand men's team played a World Cup qualifier against Peru in 2017.

Unhappy Tottenham players should leave - De Zerbi • >Latest Tottenham news, analysis and fan views • >Ask about Tottenham - what do you want to know?