Hello, and welcome to
Sports Mole's live coverage of the pre-season friendly between
Tottenham Hotspur and
Inter Milan.
The EFL may be getting underway later on this evening but for Premier League sides, this is the final weekend for preparations for the new campaign to take place under competitive conditions and that has seen Spurs make the trip to Oslo to face Inter Milan. Earlier in pre-season, both teams were littered with academy players but expect to see more of the senior stars this afternoon.
Some of the players on show this afternoon should include
Eric Dier,
Dele Alli and
Harry Kane, all of whom featured in England's dismal showing at Euro 2016. Kyle Walker and Danny Rose are also back in training so expect the quintet to get some minutes under their belt in Norway.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the two starting lineups, starting with the North Londoners.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR XI: Vorm, Walker, Alderweireld, Carter-Vickers, Rose; Dier, Mason; Lamela, Eriksen, Alli; Kane
INTER MILAN XI: Handanovic; Ansaldi, Miranda, Murillo, D'Ambrosio; Brozovic, Kondogbia; Biabiany, Banega, Perisic; Icardi
As predicted, the five England internationals all start for Spurs, while there are also roles for Christian Eriksen and Eric Lamela. Young defender Cameron Carter-Vickers gets the opportunity to impress in defence while Michel Vorm remains between the sticks instead of Hugo Lloris, who will likely make an appearance in the second half.
As for Inter, summer signings Cristian Ansaldi, Ever Bangea and Marcelo Brozovic are named in the side by
Roberto Mancini, as is Mauro Icardi despite speculation linking him with a move away from the San Siro. The remainder of the team is full of first-teamers with Mancini suggesting he wants victory as well as improved match fitness from this game.
Spurs have kept things to a minimum this summer as far as pre-season friendlies are concerned. While games have been played behind closed-doors, today's contest is just their third - and final - match before the new campaign. It's an interesting approach from Pochettino but it may partly be in anticipation of a long-hard season. Spurs faltered during the closing weeks of the last campaign and this may be an attempt to save something in the tank for next May, when they will be hoping to still fighting for trophies.
This was Spurs arriving in Oslo not so long ago. Judging by the amount of supporters outside the ground, I'm optimistic for a sizeable crowd for what should be an entertaining tussle.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUBSTITUTES: Lloris, McGee, Trippier, Davies, Walkes, Wimmer, Carroll, Winks, Amos, Edwards, Harrison, Janssen
As well as Lloris, there is also first-team experience in the form of Kieran Tripper, Ben Davies, Kevin Wimmer, Tom Carroll and
Vincent Janssen, while the remainder of the bench is made up of academy players. Some of the younger crop will inevitably play a part this afternoon but expect the more experienced stars to take centre stage. I'd imagine that Pochettino will hope to keep his starting lineup out there for at least the opening hour of the game.
Spurs have said on their Twitter page that Mousa Dembele misses the game through illness. They will hope to have him back in contention when they travel to Everton next weekend.
Today's game isn't the first time that the two sides have been on their travels this summer.
Both clubs featured in the International Champions Cup, with Spurs taking on Juventus and Atletico Madrid in Australia while Inter face Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich in the United States. Unfortunately, Spurs and Inter lost each of their two games...
Before you get comfortable and start focusing on this game, the match reports for each of those four games are available for your viewing pleasure below.
Tottenham Hotspur
Inter Milan
Ahead of this game, Harry Kane has been having his say on what Spurs may need to do to win a trophy this season. Why not read his comments by
clicking here?
The two clubs sound ready. Are you?
PREDICTION! All we have to go on is defeat after defeat for each team but at least that run will be coming to an end this afternoon. With the fitness of half of the Spurs starting lineup questionable, we are predicting a 1-1 draw with Inter coming on strong during the closing stages.
Turns out some of the locals are big Spurs fans. The bigger concern for me are those empty seats behind him!
The two teams have made their out onto the pitch at the Ullevaal Stadion. Looks like the top tier has been closed off but there are loud chants of "Come on, you Spurs".
Spurs get us underway.
It took all of 30 seconds for Alli to commit his first foul. Start as you mean to go on, I guess.
Kane has look pretty lively in these opening stages. He's already made two runs in behind the right-back but he was unable to do anything with it.
PENALTY TO SPURS!
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Inter Milan (Kane)
It's never a penalty but Spurs won't care - they have the lead in Oslo. Ansaldi was adjudged to have brought down Walker after the right-back had beaten him to the ball and Kane made no mistake from the spot as he lashed the ball into the top corner.
Kane was lethargic at the Euros but he is full of energy this afternoon. He again pops up on the left before spraying a cross-field ball to Lamela, who in turns wins a corner. That kind of play will only infuriate England fans.
CHANCE! We've only had 10 minutes but Spurs should be two goals to the good. A clever piece of skill from Eriksen takes him past the defender and his pass inside to Mason leaves him with just the goalkeeper to beat. However, despite only being 10 yards out, he slides it past the post.
We've not seen anything of Inter thus far. There have been a few neat passes here and there but that's about it. The one free kick that they have had around the penalty area didn't beat the first man.
BOOKING! Well that's all rather unnecessary from Mason, who goes sliding through the back of Kondogbia and deservedly picks up a yellow card.
SHOT! What a strike from Banega. With nothing else on, he tries his luck from all of 30 yards and for a moment, it appears that his venomous effort is on its way towards the top corner. However, as it picked up speed, it also swerved wide.
Inter have started to gain some control of this game now. They only have Banega's shot to show from the opening quarter but Spurs are being prevented from putting together the kind of attacks that were posing a threat early on.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Inter Milan (Perisic)
Just as I say that, Inter find a deserved equaliser through Perisic, who benefited from a break-away down the left before he was given the opportunity to fire the ball past a helpless Vorm. It's an emphatic finish.
Things have quietened down a touch since the goal. Perhaps both teams saw my pre-match prediction and want to ensure that I'm right. I don't think either goalkeeper has made a save, despite having to pick the ball out of their net.
Despite the lack of chances, the playmakers in this game look very sharp. They just aren't completing the final pass with both Kane and Icardi looking for the through-ball. We've now had another shot on target but Perisic's shot was deflected into the hands of Vorm.
There's somewhat of an edge to this game, despite it only being a friendly. The two sets of players are contesting every decision but part of their frustration is because of a series of poor decisions from the referee. None worse than the penalty decision so far, however.
CHANCE! It would be harsh of me to say that was a clear-cut chance but it's a free header from 14 yards. Lamela's deliver from Alderweireld but the ball was marginally too high for him and his effort went well over the crossbar.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Inter Milan (Lamela)
Lamela comes in for his fair share of criticism but he warrants a place in the team when he can produce moments like this. Kane played the ball to the Argentine on the edge of the area and after taking a touch to set himself up, he unleashed an unstoppable effort into the top corner. It's a high-quality finish and he is being drafted into fantasy sides all around the country.
Inter are ending this first half strongly and win a free kick on the right after a needless foul from Rose. The delivery from Banega is excellent but Spurs are able to clear. That could be that for now.
HALF TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Inter Milan
The half-time whistle goes in Oslo and Spurs head into the break with a narrow advantage. It's been an entertaining half and both managers will be pleased with their performances so far but you get that feeling that there is more to come after the restart.
The two teams are back out for the second half. There are more changes than I was anticipating. Looks like Kane is one of those to make way.
Inter get us back underway.
What they said...looks like Kane is still on.
CHANCE! Inter create the first opening of the second half but despite making solid contact from a corner, Murillo's header is directed over the crossbar.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Inter Milan (Alli)
Alli doesn't score many tap-ins, does he? The midfielder comes alive on the edge of the area and after a quick one-two with Janssen, he drives the ball into the far corner of the net from 20 yards out. It's a fine finish and Spurs fan should feel a lot more optimistic than they would have after the tour of Australia.
WOODWORK! So, so close to 4-1! A near-perfect cross from Tripper finds Kane at the back post but the forward's header from six yards hits the post and rebounds out. Lamela is waiting in the six-yard box but he tries a flick over his head - Higuita-esque - that goes just wide of the target.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 Inter Milan (Kane)
Spurs are running away with this now! The Premier League side are able to break forward in numbers with little pressure being placed on them by Inter and after Lamela played in Kane on the right-hand side of the area, the England forward let fly from 16 yards to find the bottom corner of Handanovic's net.
BOOKING! Melo joins Mason in the book with an equally-crude challenge on Alli. I really don't see the point of those kind of tackles in games like this.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 Inter Milan (Janssen)
This is turning into a horror show for Inter! Credit to Spurs though - it's a class goal. Alli jinks his way past a couple of defenders on the edge of the penalty area before being hacked down. However, the ball runs through to Janssen - which results in the referee waving play on - and the Dutchman makes no mistake from the centre of the box as he finds the bottom corner.
Mancini must be seething on the Inter bench. For a time in this match, they were the better side but they have been overpowered since Spurs' second goal. They've just had half a chance through Icardi but his shot went several yards over the crossbar. He hasn't done a whole lot this afternoon.
CHANCE! Inter have been better during the past five minutes but it's too little too late. Biabiany just met a cross from the right but his header towards the near post was weak and always going wide.
Here come a few more replacements for either side.
Shayon Harrison is on for Spurs - I was impressed with him when he made an appearance against Juventus last month.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 6-1 Inter Milan (Harrison)
I'm even more impressed with him now! It's only a tap-in but what a moment for the youngster. Lamela gets in behind the Inter defence and instead of trying to clip the ball over the goalkeeper, he passes the ball across the box for Harrison to convert from six yards out.
SUBSTITUTION! We are going to see another youngster now in the form of Marcus Edwards, who replaces Lamela for the final nine minutes in this match. Spurs have big expectations of the winger.
Inter are doing all they can to prevent a seventh, which is proving easier said than done. Even the Spurs youngsters look a class above Inter's first-teamers on this performance.
Ouch! That didn't look pretty. A shoulder-to-shoulder ends with an awkward landing for Edwards and he goes down clutching his shoulder. There's concern on the Spurs bench but he is fine to continue.
Looks like we are going to have a small bit of added-on time. I don't expect it to be much, however.
FULL TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 6-1 Inter Milan
The full-time whistle goes in Norway and Spurs have had to make do with just the six goals. Still, I think they would have been satisfied with that before kickoff, right? Pochettino's side were sensational in the second half and the club's supporters have every reason to be optimistic ahead of the new campaign.
That will be all from Sports Mole from this game but we hope that you can return later for the games involving both Arsenal and Newcastle United. Goodbye for now!