Richarlison scored in stoppage time to give 10-man Tottenham a dramatic victory over Chelsea in a fiercely contested London derby in Sydney.
The Brazilian reacted quickest after Jamie Donley’s effort struck the post, firing the rebound into the net to settle a match that had remained in the balance despite Tottenham playing with a numerical disadvantage for most of the second half.
The result secured the friendly tournament title for Roberto De Zerbi’s side and provided Tottenham with an important boost before the new season. The performance of Mathys Tel was another positive for the team, with the forward continuing to show why he could become one of the club’s leading attacking options in the months ahead.
Almost 80,000 supporters watched the game at Accor Stadium, where the atmosphere and intensity were more typical of a competitive fixture than a pre-season meeting. Although the two teams were thousands of miles from London, the rivalry was evident from the opening stages as the match developed into a physical and tactical contest.
Tottenham took the lead when Sandro Tonali’s shot took a deflection off a Chelsea defender and changed direction before finding the net.
Chelsea responded quickly through Estevao Willian. The Brazil international met a precisely delivered cross at the far post and directed his header beyond the goalkeeper to restore parity.
Tottenham finished the first half as the more dangerous side, but Chelsea’s substitute goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe made an important save to deny Mathys Tel.
Tottenham’s position became more difficult three minutes after the restart when defender Kevin Danso was sent off. He brought down Joao Pedro, who had broken clear towards goal after Danso had made an error while attempting to control the ball.
Danso appeared visibly angry as he sat on the substitutes’ bench, while Roberto De Zerbi was left to work out how to manage the remainder of the game with only 10 players. The foul met the usual criteria for a red card in a competitive fixture, although the decision prompted questions over whether such a punishment was appropriate in a friendly.
Chelsea appeared ready to take advantage of the extra man when Estevao unleashed a powerful effort from close range. However, Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky produced an outstanding save, diverting the ball on to the crossbar after it had struck one of his team-mates on its way towards him.
Kinsky was called upon again after a mistake by Andy Robertson gave Joao Pedro an opportunity inside the six-yard box. The goalkeeper reacted well to prevent what looked like a certain goal.
The condition of the Accor Stadium pitch also influenced the closing stages. The venue had hosted six matches since the previous weekend, and both managers made a large number of substitutions to protect their players’ fitness rather than take unnecessary risks late in the game.
Tottenham continued to search for a winner, with teenager Rio Kyerematen coming close when his long-range strike thundered against the crossbar.
The decisive moment arrived in stoppage time. Donley carried the ball skilfully into the penalty area before seeing his shot hit the post, and Richarlison was perfectly placed to convert the rebound first time.
His finish completed a memorable win for Tottenham, who overcame the dismissal of Danso to claim victory and lift the friendly tournament trophy.
