Tottenham down Auckland FC in front of record New Zealand crowd

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tottenham/UDg08Ohm/"]Spurs[/a] coach [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-zerbi-roberto/pYizckpN/"]Roberto De Zerbi[/a] rested most of his top players as the English Premier League side dominated a match played in damp conditions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/auckland-fc-2J7jacL6/tottenham-UDg08Ohm/?mid=vwahf3TQ"]in front of a record Eden Park crowd[/a].[/p][p]The 40,112 who packed into New Zealand's famed rugby ground was the biggest to watch a men's football match in New Zealand.[/p][p]It surpassed the previous best of 37,034 for a New Zealand World Cup qualifying match against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/peru/Uend67D3/"]Peru[/a] in 2017.[/p][embed guid="d16f2bf0-b7bf-41b5-90b4-d5e649a91850" url="https://x.com/SpursOfficial/status/2081265574928113750" social-type="twitter" /][p]They were treated to a fast-paced contest, even if both sides were missing several of their best players.[/p][p]Tottenham have embarked on an aggressive summer of spending after narrowly avoiding relegation last season, when they finished 17th[/p][p]However, the only notable new signing to take the field was former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/west-ham/Cxq57r8g/"]West Ham[/a] midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandes-mateus/rFdshPHI/"]Mateus Fernandes[/a], who scored in the 1-0 win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/milton-keynes-dons/f9KDxtkU/"]MK Dons[/a] in London on Wednesday.[/p][p]De Zerbi said he would ease others into the tour, with Tottenham to play games in Sydney next week against A-League side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sydney-fc/6JsBlXVI/"]Sydney FC[/a] and London rivals [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a].[/p][p]"[b]It's a chance for the young players[/b]," De Zerbi told TVNZ before kickoff, declaring [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brighton/2XrRecc3/"]Brighton[/a] signing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-hecke-jan-paul/WG59HGIH/"]Jan Paul van Hecke[/a] and former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a] stalwart [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/robertson-andrew/6e7Be9VI/"]Andy Robertson[/a] not yet up to speed.[/p][p]"[b]After a very long trip, we can't take a risk with the players who are not ready to play yet[/b]."[/p][p]Record club signing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tonali-sandro/fmQVO5TQ/"]Sandro Tonali[/a] wasn't considered because the former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/newcastle-utd/p6ahwuwJ/"]Newcastle United[/a] midfielder had suffered an unspecified injury -- "one small problem" -- before the team left London, De Zerbi added.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="0699c261-57cd-40d9-91c3-58be6566b574" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="90d39460-d33a-45fe-b354-9dcc7d6a7a49" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Fernandes entered the game with half an hour remaining and Spurs bagged their second goal shortly afterwards through the work of two other substitutes.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tel-mathys/drANB1N8/"]Mathys Tel[/a] burst into the box and set up a tap-in for seasoned forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/richarlison/K82Dz773/"]Richarlison[/a], who was omitted from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brazil/I9l9aqLq/"]Brazil[/a]'s World Cup squad.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/scarlett-dane/2Vp8O43o/"]Scarlett[/a], one of several Spurs Academy players in action, opened the scoring in the 12th minute, pouncing after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/auckland-fc/2J7jacL6/"]Auckland[/a] goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/woud-michael/0Q6DZf55/"]Michael Woud[/a] parried Manor Solomon's shot.[/p]