HARRY’S A HOUSE WARMER ... but Trippier injury blow is bad news for Poch
WEMBLEY problem? What Wembley problem?
A goal in each half from Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen gave Spurs a muchneeded win at their new ground.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side were dominant at White Hart Lane last season but struggled when switching to the national stadium for their European games.
And, added to their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea, there were fears this season might quickly turn into a mess if they did not get to grips with their new home.
Juventus arrived yesterday, the Champions League finalists providing the stiffest of tests for a house-warming party.
Both sides fielded strong teams, with Juventus naming eight of the side which started their European Cup Final defeat to Real Madrid just two months ago.
But i t was Spurs who emerged victorious thanks to two very good goals.
Kane set them on their way, putting the finishing touch to a move which started with Jan Vertonghen in defence and ended with the striker heading Kieran Trippier’s cross past Italy and Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon in goal.
And seven minutes after the interval, Eriksen latched on to Dele Alli’s neat through pass to round Buffon and slot home into an empty net to double the advantage.
Class
Both sides had a number of good chances, with Buffon and Hugo Lloris showing their class with some outstanding saves to keep the score down.
The only concern for Pochettino was Trippier.
The right- back left the ground on crutches with his ankle in a boot after taking a heavy blow in a tackle with Alex Sandro.
The former Burnley man was unable to see out the first half and was replaced by 20-yearold Kyle Walker- Peters four minutes before the break. And the sight of Trippier limping home undermined a statement of intent by Spurs in the countdown to the new season.
Trippier’s growing impact as Spurs’ right-back had allowed the club to sell England international Kyle Walker to Manchester City in a £50million deal two weeks ago.
This impressive win was sealed by goals from the everdependable Kane and Eriksen and there was no doubting the quality of the home side’s win over last season’s Champions League runners-up.
Trippier must have enjoyed a massive boost of confidence with Walker’s exit.
Combative
Yesterday he was locked in a combative duel with Chelsea target Sandro on the right flank and despite needing medical assistance moments earlier he set up the opener.
Trippier wasn’t moving freely but found the space to lift a cross over for Kane to head down and high into Buffon’s net for a deserved lead.
Kane’s global reputation continues to grow and the Juve defenders undoubtedly would have regarded him as one of Europe’s finest marksmen.
Trippier was forced to limp out of the action following a second full-blooded challenge from Sandro which caught his ankle. Although both tackles were deemed fair, Trippier came out of the collisions worse off on both occasions.
He suffered a twisted ankle from the second. With the new campaign just seven days away when Spurs head to Premier League newcomers Newcastle, boss Pochettino will be hoping Trippier can make a speedy recovery.
Spurs looked susceptible from corners after that but otherwise dictated much of the first period and could have gone two up when Eriksen’s effort from range was pushed clear by Buffon.
Eriksen got his goal after the i nterval, t he Denmark international profiting from a fine pass from Alli.