Tottenham Hotspur emerged triumphant in a heated North London derby, held for the first time no foreign soil, defeating Arsenal 1-0 at Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong. The highly anticipated friendly turned into a showcase for Pape Matar Sarr, who delivered a moment of brilliance to settle the contest in Spurs' favour.
Spurs beat Arsenal in a pre-season friendlySarr scored a sensational winnerTook aim at their fierce rivals on social mediaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
While the goal was celebrated by the Tottenham camp, it wasn’t without controversy. Arsenal players immediately protested the referee's decision to let play continue after Richarlison’s challenge. They argued that the Brazilian forward had committed a foul in winning the ball from Myles Lewis-Skelly, but the official, Lau Fong Hei, remained unmoved and allowed the goal to stand.
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Though the fixture may have been billed as a pre-season friendly, Tottenham's victory came with silverware, providing the club with more than just bragging rights. Spurs took full advantage of the occasion, lifting the trophy and taking to social media to revel in their success.
WHAT TOTTENHAM SAID
Tottenham’s media team wasted no time in mocking their local rivals with one post captioned, “Another one for the trophy cabinet,” clearly aimed at Arsenal’s well-documented struggles to add to their honours in recent years.
DID YOU KNOW?
The jibe struck a nerve, as Tottenham, often on the receiving end of jokes about their own silverware drought, have started to turn the narrative. Having gone nearly 17 years without a major honour, Spurs ended their barren run last season under Ange Postecoglou by winning the Europa League final against Manchester United.
With Tottenham lifting two pieces of silverware in a matter of months, Arsenal have now become the ‘top six’ club with the longest ongoing wait for a major trophy. Their most recent triumph dates back to the 2019-2020 season when manager Mikel Arteta guided them to an FA Cup win in his debut campaign.
