Glasgow Rangers 1-2 Totteham Hotspur
Tottenham stepped up their pre-season preparations with a trip to Glasgow to play a Rangers side who have become used to taking big scalps at Ibrox.
Rangers started brightly, moving the ball around well in possession and giving Spurs very little time to settle on the ball.
However, it was Spurs who created the first chance of the game. Christian Romero fired a pass in Harry Kane in the midfield. In typical fashion he turned and set Dejan Kulusevski off with a sublime through ball down the right-hand side.
The Swedish international then combined with Heung Min Son before forcing a good save from Allan McGregor in the Rangers goal.
Rangers then had several half-chances before finding the breakthrough on the 24th minute.
Rabbi Matondo beat Ryan Sessegnon on the right wing before pulling the ball back to James Tavernier. His brilliant flick found an open Antonio Čolak who tapped in to make it 1-0.
Spurs should have been level a minute later when Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg missed a golden opportunity.
It was the first of several chances that Spurs passed up due to poor finishing or great goalkeeping. First, Romero missed a free header from a corner. Then, Son set up Kane only for McGregor to deny Spurs again.
On the balance of chances Spurs were unlucky to go into the break 1-0 down. However, Rangers- a week away from the beginning of their SFL campaign- were still capable of carrying a threat.
The second half started much the same way. Davinson Sanchez put through Ryan Sessegnon only for McGregor to save well again.
It was becoming clear that only a moment of magic was going to do against the former Scottish number 1. In the 50th minute, the equaliser finally came.
Kulusevski broke up a Rangers attack and set Son away. The Korean carried the ball up the pitch before passing to Kane on the corner of the 18-yard box.
Kane sized up Connor Goldson before cutting inside him and unleashing a sensational strike into the top right-hand corner.
Spurs sensed blood and on the 56th minute that strutted into a 2-1 lead. Hojbjerg picked up a loose ball in midfield before quickly passing forward to Son.
Son combined once again with Kane before the England captain half-volleyed past the Rangers keeper.
Both teams then made several changes with new signings Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Ivan Perišić, Djed Spence and Clement Lenglet making their debuts for Spurs.
Rather surprisingly, the Scottish crowd also applauded Kane, the England captain, off the pitch. Maybe in recognition of his performance but it certainly drew surprise of many after the game.
Then, Rangers nearly equalised. An out swinging corner was met by Goldson whose header back should have been put away by James Sands.
Fortunately for Spurs, his header was straight at Forster in the Spurs goal. Forster, the former Celtic man, then took glee in slowing the game down, much to the disgust of the Ibrox crowd.
The game then petered out, giving Spurs a satisfying 2-1 win to remain undefeated in pre-season.
Antonio Conte told the post-match press conference: “Today was to improve. We created a lot of chances to score, especially in the first half..and we didn’t score. But I understand that we are working, the players are also a bit tired because pre-season is about making fitness to a high level”.
He continued “But I am happy because of the tactical aspects. We conceded a goal that we could avoid but I am delighted with the attitude, the will and the desire the players are showing me in this pre-season”.
The game celebrated Walter Tull, who was the first black outfield player to play in the football league.
He played for both Rangers and Spurs before joining the army at the beginning of the first world war. Tull died in combat at the battle of Bapaume in March 1918
LINEUPS: RANGERS: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Barišić, Lundstram, Kamara, Matondo, Lawrence, Kent, Čolak TOTTENHAM: Lloris, Romero, Dier, Sanchez, Emerson, Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Sessegnon, Kulusevski, Kane, Son
