Mateus Fernandes didn’t wait long to make an impression. Three minutes into his first game in a Tottenham shirt, the summer signing collected a punched clearance from a corner and ripped a first-time volley off the post and into the net. That was all Spurs needed to beat MK Dons 1-0 in a closed-door friendly at Hotspur Way on Wednesday.
The goal was the kind of moment that gets fans talking in July. Clean contact, no hesitation, the ball coming back off the woodwork with enough pace to beat the keeper. It wasn’t a friendly goal that gets forgotten by August.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side opened their pre-season schedule against the newly promoted League One side, and there were debuts all over the pitch. Sandro Tonali looked comfortable in midfield alongside Conor Gallagher, with Archie Gray anchoring things from a deeper spot. Martin Dubravka got his first minutes in goal too, and he had to make a smart save late on a headed effort that could have spoiled the clean sheet.
New faces, old problems
Not everything clicked. That’s fine for July. But the midfield trio of Fernandes, Tonali and Gallagher worked well early, and Manor Solomon — back from a loan at Fiorentina — found space on the right. Rio Kyrematen had some bright moments on the opposite flank. Dominic Solanke nearly scored seconds in but Craig MacGillivray denied him.
The first half was mostly one-way traffic. MK Dons didn’t create much, and when they did, Kota Takai and Ben Davies handled it. Davies was playing his first game since breaking his ankle in the spring, which is good news for a Spurs defense that needs experience.
De Zerbi made ten changes at halftime. Luca Williams-Barnett, Mikey Moore and Dane Scarlett came on alongside Richarlison and Dubravka. The younger group didn’t control the game the same way. MK Dons actually had more of the ball after the break and pushed for an equalizer.
Second half chaos
Both sides had goals waved off. Richarlison finished a nice dink over the keeper but was offside. MK Dons thought they’d scored from a corner but the ref called a foul on Dubravka. Late on, Spurs had two chances to double the lead. Richarlison forced a routine save from MacGillivray, and Yang Min-Hyeok missed an open goal after a gorgeous pass from Williams-Barnett. That one will sting for a bit.
Dubravka, making his eighth senior debut for a new club, kept Spurs in front with that late save. Ten minutes from time he got across to deny a fast header with a strong parry.
Jan Paul van Hecke and Andy Robertson watched from the sidelines. Neither played, but their presence at the training ground suggests more business is coming. Fernandes, Tonali and Dubravka are already in. The question now is how quickly this group can gel before the Premier League starts.
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