Newcastle United secured a 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with second-half goals from Anthony Elanga and Yoanne Wissa condemning the hosts to another defeat in their opening home fixture of the Premier League season. The result extended Spurs' miserable start, as their high-profile summer spending failed to translate into points.
Spurs' summer spending fails to pay off
Tottenham's first home game of the season was preceded by a ceremony welcoming all eight new signings, and CEO Vinai Venkatesham penned a two-page letter in the matchday programme, proclaiming: "We have attracted the names we wanted to attract." The club's £116m purchase Sandro Tonali started in midfield but was booed on every touch by the Newcastle fans, delivering a performance that only sputtered. Four other summer recruits were in Roberto De Zerbi's starting XI, including £60m Omar Marmoush, who started just 24 hours after signing for the club.
Newcastle, under Matthias Jaissle, gave a debut to Nico González, signed this week for £50m from Manchester City, and also featured new goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek and right-back Amar Dedic. The visitors started brighter, with Wissa full of energy at the tip of the attack, but Spurs gradually took control of the first half, with Mathys Tel combining with Andy Robertson on the left, and the midfield trio of Tonali, £85m Mateus Fernandes, and Rodrigo Bentancur interchanging positions. Pedro Porro, a wildcard selection at right wing, saw a close-range shot well blocked on 17 minutes, and Hornicek saved efforts from both Tel and Jean Paul Van Hecke.
Second-half collapse
Whatever energy had been visible in the home team fell away after the break, as Newcastle became more compact and assertive. Just after the hour, they took the lead from a move of beautiful simplicity. González, 10 yards outside his box, hit a 60-yard switched pass left to right to the corner of the Tottenham area, where Dedic headed the ball down into the path of Elanga. The Sweden international, whose future at the club has been under scrutiny but who has begun the season in sterling form, took a touch to steady himself, span on the ball, and drove a left-foot shot inside the far post for his second goal in two matches.
De Zerbi looked shell-shocked and went for a triple substitution, including the return of Mohammed Kudus after eight months out, but it did not help. In the 72nd minute, a loosely conceded corner was sent deep by Lewis Hall, where substitute Nick Woltemade was lurking. The German held off Destiny Udogie and headed the ball into the path of Wissa, who audaciously scooped the ball over his head and past Antonin Kinsky to seal the victory.
Impact on both teams
The travelling support celebrated ecstatically, and further enjoyed cheering the substitution of Tonali, while Spurs fans booed their team at full-time. For Newcastle, this was a heartening victory achieved with many of their own additions still to come. For Tottenham, the distinction between winning the transfer market and winning an actual football match was painfully clear, as recruit after recruit failed to make their presence pay.
