Spurs under 21’s 1-0 Stade Brestois: (match report)

The third place play off game at the 2019 Tournoi Europeen was contested between Wayne Burnett’s Tottenham Hotspur and French club Stade Brestois, on Sunday afternoon. Spurs put in another good attacking performance to overcome Stade Brestois by one goal to nil. It was a fairly dominant performance from Burnett’s lads who took the lead in the 28th minute of the game through Shilow Tracey. Stade Brestois did respond however, the Spurs defence stood strong even after centre half Jubril Okedina was sent off late on in the game for an off the ball incident following a VAR review. Spurs lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation as Joshua Oluwayemi started in goal while a back four consisting of Maxwell Statham, Jubril Okedina, Luis Binks and Tariq Hinds lined up in front of him. Tashan Oakley-Boothe and Paris Maghoma partnered up in central midfield while Shilow Tracey and Dilan Markanday operated out on the flanks, either side of CAM Armando Shashoua. Once again Spurs captain Kazaiah Sterling led the line. Spurs got the game underway on a warm summers afternoon in Ploufragan. Both sides knocked the ball around the park well during the opening minutes of the game, but with little attacking intent.  The first chance of the game presented itself to Stade Brestois after Tottenham centre back Jubril Okedina passed the ball straight to Samuel Genty in the Spurs box. Genty quickly passed the ball to Kenzo Berger whose first time effort was blocked behind for a corner kick by Luis Binks. Spurs broke away well from the resulting corner kick after Kazaiah Sterling passed the ball to Shilow Tracey who surged forward with the ball before finally passing it to Dilan Markanday down the left hand side of the Stade Brestois penalty area. The Tottenham winger clipped his effort wide of goal and in the end he was flagged for offside. Tashan Oakley-Boothe made an excellent sliding challenge on Kenzo Berger a couple of minutes later to stop a dangerous Stade Brestois attack in the middle of the park. Armando Shashoua came close to playing Dilan Markanday through on goal before Kazaiah Sterling came close to giving Spurs the lead. 

After Paris Maghoma gave the ball to Sterling down the left hand side of the Stade Brestois penalty area, Sterling came inside onto his right foot before curling a low effort a fraction wide of Titouan Gueguen’s goal. Jubril Okedina made an important interception to stop Bengali Kaba Soares’ pass from setting Samuel Genty through on goal. Tashan Oakley-Boothe then managed to clear Tanguy Lagadic’s cross. Stade Brestois then came close to taking the lead, but for an important save from Spurs goalkeeper Joshua Oluwayemi. After Idrissa Dioh gave the ball to Genty on the edge of the Tottenham penalty area the Stade Brestois player fired an effort on goal, on the turn. However, his powerful low effort was well pushed away by the diving Oluwayemi. At the other end of the pitch Shilow Tracey had an effort on goal blocked by Killian La Ber. Maxwell Statham was then shown a yellow card for a challenge on Marvin Toupin before an excellently worked attacking move led to Spurs taking the lead right on the stroke of halftime. After Dilan Markanday gave the ball to Paris Maghoma the Tottenham midfielder darted towards the Stade Brestois penalty area. However, instead of slipping the ball through to Kazaiah Sterling he ran across the box, before passing the ball to Shilow Tracey who had made a run down the right hand side of the danger zone. Tracey struck the ball first time with the side of his boot and it managed to beat Titouan Gueguen low, at his near post. It was an excellently worked goal from Wayne Burnett’s side which was finished off in style by Shilow Tracey. Paris Maghoma was shown a yellow card for dissent before the referee blew his whistle for half time. Stade Brestois got the game back underway. A sloppy bit of play from Tashan Oakley-Boothe on the edge of the Tottenham penalty area allowed Matthias Lavenant to get the ball, he quickly passed it to Kenzo Berger who in turn gave it to Samuel Genty, whose resulting chipped pass managed to pick out Yahya Kujabi down the right hand side of the Spurs box. However, his resulting effort on goal was well saved by Joshua Oluwayemi. 

Tashan Oakley-Boothe cleared Yahya Kujabi’s low cross shortly afterwards before Wayne Burnett made his first change of the game when he replaced right back Maxwell Statham with Rayan Clarke. Dilan Markanday then had a  cross cleared away by Killian Le Ber. Spurs continued to work openings in the Stade Brestois defence. After Maghoma passed the ball to Markanday down the left side of the oppositions penalty area, he crossed the ball for Shashoua who after controlling the ball, sliced an effort wide of goal from close range. Armando Shashoua bravely blocked a volleyed effort from Romain Thunet at the other end as the crowd winced. Spurs then had a fantastic chance to put the game to bed however, they were unable to do so. After Shilow Tracey powered forward down the right flank the Spurs winger squared the ball to Sterling inside the danger zone. Instead of shooting he unselfishly cut the ball back for the unmarked Dilan Markanday who only had an open goal in front of him. However, the young Spurs winger somehow missed the target and to make matters worse he received a yellow card for kicking the ball into the net in frustration. Spurs made a double substitution after Wayne Burnett brought on Elliot Thorpe and Kion Etete for Shilow Tracey and Armando Shashoua. Kazaiah Sterling and Paris Maghoma came close to pulling off a one, two on the edge of the Stade Brestois penalty area before Jubril Okedina managed to block Samuel Genty’s shot at the other end of the pitch. After Romain Thunet passed the ball to Sergio Fernandes down the left side of the Spurs box the Stade Brestois striker dragged an effort across the face of Oluwayemi’s goal and in the end the Spurs goalkeeper was able to gather it. There was a coming together between Spurs’ Jubril Okedina and Samuel Genty after Okedina had pushed the Stade Brestois player. After three minutes of playing on the referee referred the incident to VAR as Genty protested that Okedina had stamped on him. A couple of minutes later the referee went to look at the incident on an iPad and he made the decision to show Okedina a straight red card and Stade Brestois were awarded a free kick in the position that the incident took place in.

Joshua Oluwayemi did well to tip behind Samuel Genty’s resulting whipped, curling effort. Killian Bienvenido then had a goal ruled out for a push on Luis Binks. Stade Brestois continued to put the pressure on Spurs during the final moments of the game. After Marco Glazai passed the ball to Matthias Lavenant down the left side of the Spurs box the net looked as if it might bulge however, Lavenant fired the ball just over Oluwayemi’s crossbar. Elliot Thorpe was shown a late yellow card for a challenge on Tanguy Lagadic before the referee sounded his whistle for full time, bringing an end to a hugely positive tournament for Wayne Burnett’s lads.

Player reviews:

• Joshua Oluwayemi: My man of the match, see below.
• Maxwell Statham: It was a good solid performance from the 18 year old who managed to keep his man in check during his time on the pitch. Statham made some important defensive interventions.
• Jubril Okedina: It was a good solid performance from Okedina despite him getting sent off. The 18 year old cut out a number of dangerous forward passes from the opposition and he was also dominant in the air and good on the ball. It’s just a shame for him that he got sent off.
• Luis Binks: This was the second year scholars third appearance at the tournament and it was the third domineering performance which young Binks put in. The teenager from County Kent formed a strong partnership with Okedina and he neutralised the attacking threat that Stade Brestois striker Matthias Lavenant posed. Binks kept excellent positioning throughout the game and he made some timely interceptions and blocks.
• Tariq Hinds: It was another strong performance from the right back at left back. Hinds stayed deep and he read the game well while making some strong challenges and a number of important clearances.
• Tashan Oakley-Boothe: The deep lying central midfielder broke up play effectively in the middle of the park. Oakley-Boothe also recycled possession well and he made some nice crisp passes. Oakley-Boothe played deeper than his midfield partner Paris Maghoma.
• Paris Maghoma: It was a very mature performance from Paris Maghoma in central midfield. Like Oakley-Boothe the 18 year old was deep lying and he did a good job at breaking up play and recycling possession. Furthermore, Maghoma was often the link between defence and attack, and his numerous surging forward runs and well weighted passes brought the forwards into the game. Maghoma did well to set up Shilow Tracey’s goal. 
• Shilow Tracey: With his tireless runs up and down the right flank as well as his constant switching with centre forward Kazaiah Sterling, Tracey caused many problems for the Stade Brestois defence who couldn’t deal with his pace and his directness. Tracey took his goal really well and he got himself into some good goal scoring positions.
• Armando Shashoua: Operating at CAM for yesterday’s game Armando Shashoua performed really well for Wayne Burnett’s side. Once again he pressed ridiculously well during his time on the pitch and he could often be seen poaching the ball off of the opposition. Shashoua came close to finding the back of the net in the second half.
• Dilan Markanday: Operating out on the left wing Markanday was involved in the build up play to our goal and overall he had a good game. His fine dribbling ability and turn of pace caused problems.
• Kazaiah Sterling: The centre forward put in another good performance for Burnett’s side. He led the line well and he made some good runs while also pressing the Stade Brestois defence well. Sterling scored three goals in four games at the tournament.
• Rayan Clarke: The second half substitute had a good 20 minute second half cameo at right back after he replaced Maxwell Statham.
• Elliot Thorpe: The young midfielder showed real bite and a desire to influence the game following his late introduction. He gave a good account of himself.
• Kion Etete: The 17 year old held the ball up effectively during the final moments of the game.

My man of the match: Goalkeeper Joshua Oluwayemi had another faultless game for Spurs yesterday. Oluwayemi made four saves in total and he made some big ones in the context of the game. In addition the 18 year olds distribution was perfect and he dealt well with aerial balls and set pieces. 

The Superhotspur player of the tournament: This was a difficult decision to make as there were some excellent performances at this years tournament from the Spurs lads such as Armando Shashoua and Kazaiah Sterling. However, after much deliberation I have decided to award it to goalkeeper Joshua Oluwayemi for putting in three faultless performances in between the sticks. The 18 year old shot stopper made some excellent saves, he also dealt well with crosses and set pieces and his distribution was very good. Were it not for the goalkeepers alertness and razor sharp reflexes we would not of finished in third place at the tournament. There was not one single criticism of Oluwayemi’s performances which I could list. 

Spurs (v Stade Brestois): Oluwayemi, Statham (R Clarke 43), Hinds, Oakley-Boothe, Okedina, Binks, Tracey (Etete 54), A Shashoua (Thorpe 54), Sterling, Maghoma, Markanday.