Spurs’ Under 19 side contested the seventh/eighth place play-off match at the 2022 Terborg Tournament on Sunday morning, when they faced German side Borussia Mönchengladbach in their final match of the tournament. Wayne Burnett’s side lost the game 1-0, meaning that they finish the tournament in eighth place. However, they did deserve more from the game with Borussia Mönchengladbach. Aaron Maguire started in goal for Spurs, while a back four of Billy Heaps, Alfie Dorrington, Matthew Craig and Jahziah Linton started in defence. Charlie Davis and Jack Grieves started in midfield, with Jaden Williams and Yago Santiago starting out wide on the flanks, either side of CAM Nile John. Toby Adeyemo would lead the line for Spurs. Borussia Mönchengladbach got the game underway. Toby Adeyemo volleyed an effort from Nile John’s cross into the Borussia Mönchengladbach box, wide of the goal, from close range. Then Billy Heaps hit an effort wide from distance, before Toby Adeyemo volleyed wide a cross from Jaden Williams. After receiving a pass from Adeyemo on the left side of the Borussia Mönchengladbach box, Jack Grieves had an effort saved by the Borussia Mönchengladbach goalkeeper. 

Some good work from Yago Santiago on the left flank resulted in him entering the Borussia Mönchengladbach penalty area. He had an effort saved by their goalkeeper, with the ball then going to Toby Adeyemo, who also had an effort saved. The Borussia Mönchengladbach number eight saw his effort deflect off of Alfie Dorrington, before going wide of the Spurs goal. Santiago had an effort saved from the left side of the Borussia Mönchengladbach box, and then a couple of minutes later Borussia Mönchengladbach took the lead. A good move resulted in number eight passing the ball to number 15 on the left side of the Spurs box, and his low effort went into the goal, although Aaron Maguire did manage to get a hand on the ball, 0-1. Alfie Dorrington headed over Nile John’s cross into the Borussia Mönchengladbach box, before Jack Grieves’ low effort from distance deflected wide of the goal. Jaden Williams headed behind Yago Santiago’s resulting corner-kick, before the referee sounded his whistle for half-time.

Spurs got the second half underway. After Yago Santiago passed the ball to Nile John inside the Borussia Mönchengladbach box, John hit an effort wide of the goal. The Borussia Mönchengladbach number eight curled an effort over from distance, before Spurs made a double substitution as George Abbott and Romaine Mundle replaced Jaden Williams and Charlie Davis respectively. A cross from Jahziah Linton ended up going just wide of the Borussia Mönchengladbach goal, and then after going past number 16, Nile John passed the ball to Romaine Mundle on the right side of the Borussia Mönchengladbach box, but his resulting low effort was saved well by the goalkeeper. Nile John showed good skill to go past two players shortly after, before having an effort saved by the Borussia Mönchengladbach goalkeeper. Santiago hit an effort towards goal which was deflected wide off of a defender, and a couple of minutes after that chance George Abbott hit an effort wide from a Romaine Mundle corner-kick, which came to him on the edge of the penalty area. The Borussia Mönchengladbach number 11 then hit an effort across Aaron Maguire’s goal at the other end of the pitch.

Maguire did well to save number five’s effort from distance, and with the game almost over Spurs made one last change, as Rio Kyerematen replaced Jack Grieves in central midfield. After winning a late free-kick on the edge of the Borussia Mönchengladbach penalty area, Romaine Mundle hit a powerful effort against the crossbar, before the referee sounded his whistle for full-time. 

My man of the match: Yago Santiago. The 19 year old started the match out on the left flank as a winger, and he was by far Spurs’ most inventive player on the day. Santiago was direct, and he showed some really good skill and pace with the ball, and he was unlucky not to score a goal against Borussia Mönchengladbach.