Pape Matar Sarr scored from the halfway line as Tottenham condemned Arsenal to their first defeat of pre-season in Hong Kong on Thursday. The Senegalese spotted David Raya off his line just before half-time, hitting a perfectly weighted lob to secure a 1-0 win for Spurs in the friendly derby.
Tottenham dominated the first half, hitting the woodwork three times through Richarlison and Wilson Odobert. Arsenal struggled to break down a resolute Spurs defence, with Rodrigo Bentancur and Micky van de Ven routinely shutting down Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz. Sarr’s goal came after Raya played Myles Lewis-Skelly into trouble, and the young defender was dispossessed, allowing Sarr to lob the ball into an empty net.
Arsenal pushed for an equaliser in the second half but lacked creativity, with Gabriel Martinelli firing over and Martin Zubimendi seeing a volley deflected over. Viktor Gyokeres got his first taste of Arsenal football in a 13-minute cameo, replacing Havertz, but struggled to influence the play. The Swede, who joined the squad just five days earlier, received a warm reception but could not find the breakthrough.
Fifteen-year-old Max Dowman also impressed off the bench, drawing double-marking and keeping Djed Spence occupied. Centre-back Cristhian Mosquera made his Arsenal debut in the late stages but had little to do. Spurs held firm to secure a morale-boosting win after a mixed pre-season, while Arsenal’s tour of East Asia ended on a disappointing note following earlier victories over AC Milan and Newcastle.
