Even before the Brazilian international’s wonderful goal just 11 minutes after coming off the bench, we’d seen Mikey Moore score with a thunderous strike, Dominic Solanke open his account for the season, Kevin Danso net his first goal for us with his first touch as a substitute, Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro make their first appearances of the season in the second half to get important minutes in their legs and youngster Luca Williams-Barnett getting some game time late on. Some night!
We also had a Ben Davies goal in the closing minutes, although that was so nearly another Savio strike as it was his goalbound effort that hit the Welsh defender on the way in! Charlton – who made 10 changes from their team that won at West Ham United on Saturday – netted a late consolation through Lloyd Jones.
This was our first competitive home game of the new campaign with almost 50,000 turning out to watch us take on our Championship opponents, looking for us respond immediately to Saturday’s disappointing defeat at Brentford. It was a stop-start opening to the contest with a couple of injuries for the visitors which ultimately led to a double substitution just 15 minutes into the game. The first glimpse of goal followed and it went our way, Mathys Tel’s volley from a cleared corner blocked inside the area.
Ten minutes later, it was Charlton with their first opportunities and it needed a fine diving save from Antonin Kinsky to push away Addicks skipper Greg Docherty’s 22-yard drive before Nathan Asiimwe glanced a header wide from the resulting corner. Tiernan Brooks in the Charlton goal was then called into action, getting low down to his left to tip Archie Gray’s goalwards poke just wide, while he was in the right place to gather a Mateus Fernandes rocket which was fired into his chest six minutes before the interval.
We were starting to be a lot more incisive with our football in the final third and almost went ahead after good work from Moore to get into the box although he then failed to pick out Lucas Bergvall with his pass. Moments later however, we were in front thanks to the young attacking midfielder. There was almost anger and frustration in his fierce, arrow-like shot which flew straight through Brooks and into the roof of the net after 41 minutes, a wonderful strike from just inside the left edge of the area. And it was 2-0 four minutes later when Solanke capitalised on some poor defending, pouncing on a loose ball 15 yards out and stroking it into the bottom corner.
Those goals took the sting out of the game somewhat and the opening 15 minutes of the second period were played almost entirely in Charlton’s half. We didn’t create any meaningful chances though as the visitors defended well, until Tel’s acrobatic effort was saved by Brooks on the hour mark.
We made a triple switch in the 65th minute with van de Ven and Pedro Porro coming on for their first action since their World Cup exploits, and they were joined by Danso who, with his first touch of the ball, headed home Fernandes’ free-kick to make it 3-0. That was his first goal for the club on his 52nd appearance.
The good news kept coming when, a few minutes later, Savio came on for his debut just 24 hours after joining the club. He was also swiftly into the action, showing quick feet and close control before releasing Pedro Porro, whose cross was met well by Tel but Brooks was equal to his effort.
Charlton had a great chance to get on the scoresheet in the 74th minute when substitute Miles Leaburn was clean through on goal but Kinsky stood up well to deny him, before the Czech goalkeeper kept out Asiimwe’s header from a corner. Then came Savio’s magic moment on 82 minutes as he picked the ball up on the right-hand corner of the box, weaved past a couple of defenders and hit a low left-foot shot into the bottom corner in front of a delighted South Stand.
Three minutes later, he was off again with another mazy run inside the box, this time his shot hitting Davies and bouncing out of reach of Brooks for our fifth goal. The visitors did finally trouble the scorers when Lloyd Jones met a corner with a towering header that beat Kinsky before the final whistle shortly after ended a great night in N17.
Line-ups
Spurs (4-2-3-1): Kinsky, Gray, van Hecke (Van de Ven 65), Davies (c), Udogie (Pedro Porro 65), Bergvall, Bentancur (Danso 65), Moore, Fernandes, Tel (Williams-Barnett 78), Solanke (Sávio 71). Substitutes (not used): Dubravka, Robertson, Gallagher, Richarlison.
Charlton Athletic (4-2-3-1): Brooks, Asiimwe, Sichenje (McNamara 15), Koumetio (Jones 15), Mesik, Ouma (Mwamba 66), Docherty (c), Apter, Knibbs (Leaburn 66), Alli (Rankin-Costello 66), Mbick. Substitutes (not used): Okonkwo, Coventry, Carey, Tagoe.
Match data
Goals: Spurs – Moore 41, Solanke 45, Danso 67, Savio 82, Davies 85; Charlton – Jones 87.
Yellow cards: Spurs – Bergvall; Charlton – Apter.
Referee: Adam Herczeg.
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Weather: Partly cloudy, light winds, 22 degrees.
Attendance: 49,008.