Gallagher Keeps Spurs Unbeaten in Friendly Against Getafe
Conor Gallagher needed only one clear sight of goal. In a shortened, closed-doors friendly that never truly caught fire, his crisp second-half finish was enough to drag Tottenham back into a 1-1 draw with Getafe and keep Roberto De Zerbi’s preseason unbeaten.
This was no grand occasion. Seventy minutes, split into two 35-minute halves, played at the club’s training ground with no crowd and little ceremony. But De Zerbi treated it like a serious step in his rebuild.
New signings Sandro Tonali, Jan Paul van Hecke and Andy Robertson all started, while Archie Gray wore the armband – a striking show of faith in the young midfielder as Spurs continue to shape their hierarchy on the pitch.
Spurs probe, Getafe hold firm
Tottenham had the better of the first half without ever truly tearing Getafe apart. Robertson, already looking like a familiar outlet on the left, swung in the set-piece that produced the clearest chance before the interval: Ben Davies rose well and steered a header goalwards, only to see it fall the wrong side of the frame. It was as close as Spurs came to striking first.
Getafe, seventh in LaLiga last season, were organised and stubborn. They sat in, broke when they could, and refused to be drawn into a frantic tempo. For long spells, Tottenham had to be patient, working the ball through Tonali and Gray, waiting for a gap that rarely appeared.
Risco strikes, Spurs hit back
After the restart, the rhythm sharpened. Mikey Moore darted into the box and stretched for a chance that just eluded him, a reminder of how thin the margins can be even in July. Moments later, Richarlison climbed to meet a set-piece and forced David Soria into action with a header that almost sneaked past the Getafe goalkeeper.
Then the Spanish side landed their punch.
Alberto Risco burst into life in the 55th minute, playing a sharp one-two on the edge of the area before slipping through and beating Antonín Kinsky. One move, one lapse, and Spurs were behind.
The response was immediate. The ball was worked into Richarlison’s feet on the edge of the box in the 60th minute, the Brazilian holding his ground and drawing defenders. As the space opened, Gallagher arrived, reading the moment perfectly. The pass came, the touch was clean, and he swept a low finish into the net to level the match.
Suddenly Tottenham were pushing with intent. Richarlison, increasingly central to everything dangerous, rose again late on and powered another header at goal, only for Soria to stand firm and turn it away. That save preserved Getafe’s draw and ensured the contest ended exactly as it had settled after Gallagher’s strike.
The whistle closed a 70-minute examination rather than a spectacle, but De Zerbi left with his preseason record intact, his new signings blooded, and a clearer sense of who can carry his ideas when the real games arrive.
