Last season saw Heung Min-Son step up and fill the scoring and leadership voids that were left by the departure of Harry Kane. Also the face of the South Korean national team, Son is going to be front and center against Vissel Kobe on Saturday, as well as for every other match of Spurs’ Asia Tour. Welcome to the fourth edition of the J.League World Challenge, which despite its brand name, is still just a friendly.
Let’s preview the clash against Vissel Kobe, the reigning J. League champions
Preseason Friendly FYIs
Tottenham Hotspur vs Vissel Kobe
Kickoff (local time): Sat July 27, 11 am BST, Japan National Stadium in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
Fun Fact: Manchester City beat Yokohama F. Marinos for the championship of the last year.
Tottenham Preview Content: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
This clash will not be at the home ground of Vissel Kobe, but instead at the Japanese national team, in order to accommodate a bigger ground. So with that in mind, Ange Postecoglu will go with a strong side to entertain the crowd.
Tottenham Hotspur Starting XI Prediction vs Vissel Kobe
Guglielmo Vicario; Pedro Porro, George Abbott, Tyrese Hall, Destiny Udogie; Yves Bissouma, Archie Gray; Brennan Johnson, James Maddison, Richarlison; Heung Min-Son
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.