It was worse than expected.

Tottenham Hotspur won 2-0 against Reading in their first preseason match held at the Select Car Leasing Stadium in Reading, England on the 19th (Korean time).

On this day, Tottenham's starting lineup featured goalkeeper Vicario at the center, a back four of Destiny Udogie, Cristian Romero, Mickey van de Ven, and Pedro Porro, a midfield combination of Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Sarr, and up front were Alfie Devine, Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke, and Mai Moore.

Coach Frank noted in a previous press conference that 'Son Heung-min and Romero will wear the captain's armband for 45 minutes each,' and with Romero included in the starting lineup that day, Son Heung-min was substituted in the second half. However, contrary to expectations on the field, he left a sense of disappointment with his heavy movements.

Recently, Son Heung-min has been linked with transfer rumors to various clubs in Saudi Arabia and Europe. In this context, the decision to sit the franchise star and captain Son Heung-min on the bench for the opening preseason match is interpreted by some as 'a symbolic choice.'

From the early stages of the match, Tottenham took the initiative with ball possession. Reading responded with rough defense and relentless pressure. In the 14th minute of the first half, Devine's corner kick led to a shot from Solanke, but it went wide of the goal. Tottenham continued to attempt attacks, but their effective shots were limited due to Reading's dense defense.

In the 38th minute of the first half, Moore's shot missed the goal, and in the 39th minute, Sarr's long-range shot was stopped by the goalkeeper's save. Just before the end of the first half, Romero's header from a corner kick did not lead to a goal. The first half ended 0-0.

Immediately after the start of the second half, Tottenham made extensive substitutions. Son Heung-min, Rankshire, Kudus, Donley, Berivall, Bissouma, Davies, Van de Pen, Bushkovich, and Spence were brought in, showcasing a newly restructured lineup. Son Heung-min played as a left winger and injected energy into the team.

The effects of the changes were apparent immediately. In the 3rd minute of the second half, during a corner kick, Mickey van de Pen headed the ball down, and Will Rankshire quickly finished it off, scoring the opening goal. Then, in the 7th minute of the second half, Bushkovich consolidated a pass from Kudus into a goal, making it 2-0 in an instant.

After that, Tottenham maintained the tempo of their attacks, continuously threatening Reading's goal. In the 26th minute of the second half, Son Heung-min's shot soared over the goal, and Kudus, Donley, Spence, and others continued to seek additional goals but were thwarted by the goalkeeper's saves and defensive blocks. However, Son Heung-min's form was somewhat disappointing. He appeared sluggish and struggled to perform well, displaying a disorganized demeanor.

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