Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi says he refused to take unnecessary risks with his senior players after Spurs defeated A-League champions Auckland FC 2-0 in a pre-season friendly in New Zealand.

Goals from Dane Scarlett and Richarlison secured victory for the north London club at Eden Park, where a record crowd of 40,112 attended a men’s football match in New Zealand.

De Zerbi named a youthful starting XI following Tottenham’s long journey to Oceania, with Mateus Fernandes, the club’s £85 million signing from West Ham United, the only major summer arrival to feature.

New signing Sandro Tonali, who joined from Newcastle United in a reported £100 million deal, was unavailable due to what De Zerbi described as “one small problem.” Defenders Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi also sat out the match.

“It’s a chance for the young players,” De Zerbi told TVNZ before kick-off.

“After a very long trip, we can’t take a risk with the players who are not ready to play yet.”

Scarlett handed Spurs an early lead before De Zerbi introduced several experienced players shortly after the hour mark, including Ben Davies, Mathys Tel, Conor Gallagher, Richarlison and Fernandes.

Richarlison then wrapped up the victory with Tottenham’s second goal, capping a comfortable performance as the Premier League side continued their preparations for the new season.

The match also made history, with the attendance surpassing the previous record of 37,034, set when New Zealand faced Peru in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in 2017.

Tottenham will continue their pre-season tour with a fixture against Sydney FC on 29 July as De Zerbi steps up preparations for his first campaign in charge of the club.