Kurt Zouma said West Ham United’s 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur reminded him more of a mid-season Premier League derby than a mid-July pre-season game.
The Irons went into Tuesday’s Unmissable Football tour match in Perth, Western Australia, without a host of senior players due to their summer international commitments and the late finish to last season for the glorious UEFA Europa Conference League final victory over ACF Fiorentina on 7 June.
But those who travelled 9,000 miles to the other side of the world rewarded the thousands of West Ham fans who turned out to cheer them on with nine goals, two wins and memories to last a lifetime.
For Zouma, it was a trip that saw him help to lead and inspire a relatively inexperienced squad that included eight players aged 21 or under, and the Frenchman was eager to praise the Academy of Football graduates for the part they played.
Against Tottenham, Zouma, defensive partner Angelo Ogbonna and goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański stood in the way of a near full-strength Spurs, making numerous blocks, clearances and saves to repel Harry Kane, Richarlison, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and company.
While the north Londoners did score two second-half goals, the Irons scored three either side, with Danny Ings and 18-year-old Divin Mubama heading in first-half efforts before Gianluca Scamacca raced onto Pablo Fornals’ through ball to win it late on.
“These friendly games are always tough,” the No4 told West Ham TV. “We played against a good side, but we got the win and that’s the most important thing, I would say. It was a tough game and good for the legs and good for the fitness and I thought we did good today.
“All the time you’re playing big games and I think it was good for the Australian fans to see a proper Premier League game and the fitness is there. We’re still preparing for the season and working on that, but it’s always good to get the win.
“It was a lively game. I have to say we had a lot of defending to do and Łukasz has done a great job again. Defensively we were good tactically, but they had a good few chances to score, but we tried to stay strong, keep the shape and in a friendly game you are preparing for the season, so it was good to get the win and we keep building on it.”
Zouma was impressed by the performance of Mubama, who held the ball up, ran the channels, hassled the Spurs backline, created space for his teammates and scored his second goal in two games in Australia when he steered in Emerson’s left-wing cross with a deft header.
“He deserves it,” the defender stated. “I feel as though we have seen him play a few games for us, he scored in the Conference League and he’s a top player with top quality.
“The young lads put a shift in. This pre-season was good for them, training and playing and getting some minutes. They showed what they are capable of, they deserve it and I hope we can see them more with the first team.”
There were over 46,000 fans at Optus Stadium in Perth on a cold, wet midwinter night, and Zouma has been thrilled by the turnout of supporters for the Claret and Blue cause Down Under.
“We have to thank them for the support they showed us,” he confirmed. “This is where you can see just how big West Ham is worldwide. Everyone is supporting West Ham and they had a chance to watch a Premier League game here and it’s good for them as well and for the kids, as it motivates them.
“Now, it’s time to go home, see our families, rest and keep getting prepared. We have many, many games coming up, and they are good for the spectators to watch. This game was quite lively for them and we have to thank them again for their support.”
