Richarlison’s first goals for the club ensured Tottenham Hotspur’s return to the Champions League with a 2-0 victory over Olympique de Marseille in Group D on September 7, 2022. This victory marked Tottenham Hotspur’s return to the competition.
The former Everton FC attacker, who reportedly cost £60 million ($69 million) in the summer, made an outstanding Champions League debut, scoring twice in the final five minutes to give his club a victory that had seemed unlikely.
The Brazil forward leaped to head home Ivan Perisic’s pinpoint cross in the 76th minute, and he deflated Marseille with a nearly identical goal from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s cross in the 87th minute.
Prior to Chancel Mbemba’s dismissal for a tackle on Sun Heung-min three minutes into the second half, Richarlison’s two goals compensated for Tottenham’s generally lackluster performance against a motivated Marseille side.
Richarlison eventually ensured that Antonio Conte’s squad got off to a perfect start after Tottenham, who failed to qualify for the Champions League the previous two years, failed to record a shot on goal in the first half.
They share the group’s top spot with Sporting Lisbon, who defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0. As a means of expressing their disappointment, Marseille supporters engaged in nasty brawls with officials and police after the game.
Richarlison started with Tottenham’s veteran forwards Harry Kane and Son Heung-min for the second consecutive game, and Conte was amply rewarded.
When Richi joined Tottenham, Conte recalls him saying, “I can’t wait to play in the Champions League and listen to music.”
“When a player says these words, he has a strong desire and will. I urged him this morning to savor the moment because it was his.”
Richarlison’s goal against Fulham on the weekend was disallowed, preventing him from registering his first goal for Tottenham.
He did not have to wait long for his first goal, however, as he provided Tottenham’s offense with the cutting edge it needed in the Group D opening.
Similar to Tottenham, Marseille started the season unbeaten and dominated play in the first half.
Tottenham was unable to build forward momentum in the face of the opposition’s superior playmaking ability.
Former Arsenal player Matteo Guendouzi controlled the midfield and forced Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to make a diving save in the last seconds of the first half.
Mbemba was shown a red card by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic for bringing down Son as he advanced on goal in the 48th minute after allowing Son to get in on goal.
Richarlison’s powerful header past Pau Lopez resulted from Perisic’s brilliant right-footed cross. Prior to that, Tottenham was struggling to make an impact, and Marseille appeared prepared to earn a draw.
As Marseille failed to heed its lesson, in the 81st minute, the Brazilian found space in the box to deflect Hojbjerg’s throw-in into the net off the post.
Ben Davies blocked a shot by Cengiz Under that would have provided Marseille a scoring opportunity, leaving the French team to ponder what could have been.
“We are irritated. At 11 vs. 11, we were competitive, and perhaps even superior, than them, remarked Marseille captain Valentin Rongier. Even with only ten soldiers, we could have accomplished our objective.