After learning Tai Chi at the harbour Tottenham put on a more familiar show in Hong Kong

Tai chi might not seem like the obvious preparation for a football match, but in Tottenham’s case it seems to have done the trick.

The north London side were ribbed mercilessly by their fans on Twitter this week after being filmed performing the ancient Chinese martial art on Hong Kong's Victoria Harbourfront. It seemed the club's attempt to make its team members appear culturally aware and open to Eastern influences during their Asian tour had backfired. Yet after tonight's convincing 4-1 win over Hong Kong Premier League winners Kitchee SC, the laughs of Spurs' fans were surely converted from mocking to joyous.

Ahead of the game, there were reports Spurs were not keen to venture so far for an end of season friendly, particularly after their exhausting journey to take second place in the English Premier League.

The long trip to Hong Kong, via South Korea, was probably not the most attractive prospect for Mauricio Pochettino’s men, in what many suggested was purely a marketing exercise for Spurs in Asia. But the players certainly showed no signs of reluctance or despondency on the pitch.

They were right not to rest on their laurels; Kitchee have previously defeated Italian giants A.C Milan and Juventus in summer friendlies, and more recently drew 2-2 against Arsenal in a friendly in 2012. Kitchee also have excellent current form, having triumphed in their league this season.

Outside the Hong Kong stadium tonight, their fans were excited, but many admitted they were also relishing the opportunity to enjoy watching the skilful flourishes of an English Premier League side. One fan, Cristiano Ho, said he was intrigued to see Spurs' skills in the flesh.

“I’m very excited, because I love Kitchee and I support Hong Kong football,” he said. “But I hope Pochettino can bring more new techniques to show the Hong Kong football fans”.

Meanwhile, two schoolboys (above), Haden Lee, 16, and Kelvin Wu, 16 , both students at Wah Yan College in Kowloon, said they were supporting Spurs after meeting some of the players during a special event at their school that morning. Clad in a signed Tottenham shirt, Haden, who insisted he is really a Manchester United fan, said he likes Spurs because they have "a lot of young players" and he "supports England too". "Of course we support local football but Tottenham rarely come here," he said.

Another Manchester United fan, Walter Chui, a lifelong Hongkonger, said he and his friends were all supporting Spurs tonight. Chui said: “We are from Hong Kong but we think Kitchee will lose, so we are here for Tottenham. We are all English Premier League fans. I have supported Manchester United since I was born.”

Spurs, who incidentally joined a minute's silence for the victims of the Manchester terror attack before kick-off, doubtless took inspiration from the legions of fans that welcomed them in Hong Kong. In turn, Hongkongers, both locals and expats, appeared to have taken the north Londoners to their hearts.

Spurs looked energetic, confident and inventive on the pitch. They largely dominated the game, retaining possession well and creating seamlessly crafted chances. South Korean star Heung-min Son received a rapturous applause from all sides of the stadium with his goal mid-way through the first half. Cheers became boos however, within seconds, as Son appeared to be vying for a penalty following a minor scuffle within the 18 yard box at Kitchee’s end. Minutes later, the controversy was forgotten as Vincent Janssen fire home Spurs’ second of the night.

By this point, Kitchee appeared subdued but their fans were anything but. One particular group kept up the singing throughout, even substituting the chorus of The Beatles’ classic Hey Jude with ‘Kit-chee’. It's a cliche, but free from club rivalry and intense competitive pressure, this really was an uplifting celebration of football.

Into the second half, Kitchee had a couple of close chances but failed to convert them into goals. Despite this, the atmosphere grew ever more electric; there was even huge applause from across the stadium for both Son Heung-min and Harry Kane, as the latter substituted the former. It was almost a premonition for what was to come, as Kane scored minutes later. The stadium camera quickly cut to an overjoyed Hongkonger clutching a Spurs shirt emblazoned with Kane's name, in a stunning piece of PR.

There was small consolation for Kitchee in Espindola Da Silva Lucas' goal minutes before full time. Sadly, Kazaiah Sterling slightly spoilt the momentary fun for Kitchee with a final goal to make it 4-1.

Nonetheless, head coach Alex Chu chi-kwong summed it up well in the post-match press conference when he said the game had been a "pleasant surprise". "Kitchee trailed in the first half but they kept good discipline," he said. "Scoring against the second best English team is a great confidence booster."

A rendition of Queen's We Are the Champions seemed an unnecessary gimmick as Spurs lifted the Hong Kong Jockey Club Challenge Cup. But the players took the accolade anything but seriously, with Son Heung-min quickly putting the trophy on his head. Soon after, a young pitch invader obtained a selfie with his hero Kane, and the Spurs players did a lap of honour before throwing various sportswear into the ecstatic crowd.

It was a fitting end to a jubilant evening. In the post-match press conference, Pochettino and captain Hugo Lloris both thanked the fans for their "warm welcome".

But Pochettino, who dodged a question about Manchester United's apparent interest in Spurs' Eric Dier, remained diplomatic when asked about Kitchee's performance. "It's difficult to assess Kitchee," he said. "We are in different contexts. We both played with respect. It's difficult to analyse. This was a fantastic time to share with our fans. We really enjoyed playing here."