Tottenham Hotspur played host to Barclay’s Women Super League rivals Aston Villa today in the second round of the FA League Cup (previously the FA Women’s Continental Cup). With one win a piece in Group E, the match was set to be hotly contested with both teams vying for the top spot and the chance to progress to the quarter finals.
Tottenham Hotspur came into today’s fixture off the back of a heavy 3-0 defeat at home to local rivals Arsenal following last weekend’s North London Derby in the WSL, in which they had won just one of their last six games – a 2-1 victory over West Ham.
Aston Villa claimed victory in the 93rd minute last weekend at home to Crystal Palace, credit to a wonder strike by Ebony Salmon in the dying minutes, to see the Villans record their first win of the season with a narrow 3-2 scoreline.
At times this game looked as though it could go to a penalty shoot; it was a fairly even game, both teams had their chances and yet neither side could find the back of the net. That was until a rocket from Summanen at the hour mark, circa 40 yards out, sent disbelief rippling through the stadium, and saw momentum and tactics shift.
The Lineups
TOT: Heeps, Morris, James-Turner, Bartrip, Nilden, Naz, Raso, England, Csiki, Thomas, Summanen
AST: D’angelo, Patten, Bo Kearns, Dali, Robinson, Turner, Maritz, Salmon, Leon, Taylor, Pacheco
The Action
The first real taste of action in the opening minutes came after a pass by Noelle Maritz ricocheted off of Jessica Naz, before being intercepted by Bethany England who crossed the ball into the path of Martha Thomas, but was just a fraction too far and found itself easily claimed by Sabrina D’angelo.
In an almost identical passage of play at the other end, a cross by Maritz, saw Katie Robinson trapped between three defenders, but a sliced clearance landed at the feet of Kenza Dali who skewed any attempt of a shot and sent the ball trickling into the gloves of debutant Eleanor Heeps.
Lovely build up play by Villa saw Adriana Leon on the right flank send a huge cross for the oncoming Robinson, but she found herself well tracked by Ella Morris who did enough to see any attempt on goal sent wide and claimed by Heeps. In an immediate attempt to counter, Naz was yet again finding joy on the left flank, where a long ball into the box was well read by D’angelo who came out to claim before Thomas could get on the end of it.
Eveliina Summanen was given space to run as the Villa players backed off, eventually winning a free kick in the centre circle. Tottenham did well to hold up play and maintain possession, before a long ball in the direction of Naz saw a decisive D’angelo yet again, as she left the box to produce a solid clearance.
A solid spell of possession for the visitors saw them build up from the back before Dali drifted right to play a lovely one-two with Adriana Leon, the latter of which found herself marshalled in the box by Molly Bartrip, before Leon found herself protesting for a penalty, claims which the referee waved away.
A break for the home side, credit to Hayley Raso, saw a cross into the box for Naz, but Missy Bo Kearns – today’s captain – was well placed to intercept and send the ball out of danger, but only as far as Raso. A change of tactic saw her dribble infield, where Mayumi Pacheco found herself entangled with the Australian, as play continued despite the distraction. Thomas found herself free and sent her shot goalward, where a flick on made it difficult for D’angelo, who did just enough with her back foot to offload to Anna Patten before the offside flag was raised.
There was yet another penalty appeal for the Villans, as Robinson found herself on the floor inside the penalty box just as Leon sent her cross in begging for someone to ripple the net. The resulting corner, taken by Dali was low and easily picked out by Spurs, who sent Hayley Raso alone on the counter, before she was picked out by the Villa defence prior to the arrival of her teammates.
A goal kick at the other end saw persistence from the visitors, where a few lucky flicks between Dali and Robinson saw the Villans find joy in the 18 yard box. A combination of one-twos eventually saw Robinson thread the ball through for Leon to poke home, but Heeps got there ahead of the Canadian winger just as the whistle indicated the end of the half.
A break from the Villans down the left flank, early in the second half saw Pacheco release Robinson on the edge of the penalty area where the assumption she was going for goal, paired with her selfless choice to cross, saw Leon easily poke the ball in to the bottom left corner, before the offside flag halted celebrations.
It was a huge long range strike from Summanen, born from nothing and easily from over 30 yards out, that broke the deadlock as she found the top right corner of D’angelo’s netting whilst the player’s looked on in shock.
The shift in momentum saw Spurs yet again with acres of space in the box, Raso was forced wide and found her angle narrowed as D’angelo got her palms to the shot to push it into the side netting.
A Villa break saw them lack bodies in the box and all they could do was try to retain possession. Despite the large squad rotation that Head Coach Robert De Pauw had opted for, following last weekend’s hard fought victory, his side looked tired and lacked cohesion.
It was Patten who tried to take matters into her own hands, drifting past the Tottenham midfield with ease, before offloading to Dali at the top of the box. The Frenchwoman’s decision to go long saw the ball easily claimed by Heeps and possession turned over.
A break by Spurs following a poor Villa corner saw England free Naz. The young England International found Raso in acres of space on the other side of the pitch, who, once again, looked threatening as her shot called D’angelo into action with a low block before the Canadian keeper was able to catch her own deflection.
With less than ten minutes on the clock, the urgency intensified for Villa as persistence from the visitors sent the Lilywhites scrambling to clear.
Entering injury time, Villa found themselves with two subsequent corner kicks, neither of which could produce anything fruitful.
Spurs had changed formation, and the tactics to maintain possession were paramount, they were able to counter on the second corner as substitute Matilda Vinberg, and her fresh legs, drove down the left flank before skying her shot over the bar moments before the whistle signalled the end of the ninety.
Looking Ahead
Following the international break, both teams return to WSL action on Saturday 8th December. Tottenham Hotspur return to the Gaughan Group Stadium to host Everton with kick-off at 13:00 GMT, whilst Aston Villa are away to Arsenal at the Emirates, with kick-off scheduled for 14:00 GMT.
