Spurs Women

A stunning first half strike from Yui Hasgawa proved the difference on a low quality evening in E10 as Manchester City progressed to the Conti Cup Semi Finals.

This was the second time the two sides had faced each other in their last three games, with Robert Vilahamn making two changes to his side after the draw at Liverpool on Sunday, with Shuang Wang coming in for her first Spurs start, and Kit Graham, fresh from extending her Spurs contract also in, for Olga Ahtinen and Beth England. 

Man City boss Gareth Taylor also made two changes to the side from the weekend, with Jess Park and former Spurs defender, Alanna Kennedy coming into the side, at the expense of Layura Coombes, who dropped to the bench and Kerstin Casparij, who didn’t make the match day 18. 

City got the game underway and made a really strong start, Bunny Shaw, who scored against Spurs two games ago had the first chance of the 90, seeing her effort blocked wide by Molly Bartrip, with the resulting set piece coming to northing and Spurs able to clear. 

Spurs made their first foray forward when Shuang Wang burst forward after picking up a loose ball and threaded through Martha Thomas, but the Scott lost her footing and couldn’t get an effort away. 

Lauren Hemp was getting a lot o joy against Amanda Nilden, this time whipping a ball in towards Shaw, but the forward was unable to get onto the end of the cross and it drifted wide. 

Chloe Kelly, who was operating off the left in the first half an hour, had the first City effort on target, drilling a low effort at Barbora Votikova but the Czech international was able to keep to out.  You Hasegawa then placed one wide of Votikova’s left hand post as City looked to up the ante. 

City opened the scoring with an absolute stunner on the 33rd minute, after winning a corner, Filippa Angeldahl pulled the ball back to You Hasegawa who fired in an absolutely unstoppable effort that flew past Barbora Votikova for her first of the season and give City the lead.

The goal was rather out of keeping with the night itself, with the patterns of play up to that point rather scrappy. City showed they could turn it on at any point however, with Kelly’s blocked effort falling back to her, but her second effort was well saved by Votikova. 

The final action of the half saw Molly Bartrip defend well from Bunny Shaw after Hemp stood up a cross to the back post which is usually the Jamaican’s bread and butter, which saw out the half with Spurs a goal behind.

HT - Spurs 0-1 Man City

Vilahamn rolled the dice at half time for Spurs, bringing on Bethany England for Shuang Wuang. 

Vociferous appeals for a handball were waved away by the officials as Charli Grant’s in swinging cross appeared to be blocked by Alex Greenwood’s arm, but the appeals fell on deaf ears. 

Another roll of the Spurs dice saw Jessica Naz replace Celin Bizet for a speed injection down the Spurs wings. 

Spurs’ pressing won them a corner from which they had their first effort of the game, Amy James-Turner getting up but lacked any real conviction in her goanward header and it trickled into the arms of Khiara Keating in the City goal. 

Martha Thomas was then replaced by Matilda Vinberg as Vilahamn went all out, throwing everything at it to try and stay in the competition as we entered the last half hour. 

Bunny Shaw then had a massive chance to put the game to bed, putting a header wide of the post, which was followed toy two City changes, one of them being herself, replaced by Mary Fowler and Jess Park was replaced by Laura Coombes. 

Fowler then almost made the instant impact, chesting down a cross and firing the resulting volley over Votikova’s cross bar. 

Grace Clinton was then withdrawn in place of Rosella Ayane with fifteen minutes remaining. 

Fowler then went close with another chance, driving forward and lashing an effort towards Votikova in the Spurs goal but the stopper was equal to it with a stunning reflex save. 

Manchester City saw the two minutes of added time well to progress through to the Cionti Cup Semi Finals and ensure an aggregate score of 10-0 across the whole season against Spurs. 

FT - Spurs 0-1 Manchester City 

Yui Hasegawa 34’