Tottenham’s Becky Spencer emerged as the hero in their impressive FA Cup quarter-finals win against Manchester City, as she made two crucial saves in the penalty shootout. City’s Alex Greenwood and Chloe Kelly, both England players, were unable to convert their spot-kicks while Tottenham successfully scored all but one to secure the win.
“I am impressed by her dedication while placed on the bench, so it is a pleasure to witness her success,” stated Robert Vilahamn, the manager, regarding his keeper who has split responsibilities with Barbora Votikova.
Mary Fowler scored an early goal, which was a pleasant surprise for City’s manager, Gareth Taylor, who had not started her often. It seemed like this goal would be the deciding factor in the game. This was City’s 11th unanswered goal against Spurs this season. However, the home team had studied their past three encounters and were able to learn from them. As a result, Bethany England’s goal in the 96th minute forced the game into extra time, and ultimately, penalties. This was a well-deserved goal for the home team.
“I sensed a change in our momentum,” said Vilahamn when discussing England’s equalizing goal. “That feeling continued into overtime, and I had confidence that we could achieve victory.”
Taylor admitted that Spurs earned the victory. He stated that it was a disappointment, but he must acknowledge that our performance did not warrant a win. He also mentioned that it was unusual for him to make such a remark about our team. He recognized that we were not playing at our usual level and did not execute our usual strategies.
In November, Manchester City dominated the game against Tottenham with an exciting 7-0 victory. This marked the third time in just over a month that City had played against Tottenham in London. This has been a successful location for City, as they also walked away with a 2-0 win in the league and a 1-0 win in the Continental Cup.
Vilahamn altered their team, following their impressive performance in the 1-0 loss to Arsenal at Emirates Stadium last week. Kit Graham was substituted with Olga Ahtinen, while Molly Bartrip was unable to play due to illness.
Taylor, who recently signed a new contract lasting three-and-a-half years, saw two adjustments to the team after their frustrating 1-0 loss to Chelsea in the semi-final of the Continental Cup earlier in the week. Australia’s Fowler and Sweden’s Angeldahl were added to the lineup.
In only six minutes, City was able to release their frustrations after an early goal was scored against them by Chelsea. It was 21-year-old Fowler who made the critical shot, with a deflection from Khadija Shaw’s assist, securing the breakthrough.
As time passed and the difference in score remained at just one goal, Spurs became more assured. With 10 minutes left, the entry of England’s England brought excitement to the enthusiastic home audience. Her pass to Celin Bizet Ildhusøy was skillfully handled by the City defenders before being called offside in what appeared to be a mistaken decision, as Spurs displayed a greater sense of urgency.
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Following a missed chance to tie the game, England did not make the same mistake in the last minute of the extended six minutes of play. They took advantage of a mistake between Khiara Keating and Laia Aleixandri, gaining possession of the ball and scoring into the unguarded net. Taylor stated that there was no one to blame and that the team both wins and loses together.
Despite the home team having momentum in extra time, they still had to resort to penalties to determine the winner. Yui Hasegawa, Angeldahl, and Fowler all successfully scored, while Spencer was unable to score against Yui. However, Greenwood’s penalty was saved by England’s penalty expert Kelly. This secured the spot for Spurs in the semi-finals. Keating was only able to save Rosella Ayane’s attempt, as England’s Amanda Nilden, Wang Shuang, and Amy James-Turner all managed to score.
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Vilahamn expressed that the victory would greatly boost confidence in their project. He stated, “It holds significant significance. Our journey is ongoing and we will continue to make progress, but without these moments, people may doubt its authenticity. Being able to compete and come out as winners in a semi-final showcases our determination and progress.”
On Tuesday, Tottenham will discover who their semi-final opponents will be. The teams in the potential draw are Leicester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea, along with Tottenham.
Source: theguardian.com
