In a repeat of May’s Adobe Women’s FA Cup final, Manchester United defeated Tottenham Hotspur (this time in the slightly less glamorous setting of Leigh Sports Village) 3-0 in the Barclays’ Women’s Super League.
Despite creating several promising chances in the opening stages, Spurs found themselves 2-0 down at the break thanks to a quickfire brace by Elisabeth Terland. The summer signing opened her United account with a cracking volleyed effort before heading home to give United a two-goal cushion in injury time. Captain Maya Le Tissier extended their lead from the spot (after Ashleigh Neville conceded her second penalty in as many weeks) in the second half, making it three wins from three for Marc Skinner’s side.
As it happened
Both sides had undergone plenty of change since their meeting at Wembley – not least the return of Grace Clinton to her parent club, and Celin Bizet following her north. Though they’d brought in replacements in the form of Maite Oroz and Hayley Raso, both were ruled out through injury today – as was Amanda Nildén, and as were Geyse and Jayde Riviere for United.
The first major chance of the game fell for the visitors, keen to avenge their Wembley defeat, when former United star Martha Thomas drove towards goal and unleashed an effort from close range, forcing Phallon Tullis-Joyce to come out and smother. Spurs couldn’t make anything of the resulting corner, but it was an early sign for United not to expect the rout they’d enjoyed in May. In the absence of Geyse and Riviere, Spurs were quickly beginning to target United’s right flank with the pace of Thomas and Beth England – giving their former teammate Bizet, in a less familiar right-back role, a tough time. In the opening ten minutes the hosts conceded two corners on that side and rarely broke into Spurs’ half bar an early run from Ella Toone, and struggling to control the match. Spurs had Phallon Tullis-Joyce worried enough to make a dive and tip an effort over the bar just after ten minutes, when some neat footwork from England set up a driven effort from the edge of the area.
Embed from Getty ImagesUnited started to impose slightly more authority on the match after the first ten minutes, which had been one-way traffic in favour of the visitors. Clinton was roared on down the right hand side by the Leigh Sports Village faithful, while Leah Galton also began to liven up the left wing through her linkup play with Toone. She nicked the ball just inside the area and played in Elisabeth Terland, who was close to opening her United account – only Becky Spencer’s leaping fingertip save denied her. In the first quarter of the game, though, it was undoubtedly Spurs who looked the stronger team: they registered five shots to United’s one, three of which were on target.
Both teams had a chance to regroup when the game was paused for Tullis-Joyce to receive treatment from United’s physios – fortunately for the home side, she was deemed fit to continue. Whatever Marc Skinner had said to his team in their huddle seemed to have fairly limited impact, though, and they stayed under the kosh. With ten minutes left of the first half, Spurs remained unable to make the most of their pressure – while United fans could be heard chanting ‘attack, attack, attack’. It looked as though they might just find an opener against the run of play when Galton, their most promising-looking source of a goal, wove through the lines to play in Terland – but after a few scuffles and rebounds, Spencer collected the ball safely.
And find an opener against the run of play they did. Terland, who’d been yet to find the goalscoring form she was famed and feared for at Brighton, finally found the net for the first time for United. Her effort was as powerful as it was accurate and it rifled in off the crossbar to hand the Reds what was, on the balance of play, an unexpected lead.
Embed from Getty ImagesUnited’s tails were up now and the stand that had been calling for an attack now sang ‘we want two’. The team looked as though they might oblige from a corner kick in the six minutes of added time, but a scuffle in Tottenham’s box was deemed illegal by referee Lisa Benn and a freekick went Spurs’ way. From it the visitors looked to get themselves back on level terms before the break, with a promising ball into the box from Summanen – England left it for Neville, who was too slow to react and was beaten to it by Gabby George. They were made to regret their missed opportunities.
Having had her first goal in red, Terland clearly enjoyed it. Only a few minutes after her opener, the Norwegian rose highest at the back post to meet an excellent cross from Celin Bizet and Spencer was helpless in front of her powerful header. After failing to get a grip on the majority of the first half, their new striker’s brilliance produced them a fortunate 2-0 lead at the break.
Embed from Getty ImagesSpurs came back out determined to work their way back into a game which so far, despite the scoreline, they had had much the better of. An early freekick after a foul on Jessica Naz led to pinball in the Manchester United box, but the eventual tame effort dribbled harmlessly to Tullis-Joyce.
Within the first five minutes of the half, Terland was the width of the post from a hattrick. A neat pass from Clinton played her in plum in front of goal and her effort looked for all the world as though it was heading in, with her teammates already raising their arms in celebration – until Spencer just nudged it onto the post. Spurs were given yet more cause for concern with a break in play for a head injury to Summanen – though she initially continued, she was replaced by Matilda Vinberg a few minutes later and took her seat on the substitutes’ bench.
After conceding a penalty against Liverpool last week, Ashleigh Neville probably hoped for a strong performance or at least an under-the-radar one today. It wasn’t to be, and it was her error that sent the game past the point of no return for Spurs: a handball in the area saw referee Benn point to the spot immediately. For her first goal as captain, Maya Le Tissier made no mistake and buried her spotkick past Spencer to put United 3-0 up.
Embed from Getty ImagesWith half an hour remaining, despite a disappointing first half, United were in the clear. Spurs made the mistake of incensing both their former teammate Clinton and the Leigh Sports Village crowd. When the midfielder was taken down, the referee continued play, and Spurs’ players dribbled past her on the ground rather than kick the ball out. After play stopped due to a foul at the other end on Naz by Toone (who was booked) the fans made their views clear.
Spurs tried to find a way back into the match, but Tullis-Joyce remained composed in net and Naz’s attempts to drive past Bizet and Le Tissier proved fruitless. Marc Skinner elected to refresh his side with Simi Awujo, Hinata Miyazawa, and Rachel Williams coming on in place of Lisa Naalsund, Ella Toone, and Elisabeth Terland – the latter taking her time to soak up the applause on her way off. Not a bad way to make your league Leigh Sports Village debut. Robert Vilahamn also made a change, replacing Martha THomas (who had a largely warm reception from her old club’s supporters) with Anna Csiki.
With ten minutes remaining, Tottenham were in search of a consolation goal. united came closer to extending their lead – Rachel Williams had an effort saved, and Spencer was called into action minutes later by a looping left-footed strike from Clinton. The midfielder’s effort would have been the perfect addition to the day for United, and would have been a spectacular finish too – but her former teammate Spencer leapt at full stretch to safely keep it out. At the other end, Naz and Charlotte Grant tried to link up on the left – but their advances down the byline were halted quickly by Le Tissier. It was Naz’s last action before being replaced by teenager Lenna Gunning-Williams for the final few minutes, while Skinner withdrew Bizet – an assist to her name – for Aoife Mannion.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe closest Spurs could come to the net was an effort by Drew Spence after England neatly laid the ball off for her in the box – but Tullis-Joyce remained a safe pair of hands for United and dived left to save it. Spence had another crack at net a minute later, this time from distance – but again the American keeper watched it well and tipped her powerful strike round the post.
The lineups
MUN: Tullis-Joyce; George, Le Tissier, Turner, Bizet; Janssen, Naalsund, Toone; Galton, Terland, Clinton
TOT: Spencer; Neville, Bartrip, Hunt, Grant; Summanen, Ahtinen, Spence; Naz, Thomas, England