Spurs Women's historic Conti Cup run comes to an end at City
Manchester City Women 3-0 Spurs Women
Thu 03 February 2022, 21:00|
Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs Women's history-making journey in the Continental Cup came to an end with a semi-final loss at Manchester City on Thursday evening.
The team progressed out of the group stage of this competition for the first time and then toppled Liverpool to make their first appearance in the last four of a major cup competition.
But it wasn't to be against a dominant City side - three times winners of the Conti Cup - at the Academy Stadium.
A final shot count of 21-1 in City's favour tells the story, but how different it might have been if that one had ended in the net - Jess Naz raced clear after 12 minutes but angled her finish just wide. That would have opened the scoring but, 15 minutes later, Spurs were 2-0 down and facing a mountain to climb against a City side that have now won eight of their last nine in all competitions.
Nevertheless, the team deserve huge credit for their willingness to go to the end and hanging in there - a goal back at 2-0 may well have changed the picture - and this run should be remembered for how they reached the semi-finals, not how they went out.
Rehanne Skinner made two changes from the team that started against Leicester City in the FA Cup on Sunday with Kerys Harrop and Kyah Simon in for Asmita Ale and Angela Addison. Simon had just returned from international duty for Australia in India after bowing out of the quarter-finals of the AFC Women's Asian Cup on Sunday.
City would end up dominating, but a different outcome from the first clear-cut chance may well have changed the game's direction. That came in the 12th minute when we cleared a City corner, Naz hunted down the ball on halfway, won it from Keira Walsh and raced clear towards goal. Ellie Roebuck was committed on the edge of her box and Naz slid the ball past the goalkeeper - but, unfortunately, past the post as well.
City took the lead on 21 minutes when Alex Greenwood played in Jess Park on the right of the box. Park got away from Harrop and drove across Becky Spencer into the far corner. The home side soon doubled their lead, with a touch of good fortune, as Caroline Weir's shot was blocked but looped high to the far post where Park did well to keep it alive, crossing for Shaw to tap home.
Weir volleyed just wide and Spencer tipped over from Hemp's looping shot, but despite City's control, we were still very much in the tie at 2-0 down at half-time.
Ale came on for Ashleigh Neville at the start of the second half as Lucy Bronze took the initiative for City. The England defender tried her luck twice from distance before connecting with Georgia Stanway's corner, her header cannoning back off the post just before the hour.
Rehanne made changes with Addison replacing Rosella Ayane and new signing Eveliina Summanen coming on for her second Spurs appearance for Williams on 67 minutes. However, just three minutes later, Hemp met Park's cross at the far post and powered home a header off the underside of the crossbar for 3-0, putting the issue beyond doubt.
Rehanne's reaction on Spurs TV
Manchester City Women 3-0 Spurs Women
Manchester City Women: Roebuck, Bronze, Mace, Greenwood (c, Kennedy 80), Stokes, Walsh (Coombs 73), Stanway, Weir, Park (White 80), Shaw (Raso 80), Hemp (Blakstad 73). Substitutes (not used): Keating, Beckie, Angeldahl, Losada.
Spurs Women: Spencer, Neville (Ale 46), Bartrip, Zadorsky (c), Harrop, Clemaron, Percival (Lane 88), Naz, Simon, Ayane (Addison 60), Williams (Summanen 67). Substitute (not used): Korpela.
Match stats
Goals: City - Park 21, Shaw 27, Hemp 70.
Yellow cards: City - Shaw 45+2; Spurs - Clemaron 13.
Referee: Simon Mather.
Weather: Clear, 11 degrees at kick-off.
Venue: Academy Stadium, Manchester City FC.
