Koga lights up WSL finale with stunning late winner

The 20-year-old defender produced a superb finish from distance to find the empty net after advancing goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley was left stranded outside the box thanks to pressure from departing captain Bethany England, with the Japan international running straight to the dugout to embrace Head Coach Martin Ho as our travelling supporters went wild at the Amex Stadium.

We had fallen behind to in-form Madison Haley’s goal shortly after the break but drew level nine minutes from time when Olivia Holdt lashed home her 10th goal of the season. However, Koga stole the headlines with her wonder goal, as we maintained our record of never losing on the final day of a WSL season in memorable fashion.

The victory meant we finished the campaign on a club record 36 points. We were already assured of fifth spot prior to kick-off, but FA Cup finalists Brighton dropped a place to seventh as a result of the late drama both on the south coast and at London City Lionesses, who secured a stoppage-time win at home to Aston Villa to end the campaign in sixth.

After a slow start with Lize Kop forced to rush out to deny Fran Kirby, we played our way into the game thanks to a superb individual display by Signe Gaupset, who was unstoppable at times with her ball-carrying from deep areas of the pitch. The central midfielder fired just over the bar after a great exchange with Drew Spence mid-way through the first half, then pinched the ball from Caitlin Hayes out wide and sent Cathinka Tandberg through in the left channel, but she knocked her effort wide of the far post.

Gaupset was instrumental again on 37 minutes, driving forward with pace and purpose to release Matilda Vinberg into a shooting position on the left, but her effort was saved by the advancing Baggaley. Vinberg’s corner moments later saw Tandberg challenge for the ball in the air with Ella Morris hooking it over the bar from a couple of yards out, before Gaupset’s latest drive saw her get the ball back from Holdt, then have an angled shot blocked in the box by sliding defender Charlize Rule as we finished the half strongly.

Brighton were resurgent after the restart, though, and took the lead on 49 minutes, Kiko Seike’s shot from the right angle parried by Kop and Haley arriving to poke the loose ball home ahead of retreating defender Morris.

A trio of chances slipped away from Tandberg as we responded to the setback, the striker latching onto Julie Blakstad’s pass down the left and hitting the near post – although the offside flag subsequently went up – before being fed by Morris on the other side but dragging her shot wide, then sending a free header off target after Lenna Gunning-Williams’ cross came back into the danger zone off the head of Rule.

Gunning-Williams couldn’t connect with Vinberg’s dangerous ball across the face of goal as we entered the last 20 minutes but the former – on as a half-time substitute – was instrumental in our eventual equaliser in the 81st minute, getting down the right and driving a low delivery into the middle, where Brighton captain Maisie Symonds and Blakstad tangled for possession with the ball ultimately breaking to Holdt, who thumped high inside the near post to reach double figures in front of goal for the season.

There was more drama to come, though, as moments after Symonds fired wide for Brighton, we completed the turnaround to take all three points. Two minutes into seven added on, Brighton tried to break forward from our attacking free-kick but we won the ball back and it was sent long for England – on for her final appearance in our colours – to chase. With the captain closing in, advancing goalkeeper Baggaley couldn’t properly clear her lines outside the area, with the ball coming to Koga, who lifted a superb shot over the keeper and into the empty net from close to the centre circle, prompting wild scenes among players, coaching staff and fans alike.

That's how you win it in the 92nd minute!!! 😍pic.twitter.com/qtQZa80JPs

— Tottenham Hotspur Women (@SpursWomen) May 16, 2026

England later made a lung-bursting run on the overlap in a bid to make it a goalscoring send-off, but her angled shot was blocked. Nevertheless, it was a fitting passing of the torch from our number nine, as our next generation of talent deservedly took the headlines in a changing of the guard to end the season.

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Line-ups

Brighton & Hove Albion (4-4-2): Baggaley, Rule (Mpome 64), Hayes, Minami, Vanegas, Seike (Kafaji 82), Symonds (c), Cankovic, Olislagers (Tvedten 90), Kirby (Noordam 64), Haley. Substitutes (not used): Camacho, McLauchlan, Nnadozie, Rayner, Tsunoda.

Spurs (4-3-3): Kop, Morris, Koga, A Nilden, Blakstad, Spence (c), Gaupset (Ahtinen 90+6), Holdt (Summanen 90+6), Hamano (Gunning-Williams 46), Tandberg (England 79), Vinberg. Substitutes (not used): Heeps, Bartrip, Rybrink, M Nilden, Dennis.

Match data

Goals: Brighton & Hove Albion – Haley 49; Spurs – Holdt 81, Koga 90+2.

Yellow cards: Brighton & Hove Albion – Hayes 68; Spurs – A Nilden 54, Morris 66, Spence 86.

Referee: Stacey Pearson.

Venue: Amex Stadium, Brighton.

Weather: Light rain, moderate breeze, 12 degrees.

Attendance: 6,749.