Shootout defeat in Players Cup opener
We suffered penalty shootout heartache after an initial goalless draw with West Ham United in our opening game of the newly-rebranded Subway Players Cup at Brisbane Road on Wednesday evening.
West Ham had the better chances over the majority of the contest, Saki Kumagai denied by debutant Selma Panengstuen and Kelly Gago seeing an effort diverted onto the post by Alice Sombath, while Shekiera Martinez hit the post against her former side and Matilda Vinberg was denied by a last-ditch covering block from Laia Codina as we pushed hard for a winner in the closing stages.
But with the spoils shared, we went to penalties for an extra point in the new league stage, with the Hammers ultimately running out 4-3 winners.
Panengstuen had brilliantly denied Ebony Salmon to prevent her from winning it with West Ham’s fifth kick, but when Martinez subsequently blazed over, it was the visitors who were left celebrating.
With nine changes made from the weekend’s astonishing 7-0 win at Crystal Palace in the WSL, it was a relatively quiet first half. Matilda Nilden – on her first start in our colours along with Sombath and Martinez – looked bright on the left flank, but it was the Hammers with the first real chance as Kumagai’s left angled effort was parried away by Panengstuen. Nilden fired high and wide at the other end while West Ham captain Viviane Asseyi had the ball in the net just before the break, but was denied by the offside flag.
Salmon missed a big chance for the visitors 10 minutes after the restart, firing across goal and wide after finding herself clean through, while Signe Gaupset tested Constance Picaud-Iconnu moments after coming on as we introduced some fresh players in search of a breakthrough.
Another big chance arrived for West Ham on 77 minutes, Katie Zelem’s diagonal ball into the box spilled above her head by Panengstuen with Gago’s effort at the back stick diverted onto the post by Sombath. We had a couple of late near-misses, Martinez firing a superb volley against the near post after an excellent cross from Ella Morris, while Vinberg was blocked off by Codina with almost the last action of the game.
With the scores at 0-0 after 90 minutes and the sides sharing the spoils, we went to a shootout for an extra point. Caitlin Dijkstra missed our second spot-kick with Salmon seemingly set to win it for West Ham later on, only for Panengstuen to pull off a superb save down to her right. However, Martinez fired our next effort off-target, meaning the Hammers won 4-3.
Line-ups
Spurs (4-2-3-1): Panengstuen, Morris, Sombath, A Nilden (Dijkstra 46), Wijk, Summanen (c) (Gaupset 58), Ahtinen (Spence 58), Vinberg, Holdt (Pelova 58), M Nilden (Hanson 71), Martinez. Substitutes (not used): Kop, Tandberg, Pierre, Blakstad.
West Ham United (3-4-3): Picard-Inconnu, Endo, Nystrom, Cascarino (Codina 80), Tennebo, Kumagai (Zelem 46), Siren, Wandeler (Belloumou 61), Piubel (Riesen 71), Salmon, Asseyi (Gago 46). Substitutes (not used): Dowsett, Wareing, Peacock, Oztas.
Match data
Yellow cards: Spurs – Holdt 22, Sombath 76.
Referee: Amy Fearn.
Venue: Brisbane Road, Leyton.
Weather: Partly cloudy, gentle breeze, 18 degrees.
Attendance: 746.
Penalty shootout
West Ham – Zelem – scored
Spurs – Spence – scored
West Ham – Nystrom – scored
Spurs – Dijkstra – missed
West Ham – Gago – scored
Spurs – Gaupset – scored
West Ham – Codina – scored
Spurs – Pelova – scored
West Ham – Salmon – saved
Spurs – Martinez – missed