Spurs 0-0 West Ham (3-4 on pens, Players Cup) | Martin Ho's verdict
Martin Ho says his side just lacked that ‘cutting edge’ in the final third as West Ham United went on to secure the extra point in the opening game of our Women’s Players Cup league phase on Wednesday evening.
Beginning our campaign in the newly-rebranded Players Cup league phase at Brisbane Road, we couldn’t be separated in the normal 90 minutes of action despite a number of late, gasp opportunities from us – Shekiera Martinez hitting the post before Matilda Vinberg being denied by a last-ditch block by Laia Codina.
With score remaining 0-0 at full-time, both sides taking the usual point for the league phase, we went to a penalty shootout for an extra point, with the Hammers ultimately ran out 4-3 winners – and Martin felt the lack of clinical edge in the final third in the 90 minutes cost us in the end.
“I thought, the first half, we had some spells and you could see maybe the little bit of disconnection and the rhythm wasn’t on there for sustained periods of possession,” Martin told us, speaking to SPURSPLAY after the game.
“Our pressure, when we got it right, caused them some problems. We regained it high up the pitch and we had some moments where we got in good positions. We just lacked the cutting edge in front of goal, but also with the final positions when we’re crossing and delivering, we weren’t in there to win enough of the first contacts.
“We came out a lot better in the second half. We then made the changes to freshen it up to see if that could give us a lift, we pushed and had more possession in their half. We pushed them into the final third.
“We had some really good opportunities and got into good positions, we just didn’t finish the chances we had. We hit the post, and then the penalties are just a lottery.”
Selma Panengstuen was handed her debut for the Club and preserved a clean sheet in normal time, making a number of key saves to keep the Hammers at bay – and Martin was full of praise for her first minutes in Spurs colours.
“She did wonderfully well,” he added. “She was calm on the ball, played well with the ball when she was called upon, and she took some really good crosses to really take the pressure off.
Obviously, she made that save near the end with the deflection and then Alice [Sombath] deflects it onto the post and she gets it. She made the penalty save in the shootout. So, I thought she was wonderful today and, on her debut, she should be really pleased.”