Bizet secures a point at Leicester
Celin Bizet's second goal in as many games ensured a third consecutive 1-1 draw in the Women's Super League on Sunday as we shared the spoils with Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.
Trailing to Janice Cayman's 18th-minute opener, we controlled the game for large spells and forced Janina Leitzig into a string of stops, including a remarkable triple save just before the half-hour mark as Jess Naz, Ashleigh Neville and Angharad James all went close.
Bizet ran onto an excellent through ball from Martha Thomas to equalise 11 minutes after half-time but try as we might, we couldn't find a winner, with the hosts not without their own threats, Sam Tierney rattling the crossbar in one of their better attempts on the hour mark.
Substitute Rosella Ayane had a couple of opportunities midway through the second half, while Thomas' last-minute shot was straight at Leitzig as we had to settle for a point.
Robert Vilahamn made two changes from our last game, Ria Percival coming in for her first league start of the season in place of the injured Olga Ahtinen while Naz was restored to the line-up in place of Kit Graham, and it took us a few minutes to find our rhythm as Leicester controlled the opening 10 minutes, Missy Goodwin denied by Molly Bartrip's block before a superb goal-line clearance from full-back Neville, who somehow got her right leg around Goodwin - who was goal side of her - to hook the ball away from the goalmouth after Becky Spencer's fine save from Jutta Rantala.
Leicester had further shots blocked in our box, including one from ex-Spur Josie Green, but we began to take control of the possession with just under a quarter-of-an-hour played, although we came unstuck in the 18th minute as the Foxes hit us on the break to take the lead, Hannah Cain's outside-of-the-foot pass in from the left flank converted in the middle by Cayman.
Thomas saw her looping header tipped away by Leitzig moments later at the other end before a flurry of chances came our way in the 28th minute - Thomas' nice backheel set Bizet free down the right, Naz latched onto her cut-back but was denied one-on-one by Leitzig, who then made herself big to block Neville's shot on the follow-up, before keeping out James' effort from distance in the next phase of play.
Those missed chances could have been costly, but we stayed on the front foot as half-time came and went, the prowling Naz seeing her deflected shot tipped away before Bizet's tame effort following good play down the right by Thomas was routinely stopped by Leitzig. The latter two players combined for our deserved equalier on 56 minutes, though, as Thomas showed great strength and vision to thread the perfect through ball between defenders for Bizet to run onto and steer first-time into the net.
Tierney reminded us of her side's threats when she fired against the crossbar from outside the box but most of the key chances went our way in the last quarter of the game, Ayane agonisingly unable to connect with Bizet's clever pass as she threw herself at the ball in the middle before seeing a subsequent low drive blocked on the six-yard line by Sophie Howard after Leicester had given the ball away cheaply.
Ayane and fellow substitute Ellie Brazil later went close from a tight angle, Bizet and Brazil combined twice in stoppage time but couldn't meaningfully test Leitzig before Thomas tried a fierce shot from 18 yards in the last minute, which was a little too close to the keeper to have caused her a problem. Bizet had the ball in the net with the last action of the game, but the whistle had long since gone for a handball in the build-up and with that, the spoils were shared.
Reaction on SPURSPLAY
Neville on draw at the King Power
Match data
Goals: Leicester City - Cayman 18; Spurs - Bizet 56.
Yellow card: Spurs - James 74.
Referee: Andrew Madley.
Venue: King Power Stadium, Leicester.
Weather: Light showers, moderate breeze, 13 degrees.