Opposition watch | Southampton (Conti Cup)

Our final match in the group stage of the FA Women’s Continental League Cup sees us face Southampton at Eastleigh’s Silverlake Stadium on Thursday evening (7:45pm).

We remain in a strong position to qualify to the knockout stages of the competition if we can pick up maximum points – with five group winners and two best runners-up joining Chelsea in the quarter-finals – as we sit second in the group on seven points.

Here’s a closer look at the Saints…

Form

Southampton have won eight of their 13 FA Women’s Championship games so far this season, netting 24 goals and conceded nine – the third lowest in the league, and currently sat fourth in the table, two points behind league leaders Charlton Athletic. The Saints have picked up notable victories along the way, beating fellow promotion hopefuls Crystal Palace 4-3 back in November and also Blackburn Rovers (2-0). They have started 2024 in perfect fashion, progressing to the fifth round of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup after 2-0 win over Sunderland before securing a 3-0 victory over Watford in their first league game of the New Year.

Players to watch

Sophia Pharoah is the club’s leading goalscorer this season, netting six goals in the FA Women’s Championship and one in the Continental League Cup. The forward has been at the Saints since the beginning of the 2019/20 campaign and she scored the all-important goal in the FA Women’s National League Championship Play-off final, beating Wolves to secure their place in the second tier of women’s football. Katie Wilkinson is also a player to keep an eye on, scoring six goals in all competitions, including two in the victory over Durham in the fourth round of the FA Cup, and has registered four assists. Defender Rosie Parnell wears the captain armband for the Saints, while two former players of ours play in the red and white jersey – Rianna Dean and Chloe Peplow.

Manager – Marieanne Spacey-Cale

Before starting her coaching career, Spacey-Cale was an incredibly gifted deep-lying forward, having spells at Friends of Fulham – now known as AFC Wimbledon – and HJK Helsinki in Finland, before joining Arsenal in 1993. She spent nine years at the Gunners, scoring 79 goals and won a string of domestic titles and trophies, before finishing her playing career at Fulham. She became the manager of Fulham before taking a role with England national youth sides, coaching the under 16, under 17 and under 19 teams. Spacey-Cale was appointed the assistant manager for England in December, 2013, and was the head coach of the under 23 side who won the Nordic tournament in Sweden in 2017. She joined the Sains in July, 2018, and in her first season at the club, she completed the double, winning the league title and league cup.

Last time out

We have only faced Southampton on one occasion and that came last season in the final group stage game of the Continental League Cup as we secured a 1-0 victory at St Mary’s Stadium, advancing us into the knockout stages with nine out of nine points. Nikola Karczewska’s goal in the first half was enough to separate the two sides, the Polish international took down Rosella Ayane’s cross before tucking it past the onrushing Kyla Rendell.

How to follow

Thursday’s clash against Southampton will be live on SPURSPLAY to watch. You can follow the game on our women's social channels - Instagram and X - and minute-by-minute text coverage via our Match Centre here on tottenhamhotspur.com. Match highlights and reaction will also be available via SPURSPLAY and this website.