Match report
That’s it for today’s blog, though we’ll have a match report along shortly. Thanks for your company – bye!
Manchester United are buzzing 👏🔴 pic.twitter.com/BB1QOk0xlD
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) February 12, 2023
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Still want more?
Sure you do.
Poor Molly Bartrip, whose unfortunate own goal settled the match, is in tears at the final whistle. Rehanne Skinner is trying to console her, and in truth the defeat was not Bartrip’s fault. United were the better team throughout and deserved to win, despite an admirable defensive performance from Spurs and a spectacular equaliser from Beth England.
It may, however, be a costly victory. Ella Toone, the oil in United’s engine, was given a straight red card late on for putting hands on Evelina Summanen, and unless that is overturned she will miss the crucial game at Chelsea next month.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man Utd Women | 13 | 26 | 32 |
| 2 | Chelsea Women | 12 | 24 | 31 |
| 3 | Man City Women | 13 | 15 | 29 |
| 4 | Arsenal Women | 12 | 19 | 26 |
| 5 | Everton Women | 12 | 4 | 19 |
| 6 | Aston Villa Women | 12 | -5 | 17 |
| 7 | West Ham Women | 13 | -7 | 16 |
| 8 | Liverpool FC Women | 11 | -9 | 11 |
| 9 | Tottenham Hotspur Women | 12 | -9 | 9 |
| 10 | Brighton & Hove Albion Women | 10 | -21 | 8 |
| 11 | Reading Women | 13 | -15 | 7 |
| 12 | Leicester Women | 11 | -22 | 3 |
Updated
Full time: Tottenham 1-2 Man Utd
Peep peep! United go top of the WSL after a seriously hard-fought victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
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90+5 min James wins one last corner for Spurs. Korpela is coming up… but Spurs make a total mess of it.
90+3 min: Just wide from England! Iwabuchi, deep on the left, launches a cross towards England near the penalty spot. She pulls away from Le Tissier, strains her neck muscles and loops a superb header that drops just wide of the left-hand post. Earps wouldn’t have saved it.
90+2 min: United substitution Martha Thomas replaces Leah Galton, who scored United’s first goal and was a constant threat.
90+2 min United clear two or three crosses with a degree of desperation, but now they have possession again.
90 min Five minutes of added time.
89 min United’s ten women are holding on pretty comfortably, at least for now.
88 min The more I see Toone’s red card, the more I think she’s a bit unfortunate. A yellow card, sure, but I’m not sure that passes the threshold for violent conduct.
Either way I suspect United will appeal – especially because, as things stand, she will miss the huge game at Chelsea next month.
Updated
87 min Summanen is booked for a cynical trip on Galton.
86 min England’s dangerous cross is punched away dramatically by Earps. England has played really well today, often with very little support.
85 min Here’s that Ella Toone red card. What do you reckon?
It's all kicking off 🤯
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) February 12, 2023
Ella Toone is shown a red card 🟥 pic.twitter.com/Ix4iSuFSGR
84 min England appeals for a penalty after a slight shove in the back from Turner (I think). Not enough for a penalty.
83 min: United substitution Rachel Williams comes on for Alessia Russo. All of a sudden United – who looked pretty comfortable even though they were only one goal ahead - have a nervous last 10 minutes ahead.
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82 min: Spurs substitution Angharad James replaces Amy Turner.
Ella Toone is sent off!
80 min Toone fouled Summanen, who waved a leg at Toone in frustration as she fell. Toone then pushed Summanen either in the neck or the face - it’s not easy to tell on first viewing - and the referee decided it was sufficient for a straight red card.
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80 min: It’s kicking off!
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78 min That United goal came 14 seconds after they kicked off.
My word. Zelem, almost straight from the kick off, released Garcia in space on the right with a terrific pass. She slid a low cross towards Galton, and Bartrip nipped in front to unwittingly blast it into the roof of her own net. It was a horrible ball to deal with, because she couldn’t be sure what was behind her.
Manchester United retake their lead in less than 60 seconds 🤯 pic.twitter.com/HAAZ82LEqb
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) February 12, 2023
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GOAL! Tottenham 1-2 Man Utd (Bartrip og 76)
United score straight from the kick off!
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Batlle was penalised for a challenge on Iwabuchi deep in the Spurs half. While United complained, Iwabuchi took the free-kick quickly and released England on the left wing near the halfway line. She scampered all the way into the United area, then cut inside Le Tissier and crashed a brilliant shot across goa that flashed past the diving Earps and into the side netting. What a finish!
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GOAL! Tottenham 1-1 Man Utd (England 74)
Beth England equalises with a sensational goal!
WHAT A STRIKE ⚡
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) February 12, 2023
Bethany England's fourth goal in five appearances 👏 pic.twitter.com/5noLF2Nx2F
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73 min One-nil!
A breakthrough goal in the title race 🔥
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) February 12, 2023
GALTONNNNNNNNN 👏 pic.twitter.com/OQeSEFNg1o
71 min That’s a vital goal for United, who started the game in second but will go top with a win. It’s so hard to know whether they should be looking up at Chelsea or down at Manchester City and Arsenal. It really is deliciously poised.
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69 min: Spurs substitution Rosella Ayane is on for Celin Bizet
68 min: Double substitution for United Lucia Garcia and Vilde Boe Risa replace Hayley Ladd and Nikita Parris.
The irrepressible Batlle beat Zadorsky on the right and clipped a fast, flat cross into the middle. Russo was blocked off but the ball hit the unsighted Bizet and fell kindly for Galton, who steadied herself and rammed it past Korpela with her right foot.
GOAL! Tottenham 0-1 Man Utd (Galton 66)
Yeah, it’s been coming.
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65 min Batlle’s cross from the right is only half cleared to Toone on the edge of the box. She belts a low drive across goal that is kicked clear by Turner in front of the diving Korpela. I think it might have been going wide anyway.
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62 min No she doesn’t: she’s also booked Spence.
61 min Ladd has a bit of a run-in with Summanen; then Spence gets involved. The referee gives them a warning.
59 min Russo turns Turner thrillingly on the left edge of the area, cuts inside and cracks a low shot that takes a slight deflection off Bartrip. Korpela, who was starting to move to her left, changes direction smartly to make an ultimately comfortable save.
57 min The impressive Neville slips Zelem neatly on the halfway line to give Spurs a three-on-three break. Eventually she angles a through pass towards Iwabuchi on the right side of the area, and she slides an inviting low cross that rolls right through the six-yard box. England had made a different run, pulling off at the near post.
57 min United are playing with much greater intensity in the second half, with and without the ball. Spurs are really struggling to get out.
56 min A United goal is surely coming, although I’m conscious I said the same thing at this stage last week.
Updated
55 min: Toone hits the post! Parris plays a give and go with Russo on the right and then forces the ball through to Toone before taking a whack. Toone surges into the area and slides a careful low shot that beats Korpela and pings off the far post. That was a pretty good effort from a tight angle.
53 min Blundell moves down the left and cuts the ball back to Russo, 12 yards out. She’s crowded out at first, but keeps persisting and eventually hits a left-foot shot on the turn from the edge of the area. It flies a few yards wide of the near post.
52 min Zelem clips an insouciant free-kick just wide of the near post, with Korpela flying nervously across her goal. She probably had it covered.
52 min The free-kick is slightly to the left of centre, with Zelem and Russo over it.
51 min Turner is penalised for shoving Russo over 22 yards from goal. United have really upped the tempo at the start of the second half.
50 min After Spurs again lose the ball in their own third, Ladd screws a cross shot wide from about 12 yards.
49 min: Chance for United! Galton, near the byline on the left, slows down and then surges away from Turner into the area. She could cut the ball back towards Parris but instead pokes it into the side netting from a very tight angle.
Updated
49 min Zelem takes the free-kick short, gets it back and drives a deep cross that just evades the leaping Turner at the far post.
48 min Bizet loses the ball in a dangerous area and then fouls Blundell in an attempt to rectify the error. Free-kick to United on the left wing…
46 min Peep peep! Beth England gets the second half under way.
Half-time reading
Half time: Tottenham 0-0 Man Utd
Let us never speak of that first half again.
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45 min One minute of added time.
43 min It’s an odd thing to say about a team that includes Ella Toone and Alessia Russo, but United look a peedie bit toothless at the moment. They really can’t afford another goalless draw today.
42 min Here’s that Beth England chance by the way.
A HUGE opportunity for Spurs 😲
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) February 12, 2023
Brilliant from Neville 👏 pic.twitter.com/2AaiogBiLY
42 min Full disclosure: this isn’t a classic.
39 min Earps saves from Iwabuchi, though again the flag had long since gone up. I don’t know about you, because you won’t answer my calls, but I much prefer football without VAR, warts and all.
38 min Toone, who has been pretty quiet, overhits an attempted through ball to Parris. It’s been a frustrating half for United’s attacking quartet.
37 min Korpela comes a long way from her area to beat Galton to Zelem’s long ball. United regain possession and give the ball to Russo, who tries to score from about 40 yards before Korpela is back in her goal. It’s a tame effort, and Korpela was pretty well positioned anyway. But it was a shot on target, the first of the game.
Updated
36 min Zelem goes over in the D after a challenge from England, but the referee isn’t interested.
33 min Harrop robs Batlle on the left edge of the United area. The ball runs to England, who spanks an early shot from a tight angle that takes a deflection and flies across goal too safety. United break dangerously but Neville makes an excellent tackle on Galton to buy Spurs a bit of time.
Updated
32 min Spurs can’t generate any attacking momentum, though they still had the best chance when England shot over in the 23rd minute. It’s a game in need of a goal.
30 min Parris drives a brilliant cross from the right that just evades Galton, arriving apace in the six-yard box.
28 min It’s Spurs 0-0 Man Utd – and that’s shots on target, never mind goals. Spurs’ back three/five have defended really well so far.
25 min Bizet gets the wrong side of Blundell in the area, but Blundell recvovers to make an important lunging challenge. Moments later Spence and Russo collide painfully, with Spence coming off worst.
23 min: Chance for Spurs! Neville collects a loose ball 35 yards from goal, waits for support and plays a glorious reverse pass to release England, who shoots over from 15 yards. That was the best chance of the game. England timed her run perfectly but the first-time finish wasn’t up to her usual standard.
22 min: Disallowed goal! Zelem’s corner is half cleared, with Batlle eventually driving a superb ball back into the box from a deep position. Galton, who is this far offside, rises at the far post to beat Korpela with an accomplished header back across goal.
22 min Harrop concedes a corner down the Spurs left, which Zelem goes across to take. Do corners register on xG when Zelem is taking them? 0.01?
19 min Blundell gallops into the area from the left, and Bizet gets back to make a risky but ultimately effective lunging tackle.
17 min United have had 76 per cent of the possession, though their domination has been slightly sterile.
15 min: Chance for United! That’s the best opportunity so far, and it came from a classy move. Earps slid the ball into Zelem, who played it up to Russo in the centre circle. She laid it off to Toone, who flipped a lovely first-time pass into the considerable space beyond the Spurs defence. Galton got there first, just ahead of the last defender Zadorsky, but crashed a rising drive just over the bar from 15 yards. Good chance.
13 min Neville hits the bar from 20 yards, though she had long since been flagged offside. There’s no VAR in the WSL, thank goodness.
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11 min Russo rolls Zadorsky cleverly, then charges past three defenders on the right and hits a cross that is blocked by Bartrip. The ball comes back to Russo, who lobs another cross into the middle. The backpedalling Galton can only head it up in the air and Korpela claims.
7 min England beats Le Tissier superbly on the halfway line and charges down the left, but she has very little support and eventually her cross is cut out by Blundell.
4 min Toone’s cross deflects across goal, and Korpela does well to save the corner with a slightly awkward charge from her goal. It’s all United thus far.
2 min Galton combines nicely with Toone on the left wing, but her cutback is slightly behind Russo at the near post. United have started well.
1 min After the players take the knee, Alessia Russo gets the match under way, with United kicking from left to right as we watch. A win will take them back to the top, though Chelsea have a game in hand at home to Liverpool.
The players gather round the centre circle for a minute’s silence to commemorate those who died in the shocking tragedy in Turkey and Syria.
Here come the players. So let’s have a reminder of the teams.
Tottenham Hotspur (3-4-2-1) Korpela; Turner, Bartrip, Zadorsky; Bizet, Summanen, Spence, Harrop; Iwabuchi, Neville; England.
Substitutes: Spencer, Ale, James, Ubogagu, Ayane, Karczewska.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1) Earps; Batlle, Le Tissier, Turner, Blundell; Zelem, Ladd; Parris, Toone, Galton; Russo.
Substitutes: Baggaley, Mannion, Thorisdottir, Tounkara, Boe Risa, Cascarino, L Garcia, Thomas, Williams.
Referee Amy Fearn.
Updated
Some pre-match listening
Manchester United are here! 🏟️🔴 pic.twitter.com/2KqCEkkdu6
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) February 12, 2023
Team news
Spurs are unchanged; United bring in Nikita Parris for Lucia Garcia on the right wing.
📝 An unchanged line-up for #TOTMUN! pic.twitter.com/4SfNH80GO1
— Tottenham Hotspur Women (@SpursWomen) February 12, 2023
🥊 And in the red corner... Manchester United! 🔥#MUWomen || #WSL pic.twitter.com/aKjy2mWdLL
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) February 12, 2023
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Preamble
The WSL is a marathon and a sprint. The pace at the top is so unforgiving that any dropped points, especially against the have-nots, feel like a disaster. Manchester United’s goalless draw with Everton last weekend was the first time this season they had failed to beat a team outside the top four. They can’t afford m/any more dropped points if they are to qualify for the Champions League, never mind take Chelsea’s title.
A cursory look at the table suggests this will be a comfortable victory for United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. A cursory look at 150-odd years of football history suggests it is a funny old game, and that such assumptions are both joyless and dangerous.
Spurs gave Chelsea a scare last weekend, eventually losing 3-2, but that was their sixth WSL defeat in a row. Life isn’t going to get much easier in the next few weeks: their next four games are against United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal.
Kick off 12pm
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chelsea Women | 12 | 24 | 31 |
| 2 | Man Utd Women | 12 | 25 | 29 |
| 3 | Man City Women | 13 | 15 | 29 |
| 4 | Arsenal Women | 12 | 19 | 26 |
| 5 | Everton Women | 12 | 4 | 19 |
| 6 | Aston Villa Women | 12 | -5 | 17 |
| 7 | West Ham Women | 13 | -7 | 16 |
| 8 | Liverpool FC Women | 11 | -9 | 11 |
| 9 | Tottenham Hotspur Women | 11 | -8 | 9 |
| 10 | Brighton & Hove Albion Women | 10 | -21 | 8 |
| 11 | Reading Women | 13 | -15 | 7 |
| 12 | Leicester Women | 11 | -22 | 3 |
Updated
