Becky Spencer was the hero of Tottenham’s stunning penalty shootout win over Manchester City to send them into the FA Cup semi-finals. Spencer saved two of City’s five spot-kicks, against the England duo Alex Greenwood and Chloe Kelly, with Spurs converting all but one to seal victory.
Mary Fowler’s early goal – rewarding the City manager, Gareth Taylor, for her rare start – looked like it would be the difference. It was City’s 11th goal without reply against Spurs this season, but the home team had learned from their three previous meetings, and Bethany England’s 96th minute goal to force extra time and then penalties was well deserved.
After a thrilling 7-0 defeat of Tottenham in Manchester in November, this was the third time in 42 days that City had travelled to face the north London side and it has been a happy hunting ground, with the visiting team walking away as 2-0 winners in the league and earning progression in the Continental Cup with a 1-0 win.
Robert Vilahamn made two changes to the team which impressed in a tight 1-0 defeat against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium last weekend. Kit Graham dropped to the bench to be replaced by Olga Ahtinen and there was a late withdrawal of Molly Bartrip with illness.
For Taylor, who signed a new three-and-a-half-year contract last week, there were two changes to the team that endured a frustrating 1-0 defeat against Chelsea in their Continental Cup semi-final midweek, with the Australia forward Fowler and the midfielder Filippa Angeldahl coming in in place of Kelly and Laura Coombs, who were named on the bench.
It took just six minutes for City to exorcise their frustrations at having conceded early against Chelsea, and it was the 21-year-old Fowler who provided the breakthrough, sending Khadija Shaw’s layoff into the net via a heavy deflection.
City should have had their second 10 minutes after the restart, when Shaw headed over the bar from a few yards out after being picked out by Leila Ouahabi. There was concern for Taylor, with 20 minutes to play, after Shaw was forced off with what looked like a shoulder injury.
As the clock ticked on with the margin still only one goal, Spurs grew in confidence – Celin Bizet going close to turning in Grace Clinton’s cross in their best chance.
Still City looked untroubled by relinquishing a small portion of possession, their first-half dominance down from 74% in the first half to 71% in the second of normal time. The introduction of England’s England breathed hope into the lively home crowd with 10 minutes remaining, her through ball for Bizet artfully dealt with by the City back line before being pulled back for what looked like an incorrect offside, as Spurs showed more urgency.
England would get a golden opportunity to equalise moments later, substitute Graham picking her out from the edge of the box, but the forward turned and fired over from close range. She would make no mistake in the final minute of six minutes of added time though, capitalising on a mix-up between Khiara Keating and Laia Aleixandri, collecting the ball and slotting into the empty net.
The momentum was with the home team in extra time, but they struggled to find the final ball, an England header over from close range as near as they came. City were similarly toothless, with substitute Kelly forcing a stunning save from Spencer in their best chance, but penalties would be needed to separate them.
Spencer was unable to rattle Yui Hasegawa, Angeldahl and Fowler who all slotted in but saved captain Alex Greenwood’s tame spot-kick and from England’s penalty maestro Kelly to send Spurs into the semi-finals, with with Keating only able to keep out Rosella Ayane’s effort as England,Amanda Nilden, Wang Shuang and Amy James-Turner all converted.
Tottenham will find out their semi-final opponent on Tuesday, with Leicester City, Manchester United and Chelsea in the draw with them.