WSL: Tottenham edge out Leicester thanks to Vinberg goal | OneFootball

An early Matilda Vinberg strike was enough to give Tottenham Hotspur a narrow win over Leicester City in their latest Women’s Super League clash.

The game was also a dress rehearsal for the two sides’ meeting in the Adobe FA Cup semifinal. They will lock horns April 14th at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Starting XIs

Tottenham Hotspur

Spencer; Neville, Turner, Bühler, Nildén, Clinton, Spence, Summanen, Vinberg, Naz, Bizet

Leicester City

Kop; Bott, Howard, Thibaud, Cayman, Takarada, Whelan, Tierney, Momiki, Ranatala, Petermann

First half

Barely two minutes had elapsed when the hosts took the lead with a well-worked counter-attacking goal.

Tottenham goalkeeper Becky Spencer authoritatively claimed a Leicester free-kick and quickly released the ball to Celine Bizet on the left-hand side.

The Norwegian international played a clever short ball to the onrushing Drew Spence, who in turn found Jess Naz. The forward timed her run to perfection and whipped in a delightful cross, and Vinberg did the rest.

Spurs pressed forward in search of a second goal and with 12 minutes on the clock. Spence thundered a shot off the crossbar from all of 25 yards with Foxes keeper, Lize Kop pawing the ball away as it dropped down on the line.

Leicester’s first effort of note came in the 20th minute. Tottenham cleared a corner only as far as Saori Takarada, whose curling effort was comfortable for Spencer.

As dominant as Tottenham were, their failure to take their chances meant they had to be wary of Leicester’s threat on the counter.

As it was, Spurs were nearly masters of their own downfall when a cheap turnover in the middle gave Yuka Momiki a great chance to level. But Amy James-Turner blocked her attempt.

Momiki had another effort pushed wide by Spencer on 38 minutes as the visitors looked to finish the half strongly.

Spencer was again called into action before the break, claiming the ball on the line following a scramble in the Spurs’ box to ensure Robert Vilahamn’s side held a slender lead at the break.

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Second half

Tottenham started the second half in the same manner as the first. Naz was nearly put through by an under-hit back pass that Kop just about cleared away.

Jutta Rantala nearly equalised in spectacular fashion just before the hour mark when she got in behind Ash Neville. However, her effort from a narrow angle crashed off the crossbar and away from the goal.

Spurs regained the initiative and some good play between Beth England and Naz allowed the latter to get a cross in for the waiting Rosella Ayane.

Unfortunately for Spurs, she side-footed wide from four yards out. The offside flag sparing some of the Moroccan international’s blushes.

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Into the final 20 minutes, Kit Graham was next to try her luck, but her long-range effort was just a little too high with Kop scrambling.

Rantala had a free-kick blocked as Leicester continued their search for an equaliser.

Kop produced a brilliant double save as she pushed away Beth England’s effort and then smothered Kit Graham’s follow-up to keep the Foxes in the game.

Into injury time we went, and Tottenham looked to have wrapped the game up when Graham slid the ball in for England who calmly converted only to be denied by the offside flag.

There was still time for Leicester penalty appeals when Neville’s tackle on Deanne Rose was judged to be fair — much to the fury of the City bench.

The full-time whistle sounded to signal Spurs’ first WSL win since January 21. Leicester remain eighth ahead of the visit of Brighton to the King Power next Sunday.

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