Match report
Ria Percival from down town 🤩#BarclaysFAWSL @SpursWomen pic.twitter.com/8SDE7ygOAf
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) November 7, 2021
That’s it for today’s blog, though we’ll have a match report from Suzanne Wrack any minute now. Thanks for your company, bye!
The post-match thoughts of Rehanne Skinner
“We worked incredibly hard. I think it’s a fair result on the balance of play. We didn’t create as many chances as we have in other games, but the thing I’m most proud of is that we never say die.”
That was quite a finish. I’d like to see Percival’s goal again - it may have taken a slight touch off Aoife Mannion. Either way it was a wicked free-kick, which kicked off the turf to beat the diving Mary Earps. Once the ball was allowed to bounce, Earps was in trouble.
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Full time: Tottenham 1-1 Man Utd
Peep peep!
90+6 min: United almost steal the win! Moments after the goal, Korpela makes a vital save. Galton skinned Percival and lifted an excellent cross to the far post. Russo’s downward header kicked up off the pitch and was tipped away by Korpela. That’s a fine reaction save.
The free-kick was on the left wing, just past the halfway line. Percival drove it into the area, where it cleared everyone and bounced extravagantly to beat Earps!
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GOAL! Tottenham 1-1 Man Utd (Percival 90+5)
Ria Percival scores from 50 yards!
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90+4 min Spurs win a free-kick near the halfway line. The keeper Korpela is coming forward...
90+3 min At the other end, Russo’s cross-shot is comfortably saved by Korpela.
90+2 min Ubogagu drags a snapshot wide from 25 yards.
90 min Zelem and Hayley Ladd’s midfield dominance has been a key part of this United performance. They are five added minutes away from a big victory.
90 min The excellent Zelem lofts a good pass over the defence for Thomas, who cuts onto her left foot and hits a shot that is blocked by Bartrip.
89 min A dreadful pass from Clemaron goes straight to Thomas on the edge of the D. She gets the ball out of her feet and thrashes a left-footed drive just over the bar. That was beautifully struck.
87 min There’s a break in play after a clash of heads between Bartrip and Thomas. They’re both okay.
85 min United are keeping Spurs at arm’s length, as they have throughout the match really. It’s been an excellent away performance.
84 min Thomas flicks the ball square to Russo on the edge of the area. She tries to move away from the last defender Neville, who makes a vital, probably goal-saving tackle.
81 min Kyah Simon’s work is done for the day. She comes off, to be replaced by Angela Addison.
80 min Staniforth’s corner is looped towards goal by the head of Zelem. That leads to a bit of a scramble in the six-yard box until Williams blooters the ball to safety.
79 min Kyah Simon has also been booked, I’m not sure why.
77 min This is a good spell for Spurs, their best of the second half. United’s left-back Hannah Blundell has just been booked for something or other, possibly dissent.
76 min A floated free-kick is headed behind by Galton, a crucial touch that took the ball away from Ayane. Green’s corner is only cleared as far as Ayane, who heads instinctively towards goal from 10 yards. Earps makes a comfortable save.
76 min And now a double change for Spurs: Jess Naz and Kit Graham are replaced by Rosella Ayane and Josie Green.
73 min Thomas is playing up front now, with Russo moving to the right wing.
73 min A double change for United: Ella Toone and Kirsty Hanson are replaced by Lucy Staniforth and Martha Thomas.
71 min A mishit cross from Naz lands on the roof of the net. Earps was scrambling across her line, though ultimately she had it covered.
70 min The second half has been much more entertaining than the first, and although they have been the better team, United won’t feel safe at 1-0.
69 min Percival is booked for a cynical foul on Russo, who had skilfully rolled Bartrip and was breaking into space down the United left.
66 min: Fine save by Earps! A loose ball rolls towards Graham, 30 yards out. Out of nothing she hits a spectacular, booming shot across goal that is pushed over by the leaping Earps!
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63 min The corner, swung under the crossbar by Percival, is claimed bravely and with authority by Earps. She really is a class act.
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62 min That’s much better from Spurs. Graham plays a slick one-two with Simon and tries to clip a through ball towards Williams. It’s cut out by Thorisdottir, who stretches to concede a corner.
60 min Spurs have been neat and tidy in the middle third, but they have really struggled to create chances. The closest they have come to a goal was a mishit cross from Naz.
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57 min Toone, increasingly influential, finds Russo on the left side of the area. Her shot is half blocked by Bartrip and runs through to Galton, whose close-range shot is superbly blocked by the stretching Zadorsky. Zelem swings the resulting corner onto the roof of the net. I think she was having a shot.
56 min Williams thinks United should give the ball back to Spurs from the corner. Zelem disagrees and swings in a cross that is headed away.
54 min United have been much better since half-time. Hanson wins a corner on the right, though Zadorsky thought she was fouled. Zelem takes a short corner with Batlle and swings in a deep cross that leads to a bit of chaos in the Spurs area. Williams’ attempted clearance hits Zadorsky in the face, and then she almost runs into the goalkeeper Korpela. Williams puts the ball behind for a corner, which allows Zadorksy to receive treatment.
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50 min: Good save from Korpela! Toone drags a clever through pass to Hanson, whose curling shot from the edge of the area is pushed away by Korpela, falling to her right.
49 min At the other end, Kyah Simon shoots over from 30 yards. Spurs have changed their spine - Simon is playing as the No10, with Kit Graham moving back into midfield. Naz is now on the right wing and Ubogagu is on the left.
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49 min Another long-range shot from Toone is comfortably held by Korpela. United have made a terrific start to the second half.
47 min It’s So-hyun Cho who has gone off for Spurs.
46 min Spurs begin the second half. United have a half chance after 26 seconds, with Galton heading wide of the far post. Moments later, Toone flips a shot from the edge of the D that is comfortably saved by Korpela.
Spurs are making a half-time substitution. The lively Chioma Ubogagu is on for... I’ll get back to you on that.
We’ve seen the goal a few times now. I guess you can argue that Tinja-Riikka Korpela shouldn’t have been beaten at the near post from such a tight angle, but it really was a ferocious hit.
Smashed home by @alessiarusso7 for @ManUtdWomen ☄️
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) November 7, 2021
Watch the #BarclaysFAWSL on @BBCTwo 📺 pic.twitter.com/V0qg4Xcz8w
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Half time: Tottenham 0-1 Manchester United
Peep peep! Manchester United lead through a barnstorming goal in injury-time from Alessia Russo. Not much else happened, in truth. Both teams worked hard but struggled to create chances until Russo took matters into her own hands.
45+4 min Williams’ downward header is hacked clear by Thorisdottir in the six-yard box. I think it was going wide but Thorisdottir took no chances.
Russo received a short pass from Toone in the inside-right channel, 30 yards from goal. She nutmegged Zadorsky, ran straight through Neville’s challenge and then smashed a rising drive past Korpela from a tight angle. Pick that out!
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GOAL! Tottenham 0-1 Man Utd (Russo 45+2)
Alessia Russo puts United ahead with a spectacular goal!
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45 min Five minutes of added time, mainly for all those concussion checks.
43 min Zelem’s free-kick hits the wall again. In fact it was blocked by one of her teammates.
42 min Zelem’s shot hits the wall - but the Spurs defender, Neville I think, is penalised for handball. It’s a pretty harsh decision, but it means Zelem can have another crack, this time from 20 yards.
41 min Free-kick to United 30 yards from goal. Zelem and Toone are over the ball...
38 min At the other end, Naz shoots over the bar from 25 yards.
37 min United appeal unsuccessfully for a penalty after an impromptu wrestling match between Thorisdottir and Williams. I think they both fouled each other, to be honest, and the referee scored it a draw.
36 min: Vital block by Percival! A throw-in from the right is collected superbly by Russo, who rolls Zadorsky and hammers a cross-shot that is pushed away by Korpela. Galton is first to the loose ball and hits a close-range shot that is deflected over by the bar by the stretching Percival. I’m pretty sure that was going in.
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34 min Percival charges forward from right-back, onto a terrific pass by Clemaron. She knocks it past the last defender Thorisdottir but Earps comes from her line to claim.
31 min A decent cross from Simon is well claimed by Earps.
27 min Williams forces Thorisdottir into a mistake and then goes down on the edge of the United area. She wants a free-kick; the referee disagrees.
26 min Toone’s cross is backheaded over by Galton, who was offside anyway. Cho is okay to continue, since you asked.
23 min With Cho still being treated, Rehanne Skinner takes the opportunity to get the rest of the team in a huddle.
21 min So-hyun Cho is receiving treatment after wearing a shot from Russo in the face.
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20 min This is a decent spell for United, with much of the game taking place in the Spurs half. Still no real chances for either side, mind.
15 min United can’t get Ella Toone on the ball. Spurs have had a bit of joy down the left through Jessica Naz, but that’s about it.
13 min Batlle’s overhit cross drifts behind for a goalkick. There’s been plenty of endeavour but not much quality, at least not yet.
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11 min Graham is on her feet and looks okay to continue.
10 min Graham is down after a clash of heads with Ladd. She looks like she’s struggling - she tried to get her feet, then realised it wasn’t a good idea and sat back down. The physios are checking her for concussion.
8 min The tempo of the game is really good, both with and without the ball. Spurs, in particular, are giving United no time on the ball.
5 min The resulting corner, swung beyond the far post, is missed by Earps and cushioned back across the six-yard box on the volley by Williams. The ball hits a United defender and ricochets to safety.
4 min A neat dragback from Neville finds Naz, whose attempted cross almost swirls in at the near post. Earps moves smartly across her line to punch the ball behind.
3 min There’s a cracking atmosphere at the Hive, and both teams have made a fast start to the game. The weather isn’t quite as pleasant as I first thought - the sun is shining but it looks pretty darn blustery.
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1 min Peep peep! Manchester United kick off from left to right.
The players stroll into the winter sunshine. It’s a very pleasant day in north-west London, perfect for football.
Probable formations
Spurs (4-2-3-1) Korpela; Percival, Bartrip, Zadorsky, Neville; Clemaron, Cho; Simon, Graham, Naz; Williams.
Substitutes: Heeps, Morgan, Green, Harrop, Tang, Ale, Addison, Ubogagu, Ayane.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1) Earps; Batlle, Thorisdottir, Mannion, Blundell; Ladd, Zelem; Hanson, Toone, Galton; Russo.
Substitutes: Baggaley, Harris, Boe Risa, Thomas, F Fuso, Smith, Jones, Staniforth.
Spurs make four changes from their last league game, that 2-1 defeat at Brighton. Tinja-Riikka Korpela replaces the (presumably) injured Becky Spencer in goal. Jessica Naz, So-hyun Cho and Kyah Simon also come in for Chioma Ubogagu, Kerys Harrop and Rosella Ayane.
One change for United from the 2-2 draw with City: Hayley Ladd replaces the injured Jackie Groenen.
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Team news
🚨 Your team to take on Manchester United! 👇 pic.twitter.com/MxCq7dQxO5
— Tottenham Hotspur Women (@SpursWomen) November 7, 2021
📋 Here's your #MUWomen XI to take on Tottenham! 👊#FAWSL pic.twitter.com/cvEGn74lxM
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) November 7, 2021
Preamble
There might be a crack in the glass ceiling. Manchester City’s desperate start to the season means there is a realistic chance that the WSL’s seven-year triopoly will end this season. Arsenal and Chelsea will fight for the title, all things being equal, but third place is unexpectedbly up for grabs. Two of the main contenders, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, meet today at the Hive Stadium. It’s a battle of the Skinners - Spurs’ head coach Rehanne against Manchester United’s Marc. We should have asked Mike Skinner to read this preamble.
Spurs started the season with four straight wins, including a shock victory away to Manchester City, but were beaten at Brighton in their last league game four weeks ago. United have had a mixed start - three decent wins, a lively 2-2 draw against Manchester City and a hideous 6-1 defeat at home to Chelsea.
A win for either team today would move them above Brighton and into third. That’s where they want to be in May - not just to break the glass ceiling, but to qualify for the Champions League.
Kick off 12.15pm.
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