Read Suzanne Wrack's report from the London Stadium
Well, there we go. Spurs were worth that in the end even if West Ham will kick themselves for missing some big chances to equalise. Their impressive adaptation to top-flight life continues but overall this was a very positive day for the sport too – a bumper crowd seeing a hugely engaging game. Thanks for joining me during it, and see you again soon!
Peplow speaks: “We knew what it means to the fans, you can see what it means to the girls. The back four were solid and that played a massive part getting the result.”
So does player of the match Godfrey: “Quality goals, it allowed us to settle down the be in the game. We were on top and got the victory. It’s what we dream of as women footballers, the crowd were amazing today.”
Full-time: West Ham 0-2 Spurs
Spurs take the spoils in front of this bumper crowd!
90+2 min: We’ll see five added minutes though. Surely that’s not quite long enough for an incredible turnaround? Thomas tries to prove that idea wrong but arrows a header straight at Spencer.
90 min: One final Spurs change, Graham replaced by Addison. They are almost home and hosed.
88 min: Neville goes down after taking what appears to be a blow to the head – there’ve been a few of those today – but picks herself up and doesn’t require treatment.
86 min: Those missed chances will, indeed, haunt West Ham – who try to hit back but see Spencer claim a corner confidently.
Goal! West Ham 0-2 Spurs (Quinn 84)
And Spurs will take the points! A deep free-kick from the left causes consternation as two West Ham players struggle to clear and the substitute, seizing on the loose ball, rifles a fine strike into the bottom of the corner to clinch it!
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83 min: Spurs get back into West Ham’s half and earn some relief after that flurry. They haven’t exactly been under constant pressure but the hosts have squandered at least three superb chances to equalise.
80 min: Another Spurs substitution, with Neville coming on for Worm. She must defend a tricky free-kick on the right edge of the box immediately ... and Spurs only just manage to do that, Thomas unable to convert before Dali’s effort is deflected wide by Godfrey.
77 min: But that is the best chance of the lot for West Ham! Thomas, usually such a clinical striker, has to put that away. She’s found in front of goal by an inch-perfect cross from the right by Kiernan and, adjusting herself, volleys wide from six yards when a goal seems certain. It wasn’t at a perfect height but you would *always* expect her to score that. It could well be costly.
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76 min: Tottenham will be pretty pleased with the way the last 20 minutes or so have gone. They’re broadly in control here but need to keep managing the game astutely. A big test when you’ve just come up.
73 min: The worry for West Ham is that, while they’ve created two or three fine chances, they really need to start applying some sustained pressure. Dali tries to force some now and surges into space before fizzing a daisycutter a foot wide.
71 min: Now a Spurs change with Ayane, quieter this half but so good before half-time, replaced by Quinn.
69 min: Galabadaarachchi does really well down the left after a sweet move but Cho and Thomas get in each other’s way when there’s a real chance to cause serious danger in the box. Lehmann is then replaced by Kiernan.
67 min: I think she can, although she is clutching her neck a bit gingerly. Back on she comes.
66 min: Vetterlein takes a whack, for far from the first time today. More treatment for her, and we’ll see if she can carry on this time.
64 min: Ayane is booked for grabbing the shirt of, err, West Ham’s recent substitute.
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63 min: Corner for Spurs. Since that Ayane chance they’ve been under the cosh a touch. They come quite close here though, Godfrey getting up well to crash a header narrowly off target.
60 min: Leon, better this half but squanderer of a clear chance just now, is replaced by the exciting Galabadaarachchi. It’s no slight on her or West Ham that I really don’t want to be typing that too often.
59 min: West Ham certainly look far livelier at the moment and the last half-hour is set up tantalisingly. They are denied again by a superb last-ditch tackle on Leon by Percival.
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57 min: Another big chance for West Ham! A really nice sequence of back-to-front passing sees Lehmann cross deep from the right and Leon, steaming in unattended at the far post, header over from a matter of yards!
55 min: The attendance displayed earlier is the second-highest ever in the WSL.
53 min: An email from Adam Kline-Schoder that I missed earlier ...
“It’s interesting to see Furness taking up the creative reins for Spurs here, but I do think it’s a crying shame not to be seeing Gemma Davison in action today. I was really impressed with her on the opening day vs Chelsea, and am looking forward to having her back from injury.”
Yes, she’s a fine player and an experienced one too. They’ve not missed her too much yet though!
50 min: And then Ayane should make them pay but, found on her own at the far post after a swift counter, she sees Brosnan save brilliantly with her legs! What a start to the half this has been.
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49 min: That really ought to have been 1-1! Spurs are caught playing out sloppily from the back and Leon surges into the box, laying it on a plate for Thomas – but some heroic defending from a combination of Godfrey and Spencer keeps the ball out!
48 min: Leon tries an optimistic effort after the ball sits up and, while it goes wide, West Ham have certainly begun with intent.
47 min: A good start for West Ham as they instantly win a corner. Baunach will swing it in from the right ...and she actually miscues it, but Peplow does exactly the same with her clearance and is relieved to see it fly just past her own goal! Spencer was scrambling there. Another flag kick results but it’s cleared much more comfortably.
Peeeeep! The second half commences
Let’s see if the Hammers can battle back ... or if Spurs can press home their advantage.
West Ham make a half-time change – Dali comes on for the quiet Middag. Will that pep them up?
24,790 at Olympic Stadium today for West Ham v Spurs in WSL
— Katie Whyatt (@KatieWhyatt) September 29, 2019
That’s excellent, it really is.
Worth a read over your cuppa, this – Lucy Bronze with Claire Balding:
Half-time: West Ham 0-1 Spurs
A deserved lead for Spurs, who scored a brilliant goal from Dean’s thrusting header, provided by the half’s best player, Ayane. See you for the second half soon!
45+1 min: Spurs finish the half with a corner. Can they double their lead on the stroke of half-time? Short answer: no.
45 min: There’ll be some treatment for Vetterlein here, who got a whack in the mouth while challenging Dean for a long throw, but she can continue.
42 min: Graham shoots well off target from range, but Spurs look confident and the likelier team to score next. Sir Trevor Brooking is watching from the stands, doubtless hoping the Hammers buck up a bit.
41 min: The hosts can’t build on that just yet though and Spurs, dominating the territory, are near to a half-time lead. They try to add to it as Graham’s cross whizzes beyond Dean’s outstretched leg.
37 min: Leon flashes one just wide as West Ham look to battle back instantly. It actually took a massive deflection off Filbey and I can’t believe no corner was given.
Goal! West Ham 0-1 Spurs (Dean 36)
And that’s a really nice goal! It’s no surprise it comes via Ayane, who is now stationed out on the left. She finds space to cross and her sublime ball in is bettered only by an *outstanding* header from Dean, who flings herself bravely at the delivery and finds the corner! It’s a moment of quality worthy of the stage, and on balance Spurs just about deserve it.
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34 min: Ayane is seriously quick over a distance and gallops down the right – she keeps swapping flanks – before just overrunning the ball when it seems she might do enough to get in on goal. Straight down the other end and West Ham win a corner, which is eventually cleared after being worked short. A bit more going on now.
32 min: That’s close though, as Spurs break and have four on three. Furness finds Ayane to the right and she drills in a cross-shot that Dean, on the stretch, can’t quite convert! That was, in terms of all-round play, probably the best moment of the game.
31 min: After a lively start this has become a bit scrappy and frayed, a few promising half-openings squandered by a lack of incision or real quality. Let’s hope something turns up soon to lift this excellent crowd!
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28 min: Longhurst drives through the middle for West Ham and wins a free-kick around 28 yards out. Leon and Vetterlein both fancy a dig here. The latter has a go, left-footed, but it’s into the wall and away.
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26 min: Spurs counter and Ayane is again in a decent position on the left, but her cross is disappointing. They’ve wasted a few good positions with poor final balls.
24 min: Ayane chases a pass down the inside left and takes possession, eventually seeing a right-footed shot blocked. She’s a tall, rangy player with a deceptive turn of pace – probably the more eyecatching attacker out there so far.
21 min: Redisch crosses too high for Leon from the right, but now West Ham are looking pretty lively.
19 min: That should probably be 1-0 to West Ham. A ball from the left finds its way through to Longhurst at the far post and, although the angle is narrowing, she has a clear shot on. But she opts to cut the ball back to a teammate who isn’t there, and the chance disappears!
18 min: Redisch leaves the already-impressive Ayane in a heap by the left touchline and at current rate of knots we’ll surely get a booking or two soon.
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17 min: Furness is Spurs’ main source of danger and it’s noticeable that, when the ball is played into her, she’s usually challenged instantly. For West Ham, Longhurst shoots straight at Spencer from range.
15 min: Now Furness wins Spurs a free-kick not far from the right corner of the area. It’s a good position from which Worm can float a ball in, but Flaherty heads away well.
13 min: Longhurst, a season ticket holder with the men’s team at this stadium, heads back calmly to Brosnan. Spurs continue to be slightly the more convincing. It’s absolutely teeming with rain now.
11 min: Ayane takes aim for Spurs from some 35 yards after running in from the left and it’s a good effort, only flying a yard or so over.
9 min: Spurs are enjoying the best of the possession, looking comfortable on the ball and playing it from side to side well.
6 min: Dean is late on Cho now. There’ve been some spicy tackles in these early stages! Everyone is keen to make their mark out there.
4 min: Thomas now tries to run towards the box but is tackled. West Ham keep attacking though, working the ball nicely down the left before the ball is crossed, and three attackers can’t quite reach it in the middle – Lehmann the last to try and make meaningful contact. Good, open start here.
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3 min: Flaherty will be ok, for now at least. That was quite a whack but she has made a career out of being tough and wholehearted.
1 min: Graham shoots well wide for Spurs but should probably do better after running into space. Flaherty and Dean contested a thudding 50/50 challenge in the buildup, which led to the ball running loose, and the former needs treatment.
Peeeeeep! Off we go!
Spurs, kicking right to left, get us going.
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The teams are on their way out here, “I am blowing bubbles” rings out and the atmosphere is very lively.
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Spurs miss the injured forward Gemma Davison here, and she’s a key player for them. Excitingly for everyone involved, though, there are suggestions we may see a crowd of around 20,000 today – which would be tremendous.
Elsewhere in the Women’s Super League Arsenal are crushing Brighton and Man City are narrowly ahead at Everton. Both those games have under 10 minutes left. Bristol City v Chelsea kicks off at 3pm. You can keep up with all the scores right here.
So Matt Beard makes three changes from West Ham’s most-recent WSL match, the 1-0 win at home to Birmingham a fortnight ago. Cecile Redisch Kvamme, Tessel Middag and the exiting 20-year-old Swiss striker, Alisha Lehmann, come into the starting XI. It’s a first WSL start for Norway defender Kvamme. Tottenham bring in Josie Green for Ashleigh Neville.
The teams
West Ham: Brosnan, Redisch Kvamme, Flaherty (c), Vetterlein, Baunach, Middag, Cho, Longhurst, Lehmann, Leon, Thomas.
Subs: Moorhouse, Simon, Hendrix, Kiernan, Galabadaarachchi, Dali.
Tottenham: Spencer, Percival, Godfrey, Filbey, Worm, Peplow, Green (C), Furness, Dean, Ayane, Graham.
Subs: Morgan, Wynne, Neville, Haines, McLean, Addison, Quinn.
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Preamble
Women’s football is breaking new ground across the globe and today witnesses another piece of history when the London Stadium hosts its first WSL match. Tottenham, newly promoted and with nine new signings during the summer, arrive to face a West Ham side at full strength apart from the long-term injuries to Esmee de Graaf and Julia Simic.
Both teams have won one and lost one so far in the league this season but Tottenham beat the hosts 2-1 in a pre-season friendly at Rush Green Stadium. West Ham will be looking to turn up when it matters, in front of a big crowd, and with a strong rivalry between the London rivals we could be in for a derby cracker.
Kick-off: 2.30pm BST
