That was an incredible turnaround. City should have been three or four up at half-time, but Spurs somehow stayed in the game and Rehane Skinner’s changes had a spectacular impact. Rachel Williams equalised after good work from the substitutes Kit Graham and Ubogagu Chioma Ubogagu. Then an unpunished handball from Rosella Ayane, another substitute, led to a decisive own goal from the City keeper Karima Benameur Taieb.
The result completes an awful week for City, who were put out of the Champions League by Real Madrid on Wednesday, but it’s an extraordinary win for this emerging Spurs side. Thanks for your company and emails; goodnight!
Full time: Manchester City 1-2 Spurs
It’s all over! Spurs have become the first team to win at Manchester City in the WSL since April 2018!
90+9 min They’re still playing...
90+7 min Greenwood overhits the free-kick and it drifts straight out of play. Spurs are seconds away from a sensational victory.
90+6 min It’s now or never for City, who have a free-kick on the right wing. Neville has been booked.
90+5 min There are boos from the City fans when Zadorsky goes down needing treatment. The injury looks genuine, and she has been replaced by Kerys Harrop.
90+4 min City’s last home defeat in the league was in April 2018.
90+3 min Yet another chance for City! Stanway’s cross from the right is headed just wide by White, 17 yards out. It was a brilliant effort, actually, but it drifted just past the fasr post.
90+1 min There will be a generous seven minutes of added time.
90 min In fact, the Spurs goal was an own goal by Taieb, not Houghton. The ball deflected off Houghton onto the post, then hit the sprawling Taieb and dribbled over the line.
89 min: Fine save by Spencer! Bunny Shaw finds a bit of space on the right of the area and hits a shot across goal that is superbly saved to her right by Spencer.
88 min Almost an own goal at the other end, with a desperate clearance looping over Spencer and just wide.
Spurs had a free-kick 35 yards from goal in a central position, which Graham clipped out to Addison on the right. She lifted a cross that brushed the outstretched arm of Ayane, deflected off the arm of Houghton and dribbled through Taieb on the line. That was a clear handball from the substitute Ayane, but there’s no VAR and the goal stands.
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GOAL! Man City 1-2 Spurs (Taieb og 85)
Spurs have pinched the lead in controversial circumstances!
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85 min City are pinning Spurs back, with Hemp putting in a number of dangerous cross from the left. Spurs have defended really well in the second half, though, especially Zadorsky.
“To me, it’s all about the Champions League and without seeing any German teams so far I think we (English clubs) are going to be easily second best to them and the Spanish this year,” says Mark Haitch. “There is a lack of real quality - not individuals but collectively IMHO - in the English league. It’s the same old, same old and doesn’t bode well for the Euros next summer.”
82 min: Angeldal misses a great chance for City! Shaw played a good pass down the inside-left channel to Hemp. Her cutback hit Zadorsky at the near post and ran invitingly for Angeldal, who wafted over the bar from 10 yards. That was a glorious opportunity to score the winner on her debut.
81 min Jess Naz is done for the night. She is replaced by Angela Addison.
80 min Naz is down with cramp, which means another break in play. While she is treated, the goalscorer Rachel Williams is replaced by Rosella Ayane.
77 min: Good save from Spencer! Greenwood’s cross from the left is only partially cleared to the edge of the area, where Stanway runs onto the ball and hammers a low drive that is pushed away by Spencer, diving to her right. She’s had a fine match.
77 min The first corner leads to another, this time on the left. Nothing comes of that either, but this is City’s best spell since half-time.
76 min A lovely touch from Shaw finds Park on the right of the area. She evades the lunging challenge of Zadorsky - it would have been a penalty had she gone down - and screws a cross that is deflected behind for a corner.
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75 min City have moved Greenwood to centre back and Angeldal to left back.
73 min Stanway is fine. Before play resumes, City bring on Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw for Alanna Kennedy. That’s a very attacking substitution by Gareth Taylor.
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72 min Stanway is down holding her shoulder after an awkward landing.
70 min Clemaron shoots well wide from long range. But it’s another attempt at goal from Spurs, who have been the better team in the second half.
68 min Greenwood is warned for shoving Percival to the floor, a sign of City’s increasing frustration.
67 min Houghton appeals for a penalty when she ducks into Clemaron’s boot in the Spurs area. No chance.
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65 min It’s all Spurs at the moment. Graham, who has taken the game by the scruff, slides a dangerous through pass towards Naz. She is just beaten to the ball by the sliding Kennedy.
64 min: What a chance for Naz! Spurs should be ahead. Williams robbed Kennedy on the halfway line and played a brilliant reverse pass to put Naz through on goal. She charged to the edge of the area before clipping an unconvincing shot wide of the post. She was under pressure from Greenwood, but it wa a poor finish.
62 min City make a change of their own: Jess Park replaces Janine Beckie.
The substitute Graham started the move, making space in midfield before curling an excellent pass out to Ubogagu on the left edge of the area. She looked up, waited for support and dragged the ball back towards Graham at the near post. Graham was eased off the ball by Kennedy but it ran across to Williams, who forced a first-time shot past Taieb!
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GOAL! Man City 1-1 Spurs (Williams 61)
And now Spurs have equalised!
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60 min Spurs bring on Kit Graham for Kyah Simon, who worked hard with little reward up front.
57 min: Chance for Spurs! Ale lofts a hopeful ball forward from the halfway line. It loops over Kennedy and into the path of Percival, surging forward from midfield. She moves into the box but drives straight at Taieb from a tight angle.
54 min Spurs have had more of the ball in the second half, though it’s all been in the middle third of the pitch. City look much more threatening.
50 min Hemp’s cross beats everyone in the middle and is put behind by Ubogagu.
49 min A clever free-kick from City. Greenwood, on the right, feeds it into Beckie ahead of the near post. She takes it in her stride, away from Clemaron, and cracks a rising drive from a tight angle that is saved by Spencer.
47 min Ubogagu has moved to the left wing, with Naz going to the right and Percival moving infield. Ubogagu’s first act is to win a corner for Spurs, which is headed away at the near post.
46 min Peep peep! City begin the second half.
Spurs have made a half-time change: Chioma Ubogagu replaces Josie Green.
Half-time reading
Yes it really, really, really did happen.
Half time: Man City 1-0 Spurs
Peep peep! City lead through an early header from Lauren Hemp, who has been the best player on the pitch. It’s been totally one-sided, and City could easily be 4-0 ahead. The only negative for them is the injury suffered by Esme Morgan, who was stretchered off with her right leg strapped. City have confirmed she hasn’t broken her leg, but it still looked serious.
45+9 min A rare touch for the City goalkeeper Taieb, albeit with her feet. Spurs press well and she is forced to put the ball straight out of play.
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45+7 min Lauren Hemp, who has had a sensational first half, zig-zags past Ale on the left, moves into the area and hits a shot that is deflected past the near post. The resulting corner is headed towards goal by Kennedy and pushed away to her left by Spencer. That’s another good save.
45+6 min: Beckie misses a sitter! City should be out of sight already. Greenwood’s cross from deep on the left evaded the stretching White at the near post but ran across the area to Beckie, who spanked it over the bar from eight yards.
45+4 min There’s another break in play, this time because of an injury to Green. She was caught in the face by an elbow from Stanway, though it wasn’t intentional. Green will be fine to continue.
45+1 min There will be eight minutes of added time, most of it because of the injury to Esme Morgan.
45 min Losada’s corner from the left bounces right across the six-yard box, with no City player able to put it in.
43 min Spencer is going to continue for now, though I wouldn’t be surprised if she is replaced at half-time. I think she hurt herself when she landed after making that outstanding save from Ellen White.
42 min There’s a break in play while the Spurs goalkeeper Spencer receives treatment to her back. I think she’s struggling.
40 min I haven’t noticed yet whether they are just using the one ball, mainly because I’m useless the camera cuts away every time the ball goes out of play. I’ll keep ’em peeled.
39 min Percival’s deep corner skims the head of Williams and drifts out of play on the far side. It was a really difficult chance from Williams, who was running away from goal when she made contact. Still, it was Spurs’ first attempt at goal (I think) in this game.
38 min Naz worries City with an excellent run and through pass towards Simon. Kennedy comes between Simon and Taieb to concede a corner.
37 min Stanway’s cross is screwed over the bar from 15 yards by White, a decent first-time effort on the run.
36 min There is so much to love about the WSL, but the gap between the haves and the have-nots is a bit problem. Spurs are a decent side, who could well finish as the best of the rest, yet they are barely getting a kick.
33 min Hemp plays in the underlapping Greenwood, whose dangerous cross is well claimed by Spencer. It’s like watching the red arrows down the City left, such is the movement of Hemp, Angeldal and Greenwood.
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32 min Beckie’s cross takes a deflection and loops beyond the far post. Hemp does well to keep it in play but the ball ricochets away from Losada and Spurs are able to clear.
30 min City are destroying Spurs down the left. Angeldal’s neat touch releases Hemp, whose deep cross just evades the stretching Beckie at the far post.
27 min: Fine save from Spencer! Another big chance for City. Hemp curls a fine pass towards the underlapping Angeldal, who crosses towards White at the near post. She opens her body to steer a first-time shot that is tipped over by Spencer. That’s an outstanding reaction save.
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26 min The word from the touchline is that Esme Morgan needs a scan on her right leg, but it is not broken. It did look like ligament damage rather than a break.
25 min: Stanway hits the post! So close to a second goal for City. Stanway, filling in right-back, nicked the ball off Neville on the wing, moved into the area and drove a left-footed shot that thumped off the face of the near post.
23 min: Just wide from Hemp! That was lovely play from City. Losads collected a loose ball 25 yards from goal, dummied to shoot and then slid an angled pass into the path of Hemp. She charged onto the ball and hit a first-time shot that whistled just past the far post.
23 min Nothing comes of the corner.
22 min Hemp scurries down the left and puts in a dangerous cross towards White at the near post. Zadorsky does really well to get in front of her and head behind for a corner.
19 min It’s all been a bit scruffy since the resumption. Beckie tries to beat Neville again on the right but this time she runs the ball out of play.
15 min Six minutes after the challenge with Neville, Esme Morgan is stretchered off the field. Filippa Angeldahl comes on to replace her and make her City debut, which means Georgia Stanway moves to right-back.
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11 min The referee has booked Morgan for the challenge on Neville, which doesn’t impress the City players. Neville did win the ball but I’m not sure Morgan deserved a yellow card. More importantly, she is having her right lack strapped before she can be moved onto a stretcher. She looks in distress rather than agony, but it’s still a sad sight. It looks like a bad injury.
11 min Morgan is still being treated. It looks like she might have some ligament damage, and a stretcher is being brought on.
9 min Morgan and Neville are both down after a clash of legs after they slid in for a 50/50 ball. Neville seems okay, Morgan not so much.
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8 min “I’ve just been to the Leicester - Man U game and there seemed to be only one ball available,” says Cathy Lear. “This meant a few awkward situations when the ball went out of play, such as the Leicester goalie having to climb into the stands to get it, and another time when it had to be fished out of a bin it landed in and thrown back on. I’m used to this in days gone by but I really thought it might’ve changed for a top-flight match in a top stadium, especially as having multiple balls available seems a pretty easy thing to do! I’d be interested to know if it’s still a general problem.”
Jeez, that’s extremely shoddy. I’ll keep an eye out in this game.
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GOAL! Man City 1-0 Spurs (Hemp 6)
City take the lead from their first corner. It was such a simple goal: Greenwood, on the right, curled it to the near post, where the criminally unmarked Hemp looped a header into the far corner.
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4 min Beckie moves elegantly away from Neville on the right and puts in a low cross that is cleared at the near post.
3 min Lots of early City possession. It’s an unpleasant night in Manchester, with the rain hammering down.
1 min Peep peep! Spurs kick off from right to left.
The teams in (possible) formation
Man City (4-3-3) Taieb; Morgan, Houghton, Kennedy, Greenwood; Losada, Coombs, Stanway; Beckie, White, Hemp.
Substitutes: Keating, Mace, Park, Angeldahl, Scott, Shaw, Stokes.
Spurs (4-2-3-1) Spencer; Ale, Zadorsky, Bartrip, Neville; Clemaron, Green; Percival, Williams, Naz; Simon.
Substitutes: Korpela, Morgan, Harrop, Cho, Tang, Addison, Graham, Ubogagu, Ayane.
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Four-nil victories are in vogue with the WSL title challengers. City started that way at Everton last week; Arsenal and Chelsea won by the same scoreline today.
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City make four changes from the Madrid defeat. Alanna Kennedy, Georgia Stanway, Janine Beckie and Ellen White come in for Demi Stokes, Caroline Weir, Khadija Shaw and Hayley Raso. Weir and Raso are injured.
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The Australian forward Kyah Simon makes her Spurs debut. She replaces Kit Graham, who scored the only goal in Spurs’ 1-0 win over Birmingham last weekend but has a bit of a niggle and is on the bench. That’s the only change made by Rehanne Skinner. Edit: I missed a change in goal - Becky Spencer replaes Tinja Riikka Korpela.
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The teams
🚨 TEAM NEWS! 🚨
— Man City Women (@ManCityWomen) September 12, 2021
XI | Taieb, Morgan, Houghton (C), Kennedy, Greenwood, Coombs, Losada, Stanway, Beckie, Hemp, White.
SUBS | Keating, Mace, Park, Angeldahl, Scott, Shaw, Stokes.
📋 @HaysWorldwide
🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/HkTzfLdpj9 pic.twitter.com/cmPHSFsGmu
🔥 Your team to take on @ManCity! 👇 pic.twitter.com/fp0m4SPi34
— Tottenham Hotspur Women (@SpursWomen) September 12, 2021
Preamble
Bouncebackability in September. As well as being the naffest band name this side of Cigarettes After Sex, it’s a challenge that big clubs dread. They all know that, at some stage during any season, they will have to show resilience and respond to a poor result. But they’d rather it didn’t happen before the leaves have started plopping from the trees.
City’s distressing Champions League defeat to Real Madrid in the week means another year of exclusively domestic concerns. Of the three prizes still on offer, the WSL - in which City have been runners-up for the past four seasons - is by far the biggest. It splits into two divisions, the top four and the rest, and the title might eventually decided by who drops the fewest points against the bottom eight.
City got off to a strong start by hammering Everton 4-0 last weekend; even allowing for a possible Champions League hangover, not to mention Spurs’ apparent improvement, it will be a major surprise if they don’t win today.
Kick off 18.45BST.
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