Tottenham Hotspur Women lose the Players Cup shootout to West Ham Women

Tottenham Hotspur Women opened the rebranded Subway Players Cup with a goalless draw against West Ham Women at Brisbane Road on 23 September, and then lost the shootout that decides the competition’s extra point.

Ninety minutes, no goals

Both sides banked the ordinary league-phase point for the draw, and it was the visitors who carried the greater threat for most of the evening. Saki Kumagai was kept out by Selma Panengstuen, playing her first match for the club, and Kelly Gago had a shot turned onto the post by Alice Sombath.

Ebony Salmon wasted a clear opening ten minutes into the second half, and on 77 minutes Kate Zelem’s diagonal ball into the box escaped the goalkeeper before Gago’s follow-up was blocked again by Sombath.

The home side were the stronger near the end. Shekiera Martinez, facing her former club, struck the near post with a volley from Ella Morris’s cross, and Matilda Vinberg was smothered by Laia Codina with practically the last action of normal time.

The shootout

With the scores level, the tie went to penalties for an extra point. Caitlin Dijkstra missed Tottenham Hotspur’s second kick, and although Panengstuen saved from Salmon to keep the shootout alive, Martinez put the following attempt over the bar and it finished 4-3.

The league stage here is new, and the shootout exists only to settle that extra point on top of the one each side takes from a draw.

The details

Amy Fearn refereed, and 746 people watched at Brisbane Road. Olivia Holdt and Sombath were the two players booked.

Tottenham Hotspur had come into the night after nine changes from the team that won 7-0 at Crystal Palace in the WSL at the weekend. A much-changed side held on for the draw and then found the shootout beyond it.