Tottenham progressed out of the group stage for a third successive season after beating Championship side Southampton in a dominant performance and coming second to Arsenal
Friday 26th January 2024
The final match in the FA Women’s Continental League Cup group stage saw Southampton take on WSL side Tottenham at Eastleigh’s Silverlake Stadium. The visitors took the three points and sent themselves through to the next round, looking to improve on last season's League journey by getting past the quarter-finals. The game saw Ramona Petzelberger’s deflected effort in the 29th minute handed the visitors the lead at Silverlake Stadium off a corner. Before, Charli Grant doubled her side's lead in the 67th minute by forcing the ball over the line from another corner, giving her her first goal for the North London side. Then loanee Grace Clinton won the game in the 78th minute with a top-corner strike, scoring her third goal in two games this week.
Earlier this week, Southampton strengthened their squad through goalkeeper and former Bristol City player, Benedicte Haaland, however, she will be ineligible to play this evening after being involved in Bristol's earlier games of the Cup. Spurs will be able to use new signings Charli Grant and Matilda Vinberg.
Robert Vilahamn pre-match:
“We want to keep competing in all competitions, whether that’s the FA Cup or the Conti Cup, and I think we have done well in the cup competitions this season and we want to continue making steps."
Match report:
After a quiet start with both sides gaining and losing possession, Southampton were quickly made to pay for their narrow miss- after a free kick from Laura Rafferty in the defensive half which was blocked by Kit Graham- as Spurs took the lead in 29 minutes after Petzelberger's deflected effort catching Beth Howard (GK) out. Robert Vilahamn’s side were close to a second after a defensive slip from Howard- with the ball being passed back into the danger zone- but Saints reacted quickest to scramble clear.
After an injury in the first half, Howard was replaced at the break by first-choice goalkeeper Kayla Rendell whose first touch of the game was claiming a header from Spurs substitute- and captain- Beth England, from the centre of the box. With a lack of composure in their attacking end Southampton struggled to get themselves back into the game which only proved more difficult after Jemma Purfield conceded a corner, leading to the visitors doubling their lead. Australian defender- and new signing in her second start for the Lilywhites- Charli Grant got her first Spurs goal after squeezing the ball under Rendell from a left-footed shot from very close range. Tottenham's third was scored by Grace Clinton, on loan from Manchester United, who received the ball 20 yards outside the goal before bending a right-footed shot from the right side of the box to the top left corner, out of Rendell's reach. Southampton introduced Youngsters Isabel Watts and Kayla Nohasiarisoa for their senior debuts with 10 minutes of regular time to go, before the post saved the home side for a third time in the closing minutes when Rendell's clearance crashed off England and looped onto the post.
Southampton 0-3 Tottenham
Tottenham goal scorers
Southampton | Tottenham | |
47 | Possession (%) | 53 |
2 | Shots | 24 |
0 | Shots on target | 11 |
Charli Grant on the win:
"It's very exciting, but I'm just so happy we got the win and got a clean sheet as well. It's awesome to qualify. We want to win silverware at this club, so we're really excited for the next step."
Elsewhere in the Cup:
Through to quarterfinals: Arsenal, Aston Villa (despite being under investigation over ineligible player), Brighton, Chalton, Crystal Palace, London City Lionesses, Manchester United, Manchester City, Sunderland and Tottenham
The quarter-final draw was scheduled for today (Friday 26th January) but has been postponed to Monday 29th January: “We can confirm that we are investigating an alleged breach of Cup Rule 8.19 by Aston Villa during their FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup fixture against Sunderland on Wednesday 24th January.”