A Hayley Raso masterclass helped give Tottenham Hotspur an ideal begin to the brand new Ladies’s Tremendous League season as they dispatched newcomers Crystal Palace 4-0.
Jess Naz, Drew Spence and Olga Ahtinen additionally obtained on the scoresheet for Spurs, who wish to push on from final season’s sixth-place end. In addition to a hefty defeat for Crystal Palace on their WSL debut, the event was additional marred by a Brooke Aspin pink card in stoppage time.
Beginning XIs
Tottenham Hotspur
Spencer; Neville, Bartrip, Hunt, Nildén, Oroz, Summanen, Raso, Spence, Naz, Thomas
Crystal Palace
Yañez; Inexperienced, Everett, Veje, Gibbons, Potter, Riley, Gejl, Blanchard, Weerden, Stengel
The way it went
There have been a plethora of debuts at Brisbane Street, with Spurs giving a complete of 4, whereas Laura Kaminski’s facet had 10.
The hosts had the higher of the opening exchanges, however have been restricted to half possibilities within the first 10 minutes. Raso was spectacular from the primary whistle, persistently discovering house and inflicting issues for the Palace defence. The Australian worldwide was rewarded after 19 minutes when she picked up Eveliina Summanen’s by way of ball. Jinking her means into the field, Raso tied Palace’s Fliss Gibbons and Katrine Veje in ribbons earlier than firing her shot into Shae Yañez’s far nook.
Palace appeared stable in giant spells of the primary half however failed to hassle Becky Spencer within the Spurs objective. For the hosts, it threatened to be a irritating afternoon as they couldn’t add to their lead despite their first half dominance.
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Yañez was known as into motion once more on the stroke of half-time. Firstly, she saved comfortably from Martha Thomas after she was put by way of by Drew Spence. A piercing run from her personal half by Amanda Nildén opened up the Palace defence. The Swede performed a intelligent one-two with Thomas earlier than laying the ball to her proper to Raso who was denied by the onrushing Yañez.
Spurs open floodgates in second half
The second half was a really totally different story as Tottenham’s depth blew the Eagles away. With seven minutes gone, Naz broke away to complete a transfer she helped provoke and double the Tottenham lead.
It was her contact on a unfastened move from Lexi Potter that helped deflect the ball into Drew Spence’s path. With Naz persevering with her run into the Crystal Palace half, Spence performed a primary time ball by way of. Bearing down on objective, Naz shrugged off the problem of Veje to get an preliminary shot away that was brilliantly saved by Yañez. Luck wasn’t on the American’s facet because the ball squirmed unfastened, permitting Naz to roll the ball house.
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Raso was nonetheless proving to be a supply of pleasure for Robert Vilahamn’s facet. On the hour, she took Spence’s by way of ball in her stride and drove into the field, slicing in on her left foot. Gibbons was once more left for mud as Raso unleashed a shot that was heading in the direction of objective earlier than by some means being turned away for a nook by Veje.
The wave of Tottenham assaults have been turning into extra frequent and extra harmful. Yañez was being significantly overworked on her debut. It took till the 74th minute for the guests to register their first shot as Annabel Blanchard’s effort from a slender angle rolled previous each the outstretched leg of Spencer and her far submit.
A troublesome debut for Crystal Palace
Tottenham’s third objective of the day got here courtesy of an exquisite flick on from England to Spence, who slammed the ball house with quarter-hour to play.
Nonetheless, the house facet poured ahead. Olga Ahtinen was subsequent to be denied by Yañez when her swerving drive from 25 yards was properly tipped over. Ahtinen ultimately obtained her objective although and in spectacular model too. She unleashed from outdoors the field and there was nothing Yañez might do because the ball hit the highest nook.
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The Palace agony was full deep into added time when Aspin noticed pink. She picked up a primary yellow card for a foul on Anna Csiki, she then inexplicably kicked the ball into the Hungarian whereas she was on the ground to earn a second.
The total-time whistle signalled the top of a very good afternoon for Spurs who journey to Aston Villa subsequent. For Laura Kaminski and the Eagles, there have been positives within the first half to attract upon. However a tricky begin to life within the WSL doesn’t get any simpler. Subsequent up for them, it’s the small matter of Chelsea at Selhurst Park on Friday evening.