Man City thwarted by Spencer and Rantala runs riot – Full Time with Jessy Parker Humphreys

Man City thwarted by Spencer and Rantala runs riot – Full Time with Jessy Parker Humphreys
By Jessy Parker Humphreys
Mar 11, 2024

Welcome to Full Time, The Athletic’s women’s football column, a one-stop shop every Monday to discuss the big issues in the game in the UK and Europe.

This weekend, the women’s FA Cup took centre stage with surprises inflicted at Brisbane Road and Prenton Park.

We witnessed penalty shootout delight for Rebecca Spencer, another impressive performance from a rising star in the Chelsea ranks, and Leicester City’s players rally around after a difficult week off the pitch…

The main talking point

As the minutes ticked by, you could see tiredness was setting into their legs. Manchester City had already played and lost a League Cup semi-final against Chelsea on Thursday. Now they were deep into extra time against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup quarter-final and running out of steam.

In the end, it was something of a smash-and-grab by Tottenham. Their chance to prevail 4-3 on penalties only came about after substitute Bethany England pounced on a mix-up between centre-back Laia Aleixandri and goalkeeper Khiara Keating to equalise in the final minute of stoppage time. That made it 1-1 and, with nothing to separate the sides after a further half an hour, the home side grabbed the chance to reach their first FA Cup semi-final.

It was a chastening result for Gareth Taylor, who had started the week celebrating a new three-year contract as manager of Manchester City. All that remains for his side is their pursuit of the Women’s Super League title.

 City’s players are dejected as the penalty shootout goes against them (Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

It was the fourth time Tottenham and Manchester City had met this season, with City getting the better of Spurs on all three previous occasions. It looked like it would be the same again on Sunday as Australia forward Mary Fowler’s early opener forced the visitors ahead, but a big missed chance from Khadija Shaw denied them a buffer. That proved critical.

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The lackadaisical approach from Taylor’s team will raise concerns. He did make changes for this match, with Chloe Kelly dropped to the bench in favour of Fowler, and Laura Coombs making way for Filippa Angeldal. But with a small squad and the second-fewest substitutes used this season in the WSL, it does not feel as if this City team were prepared to compete across all three domestic competitions. 

For Tottenham, though, progress into the semi-finals is a huge achievement and justification for manager Robert Vilahamn’s dogged commitment to their playing style. Even in extra time, they continued to push forward when they had the opportunity rather than sitting back.

Most fittingly, their hero on the night was goalkeeper Becky Spencer.

Spencer, 33, has had a nomadic career but joined Tottenham the year they were promoted to the WSL and has made more appearances for them than any other side. Back in 2012, she was in goal as Birmingham City beat Chelsea on penalties in the FA Cup final. Her two saves from England stars Alex Greenwood and Kelly at the start of the penalty shootout have given her a chance of making the final again 12 years on.

 Spencer dives to her right to deny Kelly (Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

In case you missed it…

Leicester City pushed through a difficult week to reach the semi-finals for the first time after their 2-0 win over Liverpool. It was reported on Friday that manager Willie Kirk was being investigated over an alleged relationship with a player with the Scot consequently not on the touchline on Saturday.

Despite the off-field distractions, two goals from 24-year-old Finland winger Jutta Rantala helped see off their unusually listless hosts. Rantala has been one of Leicester’s outstanding players this season, and she looked fearless in front of goal. The same could not be said of 22-year-old Austria midfielder Marie Hobinger, who missed Liverpool’s best chance.

The result will be a frustrating one for Liverpool manager Matt Beard. His team are still chasing fourth spot in the WSL, but he had a realistic chance of taking a third different club to an FA Cup final. Manchester City’s exit will have only made that a tougher pill to swallow.

Goal of the week

Lisa Naalsund has needed to wait patiently for game time since her move to Manchester United from Brann, but the 28-year-old Norway midfielder scored the best of her team’s four goals against Brighton as they reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the second year in a row.

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Naaslund was a strong, physical presence in a United side that targeted Brighton’s full-backs and were 3-0 up by half-time. Naaslund’s goal was the fourth, the ball coming to her after Brighton again struggled to deal with a set piece. Her well-taken strike demonstrated the technical capacity that seems to be helping her solidify a place in United’s starting XI.

Player of the week

Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Everton was not pretty, but it got the job done and extended their unbeaten FA Cup run to 1,260 days. The last time the holders lost in the competition was against Everton back in 2020 — but they had Aggie Beever-Jones to thank for this win.

Beever-Jones, who spent last season on loan at Everton, played in three different positions during this match — left wing, as the central striker and at left-back as Chelsea saw out the game — but kept the intensity high wherever she was deployed.

More importantly, though, it was her composure as she carried the ball into the penalty area that created Chelsea’s winner.

Beever-Jones waited until the perfect moment to cut the ball back for Catarina Macario, who had only been introduced from the bench three minutes earlier, to score her second Chelsea goal. There is justifiable excitement over Macario’s return to fitness and goalscoring form, but Beever-Jones, at only 20, continues to show that she is an integral part of this Chelsea squad.

 Beever-Jones provided the decisive moment at Everton (Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

Elsewhere in Europe

There was a shock in the Coupe de France as Lyon were knocked out by Fleury on penalties at the semi-final stage. They will face Paris Saint-Germain in only the second final in the past 13 years not to feature Lyon. 

Bayern Munich maintained their position at the top of the Frauen-Bundesliga as they beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1. The loss for Eintracht allowed Hoffenheim to move ahead of them into the third German Champions League spot with a 2-0 win over Nurnberg.

What’s next?

Chelsea host Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Friday night in one of the biggest games of the WSL season. Manchester City, second on goal difference at present, will hope their rivals cancel each other out to allow them to go top when they head to Brighton on Sunday.

(Top photo: Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

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