Fixtures
- Tottenham Hotspur Women Vs. Aston Villa Women – Sun, Feb 18th 2024, 14:00
Aston Villa Women went into the February international break with a determined 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
Adriana Leon opened the scoring after 23 minutes before Amy James-Turner equalised 15 minutes later.
The game was finely poised and even looked as though it would head towards a stalemate, but Jordan Nobbs slammed in a long-range winner after 60 minutes to give Villa all three points.
The result brings Carla Ward’s side to within three points of their opponents heading into March.
Carla Ward made two changes from the side that started last week’s FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup win over Brighton & Hove Albion.
Alisha Lehmann started in place of Ebony Salmon, while Noelle Maritz came in for Kenza Dali who overcame a rib injury to make the substitutes bench.
Also named amongst the subs were Freya Gregory and Miri Taylor who, along with Maritz, were cup-tied for the shootout victory over the Seagulls.
Spurs posed more of a threat from the outset and registered a first attempt through Martha Thomas; the ex-Manchester United forward planting a header wide of Daphne van Domselaar’s post after seven minutes.
Villa didn’t converge on the Spurs goal until 20 minutes in, when Adriana Leon struck wide following some good work on the left by Kirsty Hanson.
Leon’s next opportunity wasn’t to be wasted, though.
The Canadian international found herself one-one-one with Votíková and squeezed an effort beneath the goalkeeper, much to the delight of those in claret & blue.
Spurs weren’t to be deterred and equalized shortly before the break when Amy James-Turner powered a header beyond van Domselaar from a free-kick.
Neither side made a change at the interval, and the second period began in a similar manner to the first.
Beth England had a glimpse of goal and almost found it from an audacious distance after she’d spotted van Domselaar off her line.
Thomas was next to have a go but was thwarted this time by our Dutch number one.
Villa rode their luck but took the lead for the second time when Nobbs unleashed a first-time strike into the top corner from distance.
Moments later, Nobbs hit the crossbar when she looked destined to give her side a two-goal cushion as the game entered its closing stages.
Ward brought on a hosts of substitutes to defend the lead, including Miri Taylor.
Villa did see out the lead successfully to record back-to-back wins in all competitions.
