Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Everton Women: WSL Match Report and Reaction

12/09/2024 02:35 PM

Sorensen frustrated at penalty decision as Blues slump to another defeat

Brian Sorensen struggled to hide his frustration as a controversial Beth England penalty condemned Everton Women to defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur.

The defeat at the Gaughan Group Stadium leaves the Blues in tenth place in the WSL, with the Toffees' next league fixture - their final one of 2024 - the visit of Manchester City to Walton Hall Park.

England gave her side the lead on 25 minutes with a close-range finish but Sara Holmgaard struck a goal-of-the-month worthy equaliser five minutes before the break to restore parity.

Then came the moment that rankled with the Blues boss. Two minutes after the restart, Heather Payne was adjudged to have impeded Amanda Nilden via a shirt pull, despite no protestations from her teammates.

England made no mistake from the spot to score her second goal and ultimately the winner for the hosts.

And Sorensen was perplexed by the decision, something he felt his side's performance didn't deserve.

"It was [a game of] two halves, with the first half were we could not get out and they bombard us with a lot of crosses without being too dangerous," he said.

"Then, second half, it's up on top.

"And then you have the penalty. And you have that every corner, so if that is a pen? I get that mistakes happen but this is a decision that has been made, it is not a mistake.

"You don't see it, I don't know what you see, but you see something then make the decision.

"It is super frustrating because the girls didn't deserve that, we tried to put everything into it but just didn't have the luck to get that second goal."

Tottenham started brightly but it was Everton who looked to make the early breakthrough. Melissa Lawley found room and unleashed a drive from almost 35 yards to officially welcome WSL debutant Eleanor Heeps, who did well to save at full stretch.

The hosts then took command and England showed her threat with a trio of headers from Spurs' crosses, all of which failed to hit the target.

Everton didn't heed the warnings and the England international made them pay on 25 minutes. Clare Hunt's header was well saved by Courtney Brosnan, but the stopper's efforts were capitalised on by England, who fired home from close range.

Sorensen could see the game slipping away from his team and made the bold decision to replace Lawley and Karoline Olesen with Elise Stenevik and Veatriki Sarri respectively on 37 minutes.

And the response came three minutes later. Katja Soeijs brillinatly retained possession and found the advancing Holmgaard with a through ball, and the full-back bore down on goal before powering home Everton's equaliser from 25 yards.

The second half began and almost immediately came the game's major talking point. Everton cleared the corner only for referee Amy Fearns to award the hosts a penalty for a shirt pull, which left the Toffees perplexed by the decision.

England converted from 12 yards to restore Tottenham's lead.

The Blues searched for a response and as both sides opened up, chances became more frequent at both ends.

But it was Sarri who went closest on 58 minutes. The Greece international did well to make space but her curled effort from the edge of the area was just wide of Heeps' goal.

Both teams believed there were more goals in the game and the hosts continued to create with England heading wide, while Payne's shot from the edge of the area made it through a crowded area but narrowly missed the goal.

Sorensen looked to freshen things up by introducing Issy Hobson and Toni Payne for the last ten minutes, but it proved to no avail as Spurs hung on for three points in a hugely competitive fixture.

Next up for Everton Women is another Merseyside derby on Wednesday, 11 December, in the Women's League Cup.

Kick-off at St. Helen's Stadium for the Group A fixture is at 8pm (GMT).