Martin Ho's first recreation accountable for Tottenham resulted in a celebratory temper as Bethany England's late penalty gave the north London aspect a slender however beneficial victory of their season opener in opposition to West Ham.
For big elements of the competition, throughout which the opposing goalkeepers usually had little to do, it had regarded as if the groups may play out a goalless draw, however Katrina Gorry fouled Eveliina Summanen inside the world to current the house aspect with an opportunity to win the sport on 86 minutes, and England tucked her spot-kick into the right-hand nook.
“The gamers are talking to one another [saying]: ‘We've missed this sense, we would like this sense extra,'” mentioned Ho, who has taken over a group that had did not win any of their closing 10 league video games of final season. “They had been fully all-time low, if we're going to be trustworthy, when it comes to confidence and perception. They had been a shadow of themselves. Seeing them immediately now, it's a very completely different group when it comes to the boldness, the idea, the vitality and the keenness.”
Ho's new aspect had managed extra of the possession and had loads of the ball within the closing third, providing them some trigger for optimism lengthy‑time period, however what they had been initially missing on Sunday was that spark of creativity and a decisive ball contained in the West Ham penalty space.
When it comes to producing alternatives to check the goalkeeper, related could possibly be mentioned of West Ham, though they missed an enormous likelihood when Seraina Piubel volleyed out on the again publish, simply moments into the second half.
There was a blow for West Ham when their beginning goalkeeper Kinga Szemik, who performed for Poland at Euro 2025 this summer season, needed to be withdrawn with what regarded like an ankle harm, after touchdown awkwardly when she did effectively to maintain out a deep cross from Drew Spence that had regarded destined to drop contained in the far publish.
Szemik hobbled off with assist from two members of West Ham's physio group, and she or he was changed by Megan Walsh, who bought a hand to England's penalty kick half an hour later however couldn't fairly maintain it out.
“Total, I believed we performed very well, caught to the gameplan and exploited their right-hand aspect,” the West Ham supervisor, Rehanne Skinner, mentioned. “We created good alternatives. I don't assume our closing ball was pretty much as good because it might have been within the first half, however we've restricted them [Spurs] to at least one shot on track, which comes from the penalty spot, so by the character of it, it's disappointing to not get one thing out of the sport on that foundation.”
A successful begin for Tottenham will really feel priceless, after a disappointing marketing campaign final season by which they completed eleventh. Their key summer season resolution was to decide on Ho to attempt to begin a brand new period. It's understood Spurs had been blown away by the fervour he confirmed in his interview presentation, which one supply mentioned was so detailed and thorough that Ho needed to be requested politely to cease as a result of time was up. The membership wished a coach who's obsessive and so they imagine they've discovered one. They're understood additionally to have obtained very robust private suggestions for the previous Manchester United assistant coach, together with a glowing character reference from the previous United supervisor Casey Stoney.
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Manchester United 4-0 Leicester
Ella Toone wasted little time getting her season up and working, scoring after 13 minutes as Manchester United eased to a routine 4-0 win over Leicester. Her purpose really might have come sooner after the England star missed an earlier likelihood, however when the ball fell to Toone once more simply minutes later she broke the impasse with a scruffy end.
Elisabeth Terland made it 2-0 to United earlier than the break with a pinpoint header and the spectacular Melvine Malard added two late objectives within the second half to earn Marc Skinner's an emphatic opening day victory.
Brighton 0-0 Aston Villa
With Sarina Wiegman watching from the stands on the Broadfield Stadium, Michelle Agyemang got here the closest to scoring for Brighton as they performed out a stalemate with Aston Villa of their WSL opener.
Arsenal loanee Agyemang hit the publish in a primary half that additionally noticed Rachel Daly hit the bar on the different finish for Villa. Kiko Seike went shut with a header late on as Brighton pushed for a winner however Lynn Wilms nearly snatched the factors for the away aspect with a late free-kick that rebounded off the bar.
The Merseyside-born coach was all smiles all he waved with each arms to Spurs when he was launched earlier than kick-off, amid an optimistic temper, and as his group wrapped up the factors he was understandably delighted, clenching his fists as he turned again in direction of the gang. After the match he praised his group's character, saying: “The grit, the dedication, the willingness; you possibly can see how exhausting they wished that consequence.
“That's what bought us over the road, that little little bit of edge we had over them. The conviction in how we defended, and the way aggressive we wished to be. I believed they had been attempting to do the fitting issues. We all know there are such a lot of areas for us to be higher and we will probably be.
“You at all times need to begin with a win, however for me personally it means quite a bit. You don't have plenty of time to implement plenty of issues in 5 weeks and I feel we've accomplished as a lot as we will, and now I'm extra blissful for the gamers. I'm solely the coach; they do the work.”
Subsequent, West Ham will host Arsenal on Friday, earlier than Tottenham journey to Everton on Sunday.
