Elisabeth Terland's early strike handed Manchester United a slender 1-0 victory in the Barclays Women's Super League at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday evening.
Terland fired home inside six minutes with a well-taken finish and the visitors took control of proceedings for large spells of the first half as we struggled to carve out any opportunities.
We looked for a response in the second half, Jess Naz and Bethany England creating chances, and while we restricted United from building on their advantage, we couldn’t find the leveller in front of our fanbase in N17, bringing an end to our six-game unbeaten run in the WSL.
Robert Vilahamn handed a Spurs debut to defender Josefine Rybrink, who signed for the Club last week, as one of six changes to the starting XI that faced Everton on Wednesday in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup. Former Spur Celin Bizet started for United, with Grace Clinton and Rachel Williams, who also had spells with us, named on the bench.
The visitors made a strong start on a cold evening in the capital as, six minutes on the clock, Jayde Riviere’s cross from the right was met by Terland at the back post and she guided her side-footed volley into the bottom corner. Our first real opportunity of the game came midway through the first half as Hayley Raso raced down the left, following a great pass by Amanda Nilden, but our number eight dragged her effort wide after cutting on to her right foot.
As we looked to step up the tempo in front of thousands of supporters, Raso’s shot from distance stinging the palms of Phallon Tullis-Joyce, we had to stay defensively resolute at the other end, Molly Bartrip and Nilden putting their bodies on the line to keep the deficit at one. Ella Toone came inches away from adding a second in the closing stages of the half as her curling effort grazed the outside of the post, while a slip from Elisabeth Terland inside the box succumbed a big chance for the visitors on the stroke of half time.
We tried to look for a quick response after the break, Naz winning the ball on the byline and unselfishly laid the ball back to Rybrink who couldn't force her effort through a number of bodies inside the box, however, United continued to pose a threat, especially down the right, Toone’s cross landing to the feet of the advancing Terland but she was unable to sort out her feet, allowing Kop to gather the ball.
A left-footed strike from Naz, around 20 yards out, was routine for Tullis-Joyce while, at the other end, Kop gathered Millie Turner’s shot after the defender was teed up by Terland. On the back of scoring two headed goals last weekend against Crystal Palace, England rose highest to Nilden’s cross, but our captain couldn’t keep her header down this time.
As the clock ticked towards the final proceedings of the match, we pushed to find an equaliser but United held on to secure the three points in N17 and close the gap to six points to league leaders Chelsea, while we suffered our first defeat in the WSL since November, 2024.