ABC News

Hayley Raso caps Tottenham debut with magical solo goal on Women's Super League return

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Description

Hayley Raso has capped her comeback to England's Women's Super League with a slaloming, solo goal for Tottenham.

The 30-year-old, whose year-long spell as the first Australian ever to play for Real Madrid proved a frustrating stop-start affair but featured some dazzling moments, kicked off her third spell at a WSL club with a beauty to launch Spurs' 4-0 win over newcomers Crystal Palace on Sunday.

On another busy day for the Matildas' contingent in the WSL, summer signing Raso introduced herself to the Spurs' faithful at Brisbane Road in the 19th minute when she found space in the Palace half and, despite being shadowed by three defenders, embarked on a speculative run.

Trademark ribbon flowing, Raso first turned Katrine Veje inside out, weaved into the right of the box, and swivelled to strike the ball into the opposite corner, not with the greatest connection but directed perfectly to give keeper Shae Yanez no chance.

"I feel like it was rolling slowly, so I just said 'please go in, please go in'," Raso said after the match.

"Really good team performance, everyone's happy to start off the season like that and to get a goal topped it all off for me," she said.

Clare Hunt, snapped up from French club PSG, also made her debut for the Lillywhites, but didn't have too much to do.

Tottenham's other Australian international Charli Grant just enjoyed a few minutes off the bench.

Raso, who has also played for Everton and Manchester City in the WSL, was Spurs' player of the match.

"They've been lovely, super supportive," Raso said of her new teammates.

"Credit to the girls here, they've made the transition easy for us, we've gelled well pre season and I think we've showed that today. I've found my feet pretty quickly."

At the Emirates Stadium Arsenal's Matildas contingent Kyra Cooney-Cross and Caitlin Foord went head-to-head with Manchester City's Mary Fowler and Alanna Kennedy in a thrilling 2-2 draw to open the season.

Foord helped initiate Arsenal's opener with a bright run down the right flank that set up Frida Maanum's goal but City, pipped for the title by Chelsea on the final day last season, equalised after the break through their new superstar striker Vivianne Miedema, the former Arsenal ace, who didn't celebrate out of respect.

A brilliant long-range effort from England international Jess Park looked to have given City the victory but Arsenal sub Beth Mead volleyed in a late equaliser.

Fowler, who came on for Miedema after 74 minutes, had been dropped to the bench despite scoring for City in the Women's Champions League win at Paris FC in midweek and she'll have a fight to get her starting place back with star Jamaica striker Khadija Shaw also having returned to the starting XI.

Source

Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur draw 1

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Description

Veteran striker Jamie Vardy earned newly-promoted Leicester City a 1-1 draw with a wasteful Tottenham Hotspur in their Premier League season opener.

Spurs dominated the first half but Pedro Porro's opener in the 29th minute was the only time they could make one of a host of good chances count.

Further clear-cut opportunities came and went after the break, with the visitors' wastefulness proving costly when Leicester skipper Vardy headed an equaliser into the net with 57 minutes gone.

Loading...

Brazilian Richarlison missed a golden opening to win it at the death and Spurs had to settle for one point in a match they really should have taken all three from.

"Disappointing night for us," Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou told Sky Sports.

"First half excellent and controlled the game but wasteful in front of goal. Second half was the same.

"We started off well and once Leicester scored, the crowd lifted and we lost our composure. It was an issue we had last year as well, we need to keep working hard and be a bit more ruthless in front of goal. At times we made poor decisions.

"It's not our football or effort. To get results you need to be a lot more ruthless in the final third. If we don't we won't get the rewards our football deserves."

Spurs' evening went from bad to worse when midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was carried off on a stretcher after an eight-minute stoppage in the second half, following a nasty collision.

The Uruguayan was given oxygen as he was surrounded by medical staff but was later reported to be recovering.

A poor end to last season saw Spurs miss out on a top-four finish in Australian Postecoglou's first year in charge.

The north London club have invested in several new signings in the close season to challenge for the Champions League qualification places once again, with striker Dominic Solanke the biggest outlay.

The former Bournemouth forward, playing Premier League football again after a year back in the second tier, should have opened his Spurs account in the first half.

Some wayward finishing from Solanke ensured Leicester were let off the hook early on, before Porro arrived on the end of a James Maddison cross to guide home the opening goal.

The second half appeared to be a matter of how many Spurs would score, with Solanke again guilty of wasting gilt-edged opportunities.

Vardy, however, made no mistake when presented with his chance to snatch a point for Leicester and the 37-year-old collected the eighth Premier League opening-day goal of his career, a tally bettered only by Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.

"I see age as just a number," Vardy said.

"As long as I keep looking after myself and my legs keep feeling great, then I will carry on for as long as is physically possible.

"I wouldn't say I am doing anything differently playing-wise. Probably adapted a bit by dropping in but I think the main thing is I am looking after myself recovery-wise to the maximum."

Source

year deal with Tottenham Hotspur in Women's Super League

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Description

Australian defender Clare Hunt has left French club Paris Saint-Germain after less than a year to join Matildas teammate Charli Grant at Tottenham Hotspur.

Hunt has signed a three-year deal with Spurs in the Women's Super League.

"I was drawn to Spurs for the way they play, the club culture that is here and, for me, it feels like an environment where I can contribute," Hunt told Spurs' website.

The centre-back has become an integral part of the Matildas' defence since making her debut last year, starring at the Women's World Cup.

Hunt, 25, has just 23 caps to her name but is already one of Australia's locked-in starters.

She will be crucial to the Matildas' hopes of winning the 2026 Asian Cup on home soil.

Hunt joins several Matildas teammates — including Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord, Alanna Kennedy, Mary Fowler, Steph Catley and Kyra Cooney-Cross — in England's top-flight league.

Hunt departs Paris Saint-Germain after just 22 appearances. She won a Coupe de France in her short stint at the club.

Source