Hammers come from behind to book League Cup semi-final spot
Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 West Ham United women's team
Subway® Women's League Cup Quarter-Final, Gaughan Group Stadium, Wednesday 22 January 2025, 7.30pm GMT
West Ham United women’s team booked their place in the semi-finals of the Subway® Women’s League Cup with a 2-1 victory at London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night.
Rehanne Skinner’s side came from behind at Gaughan Group Stadium in an entertaining first half which saw goals from Seraina Piubel and Kirsty Smith wipe out the home team’s early lead, which came via a header from former Hammer Martha Thomas.
The Irons showed great character and resilience to weather an early Spurs storm, and came out the other side on the front foot, forcing an equaliser with a superb counter-attack that Piubel rounded off in style.
That proved to be the first of two goals in the space of five first-half minutes, as West Ham went ahead thanks to a long-range Smith free-kick that evaded everyone in the box before nestling in the far corner.
Goalkeeper Megan Walsh donned the captain’s armband in east London, and made instinctive stops to deny Thomas and Matilda Vinberg, but the Hammers controlled proceedings until the end to tee up a semi-final tie at Chelsea in early February.
Before Thomas broke the deadlock, she glanced an effort wide of Walsh’s far post and then came inches away from netting her second of the game. However, the striker was denied by the left-hand post, as her trickling strike rebounded off the upright and into the grateful grasp of Walsh.
The Irons set out in a 4-4-2 formation, with Emma Harries supporting full debutant Shekiera Martinez up front, and the pair linked up well in the early stages of the tie. The Germany U23 international split the Spurs backline to feed an onrushing Harries, but the pass was slightly overhit, and Eleanor Heeps was able to claim.
Walsh had to be called upon twice midway through the first half to save Hayley Raso’s deflected effort and catch an instinctive Thomas header, while up the other end, Manuela Paví’s cross was flicked just wide by Martinez.
With ten minutes to go before half-time, the Hammers were building in confidence and felt they should have been awarded a penalty when Piubel appeared to be dragged down in the box. There were huge Claret and Blue appeals, but referee Ryan Atkin was unmoved.
That only fired up the Hammers, who took the game by the scruff of the neck and produced a scintillating counter-attack to draw level. Martinez did well to hold off Maite Oroz inside her own half before playing Harries through down the line. The 22-year-old latched onto the pass to produce an inch-perfect cross for Piubel, who slotted home with conviction.
The cup tie then came to life with a plethora of chances, creating an enthralling end to the first half. Piubel saw an effort from point-blank range blocked before Raso struck the post, and Spurs were left to rue that missed opportunity as the Hammers completed a first-half turnaround.
A free-kick from Kirsty Smith from 30 yards out ghosted past everybody in the penalty area and snuck into the far corner to give the Irons the upper hand at the break.
Her tally and West Ham’s advantage could have been more than one at half-time, though, as the Scotland international unleashed a low left-footed shot that trickled past the post via a deflection.
Determined to turn the tie around, Robert Vilahamn made four substitutions at the break, and his side started the second period on the front foot. They could have been level had it not been for an outstanding reflex save from Walsh, who turned Thomas’ near-post effort round for a corner with her left boot.
Spurs skipper Bethany England then went close with a header and was also denied by a brilliant block from Shannon Cooke.
The second half didn’t live up to the frantic nature of the first, but both sides had chances in the latter stages of the contest. Walsh once again proved to be razor-sharp in goal, making a stunning one-handed save to tip Vinberg’s shot over the bar, before substitute Viviane Asseyi bent a shot from outside of the box just wide of the far post.
Skinner’s side will head into their Barclays Women’s Super League clash at home to Everton at the weekend full of confidence, and will face a trip to Chelsea on either 5 or 6 February in the semi-finals.
Tottenham Hotspur: Heeps, Bartrip, Nildén (Grant 46), Naz (Gunning-Williams 46), Raso (Vinberg 80), England ©, Oroz (Ahtinen 46), Hunt, Thomas, Spence (Csiki 46), Neville
Subs not used: Spencer (GK), Bühler, Ayane
Goal: Thomas 10
West Ham United: M. Walsh ©, Smith, Cooke, Sáez, Mengwen (Denton 63), Siren (Gorry 63), Bergman Lundin, Piubel (Asseyi 63), Harries (Ueki 96), Paví (Tysiak 85), Martinez
Subs not used: Szemik (GK), Brynjarsdóttir, Zadorsky, Houssein
Goals: Piubel 39, Smith 44
Booked: Asseyi 72
Referee: Ryan Atkin
