Perfect start to 2025 with victory over Foxes in WSL | OneFootball

An early own goal from Janina Leitzig was enough to secure a 1-0 win over Leicester City on our return to Barclays Women’s Super League action on Sunday afternoon.

Playing our first competitive football since the turn of the year, we couldn’t have asked for a better start when Amanda Nilden’s cross saw the Foxes’ goalkeeper Leitzig turn the ball into her own net on four minutes and, although the visitors arguably had the better of the opportunities after the opener, Bethany England went the closest to doubling our advantage in the closing stages of the game as her 30-yard strike struck the underside of the crossbar.

Goalkeeper Lize Kop was handed her debut after signing from the opponents earlier in the week and our new number one put in a commanding performance to preserve just our second clean sheet in the WSL and helped us extend our unbeaten run to five games in all competitions.

Alongside debutant Kop, Robert Vilahamn made a further two changes to the side that faced Brighton last month as Olga Ahtinen was brought in to replace Eveliina Summanen, while Luana Buhler slotted into the backline. Academy player Zara Bailey was named among in a WSL matchday squad for the first time.

We got off to the perfect start in chilly conditions as, in the fourth minute, Maite Oroz, following some lovely footwork on the edge of the box, played Nilden through on the left area of the box and fired a low cross into the back, which was turned home into her own net by the Foxes’ keeper Leitzig. The visitors responded well after their early setback and should have equalised at midway stage of the first half, but Janice Cayman squandered a huge chance.

Saori Takarada squared the ball to the Belgium international, who was completely free just outside the six-yard box, and she scuffed an effort wide of the post. England youth international Nelly Las was causing a few problems down our right-hand side, while the ball fell kindly to Missy Goodwin inside the area, but a combination of Molly Bartrip and Ashleigh Neville denied the forward on the stroke of half time.

Martha Thomas was introduced within five minutes of the second half and the forward tested the visitors’ keeper straight away as her cross from the left had to be pushed away by Leitzig while, at the other end, Goodwin saw a tame poked effort easily saved by Kop.

The visitors continued to push for an equaliser in the closing stages of the game, Ruby Mace firing a low-driven effort narrowly wide of the post, however we came closest to finding the back of the net once again as a 30-yard strike from England smashed the underside of the crossbar and somehow didn’t cross the line, eventually cleared by Leitzig in the final minutes of the game.

A number of stoppages throughout the second half saw nine minutes indicated by the fourth official at the end of the half, but we remained defensively strong to see of a late Leicester resurgence to make it four wins in a row at Brisbane Road.

Match data

Goal: Spurs – Leitzig OG 4.

Yellow cards: Leicester - Bott 43, Thibaud 70, Mace 73.

Referee: Stacey Pearson.

Venue: Brisbane Road.

Weather: Cloudy with a cold breeze, four degrees.

Attendance: 1314.