Spurs into Women’s FA Cup last four after shootout win over Manchester City

Becky Spencer was the hero of Tottenham’s stunning penalty shootout win against Manchester City to send them into the FA Cup semi-finals. Spencer saved two of City’s five spot‑kicks, against the England duo Alex Greenwood and Chloe Kelly, with Spurs converting all but one to seal victory.

“She worked really hard when she was put on the bench so it’s really nice to see,” the manager, Robert ­Vilahamn, said of his keeper, who has shared duties with Barbora Votikova.

Mary Fowler’s early goal – ­rewarding the City manager, Gareth Taylor, for a rare start – looked like it would be the difference. It was City’s 11th goal without reply against Spurs this season, but the home team had learned from their three previous meetings, and Bethany England’s 96th‑minute goal to force extra time then penalties was well deserved.

“I felt it in my body,” Vilahamn said of the momentum shift after England’s equaliser. “I felt the ­feeling in overtime as well, I felt like we can do this.”

Taylor conceded Spurs deserved the win. “It’s a frustrating one but I have to be honest and say I didn’t really think we deserved it and I’ve never really said that about our group,” he said. “We just weren’t ourselves and didn’t do the things we usually do.”

After a thrilling 7-0 defeat of Tottenham in Manchester in November, this was the third time in 42 days that City had travelled to face the north London side and it has been a happy hunting ground, the visiting team walking away as 2-0 winners in the league and securing progression in the ­Continental Cup with a 1-0 win.

Vilahamn made two changes to the team which impressed in a tight 1-0 defeat by Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium last weekend. Kit Graham dropped to the bench to be replaced by Olga Ahtinen and there was a late withdrawal of Molly Bartrip with illness.

For Taylor, who signed a new three-and-a-half-year contract last week, there were two changes to the team that endured a frus­trating 1-0 defeat against Chelsea in their Continental Cup semi-final midweek, with the Australia forward Fowler and the Sweden midfielder Filippa Angeldahl coming in.

It took just six minutes for City to exorcise their frustrations at having conceded early against Chelsea, and it was the 21-year-old Fowler provided the breakthrough, sending Khadija Shaw’s layoff into the net via a heavy deflection.

As the clock ticked on with the margin still only one goal, Spurs grew in confidence and the introduction of England’s England breathed hope into the lively home crowd with 10 minutes remaining, her through ball for Celin Bizet Ildhusøy artfully dealt with by the City backline before being pulled back for what looked like an incorrect offside, as Spurs showed more urgency.

After missing a golden opportunity to equalise, England made no mistake in the final minute of six minutes of added time, capitalising on a mix‑up between Khiara Keating and Laia Aleixandri, collecting the ball and slotting into the empty net. “No blame. We win, lose and draw as a team,” Taylor said.

Although the momentum was with the home team in extra time, penalties were needed to separate them. Spencer was unable to rattle Yui Hasegawa, Angeldahl and Fowler who all slotted in but saved the captain Greenwood’s tame spot-kick and one from England’s penalty maestro Kelly. This sent Spurs into the semi-finals, with Keating only able to keep out Rosella Ayane’s effort as England, Amanda Nilden, Wang Shuang and Amy James-Turner all converted.

The win will do wonders for belief in their project, Vilahamn said. “It means a lot. We are on a journey and we’re going to make sure we take steps but if you don’t have these moments people might forget that it’s for real. You can see us competing and winning and we’re in a semi-final.”

Tottenham will find out their semi-final opponents on Tuesday, with Leicester City, Manchester United and Chelsea in the draw with them.