We drew 3-3 against Tottenham Hotspur on a wet and windy night at Meadow Park in the FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup on Wednesday, before the game was decided with a penalty shootout, which we won 4-3 thanks to Jen Beattie's winning strike.
Martha Thomas gave the away side the lead but we responded instantly through Stina Blackstenius. Jessica Naz put Spurs ahead again but we equalised once more, this time courtesy of Frida Maanum.
Naz got her brace early in the second half but Amy Turner’s own goal reduced the arrears once more.
What happened
We came close to an opener in the 16th minute when Noelle Maritz’s cross was deflected onto the crossbar, before Spurs went up the other and and Thomas headed into the bottom right corner from an Ashleigh Neville cross.
Just one minute later, Maanum’s cross from the right was cushioned past Barbora Votikova at the near post by Blackstenius for 1-1.
Katie McCabe almost scored what would’ve likely been the goal of the season when she attempted a volley from about 30 yards out, but Votikova did well to get back and tip the ball over the bar.
With half an hour played, Thomas played the ball through to Naz and she tucked it between Sabrina D’Angelo’s legs.
Our goalkeeper reacted well to get down to a deflected Celin Bizet strike moments later, before a Kyra Cooney-Cross solo run culminated in a shot straight at Votikova.
We equalised again though in the 37th minute. Cooney-Cross, who was pulling the strings and dictating the play throughout the first half, spotted a brilliant run from McCabe, charging down the left. All that was left to do for our flying full-back was put the ball across for Maanum to tap in.
Kathrine Kuhl saw a volley go over the bar with half-time approaching and Cloe Lacasse than failed to test Votikova after the ball had been played out right to her by Vivianne Miedema and the two sides went into the break level.
The second half got off to a disappointing start as we gave the ball away to Bizet and she found Naz, who slotted the ball into the bottom left corner.
Kuhl shot straight at Votikova after Spurs gave the ball away in a dangerous area, before Jonas Eidevall made his first two changes of the evening, replacing McCabe and Miedema with Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord respectively.
Catley almost made an instant impact with a corner kick that Votikova spilled, but the last touch came off of a red shirt and the ball went out for a Tottenham goal kick before Spurs gave the ball away and our other substitute, Foord, shot wide of the bottom right.
Rosella Ayane broke free on the counter-attack at the other end but her cross evaded Naz as Spurs looked for a fourth.
With just over 20 minutes remaining, we equalised for the third time when a Cooney-Cross free-kick was headed in courtesy of a Turner own goal.
In the 72nd minute, Eidevall introduced Beth Mead in place of Lacasse, as well as Victoria Pelova, who came on for Maanum.
Foord tried her luck from distance with seven minutes to go before Kuhl came off for Alessia Russo as we continued to hunt for a winning goal.
Mead's free-kick was caught by Votikova as we looked like the side most likely to get a late winner, but it wasn't to be and the game would have to be decided on penalties.
In the penalty shootout, D’Angelo saved the opening spot-kick from Naz, before Russo scored into the bottom right corner.
Ayane pulled one back for Spurs but Mead put us ahead again, before Kit Graham smashed one onto the bar.
Catley then found the back of the net for 3-1 to us and Shelina Zadorsky made it 3-2.
Foord’s penalty was saved before Ramona Petzelberger scored an equalising penalty.
Beattie then scored the winning penalty.
What it means
We go top of Group D, one point ahead of Spurs.
Team news
Arsenal starting XI: D'Angelo, Maritz, Beattie, Codina, McCabe (Catley 61), Kuhl (Russo 84), Cooney-Cross, Lacasse (Mead 72), Maanum (Pelova 72), Blackstenius, Miedema (Foord 61).
Subs: Zinsberger, Wubben-Moy, Walti, Ilestedt.
Tottenham Hotspur starting XI: Votikova, James (Ale 73), Buhler (Turner 46), Bartrip, Neville (Zadorsky 59), Petzelberger, Graham, Thomas (Ayane 49), Bizet (Percival 59), Naz, Clinton.
Subs: Spencer, England, Linyan, Pearse.
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