Reading book themselves into the quarter-finals with shootout success!
Following a positive performance from Reading throughout the 120 minutes, the game needed penalties to find a winner and after five perfect spot kicks Wade tucked home the decisive penalty.
A bright start from the Royals, with Rowe seeing two opportunities to shoot from range. At the second time of asking she managed to get more time for a shot, but the keeper managed to get down low to get on top of the ball. Moments later, Rowe had another sight at goal, as she tried to redirect Woodham’s ball in but struggled to generate any power on the header.
Five minutes in, Royals appealed for a penalty as Wellings appeared to be clipped before shooting, but the referee was quick to wave away the protests.
Despite dictating the opening 10 minutes, Spurs had the clearest chance, a long ball played forward by Korpela set Bizet through, but her effort went straight at Moloney.
After a flurry of early chances for both sides, the game came to a more natural tempo, with both sides seeing plenty of possession waiting for an opening. Tottenham created the next big chance as Mukandi was caught on the ball on the halfway line, and Spurs looked to exploit the space. The ball found its way to Neville on the left, but her low shot across the box missed the target.
A few moments later, Bizet’s audaciously looked to turn in a threatening ball, but couldn’t generate enough power to trouble Moloney. We instantly responded with a chance of our own, as Rowe slipped Wellings in down the left and cut inside, but the effort at the end of it was tame and Korpela could easily collect.
As we approached the half an hour mark, it was clear to see that Tottenham were happy for Reading to control majority of the ball and wait for the chance to break. For Reading, the chances were coming, but struggled to find the final pass.
Moore almost gave us the breakthrough with a well-executed shot from range, it looked destined for the bottom corner but Korpela once again managed to scurry across to deny.
Moloney hadn’t had too much to do in the first half, but was quick to read the danger and rush off her line as Bizet was slipped in behind, but the Royals keeper got to the ball first.
Spence’s long range effort, five minutes before the end, almost caught everybody off guard but thankfully the effort whistled wide – would have been some goal.
The best chance of the half fell for Reading, right before the break, as Eikeland did superbly to pick out Wellings in the six yard box, but unfortunately she couldn’t make a clean contact on the ball and the effort just bobbled its way into the thankful arms of Korpela.
Half-time: Tottenham 0 - 0 Reading
A fast start to the half from Tottenham as Neville gets away down the left, and looks to swing in a low ball across the box but no one in a white shirt was there to put home.
Reading responded fell, finding space down the left also creating two opportunities to cross. Both Woodham & Vanhaevermaet looked to open up the Tottenham defence, but both balls in failed to find a Reading shirt.
Reading came out the blocks fast with their press, and soon resulted in winning the ball back high, giving Mukandi the chance to have an effort on goal but the effort went straight down the throat of the Spurs keeper.
Chances came thick and fast for the Royals, this time through a quick break with Rowe, Wellings & Eikeland all combining, before the opening fell for Wellings but again the effort didn’t trouble Korpela.
Unusual for the game, but chances had dried up for ten minutes, but with just over an hour on the clock a glorious opportunity presented itself for Reading. An inch perfect freekick played into the box by Rowe, looked destined for Wellings to finish within the six yard box, but somehow the Spurs defender got across to clear.
Despite Reading’s continued dominance in the second half, the game was still very much in the balance as we entered the final 15 minutes, and Spurs offered a reminder that they were dangerous on the break as another whipping ball flashed across Moloney’s goal, but luckily for Reading no one for the hosts was there to tuck home.
As the minutes ticked by, both sides pushed for what would be the winner and a place into the quarterfinals. A freekick presented the chance to throw bodies forward for Reading, as Rowe’s delivery once again asked question of Tottenham’s backline. The found its way to Troelsgaard who on the half-volley just to direct goalwards, but couldn’t keep the effort on target.
But at the end of 90 minutes, the sides couldn’t be separated, but we went into extra time.
Full-time: Tottenham 0 - 0 Reading
Extra Time
It was Tottenham who started the better of the two sides in extra time, as Ayane’s curling effort from the edge of the box required Moloney to get down low and turn behind for a corner. The corner led to nothing.
A quick response from Reading though, as Rowe did well to turn and play in Wade on the left hand side of the box, but she couldn’t keep her effort down and it sailed over.
There weren’t too many chances in the first half, but Reading could have, and perhaps should have, got the first goal in the game at the end. Rowe once again found Wade on the left, a similar position to the beginning of the half, this time she keeps her effort low but straight at Korpela.
Half-time (AET): Tottenham 0 - 0 Reading
A rare mistake from Mayi Kith gave a glorious chance for Spence, a mishit clearance looked destined to be tucked home, but instead Spence blasted over.
Mukandi came agonisingly close to threading an inch perfect ball into Rowe’s path, but it was inches away from her control and Korpela gratefully came out to claim.
With five minutes left, both sides were acting on the side of caution, as neither wanted to lose it so late on.
Reading had a late scare as Tottenham pressed and won the ball back high, Spence found space on the penalty spot to work a shot, but Mayi Kith read the danger and got across brilliantly. It was some debut from Easther!
After 120 minutes, the sides still couldn’t be separated, so if Reading were to progress it was going to be through penalties…
Full-time (AET): Tottenham 0 - 0 Reading
Penalties:
Spurs: Spence, Graham, Harrop (miss), Bizet, Ayana
Reading: Vanhaevermaet, Mukandi, Eikeland, Troelsgaard, Wade
WADE WINS IT ON PENALTIES!!! Reading go into the quarter-final draw.
Tottenham: Korpela, Turner, Bartrip, Harrop, Karczewska (Graham 11’ ET), Ale (Ubogagu 54’), Bizet, James, Iwabuchi (Ayane 84’), Spence, Neville
Unused Subs: Zadorski, Houghton, Gunning-Williams, Spencer
Yellow: Spence (90+2’), Harrop (20’ ET)
Reading: Moloney (GK), Mukandi, Evans (Caldwell 11’ ET), Wellings (Alexander 15’ ET), Eikeland, Harries (Wade 60’), Mayi Kith, Moore (Troelsgaard 82’), Rowe, Vanhaevermaet, Woodham (Bryson 82’)
Unused Subs: Burns, Hendrix