Tottenham Women ace Barbora Votikova wows in historic North London derby win
Spurs’ ladies made history at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday (16 December) as they earned their first-ever victory over Arsenal Women.
It has been a torrid few weeks for Robert Vilahamn and his players, but if there was ever a way to prove you are the right man for the job and bounce back, a historic win against your fiercest rivals is certainly not a bad way of doing just that.
Following a 7-0 loss against Manchester City Women and a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester United Women, it is fair to say there were a few question marks over whether or not Spurs were ready to step up and compete with the WSL’s top sides.
Those questions were answered emphatically against the Gunners, with a flawless defensive display and seventh WSL goal of the season for Martha Thomas capping off a historic afternoon in north London as the club recorded arguably their greatest win with the 1-0 victory over Jonas Eidevall’s side.
It is a victory that acts as a statement and sends out a message to the rest of the WSL that Tottenham Women are poised and ready to hit new heights.
A 3-3 cup draw with Arsenal during the week showed promise, and the win just a few days later sealed that promise.
While Thomas’ strike in the 58th minute proved to be the decisive moment, it was the performances of those across the backline that decided the match. As expected, Arsenal dominated the majority of the ball and chances, registering over 30 shots, but found themselves up against an inspired shot-stopper in the form of Barbora Votikova.
The former PSG goalkeeper made eight saves, with five of those coming from inside the box, and was successful with her one venture outside of the penalty area (Sofascore).
The performances of those in front of her certainly helped, with Molly Bartrip in particular standing out. The centre-back made four clearances, two tackles, blocked two shots and made one interception, while she also won both of her ground duels and one of her two aerial duels.
On the ball she was efficient, playing five accurate long balls forward and completing 82 per cent of her passes.
Full-backs Angharad James and Ashleigh Neville stood up to the task, making seven tackles between them, while Amy Turner, who replaced the injured Luana Buhler after just 19 minutes, got up to speed quickly, making three clearances as she stood strong alongside her fellow defenders.
It is a win which throws Spurs back into the mix in the WSL, moving them three points behind Liverpool Women and Manchester United Women, but more importantly, it was a historic moment which could be looked back on in years to come as a turning point in the club’s history.
In other Tottenham news, one BBC pundit is keen for the club to get a deal across the line for an “absolute goalscorer” in January.