Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 West Ham United women's team
Barclays Women's Super League, BetWright Stadium, Sunday 7 September 2025, 12noon BST
West Ham United women’s team fell to a narrow opening-day defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon, as a late Bethany England penalty gave the hosts a 1-0 win at BetWright Stadium.
Rehanne Skinner’s side limited their opponents to few chances before the deadlock was broken on 86 minutes, with Spurs not registering a shot on target until their captain scored from the spot, up against Megan Walsh, who replaced the injured Kinga Szemik in the West Ham goal in the second half.
An overall positive display from the Hammers saw their best chance fall to Seraina Piubel, but the Switzerland international was unable to convert Viviane Asseyi’s cross right at the start of the second half.
West Ham had to weather an early storm from the hosts, as after just two minutes, Shelina Zadorsky was on hand to turn Jessica Naz’s left-wing cross behind for a corner. The Canada international then got her head to the resulting set piece to clear away the danger.
Spurs’ bright start continued in the opening ten minutes, but the best chance they yielded saw Olivia Holdt send a harmless shot wide of Szemik’s goal.
After a few bright signs on the counter attack, the Hammers crafted their first clear-cut opportunity of the half just before the 20-minute mark. An audacious flick from Asseyi started the move, sending Verena Hanshaw clear down the left. The full-back crossed to find Piubel, but she fired a first-time effort over the bar.
That only gave the east Londoners confidence. From the following goal kick, Riko Ueki chased down Naz and won the ball back outside the area before striking off target. Then, last season’s Hammer of the Year, Asseyi, curled a shot just over the bar after cutting in intelligently from the left.
The France international was soon involved again, this time whipping in a dangerous corner that nobody in Claret and Blue could force home, with Oona Siren, Katrina Gorry and Shekiera Martinez all having stabs inside the box.
There were then opportunities for both sides at the end of the first half. A lay-off from Spurs captain England resulted in Naz clearing the crossbar from the edge of the box before Asseyi tried another right-footed curling effort from the left corner of the box, but again came whiskers away from finding the top corner.
Having finished the first period brightly, the Irons came out quickly in the second and should have opened the scoring when Asseyi’s cross to the back post found an unmarked Piubel, but the No77 couldn’t direct her strike on target.
Not long after, Szemik was called into action, tipping away Holdt’s dipping cross. But in doing so, our No1 collided with the post and couldn’t continue, and was replaced by Walsh.
Skinner then also sent on Ffion Morgan, who replaced Piubel, for her competitive debut in Claret and Blue.
The Wales international had an immediate impact, bursting down the right, but her low cross was unable to find Asseyi in the middle.
Skinner’s side kept building. After some quick passing around the edge of Spurs’ box, Hanshaw fizzed in a low cross that Tōko Koga intercepted before it rolled to Martinez.
But up the other end, with six minutes of normal time to play, referee Phoebe Cross awarded the home side a penalty when Gorry was adjudged to have fouled Eveliina Summanen inside the box. Spurs skipper England stepped up and, despite Walsh going the right way, slotted the ball home into the bottom-right corner.
The visitors were unable to conjure up a clear-cut opportunity in eight minutes of added time at the end of the second half, meaning England’s penalty was the difference between the two teams at full-time in east London.
Tottenham Hotspur: Kop, Nildén, Naz (Gunning-Williams 78), England © (Grant 98), Holdt (Graham 66), Rybrink, Hunt, Spence (Ahtinen 78), Summanen, Dennis (Tandberg 66), Koga
Subs not used: Heeps (GK), Jackson (GK), Oroz
Goal: England 86
Booked: Tandberg, Graham
West Ham United: Szemik (Walsh 56), Denton, Zadorsky, Nyström, Hanshaw, Gorry ©, Siren, Piubel (Morgan 63), Asseyi, Martinez (Paví 81), Ueki
Subs not used: Tysiak, Belloumou, Brasero, Wandeler, Houssein, Cemal
Referee: Phoebe Cross
Skinner: It's disappointing that we haven't got points based on the way we played
West Ham United manager Rehanne Skinner felt her side’s performance against Tottenham Hotspur warranted a positive result in their opening game of the Barclays Women’s Super League season.
The Hammers created some good openings at BetWright Stadium on Sunday afternoon and could have broken the deadlock. The best chance in the first half saw Spurs scramble a corner away after a melee in the box before Seraina Piubel failed to convert Viviane Asseyi’s cross from close range at the start of the second.
However, it was an 86th-minute penalty from Bethany England, Spurs’ first shot on target, that won the contest for the hosts after Katrina Gorry brought down Eveliina Summanen in the area.
The Irons boss was pleased with how her defence shut out their opponents for the majority of the contest and the way they created a number of opportunities in the final third - and hailed the support of the travelling Claret and Blue faithful, who sold out the away end.
I think we've created some fantastic chances today.
Obviously, we're bitterly disappointed to lose the game in the manner that we've lost it, when the only chance that they've had on target is from the penalty spot. That’s difficult because for us, we did create chances, and we've got to put those away. I think our best one was straight after half-time. It's a huge chance for us.
I think overall, we fought really hard, and we worked really well. I think our final ball into the final third in the first half maybe wasn't as good as what we're capable of, so that's definitely something we want to get right for the next game. It’s hugely disappointing that we haven't got points out of the game based on the way that we've played.
We limited them to few chances.
[They] didn't really break our back line. The threat in and around the (our) goal was minimal, to be honest. And so when those are the situations within the game, you're obviously really, really disappointed to then not come out of it with something, at least a point.
It would have been a really important point for us on the road as well to start the season. But look, I think based on the positives, our defensive shape and the work-rate from everybody, us getting into the final third was really positive. It's just those finishing touches.
So in terms of a progression from start to finish, I think we got better, but we just obviously want to make sure that we convert that into points.
The fans were fantastic.
We're delighted to play in front of our fans. They were unbelievable for us last year. At home, I think we were a real force to be reckoned with last year. Players take pride in that, and they want to maintain that.
It’s another London derby. I think that's going to be important, just the way that the players go about all of those games. The fans were fantastic today, and we obviously want to put on a good show for them on Friday.
Zadorsky: There's plenty of positives despite defeat
West Ham United vice-captain Shelina Zadorsky has pointed out the positives to take despite defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at BetWright Stadium on Sunday.
It was a narrow loss in east London, with the two sides only separated by a late second-half penalty, which saw Spurs captain Bethany England fire home from the spot in the 86th minute after Eveliina Summanen was brought down by Hammers skipper Katrina Gorry.
The Irons looked strong going forward, with reigning Hammer of the Year Viviane Asseyi, Seraina Piubel and new signing Ffion Morgan in particular showing flashes, but they were unable to breach the Tottenham defence.
Speaking to West Ham TV at full-time, Zadorsky said: “It's a tough one to take because I think we did so much good work in pre-season.
“There were good things today, but I think we had the goal-scoring opportunities to put the game away. As a team, we need to be better there.
“Obviously, a penalty is a tough one to go down on. We've got a game again on Friday, so we've got to learn quickly and bounce back, and we'll be ready.
“Personally, with the feeling on the pitch, I think definitely we started the second half bright too with a key chance. I thought we played some good football at times, switching the ball and finding gaps.
“They (Tottenham Hotspur) are a good team, so of course there were challenges, but I think we deserved more.
“I'm obviously a little frustrated at the moment, but when I look back, we will see how well, particularly the back line, communicated and solved problems together. I'm really happy with that.
“It's the small details in these games. So I think if we continue building on this, moving the ball forward, I think our attack will get better and better.
“I really wanted a clean sheet, but it's a learning experience, and we'll bounce back.
“It (Friday) will be a cracking atmosphere and a cracking game. It’s another London derby game, and I can't wait.”
