A stunning Sara Holmgaard equaliser was undone by a second-half penalty as Everton narrowly missed out on a point against Tottenham Hotspur with a 2-1 defeat in the WSL at the Gaughan Group Stadium.
The home side took the lead in the 25th minute through Bethany England, before Holmgaard levelled the scores with a powerful strike from distance just before the interval.
However, Tottenham regained the advantage shortly after, as England converted a dubious penalty decision.
Melissa Lawley almost ignited an early breakthrough for Everton, unleashing an audacious attempt from 35 yards that forced a diving save from WSL debutant Eleanor Heeps.
But that proved to be a rare opportunity for the Blues, as England began to pose a serious threat in the box, with a sequence of headers diverting the wrong side of the target.
Everton’s defensive unit managed to contain Tottenham’s captain early on, with solid defending from Megan Finnegan. However, England’s poaching instincts proved decisive as she slotted the ball home after Clare Hunt’s initial header wasn’t cleared.
Courtney Brosnan remained at the forefront of the action, making crucial saves to prevent efforts from Hayley Raso and Jess Naz in quick succession.
In response to Tottenham’s first half domination, Brian Sorensen made a bold move, substituting Karoline Olesen for Veatriki Sarri and Lawley for Elise Stenevik in the 37th minute.
The double-switch was followed by a near-instant equaliser as Holmgaard unleashed a powerful long-range strike that nestled into the top-left corner, after Katja Snoeijs spotted the run of the left-back.
At the opposite end of the pitch, Brosnan leapt into action to ensure the Toffees went into the break with everything balanced, making a spirited save to deny Martha Thomas’ volleyed attempt from the penalty spot, despite it looking destined to hit the roof of the net.
But the Blues didn’t have much time to build momentum in the second half before falling behind again, as Robert Vilahamn’s side were awarded a soft penalty, with England securing a brace.
The blues attempted to generate chances in response, coming closest through Veatriki Sarri, whose curling effort was blocked by a white shirt on its way towards goal, narrowly missing the far post. However, despite a determined display, they were unable to find the breakthrough.
This result leaves the Toffees just a point clear of West Ham and Leicester City, with the table remaining congested at the bottom. Their next WSL match will be a tough contest against Manchester City, who sit in second place in the league.
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