It was another late showing from Robert Vilahamn’s side as Jess Naz netted a late winner to ensure we began our Women’s League Cup campaign with a 2-1 victory over Charlton Athletic on Wednesday evening.
Defender Luana Bühler opened the scoring inside the opening stages of the game as she headed home her first goal in our colours but, on the stroke of half time, Katie Bradley grabbed an equaliser as she converted Ellie Brazil’s low cross.
After a relatively quiet second half, with both sides struggling to carve out many opportunities, it looked destined that the game would be heading to a penalty shootout for an extra point at The Valley before Naz, who was introduced midway through the second half, showed composure four minutes from time to fire home the winning goal.
The home side were inches from finding a leveller deep in injury-time as Gloria Siber struck the woodwork, but we withstood Charlton’s late pressure to earn three points in the opening game of the group.
Robert Vilahamn made eight changes to his starting XI that faced Aston Villa at the weekend as goalkeeper Katelin Talbert was handed her debut, replacing Becky Spencer, while Karen Hills, who spent over a decade with us as manager, named two former Spurs players - Brazil and Gracie Pearse - in their line-up.
It took us just eight minutes to break the deadlock in east London as Matilda Vinberg's free-kick on the far right was met by Bühler at the back post and she headed home our first Women’s League Cup goal of the campaign. Lenna Gunning-Williams was then inches away from doubling our lead moments later as her effort from the edge of the box skimmed the top of the netting.
Maite Oroz, who was making her third consecutive start since joining from Real Madrid, sent a volley narrowly wide of the target, while the home side carved out their first opportunity just after the half hour mark, but Brazil’s looping header was routine for Talbert. However, in the final minute of the first half, Charlton found the leveller as Brazil advanced to the byline before cutting the ball back to Katie Bradley inside the box and she slotted home from six yards out.
Chances were few and far between after the break, although Charlotte Grant, who was picked out by a lovely pass from Olga Ahtinen, curled a low left-footed effort just wide of the far post. Vilahamn then made a triple substitution on 68 minutes which saw Araya Dennis come on for her competitive debut, but it was the introduction of Naz that would have a significant impact in the closing stages in SE7.
With just four minutes left on the clock, Drew Spence sent a low-driven pass to set our number seven through on-goal and, after setting herself perfectly with her first touch, she sent a powerful left-footed strike past Sophie Whitehouse and into the roof of net. The late drama didn’t end there as, in the third minute of injury-time, Siber saw her effort strike the outside of the post, but we held on to get off to perfect start in the group phase of the Women’s League Cup.
