Aston Villa Women suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat away to Tottenham Hotspur in the Women's Super League on Sunday. The loss leaves the side 13th in the table with just two points from their opening four matches.
After a goalless first half where Villa frustrated the hosts, the game unravelled after the break. Victoria Pelova opened the scoring in the 54th minute and completed her brace with a second goal in the 73rd. Further strikes from Caitlin Dijkstra and Cathinka Tandberg in the final ten minutes sealed a comprehensive victory for Spurs.
Tottenham dominated possession and chances throughout, finishing with 35 shots to Villa's six. Manager Martin Ho described it as one of his side's best performances since he took charge. "I'm really proud of the group," Ho said. "I think that's probably our best performance in the time I've been here."
For Villa, the defensive structure that held firm for an hour completely collapsed. The team now has the league's joint-worst defensive record, having conceded ten goals this season.
The defeat extends a difficult start to the campaign, with Villa's recent form reading LDLD. They are ten points adrift of leaders Manchester City. Natalia Arroyo's side must regroup quickly, with a home fixture against Crystal Palace next on the fixtures list on 4 October. The visitors currently sit eighth, offering a chance for Villa to stop the slide and find some momentum.
