Reggae Girls Spence, Shaw shine

LONDON, England (CMC):

Reggae Girl Drew Spence bagged a brace and her Jamaica teammate Khadija Shaw continued her sizzling form with another goal, as both tasted victory in the English FA Women’s Super League (WSL) yesterday.

Midfielder Spence, 30, showed great footwork to score on the brink of half-time and again in the 58th minute, when she received the ball in the penalty area from Ashleigh Neville, swivelled, and smashed it past goalkeeper Megan Walsh, as ruthless Tottenham Hotspur crushed Brighton & Hove Albion 8-0, with four goals in each half at Broadfield Stadium.

The win lifted visitors Tottenham to fifth in the table, one place below Manchester City on goal difference after 25-year-old forward Shaw set City on the way to a 2-1 win over Liverpool with the 21st-minute opener at Academy Stadium.

Substitute Hayley Raso scored the winner for City on 75 minutes, pouncing six minutes after coming on to restore City’s lead following Liverpool striker Katie Stengel’s equaliser in the first half for the visitors.

Shaw went into the match in stunning form for City, having scored a brace in each of their past two league victories over Leicester and Tottenham.

A player full of confidence, Shaw took her goal well, calmly placing it past goalkeeper Rachael Laws into the far corner after Lauren Hemp slid the ball precisely through a wall of Liverpool defenders.

It was Shaw’s eighth goal in all competitions this season, including six in the league.

Liverpool, who were promoted to the WSL after winning the Championship last season, now sit in 10th place following four successive defeats, while City are building momentum with three wins in a row, despite losing their first two matches.