Spurs Ladies draw Manchester City in FA Cup fifth round

Played around the same time as the senior men’s side’s match against Newcastle, Tottenham Hotspur Ladies’ FA Cup fourth round win over Crystal Palace was lost this weekend. Spurs got goals from Jessica Naz, Coral-Jade Haines, and Ashleigh Neville en route to a comfortable 3-0 victory.

The good news is that Spurs are one of 16 teams left in the competition. The bad news is that the Fifth Round draw was held today, and Spurs drew a megalodon shark. Tottenham were drawn at home against Manchester City, a club that not only plays in the top tier of English club football but who came in second behind champions Chelsea.

That is, to put it mildly, a nightmare draw for Spurs. City are scary good — current Women’s Super League leaders and perennial Champions League contenders. As good as Spurs are (and they’re good), this would be like a solid, promotion-candidate Championship team like Sheffield United going up against Liverpool. Only worse, because this is a team of full professionals going up against women who have full time day jobs. Spurs could play their best football of the season and still lose. By a lot of goals.

In a competition like the FA Cup you can’t avoid the giants forever, so it’s not altogether surprising that Spurs drew a really good team, but it’s gonna be a HUGE challenge.