We Speak Soccer

Bethany England Scores Against Tottenham as Crystal Palace Win the Shootout at Brisbane Road

Bethany England scored against the club she defined, Tottenham levelled late, and Crystal Palace won the shootout 5-3 at Brisbane Road in the Subway Women’s League Cup. The night in pictures by Hanne Beeckmans, We Speak Media’s London correspondent.

Published

3 days ago

November 12, 2026

Hanne Beeckmans

Crystal Palace players celebrate at Brisbane Road during the Subway Women's League Cup match against Tottenham Hotspur. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

There are homecomings, and then there is walking back into your old ground and scoring against the club you defined. Bethany England did exactly that at Brisbane Road on Wednesday night, and when ninety minutes could not separate Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace, Palace held their nerve to win the penalty shootout 5-3 and take the extra point in the Subway Women’s League Cup. Hanne Beeckmans, We Speak Media’s London correspondent, was pitchside at Brisbane Road. This is the night in her pictures. Our full match report is here: Bethany England Scores Against Tottenham as Crystal Palace Win Shootout at Brisbane Road

The Subway Players Cup match ball on its plinth before Tottenham Hotspur Women vs Crystal Palace Women at Brisbane Road. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

The Subway Players Cup match ball on its plinth before kick off at Brisbane Road. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

A Point to Prove

The storyline was written before a ball was kicked. England left Tottenham in the summer as the club’s all time leading scorer in the Women’s Super League, with 32 goals, and as a former captain. Palace, who had never beaten Tottenham in any competition, arrived on a run of four straight defeats. The cup’s League Phase gave both sides something real to play for: a place in the top eight and the quarter finals beyond it.

Tottenham Hotspur Women and Crystal Palace Women players mark up at Brisbane Road. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

Eyes on the ball as Tottenham and Crystal Palace mark up at Brisbane Road. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

England Strikes Against Her Old Club

Twenty two minutes in, the night tilted. Molly-Mae Sharpe created the opening and England finished it, a right footed strike from the centre of the box into the bottom corner, against the club where she became the second player in WSL history to reach 90 career goals. Palace protected the lead to half time and deep into the second half, goalkeeper Shae Yanez commanding her area as Tottenham turned the screw.

Crystal Palace Women drive forward at Brisbane Road. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

Crystal Palace drive forward during the Women’s League Cup tie at Brisbane Road. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

Crystal Palace goalkeeper Shae Yanez claims a cross. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

Palace goalkeeper Shae Yanez claims a cross under pressure. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

Tottenham Refuse to Fold

Tottenham kept coming. The pressure told in the 75th minute, when substitute Julie Blakstad levelled from Toko Koga’s assist, and Brisbane Road braced for a shootout, with two points to the winner and one to the loser under the League Phase format. The battle across the ninety minutes was full blooded on both sides.

A Crystal Palace player takes a knock at Brisbane Road. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

A Palace player takes a knock in a full blooded contest at Brisbane Road. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

Crystal Palace Women and Tottenham Hotspur Women contest the midfield at Brisbane Road. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

Palace and Tottenham fight for the midfield at Brisbane Road. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

Five Kicks From Glory

Palace did not blink. Kick after kick found its mark, and when Sierra Enge stepped up and converted the decisive penalty, the shootout was won 5-3 and the extra point was theirs. It finished Tottenham Hotspur 1, Crystal Palace 1, Palace taking the shootout 5-3. The official match record is on Tottenham Hotspur’s match centre, and Sky Sports carried the full shootout sequence.

The Crystal Palace huddle, arm in arm, before the penalty shootout at Brisbane Road. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

The Palace huddle, arm in arm, before the penalty shootout. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

Jamie-Lee Napier watches the penalty shootout at Brisbane Road. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

Jamie-Lee Napier watches the shootout unfold at Brisbane Road. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

What It Means

The extra point lifts Palace level with Tottenham on eight points in the League Phase, with the top eight advancing to the quarter finals. For England, it was a night that underlined her standing in this competition’s story: a goal against her former club, on her former ground, in a Palace shirt. For Tottenham, a first defeat of any kind in this season’s competition, softened by the point the draw itself carries.

Crystal Palace celebrate taking the extra point at Brisbane Road. Photo by Hanne Beeckmans.

What Comes Next

Tottenham return to league action at home to Everton on Saturday, then resume their League Phase campaign against Leicester City on November 18. Palace host Charlton Athletic in the league on Sunday, and close their League Phase against Wolverhampton Wanderers. More of Hanne Beeckmans’ work for We Speak Media is on her author page.

Photo Gallery

All photos by Hanne Beeckmans for We Speak Media.

North Carolina Faces Virginia Sunday for the 2026 ACC Women’s Soccer Championship

Published

23 hours ago

November 14, 2026

We Speak Media

North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer players in white warmup tops laughing together on the field before a match at Dorrance Field

North Carolina chases a record 23rd ACC tournament title and Virginia chases its first since 2012 when the Tar Heels and Cavaliers meet Sunday at noon ET in Cary on ESPNU.

Second-seeded North Carolina and fifth-seeded Virginia will play for the 2026 Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship Sunday at noon ET from First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

The Tar Heels and Cavaliers will meet in the title match for the fifth time, with previous matchups in 1990, 2004, 2005 and 2019. North Carolina is 3-1 in those matchups, with UVA’s lone win coming in 2004. It will also be the first time since a No. 2 seed has faced a No. 5 seed in the final since 2012, when fifth-seeded Virginia defeated second-seeded Maryland, 4-0. That season was the last time the Cavaliers have won the ACC title.

UNC is in the ACC Championship final for the 30th time and seeks its record 23rd tournament title. The Tar Heels have dropped their last three final appearances (2020, 2022 and 2024) and have not won the ACC crown since defeating Virginia in the 2019 title match. UNC looks to become the first No. 2 seed since Florida State in 2022 to win the women’s soccer championship.

Virginia returns to the ACC title match for the first time since 2021, having won the championship twice (2004 and 2012). The Cavaliers have not allowed a goal in their last four matches and five of their last six contests. It marks the first time a team has advanced to the title match from the first round without allowing a goal since 2020.

Sunday’s final will be broadcast live on ESPNU at noon ET. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 on game day and are available online only; no walk-up sales will be available.

2026 Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship

First Round | Sunday, Nov. 8 – Campus Sites

#6 Duke 5, at #3 Wake Forest 4 (OT)
#5 Virginia 3, at #4 Florida State 0

Semifinals | Thursday, Nov. 12 – First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.)

#5 Virginia 1, #1 Notre Dame 0
#2 North Carolina 1, #6 Duke 0

Final | Sunday, Nov. 15 – First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.)

#2 North Carolina vs. #5 Virginia | Noon | ESPNU
All times Eastern

Noting ACC Women’s Soccer

• The 40th season of ACC Women’s Soccer got underway on Wednesday, August 12, while the 39th Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship concludes Sunday, November 15, with the championship final from First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

• The ACC has seven teams in the latest IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches Poll, the most of any conference.

• The poll includes No. 2 North Carolina, No. 4 Notre Dame, No. 6 Wake Forest, No. 10 Virginia, No. 12 Duke, No. 16 Florida State and No. 16 Stanford (tie). Clemson and Virginia Tech are receiving votes.

• The ACC has eight teams ranked among the top 30 in the RPI, also the most of any conference.

• The RPI top 30 includes No. 1 North Carolina, No. 5 Wake Forest, No. 7 Notre Dame, No. 11 Virginia, No. 13 Duke, No. 15 Stanford, No. 28 Florida State and No. 29 Clemson.

• Four ACC teams were named to the initial NCAA Women’s Soccer Committee Top 16, announced on Monday, October 26: No. 1 North Carolina, No. 3 Wake Forest, No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 11 Stanford.

• ACC teams have combined for 86 non-conference wins and a .801 winning percentage, both of which lead the nation.

• A total of 12 ACC standouts were named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Mid-Season Watch List, the most among all conferences. The next-closest conference had six.

• Florida State earned the ACC’s 27th national championship (24th since the ACC began sponsoring women’s soccer) a season ago, bringing the total to 33 national championships among current ACC institutions. No school outside the ACC has won more than two championships.

• The Seminoles defeated Stanford, 1-0, in the 2025 national championship match, marking the second straight year that two ACC teams met for the national title and the third consecutive championship match featuring current ACC members.