[Sports] Spurs' Thomas relishing second FA Cup final

[Wolf.17]

 

Before the ball hit the back of the net in the 118th minute against Leicester City, Martha Thomas experienced a feeling she wants to bottle up for the rest of her football career.

The Tottenham striker's dramatic, extra-time header sent her side into their first ever Women's FA Cup final - but she knew she would score.

"I just felt 'I need to put the ball in the back of the net' and it sounds cliché but when it popped up in the air and I saw the defender there, I knew I was going to beat her to it," Thomas told BBC Sport.

"It would be so nice to get that feeling all the time but it’s not something you can force.

"It meant the world. To win that game and get to the final was huge. You could see the pride and emotions on everyone’s faces afterwards."

Tottenham's reward for their 2-1 win over Leicester City is a showpiece final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday against Manchester United.

There will be a new winner in the competition outside of the Women's Super League's top three - Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City - for the first time since Birmingham City's victory in 2012.

Scotland forward Thomas hopes it will be Spurs and her parents, who live in America, are flying over early to be there at Wembley in anticipation.

"It would be more than the icing on the cake if we win. It would be so big. We’re so hungry to do it. It’s such an exciting opportunity for us," said Thomas, 27.

"When I first came in here, it was a new project. [Manager] Robert Vilahamn wanted to bring his ideas. For the players that were here last year, I’m sure they can feel the jump.

"They were fighting relegation and now they’re competing with teams fighting for the top four spots in the league and in an FA Cup final.

"It would be such a rewarding statement for the club [if we won]."

While it is Spurs' first appearance in the FA Cup final, it is the second successive year Thomas has been involved.

She came on as a late substitute for Manchester United in their 1-0 defeat by Chelsea but hopes she will play a more starring role against her former club this time around.

"When I was at Manchester United last year that was the first final they had played in, so that was big at the time," said Thomas.

"Again, now with Tottenham, we’ve made it to the final and it will obviously be the first year a team other than Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea have won it for a long time.

"It’s an exciting spectacle and I’m looking forward to hopefully having a bigger role in it this year than I had last year."

Thomas has had an impressive season since leaving United, scoring 10 goals in 24 matches for Tottenham, including the winner in the semi-final.

She struggled for regular game time under Marc Skinner, who will lead United at Wembley on Sunday, but Thomas says she did not feel she needed to prove a point upon signing for Spurs.

"I think it was more that I needed to find somewhere I would enjoy playing football again," said Thomas.

"Towards the end of last season and a lot of times at United, it just wasn’t bringing me the love that I’ve always had for the game. That happens sometimes.

"It just means it maybe wasn’t the right fit. It was important to find somewhere I was motivated to come to training every day, wanted to get the best out of myself, wanted to improve and wanted to fight on the pitch.

"I wanted to be rewarded for that by playing and scoring goals. It wasn’t so much I wanted to prove myself but more about finding the love for the game again."

You can watch Manchester United v Tottenham in Sunday's final live on BBC One from 13:50 BST.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c0x0vgqj8w1o