Tottenham Hotspur Women

The 31-year-old, twice a Women's World Cup winner, left Tottenham last month after a three-month playing spell in England.

Although London has become a coronavirus hot spot, Morgan says she was back in the USA when the virus struck.

She wrote on Twitter: "Unfortunately, my family and I closed out 2020 learning that we had contracted Covid while in California over the holidays.

"We are all in good spirits and recovering well. After our isolation is completed, I will follow US Soccer's return to play guidelines to ensure my body is fully recovered and I can join my team-mates back on the field soon. Be safe and happy new year."

Morgan is married to former LA Galaxy and Orlando City footballer Servando Carrasco, and they celebrated a sixth wedding anniversary on December 31. Their first child was born last May.

The USWNT great signed for Spurs in September, having not played since August 2019 due to pregnancy and the disruption caused by the pandemic.

She made five appearances for Spurs in all competitions, scoring two goals. Morgan is a two-time Women's World Cup winner and has scored 107 goals in 170 appearances for the USA.

Morgan is expected to resume her club career with the Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), ahead of playing at the Tokyo Olympics.

Orlando retained the 31-year-old forward's NWSL rights when she made the short-term move to Tottenham.

The USWNT star signed for Spurs in September, having not played since August 2019 due to pregnancy and the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The 31-year-old, twice a Women's World Cup winner, will head back to the USA when the first half of the Women's Super League season has concluded.

She made five appearances for Spurs in all competitions, scoring two goals.

"I will be forever grateful to the club, my team-mates and Spurs supporters for taking such good care of me and my family," she said via a statement issued by the club.

"From the moment I arrived in London, I realised I was part of a first-class organisation, one that helped provide me the opportunity to immerse myself back into the game I love.

"Thank you to everyone who helped make this chapter in my soccer journey so special... COYS."

Spurs' head of women's football Heather Cowan said: "We were delighted at the start of the season when Alex chose us as her club to help regain fitness and take her first steps back into competitive football after giving birth earlier this year.

"It has been a pleasure to have Alex with us during this period and the whole squad has taken a lot from working every day with someone at the top of the women's game.

"We wish Alex all the best for the future both at club and international level as she prepares to return back home with her family. She will always be welcome here at Spurs."

Over 50,000 fans are expected at Emirates Stadium for Saturday's north London derby, as WSL clubs seek to build on the shining success of England's home Euro 2022 triumph.

A record crowd for any European Championship fixture – men's or women's – was set at Wembley when 87,192 spectators saw the Lionesses beat Germany after extra time on July 31.

Now the Gunners are poised for a bumper crowd of their own, and Eidevall was keen to highlight there had been no fudging the numbers with the impressive ticket take-up.

"It's 50,000 sold tickets," he said. "They're not giveaways, they're not discounted, they're sold tickets. I think that's really special, because that means the interest there, it is for real.

"The investment the team has done, but also all the past generations to take us to this stage here, that is phenomenal. We want to make the most of it tomorrow, so it can happen more freely."

The previous record was the £200,000 paid by Chelsea to Manchester United in 2021 for Lauren James, sister of the Blues' men's player Reece James.

The biggest fee paid for a women's player in world football was the reported £350,000 (€397,000) spent by Barcelona to sign midfielder Keira Walsh from Manchester City in September.

England has signed a three-year deal with Spurs, who are eighth in the Women's Super League, 18 points behind table-topping Chelsea with a game in hand.

A part of the England squad that won the European Championships last year, the 28-year-old has scored 11 goals in 21 appearances for the Lionesses.

England spent seven years at Chelsea, scoring 74 goals in 164 appearances and winning nine major trophies.

In the semi-final encounter played at the Academy Stadium Jess Park put City up 1-0 in the 21^st minute before Shaw doubled the lead in the 27^thafter she tapped into an empty net after Caroline Weir’s shot took a deflection following a terrific run from Lauren Hemp.

Shaw, who celebrated her 25^th birthday on Monday, January 31, actually had a chance to open the scoring when she surged into the box early in the game but she shot past goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer but wide of the far post.

Hemp sealed the victory in the 71^st minute to send City into the final set for March 5.

Spurs host Women’s Super League rivals Leicester at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday in the Women’s FA Cup semi-final and the winner will play at the national stadium for the first time on May 12.

Tottenham won last month’s league meeting between the sides, but the long-serving Naz is determined to ensure the squad’s unwavering belief does not turn into complacency.

“The excitement was there when we got through, but we’ve got to hone down and make sure we turn up on the day,” London-born Naz told the PA news agency.

“It’s one more step to the final. Playing at the stadium will be great. In front of the fans, it will give us another source of energy to go out there, play our football and hopefully win.

“We have got the quality to win a trophy this season. The FA Cup would be a great way to start and then we’ll grow in the league.”

It has been a dramatic cup journey for Spurs, which mirrors the career of Naz given she recently made her 97th appearance for the club but has also fought back from a serious knee injury in 2019.

Tottenham were two down to Sheffield United in round four before scoring a stoppage-time winner. Charlton, another Championship opponent, were narrowly negotiated next before they faced title-chasing Manchester City for a fourth time this season.

After three previous losses by a 10-0 aggregate score, the odds were stacked against Spurs, but captain Bethany England hit a stoppage-time leveller before Becky Spencer’s penalty shootout heroics secured a semi-final berth.

It means Tottenham are one win away from playing at Wembley, something that has always been a dream for Naz – although one that has felt far away at times.

Born into a football-mad family, some of the earliest memories Naz has of the sport are being forced to watch her brothers play from the touchline after she was denied the chance to join in with their team.

Everything changed aged eight when she caught the eye of Tottenham scouts before she spent her teenage years in Arsenal’s academy.

The decision to return to Spurs paid off when she scored the goal to fire them into the WSL in 2019, but disaster struck when she ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament and missed the whole of the 2019-20 campaign.

“At the time, I didn’t even know what ACL or MCLs were until I did it,” Naz said.

“I had just come back from the Under-19 Euros so was on a high. It was pre-season, we had just got promoted and it was a dream come true but then it came crashing down.

“It was a long, long recovery but the belief I had – and with the staff helping – got me through.

“There has been ups and downs along the way still with injuries, but I think this season I’ve been in a really good place.

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“I feel confident, which is the best thing for me because when I feel confident I play my best.”

Naz has eight goal involvements from 25 appearances this season, form which puts her in contention for an England call-up.

She added: “Going through the age groups from under-15s all the way through to under-23s, it would be a great honour to represent England.

“I’ll just keep pushing and hopefully it comes.

“When you are younger, going to FA Cup games or watching England play, it is definitely a dream place to play. It would be great to play there one day.”

That is according to Tottenham defender Kerys Harrop, who told Stats Perform she is expecting the 2021-22 campaign to be the "most exciting yet".

Stoney departed United at the end of last season after steering the club into the top flight and then to successive fourth-placed finishes in the WSL across her three years in charge.

The Red Devils have opted for an experienced replacement, with former Birmingham City and Orlando Pride boss Marc Skinner taking the reins.

United led the way at the top of the division come the end of last year, but hampered by injury issues they slipped down to fourth, one point behind third-placed Arsenal.

United States duo Tobin Heath and Christen Press have departed, while Jessica Sigsworth, Amy Turner, Lauren James and  Abbie McManus have also moved on.

But with Hannah Blundell, Aoife Mannion, Sophie Baggaley, Martha Thomas and Vilde Boe Risa all arriving, Harrop believes United can possibly go one better this time around.

"I think it's realistic ambition for them and certainly what Marc and the players I know there, former team-mates of mine, want," Harrop said.

"And then you've still got other teams like ourselves at Tottenham and you have got Brighton, who will be wanting to push on this year as well, Everton too.

"I know we say every year that it's going to be the most exciting season yet. But I believe it actually will be. 

"Everton have invested as well as us, even Villa to an extent as well. So I think it's going to be really important for this game for the top three places.

"But certainly in and around the top half of the league, I think it's going to be really interesting and really exciting."

Skinner was widely praised for his work at Birmingham, whom he led to the FA Cup final in 2017 and to fourth in the table in the WSL in 2019.

The 38-year-old finished bottom of the National Women's Soccer League in his first season with Orlando before a more promising start to the 2021 campaign.

Harrop was part of the Birmingham side that achieved success under Skinner and expects her former manager to be a success on his return to the English game.

"It was really tough to see when he got the job [with Orlando]," Harrop said. 

"You know, he kind of went out to Orlando and got that experience, but I think deep down he'd always wanted to manage in the WSL. 

"I think he's got a quite unique style of play, certainly from when I was under him at Birmingham. And he's well respected. I know he'll get the best out of all the players there. 

"That's certainly what he did with us at Birmingham. It's going to be interesting to see whether his style has changed since being out in America. 

"He was quite adamant on the way that he wanted his teams play."

Harrop is entering her second season as a Tottenham player and has made the third-most appearances of any player in WSL history.

Spurs finished eighth in the top flight in 2020-21, but Harrop is hopeful of challenging United for a Champions League berth this coming season in their first full campaign under Rehanne Skinner.

"I definitely think we will improve," she said. "You know, we've already kind of stayed ourselves and we want at least a top four finish, if not higher. 

"Rhian's recruited well. She's bought in a lot of good new quality, kind of international signings really. Every year you want to improve but I think realistically we can definitely develop on last season. 

"I think just having Rhian in from the beginning will help. Last season she came in in January, so it was a lot harder for her to kind of implement all her tactics and her style of play. 

"This year we've had everyone together from the beginning of pre-season in terms of her and the coaching staff. So hopefully there will be a bit of flow to the league this year."

United suffered a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea Women in the final of this competition last term but exacted revenge after Lucia Garcia scored twice in a comfortable win on Sunday.

Ella Toone's eye-catching strike in the first half set the tone before a goal for Rachel Williams and Garcia's double added gloss to a convincing scoreline, despite Beth England hitting the crossbar for Spurs.

Marc Skinner's side dominated the opening half as Millie Turner saw a header cleared off the line by Martha Thomas, while Williams headed over.

However, there was no stopping Toone on the stroke of half-time as she exchanged passes with Lisa Naalsund before arrowing a rocketed right-footed finish into the top corner from the edge of the area.

Further punishment followed for an underwhelming Tottenham after the interval when Williams headed down from Katie Zelem's free-kick to double United's lead in the 54th minute.

Goalkeeper Becky Spencer then handed Skinner's team more joy just three minutes later, mindlessly playing straight to Garcia, who slotted into an empty net.

Garcia capped the scoring after 74 minutes, receiving an offload from Turner before curling a delightful finish past the powerless Spencer as United secured their first major trophy in club history.

Data Debrief: United ease pain of last year

United fell short last year against Chelsea but continued their impressive record against Spurs here, extending to 13 games unbeaten against Tottenham since being founded in 2018.

This defeat will remain painful for Spurs in their first FA Cup final appearance, also ending a seven-game undefeated streak since losing to rivals Arsenal at the start of March.

A high crowd at the Emirates was significantly larger than the previous record – set when 38,262 people watched the same two sides face off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November 2019.

Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall said the match would represent a historic moment for the women's game on Friday, declaring: "They're not giveaways, they're not discounted, they're sold tickets.

"I think that's really special, because that means the interest there, it is for real."

Those in attendance at the Emirates on Saturday were not disappointed, as Vivianne Miedema's brace, as well as goals from Beth Mead and Rafaelle, fired Eidevall's side to a dominant win.

Miedema's tally of eight goals against Spurs is a WSL record, while Arsenal have become the first team in the competition's history to keep eight consecutive clean sheets after shutting their rivals out.

The landmark occasion represents another high-point for the women's game in England.

A record crowd for any European Championship fixture – men's or women's – was set at Wembley Stadium when 87,192 watched the Lionesses win their first major trophy by beating Germany on July 31.

The Red Devils swept aside Tottenham Women with a 4-0 victory at Wembley Stadium as Ella Toone and Rachel Williams were on target before Lucia Garcia's second-half double.

United missed out in the final of the Women's FA Cup last season, losing to Chelsea 1-0, but produced an emphatic response to secure the first major trophy in their history.

Having lost in Champions League qualifying, suffered group-stage elimination in the League Cup and sitting fifth in the Women's Super League, Skinner was delighted with his side's response in the capital.

The United boss told BBC One: "We are obviously not where we want in the league, right? But we are history-makers for Manchester United.

"I didn't need to remind the owners of that, they know. There is a lot of support and love for our team and the growth.

"We want to compete for titles but you all know how important adding that first piece of silverware is. We've got nothing but growth ahead."

Toone provided the first moment of magic with a rocketed right-footed finish into the top corner from the edge of the area, setting the tone on the stroke of half-time after a dominant opening 45 minutes.

"In all honesty, I felt that first half was just frustration because we didn't score, I thought we offered more of a threat, we controlled most of their threat," Skinner added.

"As much as I am exhausted now, it is a magical feeling. Tooney scored one of those goals at Leicester but it is another thing to do it at Wembley.

"I told her on the podium you have to feel it, remember it because it comes and goes too quick, and that is what she did. Congratulations to her and the team, we are FA Cup winners."

Williams added the second with her headed finish after 54 minutes, though the United forward admitted this season has been far below usual standards.

"We don't like to admit it but it does mask over the issues we've had," Williams told BBC One.

"We have had some ups and downs this year. That's for Marc [Skinner] and the backroom staff to be like 'right this is what we have to do in the summer'.

"We are going to have change things next year. We have had some injuries, three or four ACLs, at the start of the season. That's football, teams go through transition.

"You have a good year, you have a dip. Next year we might just come back bigger, better and stronger and who knows we might just be lifting the league."

Spurs had switched this semi-final tie to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and an attendance of 18,078 was recorded, but the visitors threatened to be party poopers when Jutta Rantala smashed home in the 12th minute.

It looked like being the winner for a Leicester side heavily affected by off-the-field matters this season with Willie Kirk sacked in March and Jennifer Foster in interim charge, but Jess Naz forced extra-time with seven minutes of normal time left.

And Robert Vilahamn’s team produced a dramatic finale when substitute Thomas headed home for her 10th goal of the campaign to send Tottenham through to next month’s final and earn them a first trip to Wembley.

These teams had met last month in a low-key Women’s Super League encounter at Brisbane Road, but Spurs switched this fixture to the men’s stadium and it was given the big-match treatment.

Home fans waved flags as the players entered the pitch, but Leicester almost silenced an expectant crowd inside three minutes only for Sam Tierney to lob wide after she spotted Becky Spencer off her line.

Tottenham soon settled with Grace Clinton pulling the strings and she sent Celin Bizet away for two fine chances, but the Norway international was denied by the legs of Lize Kop before she lifted another effort over.

But it was the visitors who took the lead.

The ball broke for CJ Bott, who recycled possession out to Rantala and she cut inside and unleashed a powerful left-footed strike from 18 yards past Spencer.

It was nearly 2-0 after 16 minutes when Deanne Rose burst down the left and crossed for Tierney, but her weak effort was saved by Spurs goalkeeper Spencer.

Chances were few and far between until Eveliina Summanen headed over from close range after an Amanda Nilden corner, but Leicester’s Lena Petermann had got a slight touch to the ball to put off the Finnish midfielder.

Leicester had penalty appeals waved away when Rose tangled with Ashleigh Neville in the area before the lively Foxes attacker fired wide as it remained 1-0 at the break.

The second period was seconds old when Rantala found Petermann inside the area, but Spurs defender Luana Buhler made a vital block.

Tottenham responded with captain Bethany England and Nilden firing off target before a corner by the latter set up an opportunity for Summanen, but she blazed over from six yards.

Vilahamn had seen enough and introduced top goalscorer Thomas with 23 minutes of normal time left before Kit Graham was also sent on.

The final roll of the dice by Vilahamn was a triple substitution in the 77th-minute and six minutes later they levelled.

It was a moment to forget for ex-Spurs midfielder Josie Green who failed to clear England’s long ball forward and Naz showed supreme composure to slot into the corner.

That goal sparked a dramatic finale with Leicester substitute Shannon O’Brien denied by Spencer, but that was bettered by Kop, who produced an excellent finger-tip save to thwart Tottenham’s Thomas deep into stoppage-time.

Extra-time was required and the visitors were inches away from a second when Rantala’s 99th-minute free-kick rattled the crossbar after a key Spencer save.

It proved decisive as with minutes left, substitute Matilda Vinberg’s whipped cross was flicked on by Buhler for Thomas to head home and spark wild celebrations in Tottenham.

Two-time World Cup winner Morgan has signed for the 2020-21 season, subject to obtaining a visa, which will be Spurs' second as a professional side in the WSL.

The 31-year-old attacker will arrive from Orlando Pride ahead of the Fall Series and the team will retain her NWSL rights upon her return.

Morgan, who will be reunited with Pride loanees Alanna Kennedy and Shelina Zadorsky in north London, has not played competitively since giving birth to her daughter in May.

Pride head coach Marc Skinner said: "We understand and support Alex heading to England in order to obtain more match and training opportunities.

"Returning to play has been a long time coming for Alex and, as a player that is looking to not only get back to match fitness but also compete for an Olympic roster spot, the additional months of games and training beyond the NWSL's October 17 end date is right for her."

Morgan has won 169 caps and scored 107 goals for the USA, with whom she won gold at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

She is the latest USA international to join a team in the WSL, after Manchester United brought in Tobin Heath and Christen Press, and Manchester City signed Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis.

Her only previous stint in Europe came with Lyon in 2017, when she won a league, cup and Champions League treble.

Morgan has made the FIFPro World 11 on three occasions and placed third in the 2019 Ballon d'Or voting.

Spurs were hammered 4-0 by Manchester United Women in Sunday's Wembley Stadium showpiece as Ella Toone and Rachel Williams were on target before Lucia Garcia's second-half double.

Vilahamn's side failed to manage a shot on target but the Spurs boss suggested his team will catch up to the women's elite clubs.

"The main thing I said was this is not the end, it is the beginning," Vilahamn said.

"We still have a gap between us and the top teams but that's normal. We are closing the gap but we haven't closed the gap yet."

Tottenham finished sixth in the Women's Super League as well as reaching this final, their first FA Cup showpiece appearance in their short history.

Vilahamn wants his Spurs players to use this defeat as motivation going forward.

"If you take away the feelings right now, you need to look at these players doing some incredible things this year," he said.

"We are at Wembley playing in front of our fans and they are actually enjoying it and staying, and supporting us after.

"We got a good experience today and we are learning how to play at Wembley more times. We need to look at it that way because the players are amazing."