Ella Morris returned to the Tottenham team after nearly a year out with injury as Martin Ho’s side lost to Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-final.

The defender came off the bench in the 2-1 defeat at Kingsmeadow on Monday, which marked a significant milestone in her recovery from an ACL injury sustained in May 2025.

Tottenham exited the competition at the quarter-final stage but put in a brave display. Sam Kerr opened the scoring in the 40th minute before Eveliina Summanen equalised in the 52nd minute, setting up a frantic finish.

Suffered ACL Injury in May 2025

In late May last yea,r Morris suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in her right knee during a training session while on international duty with England. The 23-year-old joined from Southampton in 2024 on a three-year deal, which demonstrates the club’s faith in her abilities.

Despite her long term setback, Tottenham signed Morris to a new contract extension in January. The defender replaced Hanna Wijk with 19 minutes of the Chelsea game remaining, completing five passes with 80 per cent accuracy and winning both of her tackles.

Really Exciting for Me Says Morris

Morris thanked Tottenham fans for their support after the match. “It was really exciting for me. It’s been a long time coming, so I’m just delighted to get back out there with the girls,” she said.

She added: “There was a bit of shock at first when I was asked to come on. I wasn’t necessarily expecting to get any minutes so to hear my name being called was good. I appreciate all their support,” which demonstrates her humility despite facing two ACL injuries during her career already at just 23 years old.

Also read: Teenage Liverpool Midfielder Returns to Match Action With U21s Nearly Year After ACL Injury Sustained on England Duty

Chelsea secured their place in a sixth consecutive FA Cup semi final after teenage defender Veerle Buurman scored a spectacular late winner to beat Tottenham 2-1 at Kingsmeadow on Easter Monday.

The 19 year old Dutch centre back rescued Sonia Bompastor’s side after goalkeeper Hannah Hampton gifted Spurs an equaliser with a shocking error in the second half.

Sam Kerr opened the scoring just before halftime, heading home from Keira Walsh’s pinpoint delivery to give the Blues a deserved advantage. The Australian striker wasted a golden opportunity to double the lead after the restart, and Chelsea were punished when Eveliina Summanen caught Hampton completely off guard with a free kick from a wide angle that sailed over the stranded keeper.

Goalkeeper & Defence

Hannah Hampton (5/10): Awful afternoon for the England international. Completely misjudged Summanen’s free kick and looked nervous throughout.

Ellie Carpenter (6/10): Worked hard down the right flank and got forward well, but somehow missed an absolute sitter from two yards out with a free header.

Kadeisha Buchanan (7/10): Rock solid in her defensive duels and comfortable on the ball. The Canadian international was Chelsea’s most reliable defender on the day.

Naomi Girma (7/10): Exceptional passing accuracy with just one misplaced ball from 72 attempts. The American continues to impress with her composure and distribution.

Niamh Charles (7/10): Excellent return to the starting lineup after three months out. Made two vital blocks to deny Tottenham chances in the first half and contributed well to Chelsea’s build up play.

Midfield & Attack

Keira Walsh (7/10): Struggled at times when Tottenham broke quickly but produced a magnificent cross for Kerr’s opener. Controlled the tempo effectively when given time on the ball.

Erin Cuthbert (7/10): Quietly effective performance from the Scotland international. Won countless battles in midfield and disrupted Tottenham’s rhythm without getting much recognition.

Sjoeke Nusken (7/10): Intelligent movement between the lines caused problems for Spurs all afternoon. Her runs into dangerous areas stretched the visitors’ defence and created space for teammates.

Sam Kerr (7/10): Clinical finish for the opening goal but wasteful with two other excellent chances. The Australian is still getting back to her best after injury troubles earlier this season.

Lauren James (8/10): Chelsea’s best player by some distance. The England international orchestrated everything positive going forward, creating numerous chances with her vision and technical quality. Absolutely superb.

Subs & Manager

Veerle Buurman (8/10): Match winner off the bench. Slotted into left back seamlessly when replacing Charles and then produced a moment of pure magic, driving forward before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the top corner with four minutes remaining.

Sonia Bompastor (7/10): Named a strong starting eleven and got the job done, though Hampton’s error nearly cost them dearly. Will be relieved to progress after the Champions League disappointment.

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Tottenham midfielder Eveliina Summanen has insisted the team are really hungry to improve against Chelsea in Monday’s Women’s FA Cup quarter-final despite suffering three consecutive defeats in the Women’s Super League. The experienced Finnish international sees the cup clash at Kingsmeadow as an opportunity to bounce back from the difficult league run.

While Tottenham have endured a tough period in the WSL, including 5-2 losses to both Manchester City and Arsenal, Summanen believes there have been plenty of aspects in the performances that Martin Ho and his players can build on during the closing stages of the campaign.

Anything Can Happen in Cup Football

“We know that Chelsea is a good team, but we’ll have this week time to prepare for it and give our best shot,” Summanen explained. “We’ve not had the best performance the last few games and we’re really hungry to improve. We have a good chance against Chelsea and obviously it’s a cup as well, so that adds that little extra bonus to the game.”

The midfielder was part of the squad for Tottenham’s historic FA Cup run in 2024 when they reached the final for the first time in club history. She knows exactly what cup football can produce and insists anything can happen over 90 minutes.

Season is a Marathon Not a Sprint

When asked about the recent run of results, Summanen remained philosophical. “The football season is long. There are going to be ups and downs, and all the difficult moments actually give a little bit more than those good moments. It’s still the first season with Martin as well; it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon in a way.”

Kick off at Kingsmeadow is scheduled for 1.30 pm UK time on Easter Monday.

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