Above: Ashlyn Miller celebrates her goalPhoto: Brisbane Roar.
Ashlyn Miller has rescued a point for Brisbane Roar in a very late comeback against Melbourne City.
Holly McNamara scored from the spot to give the visitors a first half lead after Aideen Keane was awarded a controversial penalty, and City looked set to leave Spencer Park with three points until Miller’s goal secured a draw in the final minutes.
In the continued absence of Leah Davidson and Laura Hughes, City started Karly Roestbakken in midfield. With Danella Butrus missing through concussion protocol, Bryleeh Henry returned to the starting lineup following her full return to fitness.
Despite the missing stars, City still controlled the early stages of the game, although Kijah Stephenson gave the visitors a scare when she almost skipped clear of Alexia Apostolakis.
A series of cross from City threatened Brisbane’s defence, but to no avail and Momo Hayashi responded with a long range effort that Milena Mieres was able to comfortably collect.
The game changed in the 41st minute when Aideen Keane turned on the edge of the area and Aimee Medwin made faint contact. The referee pointed to the spot despite the protests of the home side and McNamara took the chance to send her side into the break with a 1-0 lead.
Brisbane enjoyed more attacking play in the second half, but both sides defences were able to hold firm. The introduction of Kiera Meyers and Miller added some extra spark for Roar. Miller’s volleyed attempt brought the crowd to life, but Leticia McKenna was in the right place to block the goal bound effort.
Brisbane’s support were in uproar when a flicked effort on goal appeared to have struck a City defenders hand. To their frustration the call was denied and the score remained at 1-0, but the home side had the momentum as the match entered the final 10 minutes of regular time.
When the goal finally arrived, it did not feel undeserved, but City might feel unlucky nonetheless. Alicia Woods forced the ball forward and Miller got the short away. It squirms through the outstretched hands of Mieres to level the scores in the 87th minute.
The drama was not over as City surged to regain the lead. Shelby McMahon fashioned the best chance with a cross that fell for McNamara and then Danielle Turner, but Chloe Lincoln was aggressive off her line to clear.
The result feels like an escape for Brisbane, but they may feel aggrieved over the harsh penalty. For City, it will feel like a missed opportunity to re-establish themselves as league leaders after a disappointing result last week against Newcastle at home.
Brisbane have three days to resset before they host the high flying Canberra United. Melbourne City have an extrs days rest, but face the long trip to Perth, where they face a resurgent Glory side that has become formidable at home.
It is in the best interests of the APL to support the Ready For Takeoff vision presented by the A-League Women players and the PFA.
Last week, the PFA launched their vision for the future of women’s football in Australia. It is an almost inarguable, thoroughly researched and exciting proposal to rapidly catch up with the rest of the world and re-establish the A-League Women as a top league in the world.
On top of that, it holds the keys to saving the domestic sport in this country and getting the local professional game to where the APL has always claimed it should be, and not just for the women. This plan holds the key to filling stadiums and making this league a destination for the top players, and the full professionalism of the women’s league can overcome the hurdles faced by the APL in the past.
Ready For Takeoff features four pillars to launch the sport beyond where it has ever been and where it should be.
Pillar One is Fit For Purpose Governance, Pillar Two is Effective Fan Engagement, Three is a Reformed Football Economy and Four is Suitable Matchday Infrastructure.
There are shortcomings in the current A-League Women setup, and they are detailed and remedied in the proposal.
The majority of players do not view the A-League Women as the best playing destination. The pay is unsustainable, at just over $25,00 per year it only reaches minimum wage in Australia through some creative and cynical interpretations of time.
What would full-time professionalism mean for players in the A-League Women?
"𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬."
PFA Executive member @DylanHolmes08 discusses the current state of the women's game and how going full-time would be a life changer for her and… pic.twitter.com/twGyAaMYuW
Additionally, A-League women are employed by the same privately owned business to do the same job, yet are paid on average a quarter of what the men receive. To be blunt, there is nothing to support a pay discrepancy this large, it is wrong and needs to be rectified.
Another issue raised is a glaring lack of visibility.
A-League Women’s fans report being unaware of match broadcasts and kickoff times, as well as a lack of promotion of players, something that The Matildas have excelled at and shown good, measurable results from.
A key thing that Ready For Takeoff points out is that the APL Board does not have a sufficient focus on women’s football, either in the make up or track record.
The A-League Women has no independence from the men’s side of the game, meaning in effect it is often an afterthought at best, and openly seen as a charity case at worse.
Former Mariners owner Richard Peil was quoted in Code Football as saying, “If I spend $50,000 on a 17 year old female player, the reality is there is no transfer…I’ve put $700,000 into the women’s game in my first season and I’m never going to get that back.
“There is no mechanism for me to benefit from that. Whereas Football Australia benefits from us developing players because they can make money from The Matildas.”
This is a disappointing statement from Peil and it went largely unchallenged. It is self-defeating, and shows that nobody at the APL is showing owners that money can be made for this game. There is no evidence so far for a vision for it, or yo have it as a top priority.
Transfer fees in the women’s game are booming worlwide, Australian players are still highly sought after by numerous leagues, and our domestic record has been broken multiple times in the last three years.
Ours is a competition that has produced three Ballon D’Or nominees, four UEFA Champions League winners, and in Melbourne City, a team of Asian Champions League finalists at the first time of asking. Australian footballers are among the best and most marketable in the world.
England’s professional women’s leagues and the NWSL in the United States both have independence from the men’s game, and in Germany the clubs have taken steps to follow suit. They see where the game is headed and want to keep up.
Germany’s women’s game is making a power move 🇩🇪
All 14 Frauen-Bundesliga clubs have voted to take control of the league from the DFB, aiming to close the gap to England’s WSL and unlock new commercial growth ahead of the 2027–28 season. pic.twitter.com/ulQ2KrnObH
The APL has shown no indication that it plans to offer any sort of independent governance to the women’s competition. It is a strange stance. Could anybody really say with a straight face that Australian football is better run, or has had better ideas than England or the USA in how to operate a professional league?
On this issue, they seem to think they have the answers. Which is strange because they have implemented no real strategy beyond the big move of changing the name of the competition four years ago.
Ready For Takeoff presents a clear business case to invest in this league. Each club would require an extra $1 million per season. It sounds like a lot for a cash strapped league, but the PFA have shown that this can essentially pay for itself with rapid growth of the women’s game and subsequent commercial opportunities that would follow.
The A-League Women presents a unique opportunity that the APL simply cannot afford to miss. The PFA will stop short of saying this, but it is the best chance for a commercially successful, mainstream football competition in Australia.
The APL yearns to return to the days of regularly filled stadiums, clubs outgrowing their venues and mainstream media coverage (of the positive kind.)
The A-League Women can achieve this.
It is a long road back to mainstream cultural relevance for the men’s league. The media has been unfairly harsh, the support in stadiums have been over-policed and the casual fans have come, gone and do not look like coming back while the die-hards seem to have hit their peak.
The women’s league presents the APL with a chance for a fresh start. While partipation rates are no indicator of who can turn up to game (mostly because of time commitments) it does show that there is interest in women’s football.
"𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰. 𝐖𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫."
Ready for Takeoff was launched at Ultra Football yesterday in Melbourne, which showcased how a full-time professional A-League Women is Australian sport's biggest opportunity.
The Matildas are described by PFA CEO Beau Busch as the economic engine of Australian football, and while national teams have always been more strongly supported than club sides even in sports like Cricket, the potential is there for the A-League Women to be something similar for the APL.
None of the pre-mentioned drawbacks apply to the A-League Women, and while the Australian sporting public can be fickle to a product deemed “less” than Europe, the A-League Women is already of very high playing standard now, and with proper and affordable investment it can be just as strong a league as anywhere else. It was once, less than a generation ago, but the decision makers in charge do not seem to see what the fans and players do. Nor do they appear to understand how the game is changing around the world.
A liveable minimum wage can make this a destination for some of the world’s top talents. Instantly, it can become the top league in Asia.
The lack of transfer fees is a largely self- inflicted issue by the clubs because too many players are on short-term contracts.
A player like Peta Trimis is sure to attract overseas attention, but a suitor will likely wait until her current deal is up. Melbourne City were rewarded by faith in Kaitlyn Torpey and have recently signed Danella Butrus to a three year contract. Do not be surprised to see them receive a fee for her before then.
This 18-year-old seriously pulled off a rainbow flick in just her FOURTH game 😮💨🌈
A growing league that is a regional powerhouse can not only sell players, but sponsorship opportunities and broadcast rights.
The NWSL and FA WSL were free to watch online not too long ago, but have recently been repackaged and sold to subscription services. There are brands that would be eager to invest in a women’s league.
The APL is leaving money on the table, and claiming to have all the answers, but still ponders aloud why it’s struggling . Previous chairmain Danny Townsend claimed ambitions to making this a top league in the world and keeping it that way, but never took any tangible, measurable steps to make that happen, like the ones outlined by the PFA.
It was akin to claiming to planning on making a fortune on the stock market without ever buying shares in anything. You have to invest to see returns.
Australian domestic football has struggled with many issues in the past, but the A-League Women presents only opportunity. More than that, the players deserve it. This is a professional league, and while the men have always been paid well on the hope they will turn a profit, the women seem to need to prove they can be profitable first before any investment arrives.
This is the opposite of every business venture in existence, like a restaurant refusing to purchase any food to serve until the customers have come in and paid already. It is an absurd way of doing business and leaves the A-League Women underpaid and unable to grow, while being held to an impossible standard of financial prosperity that is never applied to the men.
The Dub is where the money is, there’s gold in these hills and so far, the APL has refused to look for it. Worryingly Stephen Conroy had an almost immediate response to the men’s PFA report, but was silent on the women’s.
The biggest question after reading the PFA’s proposal was why the APL did not do this level of market and economic research themselves since it is clearly in their interest.
This is the future, and recommendations in Ready For Takeoff can save the women’s league, but also the entire game in Australia and the APL as a business.
In the past five years, APL have splurged $140 million, signed ex-ex-ex premier league players, hired pop stars to write songs for a single season, changed the name from The W League and tried multiple broadcasters. They’ve also tried moving the Grand Final to Sydney.
None of these schemes have been the answer.
It is beyond time to try fully investing in the women and now is the time to fully support Ready For Takeoff.
By Gethin Thurlow for Impetus at Broadwood Stadium 19/1/26
Above:Contrasting emotions as the full time whistle blewPhoto:@RangersWFC on X
Rangers took advantage of Kirsten Reilly’s red cardto claim an important victory in the SWPL, keeping themselves seven points off top and extending the deficit to Hibernian to nine points.
Teams
After what’s been a positive start to the window, Leanne Crichton was able to name a full strength team, with new signing Callie Brookshire and recently returned Lily Boyce on the bench to impact the game later. Young forward Laura Berry got the start on the right wing, while the McLearly-Cruft partnership in the middle was restored.
For the visitors, it was a much less simple story. Still suffering from an injury crisis, this time captain Siobhan Hunter wasn’t able to make the squad, leaving midfielder Ellis Notley to fill in at centre-back. Kathleen McGovern’s return to the bench was a positive for the Hibees though, joined on it unusually by left back Stacey Papadopoulos. 16 year old Jess Ramsey got the call in attacking midfield, while in-from Tiree Burchill was nowhere to be seen.
The Action
Rangers started on the front foot, calling Noa Schumacher into action early with a couple of long balls, drawing her out. It was a Hibs team that looked a bit disjointed, especially on the ball, which is not surprising considering the changes in personal and manager they’ve endured in recent matches.
While Hibs found themselves unable to effectively pass through the Rangers midfield, it was actually from the pressing that they threatened most. Some loose touches by the back four and a miskick from Fife only empowered this belief from the Hibees, as they had a spell on top.
One interesting tactical change from the Grant Scott era was the interchange of fullbacks and wingers. Quite often we see the wingers swapping sides for a few minutes if they end up like that from a set piece. This time however, it was wingers Tegan Bowie on the left and Rosie Livingstone on the right swapping places with their fullbacks behind them – Rachel Boyle and Lauren Doran-Barr respectively. Clearly, she trusted those wingers in defence enough, and for moments of the game it felt like Bowie spent more time in the back four than Boyle.
After 25 minutes, the game opened up. An ambitious Hibs cross was attacked unsuccessfully by Boyle, before Katie Wilkinson won the ball on the edge of the box and lifted it to the open Mia McAulay, who found the post.
Merely seconds later, Laura Berry controlled a goal kick from Fife, and Reilly went in to win it back. Unfortunately for the Hibs midfielder, she got no ball and her studs caught the thigh of the young attacker. In the end, it was a needless challenge to make and it forced her team to lose a midfielder, essentially handing over control to that ultra strong Rangers three.
This had an immediate impact, and Rangers started to dominate. Using the extra space in midfield to their advantage, it the right hand side of Eilidh Austin and Laura Berry who got in repeatedly, creating lots of chances within a five minute period. After one of her shots was blocked and another went wide, it was inevitable that eventually one would go in, and with a well-aimed effort the hosts took the lead in the 40th minute.
The Hibees were still in chaos mode five minutes later as Rangers continued to pressure. Shin-Ji pushed down the left this time, and pulled the ball out to May Cruft on the edge of the box. As she shot towards the goal, the ball rolled agonisingly past Schumacher who probably won’t be wanting to watch that back on the replay.
Looking to assert some dominance in the middle again, Joelle Murray withdrew both full backs, bringing on defender Papadopoulos and midfielder Ciara Grant. This allowed them to switch to a 3-2-3-1 formation, giving them that triangle in midfield that has been so successful – with Jess Ramsey sitting ahead of Grant and Jess Fitzgerald.
This prompted a shape change from the Glasgow side, with their wingers sitting in a front line, meaning one defender was marking each of them.
The red card had certainly spiced up what is a rivalry in the women’s game, and after Scarlett Herron picked up a yellow for a cynical foul, tensions between Wilkinson and the Hibs backline threatened to boil over.
Frustration was evident throughout the away team, and much of this was thanks to the aggressive pressing of Rangers. While the new formation reset the midfield balance, it took away a defender and this hampered Hibs’ buildup. Crichton’s team were able to commit a player to each Hibee, and they were absolutely set on giving no time or space up.
This forced long, desperate balls from the Edinburgh side, and they lacked that quality needed to make anything of these rare chances.
While they defended well, Rangers would’ve wanted to put the game to bed earlier. Laura Berry missed a sitter, while Wilkinson fired into the hands of Schumacher again.
It was a dismal attacking showing by Hibernian, with every cross easily heading to keeper Fife, constant miscommunications and poor touches. With virtually the last kick of the game, McGovern took a half-hearted long-range shot, which was heading slowly into Fife. Somehow, the bounce caught the goalkeeper out, and it bounced in off her arms. Luckily for her, Hannah Jordan’s volley a few seconds later flew over and the whistle did finally sound.
Player of the Match Eilidh Austin
She really impacted the game in defence and attack. When Rangers really took control of the game during that period from the red card to half time, it was the right-hand side that all the prominent attacks flew down – with the running of Austin crucial for this. She kept putting good balls into the box, eventually getting the assist for the opening goal. Playing in behind Laura Berry – who’s naturally more of a striker, Austin thrives off having that width to herself and it really worked to cause this Hibs team issues.
Defensively, she gave Tegan Bowie an absolute nightmare. Never have I seen Bowie play like that. Frustrated, inaccurate with her crosses, unable to dribble through the Rangers right back, it was truly astonishing stuff from Austin. A lot gets made of Rangers’ attack and number of goals they score, but they have a solid defence as well, and with a visit to Glasgow City next weekend they’re going to have to be right on it if they want to close down the gap in the title race.
Where this leaves the teams
It was a massive win for Rangers. They hadn’t beaten Hibs in the league since 2024 and had a poor record against the other top sides apart from Celtic this season. Even with some injuries, this is still a top team to face, and they really limited the Hibees throughout the 90 minutes. Whilst Celtic did beat them twice in the last two games, this felt more dominant – and the last second goal, coming from a huge goalkeeping error misrepresents the game.
There’s a massive month now before the split in the SWPL. Rangers and Celtic travel to Petershill Park over the next three weeks, and with them both sitting seven points back right now, City’s lead could be anymore from nothing to 10 or more. This was a massive win, but for Leanne Crichton it has to be the start of a run. In only her first season as the boss, it seems like they have gone through the adjustment period – but the real test of that is next week.
Just brutal for Hibernian. Since November 2nd, their only win is against third tier Dryburgh Athletic, losing four and drawing two in that time. Injuries are an issue yes, but they shouldn’t be so bad even when you take that into account. Dealing with a shock managerial change will also have been difficult, but this is a side that won’t the league last year in such magical fashion.
The most concerning aspect of today was the attack. Defensively, they were dealt a tough hand and did exceptionally not to concede in the second half. Only three shots all game – two of them coming after the 93rd minute, a goal that would’ve only gone in once out of 100 times, and really just a lack of communication and that cutting-edge precision. Hamilton Accies visiting next week is exactly what they need to try and get any confidence and put something together, but this looks like a team that would struggle to get through them at the moment.
Joelle Murray isn’t under any pressure yet and it’s hardly been a run-of-the-mill two opening fixtures to a career, but she’ll want this one to be the exception, not the rule going forward.
Above: The Central Coast Mariners celebrate after Peta Trimis’ equalising goal. Photo: via the A-Leagues
The Central Coast Mariners and Perth Glory could not be split, as the two sides played out an enthralling one all draw to close out the weekend’s A-League Women’s action.
In overcast conditions in Gosford, Susan Phonsongkham’s first half stunning goal was ultimately cancelled out by another stunning goal from Peta Trimis in the second half.
Although Perth had the first shot at goal, it was not long before the Mariners locked the ball in their attacking third and started to build the attacking pressure.
The youth of the Mariners’ forward cohort were switched on early, with the likes of Trimis, Annalise Rassmussen and Izzy Gomez causing plenty of headaches for the Glory defence early. However, as hard as these forwards tried to bend their shots into the back of the net, the angles just were not quite working in their favour.
Perth was not without its opportunities, but those chances were not anywhere near as dangerous as Central Coast’s.
Despite momentum not being in their corner, it was Perth who broke the deadline just after the half hour mark. Bronte Trew pounced on some inattentive work from the Mariners defence, who then crossed the ball into Phonsongkham right in front of the goals, who converted truly off the volley.
Despite going behind on the scoreboard the Mariners kept trying to find that elusive goal, and maintained their dominance of attacking time. However, no matter how hard they tried they just could not find the back of the net.
The half time stats really showed how much Phonsongkham’s goal was against the run of play.
Possession was even between the two sides, but the Mariners had nine shots on goal (with five of them on target) compared to Perth’s five (with only two on target).
The second half began in much the same way the first half had played out, with the Mariners doing a lot of the attacking play but unable to convert any of their chances.
That was until just over the hour mark, when Trimis scored an Olympico from the harder side of the pitch for a right footer, and the Mariners finally converted a chance.
The Mariners almost then took the lead about 15 minutes later when Trimis lined up Rasmussen, but the league’s Golden Boot leader was narrowly offside.
As the second half progressed both sides certainly had plenty of chances to take the lead for themselves and players continued to fight hard right until the end, but ultimately the teams could not be split.
There were a number of hard fought battles in the middle of the park, with the likes of Isobel Dalton, Grace Johnston and Greta Kraszula in the thick of the action.
Neither side will be satisfied with the result, but will no doubt be grateful they came away from proceedings with at least a point.
Teams: CENTRAL COAST MARINERS (4-2-2-2): Grove, Thew, Martin, Gomez, Prakash, Rasmussen, Kraszula, Dos Santos, King, Trimis, Baumann. Substitutes: Barwick-Grey, Farrow, Levin, Quilligan, Buchanan, Varley.
Above: USA midfielder Sam Coffey, who’s just made the move to England Photo: Manchester City FC
More than ever before, the last few months have created ultimate debate surrounding the question of which league is the best in the world- the NWSL, or the WSL? This conversation has been propelled mostly by the past year’s list of NWSL players heading over the pond to England, particularly those ‘star’ players and USA internationals. However, I’m here to tell you that the truth is far messier, more interesting, and a lot less final than narratives suggest. The NWSL-WSL debate isn’t as simple as you think.
Trinity Rodman is the face of the NWSL, and a huge asset to the league- the clearest symbol of the modern women’s football superstar. Rodman is young, globally recognised, commercially valuable, and on top of that, a better baller than most. If you are a fan of women’s football, it would have been impossible to not have come across the overwhelming amount of talk, and surprising distress, surrounding her possible move from Washington Spirit to the WSL upon the expiring of her contract.
Although, my conversation here is not about whether she leaves the NWSL or not, it’s about what her scenario has exposed. Players such as Rodman now have huge leverage, manifesting into great power, when whole leagues will battle to enforce new legislation just to keep you. The landscape of her case and her individual power expands enormously when it’s not just your club trying to keep you, but an entire league. We have never seen this in Europe, let alone England. Not long ago, NWSL players had little to no control over transfers or contract movement, and the fact that stars now openly weigh leagues, negotiate leverage, and choose their own paths shows just how far player freedom in the league has come.
In an attempt to keep Rodman in the States, the new (and controversial) NWSL High Impact Player rule was introduced. The High Impact Player rule lets NWSL clubs pay a designated star far above the usual salary cap, with only a fixed portion counting against it, making seven figure total compensation possible. To qualify, a player has to meet specific sporting criteria, such as being named to an NWSL Best XI in the past two seasons or receiving a major individual honour like a Ballon d’Or nomination, with final approval coming from the league. On paper, that sounds straightforward. In reality, it gets messy. The definition of a ‘star’ is so narrow that some of the game’s most obvious superstars would not qualify. A player like Sam Kerr, whose impact, profile, and legacy are unquestionable, would technically be ineligible, which highlights how the rule often feels more bureaucratic than reflective of real world star power.
The primary issue with the rule is that it creates a clear divide between the chosen few and everyone else, reinforcing a two tier system inside squads. Only a handful of players benefit, and the model does not scale as more players reach elite status. In contrast, WSL clubs can pay stars without exemptions or special mechanisms. The star player rule feels like a temporary patch, not a long term solution to a changing market. As of today, which club Rodman will be attached to at the end of the transfer window remains unclear.
What sparked this discussion was how unsettled fans had become over their top players heading over to England. Names like Naomi Girma, Sam Coffey, Kerolin, Jenna Nighswonger, and Alyssa Thompson have all recently swapped the NWSL for the WSL. All of these players are elite prospects and proven winners, the kind of talent you buy a ticket just to watch on their own.
Furthermore, optics do matter. The fear is not that the NWSL will run out of talent. It is that it could lose part of its identity. For years, the league carried the label of the best in the world (mostly to do with the dominance of the USWNT). Seeing stars openly consider other destinations makes that status feel fragile. The narrative impact far outweighs the numerical reality.
However, at the same time, the story is not one way. Players are also choosing the NWSL again. The USWNT captain, Lindsey Heaps, returning from OL Lyonnes to Denver is a powerful reminder that Europe is not always the final destination. Competitive pay, star treatment, and being central rather than rotational still matter. This proves that the NWSL retains real pull. Cultural familiarity, league visibility at home, and relevance to national team pathways continue to count. The league is being challenged, not abandoned. Albeit, it would have been interesting to see if Heaps’ transfer would’ve still happened without her now being able to be paid a top wage.
As much as we may want to not believe it, as players simply ‘play for the badge’, money is a large part of the equation, but it certainly isn’t everything. At the end of the day, top players get top wages whether it’s from their clubs, or whether it’s from sponsorships. Today, players weigh lifestyle, role, development, medical support, marketing, and personal comfort. A slightly smaller contract can be offset by stability or prominence. The idea that every move is purely financial oversimplifies professional reality.
Now, we cannot talk about the NWSL-WSL debate without discussing what Europe does offer structurally. The Champions League, the competition that brings a level of prestige, legacy, and global exposure that no domestic American league can replicate. No matter what an NWSL team may offer to a player, the experience of playing in and potentially winning, a Champions League trophy is an ultimate dream. The quality of talent in the Champions League simply is not comparable to the NWSL. The competition is a built in advantage, not a moral one, and it really shapes decisions in ways the NWSL cannot easily counter.
Additionally, European football increasingly revolves around super-teams. Chelsea, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Lyon can stack world class players in ways no NWSL club is designed to do. Their spending power and squad depth remain unmatched, and the rewards for dominance are clear. The NWSL has chosen a different path. Parity is prioritised, competition is relentless, and no team is allowed to hoard excellence. Europe rewards concentration. The NWSL rewards balance. Neither model is inherently better. They simply produce different experiences.
The NWSL remains world class because of its physicality, depth, and weekly unpredictability. There are no easy matches. Players develop adaptability, resilience, and versatility simply to survive the season. The league also holds a global scouting advantage. NWSL clubs have consistently looked beyond traditional pipelines, bringing in players from Haiti, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia, and across the African diaspora. For many, the NWSL is a gateway league that expands the global game rather than narrowing it. The WSL is world class in different ways. Tactical sophistication, concentrated star power, Champions League integration, and global branding give it enormous visibility. Matches feel like events, and success echoes far beyond domestic borders.
Overall, this is not a zero sum battle. Movement between leagues reflects growth, not decline. More options for players mean a healthier ecosystem overall. The NWSL’s challenge is adaptation, not survival. The WSL’s strength is opportunity, not inherent superiority. Women’s football is better when multiple elite destinations exist, and the real win is that players now get to choose.
Above:Wellington Phoenix celebrate Pia Vlok’s (24) stunning goalat Canberra United. Photo: A-Leagues.
Late goals from substitutes Zoe Benson and Pia Vlokensured that Wellington Phoenix continued their impressive recent run that has seen them collect 10 points from their last five games with this success at McKellar Park.
Nineteen-year-old Benson, and 17-year-old Vlok’s strikes were the difference in the end as the New Zealanders finally saw off a Canberra United side reduced to 10 after Tegan Bertolissio was sent off.
Canberra returned from the bye making two changes with Jazmin Wardlow and Darcey Malone coming in for Nanako Sasaki and Sienna Dale. The visitors made two changes to their starting line-up from last weekend’s game with Melbourne City, as Makala Woods and Emma Pijnenburg replaced Vlok and Daisy Brazendale.
Wellington made the first half-chance when Lara Wall’s cross into the mix didn’t quite fall right for Makala Woods to make the necessary connection.
With 20 minutes played, Emma Robers’ corner on the right was met by the head of Michelle Heyman but was cleared by the Phoenix defence as far as Bertolissio who cracked a long range shot over the top.
Canberra came close again with 36 minutes on the clock. Bethany Gordon picked up possession in a central position around 25-yards out and found Malone outside her who continued the move by feeding Wardlow out on the left flank. Her first-time high ball into the box was met by the head of Heyman, who headed wide of the right-hand post.
Wardlow was back in the middle of the action two minutes later when her back pass to James from the left resulted in the Canberra keeper’s clearance coming off the chasing Woods, but the ball squirmed the way of Bertolissio who was able to clear at the back post.
However, Bertolissio would have worse luck three minutes into stoppage time when she was shown a second yellow for a foul on Woods.
Whilst the Nix initially found it challenging to make their player advantage count, they gradually began to increase the amount of time they spent in the final third with Manaia Elliott seeing a half chance header go wide, before Woods found Brooke Nunn who hit a shot into the side netting, and León had an effort was comfortably saved by Sally James.
Then, four minutes from the end of normal time, Grace Jale broke forward through the middle to find Nunn on the right. Her cross deflected up off Anton for Benson sneak in on the edge of the six-yard box to turn the ball home with a first time effort.
Wellington wrapped up the points deep into stoppage time with a moment of magic from Vlok. Receiving the pass out on the left wing, the outrageously talented 17-year-old looked up, saw James ever so slightly off her line and lifted the ball up and in from an acute angle, around 25-yards from goal.
This is the latest in a line of impressive wins for Wellington Phoenix. However, Canberra United’s form has dipped over the last few weeks, as they have taken five points from their last four games, allowing the chasing pack to swallow them up somewhat.
Above: Adelaide United celebrate during their win over Melbourne Victory today. Photo: A-Leagues.
Adelaide United’s superb run of form has continued with Paige Zois scoring an Olimpico that ultimately ensured the win over her previous club Melbourne Victory in today’s Pride Cup encounter at Coopers Stadium.
The South Australian side have now won three of their last four matches, and have gone from being stuck around the bottom of the ladder to Finals contenders in the blink of an eye.
Confidence was all the Reds needed – and prior to their post Christmas game with Western Sydney Wanderers, Ella Tonkin told the media that her side were just “one game away from breaking things open.” Wanderers were defeated 5-2, and as Tonkin predicted, her team have not looked back since.
Both sides made one change to their starting line-up today from last weekend’s games. Adelaide brought back key striker Fiona Worts for Erin Healy. For Victory, Alana Jančevski replaced Rachel Lowe.
Victory conjured up the first real chance of the game in the ninth minute as Kennedy White on the right, cushioned a pass forward to Holly Furphy to drill a low ball into the box which Adelaide failed to clear further than Pollicina with play eventually recycling out to Jančevski, 25-yards out in a central position to fire a powerful shot that Ilona Melegh held.
The visitors profited along the right once more on the half hour when Sienna Saveska’s high ball in was met by the head of White, but the 25-year-old couldn’t get enough power on the ball to trouble Melegh.
Just seven minutes later, Adelaide would make Jeff Hopkins’ side pay the price for those misses as Adriana Taranto turned Jančevski and fed Worts just inside the box. The hot-shot English striker took a touch, turned away from White, and fired straight into the top left-hand corner of the net. A great move and a superb goal.
As the half approached the end of regulation time two errors at the back from the hosts combined to allow Furphy to get an effort away, but it didn’t have the power or direction to trouble Melegh.
But, Victory would have better luck deep into injury time when Jančevski’s long ball from inside her own half fell perfectly for White who beat Tonkin and hit a shot that Melegh repelled, but the ball bounced perfectly for the American striker to stroke home at the second attempt.
The visitors produced the first effort of the second half five minutes in when Melegh got a hand to Kayla Morrison’s header after Jančevski floated a long free-kick into the mix.
Six minutes later though, the Reds struck for a second time as starlet Zois bent in a corner from the left with a vicious curl on it that flew straight in at the back post.
Victory looked to respond with 20 minutes left when Ella O’Grady escaped down the left and delivered a low cross that was met first time by White, but Melegh produced an excellent save by getting down to her near post.
The visitors’ kept pushing, and White had two excellent opportunities in additional time. First, with 96 minutes played, Furphy fed Jess Young outside her on the right. The substitute pulled the ball over for White who saw her header come back off of the crossbar.
Shortly afterwards, Sienna Techera’s dangerous cross was cleared, for White to hit a shot from outside the box that Melegh got down well to.
Melbourne Victory created more than enough chances to have won this game, but they were denied by Ilona Melegh pulling off some big saves at vital times.
That’s now just one point in their last four games for Melbourne Victory – and the way the league is compacting up, next weekend’s home game with fellow under-performing side Sydney FC, is now looking huge.
This was an exceptionally pleasing result for Adelaide United – they took their chances when they came, and remained well organised in the face of a Melbourne Victory barrage in the closing stages.
Teams: ADELAIDE UNITED (4-2-3-1): Melegh, Tolland, Tonkin, McNamara, E. Hodgson, M. Taranto, Zois, A. Taranto, Condon, Dawber, Worts. Substitutes: Healy, I. Hodgson, Jenkins, Makris, Morgan, Murray.
Above: Russo after scoring against Chelsea in 2023 Photo: Lucy Copsey
Winning both the Euros and Champions League in 2025, Alessia Russo cemented her legacy in the women’s game and in England. Starting as a striker for both and delivering goals in crucial moments, Russo has proved teams can rely on her. Emme Fortnam looks at the career of Arsenal’s number 23 and her new focus this season.
Alessia Russo, 26, originally from Maidstone, Kent, started her football career at Charlton Athletic, aged just 10. Eventually Russo found herself at the University of North Carolina, a key point in her development, where she met future Arsenal teammates Lotte Wubbon Moy and Emily Fox.
During her time at Manchester United, the striker had a breakthrough. Laying the foundations for a successful stint, Russo scored on her debut start against Brighton in October 2020. As a lifelong United fan, Russo enjoyed an emotional ocassion when fans returned to the stands for the first time, scoring twice in a win over Everton. After scoring 11 goals in the 2021/22 season, Russo won the Man United Players’ Player of the year and further cemented her place in the England squad.
And then, for one of the most memorable moments in her football career, during the 2022 Euros semi-final against Sweden we saw the global star score with that memorable backheel. A goal which is still talked about to this day within her fanbase. The Lionesses of course went on to win the Euros, giving super-sub Russo her first taste of European glory.
Russo joined Arsenal in July 2023, following about a month of rumours due to her contract expiring that summer. Russo had been very open about the move, explaining how she felt comfortable at Leigh Sports Village, but that players are only going progress if they take new challenges and opportunities that are presented to them. Over her time with Arsenal she has proven herself to be a vital addition to the team in terms of goals, awards and overall play.
Whilst she is a number nine, Russo’s play goes far beyond that of a traditional striker. Her tactical intelligence means she can be such a weapon getting on the ball as early as possible – and this usually means outside of the box. She also has the ability to use to her body and footwork to protect the ball and win fouls in dangerous areas. Obviously being a striker comes with huge responsibility in terms of goalscoring and she does pull through on this, but has openly spoken about the pressure she faces and personal challenges.
In an interview with Versus, Russo exclaimed “I thrive being in a team” showing her passion to be able to be the team member who peers can fall back on in those pivotal moments, both through her personality off the pitch, and her willingness to shoulder that responsibility and take the ball when the pressure’s on. In this way, Russo’s dominance comes more from a consistency and reliability, rather than one-off moments.
Having won the WSL Golden Boot in 2024/25 season and helped her team by constantly racking up the goals, as we entered the 25/26 season Russo has shown a different side. While delivering less overall goals, Russo continues to be counted on when the team needs it most. During one of the most pivotal matches for Arsenal against Chelsea, she scored a last minute, 86th minute goal, then put another one in the net which was ultimately ruled out. That was a massive game not to lose, and Russo stayed hungry and scored when the late chance arose.
Off the pitch, Russo has always been passionate, like most other professionals of growing the game as much as possible and helping out the younger generation where they can. She then has recently gone on to create The Alessia Russo Foundation which is an initiative to build confidence and break down barriers for young girls chasing their dreams. The Alessia Cup, a football competition for young girls is an example of this, where she can provide mentorship to inspire and aid the growth of women’s sport and prevent girls from dropping out of playing in sports like they do at the moment.
Alessia Russo is redefining what being a striker and teammate is. Yes, you can score goals and win games for your team, but you can also do it through other means. She’s got big goals in her, she’s an all-round team player and she wants the game to be in a better place when she leaves.
Above:Renee Slegers applauding the Arsenal fansPhoto: Arsenal FC
Roos Schelen was at Renée Slegers’ press conference as the Arsenal boss confirmed that Leah Williamson will miss Sunday’s FA Cup clash against Aston Villa with a calf injury.
The Dutch head coach also said that Daphne van Domselaar might be back from a lengthy injury. The coaching staff will make a decision on the goalkeeper’s availability after Saturday’s training session. Slegers would not be drawn on a timeline for the return of winger Chloe Kelly. She says: “She was on the pitch today, so we’re taking it day by day. So we don’t have an exact end date and there’s an optimistic plan and a more conservative plan, so we’ll see how it goes.”
This weekend’s opposition is one that Arsenal aren’t guaranteed results against. Aston Villa held Arsenal to a 1-1 draw in September, and the Gunners lost heavily at Villa Park in May. Arsenal had difficulties playing through Villa’s press back in September. Slegers has taken some learnings from that game: “I think there was a lot of learnings after that game and how to beat that type of pressure and what tools we need and how we can set things up to be able to do that. So that’s definitely an important part of the game on Sunday, because Villa is very disciplined, aggressive in their pressure, and it’s a big part of their DNA to do things that way. And so it will be a big part of our game plan on Sunday”, the manager reflected.
Arsenal have struggled in front of goal recently. They produced 25 shots against Manchester United last weekend, only six of them went on target for Phallon Tullis-Joyce to save. They left the Emirates pitch without having scored any goals. It has been a theme throughout their season. Earlier in the season, Slegers gave an interview with the Barclays WSL YouTube channel, comparing managing a team with conducting an orchestra. Impetus Football asked Slegers to elaborate on that, and to expand on Arsenal’s struggles in front of goal, using that same analogy. “I’ve been in touch with a conductor at a very high level. It’s been really interesting exchanging ideas. There’s actually a lot of similarities in the way a conductor needs to lead the orchestra, how you train. How you get everyone to work together, executing their roles with confidence and so forth. And then in the moment as well, making good decisions and feeling what musician needs what and at what moment in the play. And at the end of the day, it needs to all work together”, Slegers said.
She continued: “So what musician and what part of the play is happening in the box and is scoring goals and yeah, that’s for us the one thing that we’ve been talking a lot about, how we’re going to create more clear cut chances, get more opportunities and less shots blocked and be more composed to find that opening to shoot in and around the area.”
Arsenal will take on Aston Villa in the FA Cup at 2pm BST on Sunday at Borehamwood. The match will be shown live on TNT Sports.
Friday Night at Wanderers Football Park saw two teams having quite different seasons battle to a hard-fought draw. A late substitute strike from Ella Buchanan was mitigated by an added time equaliser from Bente Jansen, keeping Brisbane in the top six.
Western Sydney came into the fixture after falling 3-1 away to Perth Glory, whereas Brisbane were looking to get back-to-back wins after a key away victory over Melbourne Victory.
The Wanderers adjusted their formation to be a bit more positive at home, with Yuan Cong returning to the starting line-up with Holly Caspers dropping to the bench.
Olivia Price returned to the starting line-up as Ena Harada dropped to the bench and Emilia Bennett got the start at full-back in place of Ella Buchanan.
On Brisbane’s side of the ball, there were no changes to personnel in the starting line-up, but Aimee Medwin and Ashlyn Miller swapped starting positions from what the team presented at Melbourne.
In what’s been a tough season for the Wanderers, the hosts were able to start positively, immediately electing for a wing play approach to try and feed lofted deliveries to Yuan. Brisbane deployed a rather deep back-line, with the three midfield players helping out defensively when off the ball.
After just two minutes, Brisbane Roar were able to create a great chance right away. Jansen strayed wide from her advanced position and held the ball up for Alicia Woods who quickly found the run of Aimee Medwin. With space outside the box, Medwin took a shot from the edge of the area and tested Khamis who directed the powerful shot wide for a corner.
The first 15 minutes of the game were tensely fought, particularly in midfield with many hard challenges from the respective sides’ holding midfielders.
Amy Chessari needed to exit the game in the 16thminute due to injury concerns, which brought Harada on earlier than planned for the Wanderers.
Patience was the name of the game, with any shot taken being blocked or deflected. In the 28thminute, Khamis produced an excellent save after a deep back post corner from Woods found Leia Varley with a free header. Khamis was able to leap to her left and deflect it wide. Khamis was also able to collect the effort from the subsequent Marianna Seidl corner that Sharn Freir deflected goalward.
In the 41st minute, a speculative ball forward found the feet of Jansen who cut inside from the right and drove a low shot toward the Western Sydney goal. It was just wide of the far post, but the Roar looked like the more likely to score of the two teams.
Jansen looked the most dangerous going forward for both teams, the defence of WSW focusing on the threat of Freir while the Roar defence looked to keep Yuan contained, both to great effect in the first half.
Scoreless at halftime, the teams would be looking to make some adjustments in order to break the deadlock in the second half.
Everything was still to play for in the second half, with WSW looking to break their 61-day winless streak and Brisbane Roar looking to move up the table as they look to cement a place in the finals.
The Wanderers had the first meaningful chance of the second half as a corner found the chest of Poppie Hooks who was able to get enough force behind it to force a solid save from Chloe Lincoln.
At 54 minutes, Khamis gave the ball away when she was trying to clear to Medwin. Medwin took a quick touch and drove the ball toward the near post. Khamis was able to recover very well and made the save to keep the game scoreless.
The second half was more evenly contested than the first in terms of possession, Western Sydney putting together some more passing sequences and providing some pressure on Brisbane. It was a game of strong defences and a great goalkeeping performance from Khamis.
Khamis showed her prowess again in the 64thminute as a strong driven effort from Woods was patted wide of the post by the experienced keeper.
In a remarkable sequence, Western Sydney managed to open the scoring in the 83rd minute. Kim So-Eun made a sharp dribble move down the right side and drove a low cross through everybody to find Ella Buchanan who was able to scramble the ball over the line at the far post.
Chloe Berryhill was injured in added time and had to be helped off the field. Hopefully not a serious injury for the Western Sydney forward.
In added time, around the 95th minute, Brisbane found Jansen on a run behind which sent her one on one with Khamis. Jansen managed to round the keeper and keep her composure to slide the ball into the bottom corner to tie it up just before the final whistle.
Considering the balance of play through the game, the draw was a fair result as Brisbane’s play was strong throughout the game. The Wanderers goal was very well worked and provided some hope for the team moving forward into the season.
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