Above: Emma Whitter, Millwall’s top goalscorer this season. Photo: Tom West.
Myles Thornton reports from St Paul’s Sports Ground as Emma Whitter and Shannan Drewe help Millwall progress into the Adobe Women’s FA Cup third round.
Millwall had beaten Denham United ladies 3-2 in the last round to get to the second round whereas Bromley had beaten AFC Portchester 3-2.
Millwall had a great chance to take the lead after 13 minutes, with Drewe beating 2 Bromley defenders before hitting it with power off the crossbar, being cleared away by the Bromley defence before Millwall could pounce.
After dominant pressure in the first half, Millwall finally broke the deadlock around the 30-minute mark. Poppy Payne played it to Drewe, who found Whitter who tapped home.
Some good chances for both sides throughout the first half, with Bromley unable to convert for an equaliser and Millwall unable to get a double.
With 8 minutes left of the first 45, Bromley’s goalkeeper Megan Taylor made an excellent save to stop Ellen Napper from doubling Millwall’s lead.
A strong start to the second half by Millwall as only 2 minutes in, Chloe Burr came close to doubling Millwall’s lead as her shot went just over the bar.
Whitter then came close with 30 minutes left of the game. She ran straight through the Bromley defence but Taylor in goal said no to a Millwall second. Another great save was added to Bromley’s goalkeeper’s record as she stopped Drewe from finding the back of the net just a few minutes later.
Just into 8 minutes of added on time, Drewe sealed Millwall’s place in the third round, finding the ball at her feet on the edge of the area, striding through the Bromley defence, and hitting the back of the net.
Millwall have won the women’s FA Cup twice in their history and now they head into the third round, where they could potentially face off against a Championship side.
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Above: Sarina Bolden (right) and Libby Copus-Brown (left) for Newcastle Jets. Photo: Newcastle Jets Twitter.
The Newcastle Jets won an entertaining match against Canberra United and showed that they are more than just the Emily van Egmond show.
Newcastle went into this game buoyed by the announcement of a new signing. Prior to kickoff, fans were treated with the news that Philippines international Sarina Bolden had arrived at the club and would make her debut. For a team that scored twice against Melbourne City last week and were still missing Melina Ayres through injury, this was a huge coup and one that had the potential for immediate impact.
It was Canberra United who started off on the front foot and barely five minutes had passes before Michelle Heyman muscled her way goal side and produced a composed finish past Izzy Nino.
Newcastle responded almost immediately through after Bolden raced clear at the other end and beat a stranded Chloe Lincoln in the one one-on-one.
The Jets were looking confident and soon had the lead. Emily van Egmond lifted the ball over Lincoln from the edge of the box to make it 2-1 with a touch of trademark class.
Canberra were behind on the scoreboard but not on their heels. Sasha Grove and Mary Stanic-Floody started to impose themselves on the midfield. The two youngsters began creating chances with quick passing and fast feet and Grove’s surging run was almost finished by Vesna Milivojevic, who was denied by Nino.
Milivojevic levelled the scores in the 58th minute with a classy free kick. But Bolden restored the Jets lead almost instantly with a similar goal to her first. Cass Davis supplied the pass for Bolden to finish with a brilliant chip, and the Jets legend almost scored one herself as the game became increasingly open.
Lauren Allan made it 4-2 with a well-struck effort across goal in the 81st minute and it looked like that was enough to settle the result, but Milivojevic forced a mistake from Nino with an effort from 18 yards that slipped through the keeper’s hands.
The arrival of stoppage time did nothing to slow down events. Both teams continued to attack and Bolden almost scored a third but her shot was hit over the bar. Canberra may have been lacking the presence of Michelle Heyman who had gone off injured but were not lacking belief as they continued to look for an equaliser.
The game eventually ended after an unbelievable seven goals. The Jets have three points, but perhaps more importantly, they have a striker that will give them belief that they can compete against any opposition even after van Egmond’s guest stint ends.
Teams:CANBERRA UNITED (4-4-2): Lincoln, Bertolissio, Clough, Ilijoski, Grove, Christopherson, Murray, Stanic-Floody, Flannery, Heyman, Milivojevic. Substitutes: Mckenzie, Nathan, Jackson, McNulty, Majstorovic.
Scorers: Bolden 5’, 61’. van Egmond 13’, Allan 81’
Referee: Caitlin Williams
Attendance: TBC
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Above: Kurea Okino, left celebrates after scoring her first goal for Melbourne Victory. Photo: MVFC Twitter.
A late goal from Mackenzie Weinert has secured Melbourne Victory a 2-1 win against the Central Coast Mariners in a close contest at The Home of The Matildas.
The subplot to this encounter was the return of Casey Dumont to the A-League Women. The Victory legend signed for Central Coast following a stint in the AFLW and has spoken in the media about her exit from Melbourne being less than acrimonious. That she is back in The Dub once again is great news for Australian football, that it was against her former team was an occasion with the potential to make headlines.
Of the two keepers, Dumont had the quieter first half, but her defence was busier. Lydia Williams was forced into two good but comfortable saves from Izzy Gomez and Wurigumula. Victory were moving the ball marginally better out of the two teams but looked hesitant in the final third. Rachel Lowe looked the most likely but had her shots blocked by a deep-sitting Mariners defence.
The Mariners have looked right at home immediately in this league and were up to the task organizationally and physically against Victory. However, the combination of Elise Kellond-Knight and Alana Murphy grew more comfortable through the first half and Jess Nash found lots of space on the right, as the home side started to probe.
It took until the 60th minute for Victory to break through the stubborn Mariner defence. Murphy hit her corner deep to the back post where Tori Hansen nodded toward goal. The Mariners were well positioned to block it but Kurea Okino turned well to lash the ball into the goal from close range.
Okino arrived at Victory amid much hype following an NPLW Victoria season where she scored more than 30 goals. She has taken a few weeks to adapt to the next level, but this was a goal that showed to rest of the competition that her instincts remain undiminished. The goal capped off one of her best displays for her new club. Okino was mobile in attack and excellent in linking play from central areas.
She created Victory’s best chance of the game in the first half with a good cross that Weinert almost turned in.
The celebrations were buoyant but short-lived. The Mariners hit back just over 10 minutes later. Wurigulmula turned Hansen skilfully and played a through ball into the path of Faye Bryson who took it in her stride and finished off the slick move with a side-footed finish past Lydia Williams to make it 1-1.
With the game in the balance, Victory made changes. Ella O’Grady entered the game and Paige Zois was brought on with 10 minutes to play. Despite this, Victory still struggled to create clear-cut chances. The Mariners centre-back pairing of Taren King and Ashley Irwin were rarely found out of position. They stayed goal side of any Victory players and it was always going to take something special to find a winner.
Weinert delivered that in the first minute of added time. The ball into her path was cut off, but the ricochet bounced up between her and the onrushing Dumont. Weinert combined a delicate touch with her trademark tenacity to get to the ball and loft it into the back of the net to make it 2-1.
Victory sat deeper for the remaining minutes, content to launch long balls to nowhere and run down the clock. When the whistle blew it was enough to push them into the top four and it may be turning point in their season.
With a starting 11 featuring six new faces, and a bench with an average age of 19, this was an important win. The two goals were scored by new signings in attack, and the young substitutes were able to close the game out professionally. Okino played perhaps her most complete and confident game since arriving from the Boroondara-Carey Eagles and the goal has silenced some of the creeping doubts about if she could deliver in the A-League Women.
Central Coast were as competitive as always. There is a lot to admire about this team, but currently not enough to fear. They looked dangerous on the counterattack for most of this match, but if they can start to control parts of the game as they did against Adelaide United, they will be a much more challenging side.
They were beaten by a moment of class late in this game but frustrated Victory for the majority of it, this was a strong performance from the visitors.
In the end, the day belonged to Victory. They started the season slowly, but are now unbeaten in their last four matches. There is still plenty of football left in this season, and Jeff Hopkin’s team is just getting started.
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Above:Chloe Knott, Wellington Phoenix’s match winner. Photo: Wellington Phoenix.
Wellington Phoenix produced a sparkling performance as they came from behind to become the first team defeat A-League Women leaders Perth Glory this season to win the Distance Derby in Auckland.
Paul Temple’s side played some excellent football and used a rapid-paced angled passing game to break through the Perth defence. This, combined with an ability to keep the visitors’ key creators quiet for much of the night, ensured that the Kiwi outfit maintained their outstanding start to the campaign.
Wellington Phoenix welcomed Annalie Longo back into the starting line-up from a long-term injury with Perth fielding a familiar line-up.
Chloe Knott won the first corner in the opening 20 seconds which flew into the far post and caused a bout of head tennis followed by a playground-style scramble that the referee finally brought to a halt with a Perth free-kick. Seconds later, the Nix were pushing once more as Manaia Elliott ran through the right of centre, cut in, and let fly with a rocket that went over the top.
Elliott was at the heart of much of what was good about the hosts in the early stages, combining well with her fellow attackers Mariana Speckmaier and Hope Breslin as Phoenix played some beautiful angled passing to dissect the Glory defence in a high-quality opening to the encounter.
As the game inched past the quarter-hour mark, Glory gradually began to settle, but it was still the Nix who were the stronger of the sides. Yet, as has been one of the key aspects of Perth’s development this season, when chances come, they are put away.
That was the case in the 21st minute as a square ball from Michaela Foster as the Nix played out from the back was picked up by Sofia Sakalis who played through a well-weighted pass to Millie Farrow in the box who directed the ball over the line despite losing her balance.
The goal rocked Wellington in the immediate aftermath, but they would regain their focus. Paul Temple’s side were working hard to nullify the impact of key Perth creator Susan Phonsongkham, with the additional consequence that the dangerous wider attacking threat of the Western Australian side was reduced more than at any previous time this season so far.
With seven minutes left in the opening half, the Nix were on the front foot again. Longo turned and shot, blocked brilliantly on the line by Lowry, it rebounded out to Elliott at a rapid pace giving the youngster no time to prepare and her resulting shot went over the top.
Within seconds of the half-time whistle, Phoenix got free and Breslin got a pacey ball across the six-yard box which couldn’t quite be reached by the diving Speckmaier.
However, within three minutes of the re-start, Wellington were level. Elliott dispossessed Perth’s New Zealand international Liz Anton on the right-hand touchline and played a pass inside for Knott to supply a perfectly angled pass for Hope Breslin to sweep home inside the box.
Calm, composed finish from @HopeBreslin earlier on! 🤩
Phoenix responded by sitting deep in a bid to reduce the space available to Perth’s attackers. Whilst this reduced the percentage of possession that the hosts had during the middle third of the second half, it forced the likes of Hana Lowry and Georgia Cassidy to look for longer-range passes in a bid to free Jale and Farrow. With the traffic heavy, it was a tactic that largely worked for the hosts.
It also allowed the Nix to get players further up the pitch rapidly when they gained possession, and the excellent Elliott looked to benefit when she was able to launch a long-range effort that Perth keeper Morgan Aquino had to push over the top.
Moments later, just after the hour mark, Wellington hit the front. Mackenzie Barry’s high ball into the box from just inside the Perth half was flicked on under pressure by Lowry with Knott heading against the bar, but the rebound fell perfectly for the same player to head home.
Chloe Knott nods us in front! We lead Perth by 2-1! #COYN! 🔥
Just over 20 minutes before the end, a Nix break along the right saw Knott feed Speckmaier who hit a powerful angled drive across the box that needed Aquino to fly across her goal to ensure it stayed out.
Five minutes later, it was Perth’s turn to come close. Jale played a pass back to Izzy Dalton to hit a powerful drive from the edge of the box that Foster pushed over the top spectacularly.
Despite eight minutes being added on at the end of 90, there was no real opportunity for the Glory to emulate their late heroics of last weekend when they hit back to earn a point at home to Melbourne Victory in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Wellington Phoenix were able to keep the visitors at arm’s length to record an excellent victory and keep their grip on third place on the ladder.
Teams: WELLINGTON PHOENIX(4-3-3): Foster, Davidson, Barry, van der Meer, Foster, Longo, Taylor, Knott, Breslin, Speckmaier, Elliott. Substitutes: Brown, Edwards, Lake, Main, McMeeken.
Above: Sophie Harding celebrates her opening goal for Western Sydney Wanderers. Photo: A-Leagues.
Despite only having had 38.7% possession come the end of the match, Western Sydney Wanderers achieved their first win of the season against Western United with goals from Sophie Harding and Cushla Rue late in the second half. With this result, the Wanderers have climbed off of the foot of the table.
United were the ones that created chances early in the match as their style of play and build-ups with the ball kept the Wanderers on alert – but they defended well and grew into the game the longer the half went on. Yet Western United had the control.
Seven minutes into the second half, United had a very good opportunity to open the when Jaclyn Sawicki made an interception before setting up a shot towards the goal that just went out of play.
In the 65th minute, Western Sydney came close in front of goal as Harding made a great run on the wing as she cut into the box but unfortunately, her pass that was intended for Rue was blocked by United’s Alana Cerne.
It may have taken 81 minutes for a goal to be scored but it was Western Sydney who finally did so. It came via an unfortunate mistake by United keeper Hillary Beall took too long to clear Alana Cerne’s backpass, and Harding pounced on it to slotted into the back of the net for her third goal of the season.
Three minutes into stoppage time, Holly Caspers provided a beautiful through ball with the outside of her boot that found Rue on the break. Her pace allowed a rapid approach on goal to shoot into the top left corner. It was Rue’s first goal in the A-League Women and Western Sydney’s sealer.
As Wanderers celebrated their first win of the season at the sixth attempt, last year’s Grand Finalists Western United have work to do, having lost three of their opening six games.
Teams: WESTERN UNITED (4-2-3-1): Beall, Papadopoulos, Cerne, Maher, Sardo, M. Taranto, Sawicki, Johnson, A. Taranto, Logarzo, Keane. Substitutes: Dall’Oste, Robers, Richards, Prakash, Hieda.
Impetus had writers in five WSL media conferences this week ahead of another vital weekend of action. Their club-by-club reports of who said what is below(24/11/23)
Arsenal
by Rebecca Hall
Above: Jonas Eidevall (centre) at today’s Arsenal media conference. Photo: Rebecca Hall for Impetus.
After a Thursday night Continental Cup clash against Southampton, Arsenal already looked to their Sunday WSL preparations against London rivals West Ham. Gunners boss Jonas Eidevall shared his thoughts on the high level of competition in the WSL, injury updates, and the impressive progress of current loanees.
As expected, Thursday’s fixture saw Arsenal heavily rotate their squad butEidevall spoke of the quality throughout the squad, explaining that he “enjoys every opportunity to see them (the players)” and he also declared that “we don’t have any permanent team selection at Arsenal, we select for each game what we think will be the best team.”
Further discussing rotation and striking the right balance between flexibility and familiarity in a squad that now boasts substantial depth, Eidevall got almost philosophical sharing the proverb “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”.
He explained “The way forward is with a larger squad, otherwise you’re not going to be able to handle all competitions and the challenges that poses. But then comes that question to say how fast can you go now when you try to implement things, and you don’t only have to worry about 11 players that play with each other week in, week out”
Arsenal are currently on an impressive run of form, with seven consecutive wins across all competitions. “To win football matches, from a results perspective, is the most important thing. That doesn’t mean that just because you win, everything is good. And it’s the same thing when you lose football matches. So, our focus needs to be on how we do things, and there is always room for improvement. To find ways to win football matches is really important and to get that winning culture”.
On the occasion of the London derby with West Ham United on Sunday, Eidevall agreed that “every derby is special but as a coach, its three points and that’s the important thing. It’s a really competitive league, it’s a 22-game season”. The Arsenal boss specifically drew attention to West Ham’s performance against Aston Villa, which saw the East London side lose 3-2, describing them as unlucky to come away with nothing.
With discussions of London Derby’s, thoughts naturally turned to the 10th of December when Arsenal take on Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal have already sold an impressive 50,000 tickets but the Arsenal boss wants to push for more, joking to fans to “bring a friend, bring a family member, let’s get a sell-out”. Arsenal have sold out the Emirates before in a Champions League fixture, but selling out this would be a first for the WSL.
Eidevall also shared how pleased he is for Beth Mead as she is set to play for England for the first time since suffering an ACL injury last season, drawing poignant attention to the “highs and lows” and “individual hopes and dreams” of the player.
Lionesses fan-favourite Lotte Wubben-Moy did not travel to Southampton on Thursday but Eidevall assured fans that she was simply being rested and will be available for the WSL fixture. Captain Kim Little is still undergoing assessment but is not ruled out and the Arsenal boss is “hopeful”. Sweden’s Stina Blackstenius “picked up a very minor injury against Brighton and that will be a game-day decision” based on her progress.
Many Arsenal loanees have been shining in the Championship, with several being called up to the Under 19’s England squad. Eidevall shared how he maintains relationships with on-loan players, sharing that “we follow them on a weekly basis, watching their games and so on. With the majority of them, we also have them continuously training with the first team when it fits their schedule. They come in at different times, but that means that we have both the personal and the football contact with them”.
Aston Villa
by Emily Brown
Above: Carla Ward on today’s Aston Villa Zoom media conference. Image: Aston Villa Women.
Aston Villa manager, Carla Ward, and her side are under “no illusion of the task ahead on Sunday” as they face Everton at Villa Park. However, she believes her team is “in a good place.”
The claret and blues will be going into the match this Sunday, against the Merseysiders hoping to achieve their fifth win in a row after successfully winning their last two games in the WSL against Bristol City and West Ham United. They have also found success in the Continental Cup group stages, comfortably winning both matches so far in the competition.
The Conti Cup matches have been vital in building Villa’s confidence and momentum after a tough start to the season with Ward remarking: “We can’t underestimate the importance of the timing of those two games as well. I think it’s been between (these two) games that’s allowed us to get people’s confidence, get the team confident, implement the way we want to play, it’s been massive this year for us… It’s a cup competition we want to take seriously this year and we’ll continue to do so.”
Another positive coming out of their midweek game against Blackburn Rovers was that forward Simone Magill, made her return from injury. Not only did she make her return, but she made sure she didn’t go unnoticed, scoring her first goal for her club of two years.
On her performance, and as a player, Ward said: “She’s been excellent since she came in. Obviously, the first year was really tough for her because, coming to a new club and before she’s been in the building, (she) got injured. That was tough for her, and I think the way she was in that first year was brilliant and during pre-season, she was nothing short of sensational, putting herself in the mix. Then obviously we’ve been a bit gutted not to have her available for more games…”
“We knew that we could get her on the pitch for 30 minutes on Wednesday night and we did and obviously, she did what she does best and that’s score goals. But I think it’s a good moment for her to get her first goal.”
It just gets better for Villa as Ward confirmed that the previously injured Lucy Parker “is back on the grass today with the team, which is excellent news, but Sunday will be too soon” for her to be in contention. However, Magill is now “back available for more minutes.”
Looking ahead to their opposition and Everton’s manager, Brian Sørensen, Ward commended their performances so far amidst their rough run of results: “You can see what he’s trying to do. They’ve got a way of playing. I think that they’re better than their league position suggests. They’ve played some good stuff, I thought they were excellent against Chelsea.
“And what I would say is I think it would be very very very naïve to think that this is going to be an easy game because of their run. We know what football’s like, we know what momentum swings are like, but I think since Brian’s come in, he’s implemented a way and they’re never an easy team to play against, but they’ve got a lot of quality so we’re going to have to absolutely be at our best and we’ve said that to the group this morning. It’s really really important that we take this as a big challenge because that’s exactly what it’s going to be.”
Overall, after Villa’s recent change in performance the team seem to be getting ready to progress even further up the table, with Ward stating: “If we win at the weekend and results go our way then all of a sudden, you’re sitting seventh, knocking on the door of the top six.”
Everton
By Emily Brown
Above: Everton boss Brian Sørensen at today’s media conference. Image: Everton FC Women.
Everton manager, Brian Sørensen hopes his side become more “clinical” ahead of their upcoming matches before the Christmas break looking forward to an “exciting” game against Aston Villa at Villa Park this Sunday.
After the Toffees drew with Bristol City last weekend, it was announced that Danish forward, Nicoline Sørensen will be making an early retirement from both domestic and international football by the end of the year. The 26-year-old has spent two years with the Blues after taking the plunge to travel over to England to play in the WSL, leaving former Danish side Brøndby ahead of the beginning of Everton’s 2020/21 season campaign.
On the news, Sørensen said: “Yeah I was surprised… Nico’s a very smart girl and she’s a thinker so of course it’s something she’s been thinking about for a while and I think if you’re not happy… you need to do what makes you happy and of course, it sticks out because not many people make that choice (of early retirement) but as I said, she’s a very smart girl and she reflects over things and that big injury she had, (she) was out for 15 months and that changed something in her.
“She’s been trying, because football has been such a big part of her life, to find the motivation to get back but ultimately, she couldn’t. Every day here she gives everything she has because she’s a professional and I’m also starting the games with her because she’s just doing good still.
“She made her decision and we’re sad that she’s leaving but it’s her life and her choice and at the end of the day we can only back that up even though we don’t think it’s a good thing for us of course but we will respect her and wish her all the best.”
Everton have had a tough start to the season so far and have had a large string of injuries. As for those available to play this weekend both Elise Stenevik and Lucy Hope will remain out of contention through injury.
There was some positive news regarding those injured as Sørensen confirmed that Stenevik is “back on the pitch” so hopes remain high for a quick return for the defender. However, Blue’s number 17 is still “months away from being ready.”
It was disclosed that Aurora Galli received a knock in training yesterday so she will be assessed before the weekend to determine whether she will be available for the match on Sunday.
As a result of the injuries that the squad have picked up, many players have had to step up and make up for those absent. One of these versatile players is young Australian international Clare Wheeler. The 25-year-old has appeared in every game the Toffees have played so far this season and has taken up a new role in her position as a wing-back.
Her development at club level has already made an impact on her international performances. Playing for the Matildas over the international break, the Blue’s number seven scored her first senior international goal in Australia’s match against the Philippines in their first set of Olympic qualification matches.
After frustrations over the Bristol City game, the squad have come together and been “focused and spot-on” in training. The side has built up a lot of “hunger to come in and (have) a good game against Villa.”
Aiding this hunger is the fact that, a positive result to take from last weekend’s game, Italian striker Piemonte got her first goal for her new club Everton, adding to the team’s confidence.
Both Everton and Aston Villa are in similar positions this season and so Sørensen claims: “It’s going to be an exciting game on Sunday (at) Villa Park, in a good stadium. We normally do well in a good stadium, which I’m sure they also will so yeah we’re looking forward to (the game) it’s going to be a fun and exciting game and both teams really want to show what they’re made of and go for a win.”
Leicester City
By Genevieve Henry
Above: CJ Bott in Leicester City’s media conference. Image: Leicester City Women.
Leicester City manager Willie Kirk and defender CJ Bott spoke to the media ahead of Sunday’s test against Chelsea.
“We’ve gotta keep being us.” Kirk said when asked about his tactics against Chelsea. For this team that has scored in eight out of nine matches this season, a major improvement from the past few campaigns, it’s all about focusing on themselves and what they can do against the proven champions.
Kirk said, “I don’t really look at Chelsea tactically. They’re the best team in the country and they’re the best team in the country because they can win in so many different ways. They can build from the back, they can go direct, they can high press, they can low block. Emma (Hayes) and her squad have got everything under the sun in terms of ways to win a game. I think it’s pointless to look at Chelsea tactically, we’ve just got to focus on us.”
However, the Leicester City manager wasn’t the only one full of praise. Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has reflected on Leicester’s style of play to the media in the previous days, saying that Leicester are a fun team to watch. For Kirk, that compliment is indicative that he is doing something right.
This season, Leicester have stuck it to some of the best teams in the competition. Unfortunately for them, that success has more often than not come in the first half only. Going in with a two-goal lead against Arsenal at half-time, then conceding six goals in the second half was disappointing, to say the least, for the Foxes, but Kirk says that critics are missing the point.
“Everybody is missing the massive positive of actually being in the lead against these teams at half-time and that’s not just scoring a quick goal after five minutes and losing it, it’s being the better team in the first half.”
One thing that has been both Leicester’s weapon and downfall is a high press. “We’ve let teams high-press us.” Kirk said, remarking that it was strange because that is their style of play as well. The Foxes boss spoke of how his players train against a high press every day, so the way they handle that particular tactic needs to be looked at and improved.
On that tactic, Bott shared that “it’s a risky style of play, but we’re embracing it.” The environment at Leicester has been one that has pushed and nurtured Bott to evolve as a player, with her describing it as a “high-performance environment” but also as a family, “without sounding too corny”.
As a team that has undergone many changes in personnel, this season is one full of firsts, or, as Kirk described them, “little landmarks on the way of the journey we’re on.” With new talents and personalities in the squad, the club has looked like a new team this season, capable of achieving high and competing with the best teams.
Against Chelsea, Bott and the whole Leicester defence will be in for the tough task of containing Sam Kerr, along with a plethora of other attacking talents Chelsea possess. “(Sam Kerr) is a great player. She’s incredibly strong on the ball and off the ball. She provides difficult challenges.”
But these are challenges Bott relishes. “We know how to eliminate players like her. We’ve got a team of incredible defenders, and we’re definitely all up for it…Strikers enjoy scoring goals and we enjoy stopping them.”
As a player with experience against many top players, Bott brings experience and strength to her defence, especially in games like this. “I love a challenge and I really show up against world-class attackers. I’m definitely ready for it.”
Luckily, for Leicester, no new injuries plague the squad, with a strong team ready to face Chelsea. For Kirk, there’s even a bit of a selection headache with the amount of hard-working, talented players on board. With players like Australian striker Remy Siemsen putting her hand up after returning from injury, the team is sure to be competitive and ready to prove their mettle.
Tottenham Hotspur
by Rachel Cohen
Above: Robert Vilahamn speaking to the media today. Image: Tottenham Hotspur.
In his press conference ahead of this weekend’s game with Manchester City, Spurs manager, Robert Vilahamn talked about why clean sheets are not his focus, his excitement at going toe-to-toe with City, and confirmed that Spurs will be getting new players for Christmas.
The North London side are now on a nine-game unbeaten run, with their only defeat of the season coming on matchday one against defending champions Chelsea, at Stamford Bridge.
The last three WSL games have been 1-1 draws, but this was punctuated on Wednesday by a very comfortable 3-0 home win in the Conti Cup over Bristol City.
On Sunday the team goes away to Manchester City and Vilahamn is relishing the prospect. “I think we are ready for the next step. Can we actually compete against the top four teams? …They are a good team with really high-quality players. But you can also see that this league is more competitive. They lost against Brighton and they have had a few draws, so I think we have a chance and if we have a good day we can actually beat them.”
Reflecting on the two teams’ styles of play he identified both opportunities and risks. “I like to play against teams who want to have a build-up and try to have short passes because then you know that you can press them and if you’re good enough, you’re going to win the ball, right? So, for me, I kind of like to play against the top clubs that play that way. But then on the other hand, they press really high and really tough so we need to be really sharp there, otherwise they are going to score against us.”
Expanding on Spurs style of play and his aims for the team Vilahamn, asserted that he would rather the team won 3-2 than 1-0 and that for him the issue is how to score more goals, not how to keep a clean sheet. “You’re going to build self-confidence when you score goals or create chances and you feel the flow.”
Looking back at the midweek Conti Cup, game Vilahamn noted that Rosella Ayane, who scored a brace and won a penalty has some “X factors.” Namely “If you look at her GPS on her back when she is running, I’ve never seen anybody do those sprint meters in the game that she did the last game.” It was, however, Ayane’s “consistency to score” that has been “the thing”. In that context, he suggested that Wednesday’s game demonstrated potential.
Vilahamn also praised Ramona Petzelberger who played her first 90 minutes for the club after joining in the summer of 2022 but then enduring a series of injuries. “She worked so hard to get back in the squad and to get those minutes and she’s a great footballer and she’s a great person. She brings a lot of good stuff to this team. Like it’s really tough competition in those positions. But it was really nice to see those 90 minutes against Bristol and she almost scored in the last second as well. She’s a great baller.”
Finally, Vilahamn reflected on the ongoing role of Vicky Jepson, who was previously Assistant Manager under Rehanne Skinner and then Interim Manager at the end of last season. “She helps me a lot on off the pitch. She knows the league, she knows the country, she knows the players, she knows the opponents, she knows the stadiums. So having Vicky close to me is very much important to me to make sure I’m I can be myself.”
“She makes sure that all the staff members know what to do. She knows how I want to do it so she doesn’t really need to run to me all the time. She can actually take decisions and I know that she going to take the right decisions. She’s running sessions, she’s running feedback, she’s running set business. So for me, Vicki is a brilliant coach and I’m very happy to have her on my side.
In terms of injuries, Beth England and Olga Ahtinen are still out. In addition, Ellie Brazil was injured in a duel last week’s game at Leicester and will not be available for a few weeks and Drew Spence is “getting closer” but not yet back.
Thinking about personnel in the near future Vilahamn was clear that Spurs would be doing some business in the next international transfer window. “There’s going to be players in at Christmas. Absolutely.”
Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Threads, Instagram, X (Twitter), TikTok, and Facebook.
Members of the Impetus team of contributors covering the league report on the media conferences ahead of this weekend’s action (24/11/23).
Canberra United
by Ryan Miller-Woods
Above: Canberra United head coach Njegosh Popovic speaks with the media ahead of the match with Newcastle Jets. Image: Canberra United.
Canberra United head coach Njegosh Popovich and Ruby Nathan reflected on the club’s long-awaited return to A-League Women action against Newcastle Jets on Sunday.
This will be their first match in the league since the 3-2 defeat to Perth Glory on November 4th. While it has been a longer break between matches than they would have liked, it potentially could be beneficial for Canberra given their start of the season to reset themselves, continually build the team group, and absolutely go for it against the Jets this weekend.
When asked about whether his side has been able to make the most of the break between games, Popovich said, “Yeah! Nothing replicates a game sort-of situation but we’ve tried our best. We had an inter (friendly) game on Saturday which was a high-intensity match for them and keeping their fitness levels up.”
The match against Newcastle will also most likely feature Australian international and ex-Canberra player Emily van Egmond for the Jets in the second game of her four-game guest stint in the league. In her first match back, she played an important role for Newcastle as the Jets went down narrowly 3-2 to Melbourne City.
When asked what the feeling is amongst the squad with the prospect of going up against the Matildas star, Popovich said, “Van Egmond’s a great player, there’s no doubt about her pedigree and her quality. She proved that at the World Cup. We won’t change our game plan for one player, we’ll play as we do, but obviously, there needs to be an eye on her in terms of making sure that she can’t have that ability to score goals or set up chances for them.”
Above:: Canberra United’s New Zealand International Ruby Nathan shares her thoughts with the media. Image: Canberra United.
New Zealand youth international Ruby Nathan, newly called up to the senior Ferns side, has had a good start to her time in the A-League Women. She reflected on her start with Canberra.
“I feel like I’ve improved a lot since coming here. Obviously, playing in the A-League is a step up to where I’ve been in New Zealand, so it’s just been good to see what the step is like to this level and take experience from older players in my team as well.”
For young players, going up against renowned internationals provides a real challenge to embrace. That prospect could very well happen on Sunday with Nathan likely to face Emily van Egmond.
“That’ll be exciting. She’s a great player, so it’ll be a good thing to test myself against players that are at that level.”
Central Coast Mariners
By Ryan Miller-Woods
Above: Central Coast Mariners head coach Emily Husband speaking to the media ahead of this weekend’s game with Melbourne Victory. Image: Central Coast Mariners.
After four games this season, Central Coast Mariners have had a great return with two wins, one draw, and one loss, with the result against Wellington Phoenix last round being their first home win since returning to the league.
When asked how she and the team are feeling ahead of the match against Victory, Husband said, “We’re really excited to get down there (in Melbourne) and play another game coming off the back of a win on the weekend. The girls are in a really good place and we’re preparing for another solid team to play against.”
This week’s opponent Melbourne Victory have had a mixed set of results so far, and after seeing three points snatched away from them in the sixth minute of stoppage time at Perth Glory last weekend, Jeff Hopkins’ side are likely to be going all out for a win.
Reflecting on this, Husband said: “I think every game in the league is going to be a competitive game. Look at the roster that Melbourne Victory have got. On paper, they’re a fantastic side and I think they’ll be up there competing this year, that’s for sure.”
Above: Promising talent Peta Trimis answers the press’s questions ahead of this weekend’s game. Image: Central Coast Mariners.
Reflecting on the challenge posed by Melbourne Victory this weekend, young Mariners attacker Peta Trimis said, “They’re going well at the moment, so it will be a hard game, but I think we’ll give it everything and hopefully come away with the three points.”
What has been apparent with Central Coast early in the season is how they have created chances with their style of play with players such as Isabel Gomez, Bianca Galic, and Trimis herself playing significant roles in the club’s early success. Upon their return to the competition this season, club is currently fifth on the A-League Women’s ladder, only behind Victory on goal difference..
When asked what Central Coast has been working on ahead of the game, Trimis said, “I think just continuing our high press and the energy that we brought to that game (last week against Wellington Phoenix) and never giving up until the end.”
Sydney FC
By Genevieve Henry
Above: Sydney coach Ante Juric shares his thoughts following a successful return to the A-League Women. Image: Sydney FC.
The media heard from Sydney boss Ante Juric after trips of growth and success to Uzbekistan and Adelaide. Juric also shares his thoughts on the tough matchup with the high-flying Melbourne City ahead.
While last season’s champions are currently sitting in eighth in the A-League Women, it’s important to keep in mind that they have two games in hand. The Sky Blues will be aiming to keep up the strong performances and show the country that they have what it takes to repeat the double.
On the trip away to participate in the AFC Women’s Club Championship, Juric says it was much needed, both to gain valuable experience and grow together as a team. “I think it brought cohesion on the pitch, some well-needed games. But it definitelybrought some cohesion off the pitch and a bit of unity. All in all, it was a fantastic trip for us.”
A quick turnaround after a long trip home meant that Sydney only had a few sessions before facing Adelaide United. The Sky Blues boss spoke with pride of how well his team handled that transition, able to combat exhaustion to secure three points. “I am proud of their effort, their performance, and ultimately the result. So, very happy.”
Juric praised this weekend’s opponents Melbourne City who are second in the table, having won four and drawn one, saying, “They’re probably the best team in the country at the moment.” He also commented on the two clubs’ history together, remarking that they always play out good and interesting games. “We’re ready for it. We’re the champions, so we want to show people what we’re about, even this early in the competition.”
On Sydney’s game plan against Melbourne City, Juric commented when asked about possible weaknesses to exploit, “Yeah, there are (weaknesses). I won’t mention it, but they have a specific style, and in the past, certain things that we have done have worked against them.”
Although he was secretive about his team’s tactics, he made sure to emphasize the necessity of a positive mindset, both when attacking and defending. Juric was sure this game will be an entertaining one that will go down to the wire.
Unfortunately for the Sky Blues, some of the club’s stars are set to miss out on this clash, with Cortnee Vine still out due to her hamstring, captain Nat Tobin out for the season, and defender Kirsty Fenton sustaining an injury. Fenton missed last week’s matchup with Adelaide United, and will, according to Juric, likely miss out on this one, too.
Also missing out will be Lucy Johnson, who had to be taken off due to injury against Adelaide. “We do lose out, a little bit, with those players, but with the players that have come in; (Abby) Lemon, Shea (Connors), and even Indi (Dos Santos) who started the other day, have been excellent. The players come in and do the job.”
Heaping praise on players new and returning, Juric said, “These players have been exceptional. They’re still quite young, a lot of them.” Players stepping up include Connors, Lemon, and Dos Santos, as previously mentioned, alongside players like Aideen Keane and the returning Jessica Seaman. Juric was quite happy with how they have performed, even saying that it will be hard for the players they are replacing to get their spots back.
With record-breaking crowds all around this season, Sydney are hoping to recreate some of the magic of their opening round by welcoming thousands to Sydney Olympic Park. Juric spoke of the fans giving his team a lift, feeling the atmosphere, and making the players feel like true professionals. “We’ve got some big players and future Matildas within our squad, so it would be great if they would continue that support.”
Wellington Phoenix
by Ryan Miller-Woods
Above: Canadian goalkeeper Rylee Foster ahead of Wellington’s clash with Perth. Image: Wellington Phoenix.
Despite the defeat last round against Central Coast Mariners, Wellington are still one of the in-form teams in the league and will look to bounce back from the loss with a win against Perth, who are still undefeated after five rounds and are on the top of the A-League Women’s ladder.
When asked how the team is feeling ahead of the match against Perth and the challenge that awaits, goalkeeper Rylee Foster said, “I think every game in this league is going to be a challenge for us. We are the underdogs but for us, it is relishing the opportunity. We have a short travel, they (Perth) unfortunately have a long travel. It’s going to be another game of football but we’re just focusing on ourselves and looking forward, fixing last week’s mistakes and getting after it.”
Wellington look like a different team compared to the past two seasons when they have found it hard to find a way to turn promising performances into victories. Specifically, they appear stronger and more dangerous in terms of their attacking prowess, as well as being more comfortable on the ball. Furthermore, there appears to be a lot more freedom in Wellington’s style of play, thanks in part to what head coach Paul Temple has implemented amongst the squad.
When asked what’s changed at the club and been different compared to the previous two seasons, Foster said, “Temps (Temple) has come in and brought in a new philosophy to the team, a new tactical mindset, and has got everyone onto the same page. He’s done a really good job getting it by the players, we’re all completely committed to his philosophy and his ideas. We’re seeing it now, getting results, getting three wins (in a row), and creating history for this club.”
Victory in Saturday’s Distance Derby could potentially see the Phoenix go within one point of the top of the ladder with a win, but they are up against arguably the most in-form team in the league at the moment in Perth Glory.
Above: Chloe Knott speaks to the press with optimism and experience leading in to a tough test. Image: Wellington Phoenix.
When asked how she’s feeling ahead of the match against Perth, midfielder Chloe Knott said, “Huge game, we’re all pretty fired up and ready to go. It’ll be cool to play against (Grace) Jale. We definitely want to go into it with our best foot forward and take control of the game.”
Jale has scored three goals in her opening five games for Perth and Wellington will need to use their inside knowledge on the New Zealand international to assist their performance. Knott was also keen to stress that one player does not decide a match, saying: “We actually don’t really look too much individually at players, it’s more the team as a whole and how we can exploit them, so not too much (on Jale) but we know a good amount about her, which will help us on the day.”
by Beth McCowen at St. Mary’s Stadium for Impetus (24/11/23).
Above: Molly Pike celebrates her goal that put Championship side Southampton ahead over Arsenal last night. Photo: Isabelle Field/Southampton.
Arsenal needed a goal from Amanda Ilestedt two minutes into stoppage time to seal their comeback from a 1-0 deficit to edge out Championship side Southampton in front of a record crowd for the Hampshire coast side, and one of the biggest attendances in the Conti Cup’s history.
Arsenal dominated in the beginning, but the Saints pressed hard and quickly opened up the game, spending a good portion of time both in possession of the ball and in their attacking half.
A free kick soon provided the Saints with a great opportunity, but Arsenal’s Sabrina D’Angelo made a huge save. It was a promising start for the home side.
After almost five minutes of constant action in Arsenal’s defensive half, Arsenal became more composed and saw their first shot at goal, which was sent just wide by Lina Hurtig.
Paige Peake was also a standout for Southampton, making two important clearances as Arsenal began to look closer to opening the score line. Rosie Parnell, captain of the Saints, forced another attempt by the Gunners back out, seemingly finding it easy to keep up with Arsenal’s Frida Maanum. Less than thirty minutes into the match, Steph Catley’s free-kick was successfully headed away by the Saints.
D’Angelo’s bold positioning soon proved effective as Southampton made another attempt to take the lead.
Kayla Rendell made several impressive saves for the hosts, and her distribution of the ball was largely excellent. D’Angelo equally continued to impress, playing a vital role in leading Eidevall’s side from the back throughout the opening half.
Above: St. Mary’s celebrated a record-breaking women’s attendance of 13,438. Photo: Isabelle Field for Southampton FC.
Soon after the break, Lexi Lloyd-Smith, a half-time substitution for the Saints, saw a huge opening. Messily, Arsenal managed to send this away. However, shortly afterwards, the hosts had better luck. Player of the Match Molly Pike, gave Southampton the lead in the 54th minute. Her clean, confident strike from the edge of the box left D’Angelo with no chance of stopping it. Arsenal’s backline were just not good enough here, and the Saints executed the opportunity brilliantly.
Rendell was put to the test just a few minutes later, saving one effort from the immense counterattack before Maanum’s equalising strike proved unstoppable.
Kathrine Kühl played a crucial role in Arsenal’s midfield, often working her way into attack and sending some lovely passes forward to her striker teammates (despite often finding herself in challenging, tight spaces). Southampton’s defence, though, were efficient in blocking many of these opportunities before they could result in another goal.
Spacey-Cale’s Championship side showed remarkable strength against one of the WSL’s finest, earning a further opportunity which was swiftly headed away by the Gunners’ Noelle Maritz.
Arsenal threatened the home side towards the end, but they often struggled to get past the strong and cohesive defence of the Saints.
However, with five minutes of added time, Arsenal took the lead for the first time this game. Ilestedt provided the game-winner through a header, following a confidently delivered corner.
It was, ultimately, D’Angelo who stopped Southampton from seizing back a point. Arsenal’s goalkeeper made more than one crucial save to stop the Saints from equalising.
There was a buzz about St. Mary’s Stadium. Spacey-Cale’s Southampton could certainly walk away with their heads held high, having delivered a stellar performance against a top WSL team, in front of a record crowd.
Above: The home fans in the busy St. Mary’s stands. Photo: Isabelle Field for Southampton FC.
After the match, Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall described Marieanne Spacey-Cale’s team as a “well-coached side.”
Regarding the Gunners’ relatively slow start to the game, the manager admitted that in the first half, his side “connected really poorly off the ball.”
He also detailed that playing with three central defenders means that “one of the central defenders can start either driving the ball forward or making runs.” In light of this, the head coach was full of praise for Amanda Ilestedt, who scored Arsenal’s winning goal.
Touching on the competitiveness of the championship, where Southampton currently sit third, the Arsenal boss said, “When you see clubs like Southampton and how they are trying to grow, I think there is a real big case for saying that, from a quality perspective, the WSL probably can be a larger league than twelve teams.”
Above: Southampton’s starting eleven pose for their pre-match photo with mascots. Photo: Isabelle Field for Southampton FC.
Southampton manager Marieanne Spacey-Cale declared to the press that she was “absolutely delighted with the players.”
Spacey-Cale explained that although the Saints just missed out on taking the game to penalties, her side’s strong performance was “a big statement”. There was also praise for the team’s “solid defensive display”.
On how her players felt post-match, Spacey-Cale said “I can’t believe they’re disappointed, in a really good way…they feel like they’ve gone toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in Europe, and we’re disappointed to have lost.” Clearly and justifiably pleased with her side’s performance, the head coach said that this response “says a lot about this group of players and the performance that they put in tonight.”
This match saw St. Mary’s with a record crowd of over 13,000, and Southampton’s head coach showed her appreciation for the fans who supported them through what they knew would be a tough encounter.
Above: Arsenal’s Australian midfield maestro Kyra Cooney-Cross. Photo: Mariella Prew for Impetus.
Young players play integral roles in the WSL, and so far, this season we have seen some praiseworthy performances from the next generation of players that are bound to become some of the best in the world.
From North London to Merseyside, WSL sides have been making critical investments in the form of recruiting young players who solidify the future of their club. Alongside seeing managers fill their squads with players who are full of experience across club and international stages, there are certain starlets that have been rising through the ranks, and have this season landed themselves in the competitive WSL. As the league grows we have seen players from 36 different nations make the move to represent WSL clubs, and thriving alongside them English talent from the clubs academy systems.
We have seen performances worthy of high praise and recognition from the younger players that display exactly why they are an asset to have in a match-day squad. In this article, we review eight Women’s Super League players 21 or under who have hit the ground running to start the season off on the right foot, showcasing an array of undeniable talent, skill, and maturity across their efforts on the pitch.
Courtney Nevin
Club: Leicester City.
Age: 21.
Above: Matildas defender Courtney Nevin has caught the eye in the WSL. Photo: Leicester City Women.
After what was a very successful loan spell last season, Australia’s Courtney Nevin made the permanent move to the WSL to remain with the Leicester City team, transferring from her previous team Hammarby in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan. Nevin’s defensive impact from her position in the back line was a huge part in keeping the Foxes from facing relegation to the Championship, and the improvement of the side this season has begun to shine through.
Despite facing some of the top teams in their first seven fixtures, Nevin has been well up to the task. She is a big presence on the pitch for her team and has put in shift after shift, particularly working well to keep the Manchester United forwards at bay.
Her minutes this season sits at a total of 610, with a total of 42 recoveries made and a passing accuracy of 72.4%. In Leicester’s fixture against Bristol City, the side won by four goals to Bristol City’s two, and Nevin had a wide-scale impact. She created two chances for her team with a 79% passing accuracy, also making 16 passes into the final third to push Leicester’s play forwards.
Khiara Keating
Club: Manchester City.
Age: 19.
Above: Manchester City’s Khiara Keating, who has been the club’s first-choice goalkeeper for City. Photo: Morganna King for Impetus.
At just 19 years old, Keating is Manchester City’s first-choice goalkeeper so far this season, and she has proven so far her ability and what she can bring to her side. Keating is one of City’s players that came up through their academy system, and for such a young player in a role that holds a lot of pressure, she has shown that she is capable of maintaining a calm demeanour when on the pitch.
One of Keating’s most impressive displays in goal this season was against Chelsea, where City went down to nine players after two red cards. With the defensive line in front of her left slightly compromised, she stepped up to help keep her side in the game, and her efforts saw Chelsea being able to grasp just one goal in the last minutes of injury time.
During the seven matches she’s started this season, Keating has kept three clean sheets and conceded just five goals, alongside saving one penalty. Her performances this season haven’t gone unrecognised, as during the October international break, she earned her first senior England call-up from Sarina Wiegman and has again received another for this upcoming December camp.
Mia Enderby
Club: Liverpool.
Age: 18.
Above: Liverpool’s Mia Enderby on signing for the club. Photo: Liverpool Women.
Mia Enderby at just 18 years old, is one of the youngest players that is taking flight in the WSL. After signing last summer, she has made an appearance in six matches and has bagged one assist in a total of just 126 minutes. The product of Sheffield United’s academy had been on the radar of WSL teams long before her signing to Liverpool with her direct approach and skill in front of goal.
Despite starting just once for the side in the WSL across the fixtures played so far, Enderby scored her first goal for the club against Manchester City during the Continental Cup. The side ended up suffering a tough 3-4 loss, however, their young winger showed excellence when she flicked the ball around defender Steph Houghton, collected the ball back at her feet, and neatly tucked a shot away in the net.
With more opportunities to come for her, she is steadily building up confidence and developing as a player for the Liverpool team, which is in an excellent place for the start of what could be an exciting career.
Grace Clinton
Club: Manchester United (currently on loan to Tottenham Hotspur).
Age: 20.
Above: Grace Clinton – thriving on loan in North London. Photo: Tottenham Hotspur Women.
Last season, Grace Clinton spent half of her season with her club Manchester United before going out to then Championship side Bristol City, on what was a successful loan spell. Her efforts across the pitch and six-goal contribution helped the side gain promotion to the WSL. After her stellar second half to the season, it was agreed Clinton would spend this season away on another loan spell to continue her development.
Under Robert Vilahamn’s management at Tottenham Hotspur, Clinton is already progressing even further at such a quick pace. This season for Spurs, she has played a total of 567 minutes across seven games, with two goals and one assist in the WSL. Against Everton in match week five, she had an 84% passing accuracy, nine recoveries, won 18 duels, and scored one goal.
Due to her progression and the work she’s put in to better her performances, she flew under the radar of England manager Sarina Wiegman, and the 20-year-old received her first senior call up for her national team for the October camp. Now that the December roster has been released, Clinton has received another well-deserved call-up for her country.
Kyra Cooney-Cross
Club: Arsenal.
Age: 21.
Above: Kyra Cooney-Cross (left) with team mate Beth Mead at Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday. Photo: Grace Jones for Impetus.
A player that Impetus has been hero-ing for the whole of its four-year history, the start of the WSL season saw very limited minutes for Kyra Cooney-Cross after her late deadline day signing, however, her match time has been increasing, and during the time we’ve seen her on the pitch, she has been nothing short of exceptional. As a regular on the Matildas’ squad and regular starter for previous club Hammarby in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan, Cooney-Cross is easing into life in North London whilst simultaneously displaying just how impactful she is as a player.
In Arsenal’s recent WSL fixture against Brighton and Hove Albion, the 21-year-old put on a midfield masterclass. The turnaround from her five-minute debut at the Emirates in the first game of the season to a player of the match-worthy performance this previous Sunday has been outstanding. The fixture was her third start for the Gunners, and with 43 out of 49 passes completed, nine recoveries, and eight duels won, her performance was one that has seen Arsenal fans rave about the midfielder’s value.
There are hopes that she will be a big part of the club’s future, especially considering everything she brings to the team as a younger player who recently experienced a very big change off the pitch. With more Arsenal starts bound to come, there is no doubt we will see even more growth in Cooney-Cross’ football during the 22-23 campaign.
Laura Blindkilde Brown
Club: Aston Villa.
Age: 20.
Above: Laura Blindkilde Brown in action for Aston Villa last season. Photo: Suvadeep Biswas for Impetus.
Laura Blindkilde is not only one of Aston Villa’s regular starters and a reliable force in their midfield, but she is also a product of their academy system. She signed her first professional contract for the club in 2021 after a short spell at Birmingham City and has worked her way up to her place in the Villa team. Recently her performances have been even more promising, and it wouldn’t be surprising that if she continues to keep pushing forward, she will see a lot of interest from bigger teams within the league.
Blindkilde’s talents spread across the range of the midfield, and this season we have mostly seen her in the central midfield area as the playmaker on the pitch. Last season, she played primarily as a right winger when she saw minutes for Villa, but the choice to convert her to a central midfielder has been no mistake. With her attacking qualities and defensive abilities, Blindkilde is incredibly versatile on the field, and it makes her an admirable player to have within a team.
Although young, Blindkilde also holds a strong amount of experience across the international stage. She is currently playing for the England under-23 side; however, she has played for her country at most youth levels, and it has played a big part in her development as a player.
Aggie Beever-Jones
Club: Chelsea
Age: 20.
Above: Chelsea’s Aggie Beever-Jones celebrating a goal against Brighton and hove Albion this season. Photo: Ben Gilby for Impetus.
The future for Chelsea is looking even brighter now that Aggie Beever-Jones has returned to the squad from multiple loan spells across two seasons to continue her personal development. Her start to the season has been nothing short of remarkable in the small total of 126 minutes that she’s seen on the pitch. In the minutes that she’s played, she’s already managed to score four goals in five matches.
Beever-Jones is another testament to one of the WSL academy systems successes, as Chelsea was her childhood team, and she came up through the West London club’s ranks to land the spot she now has on the first team. In her one start this season against Liverpool, within 24 minutes of play she had netted a goal that contributed to her team’s triumphant 5-1 win. Across the 64 minutes that she played in the fixture, she took three shots and had eight touches in the opposition box.
Much like many other young English players, Beever-Jones is likely to be in Sarina Wiegman’s thoughts, but as of now the 20-year-old is making excellent progress in the under 23’s squad. Many are questioning when we will see the young forward appear in the squad, especially since has proven to have an excellent on-pitch linkup with fellow teammate Lauren James.
Kathrine Kühl
Club: Arsenal.
Age: 20.
Above: Arsenal’s young Danish international Kathrine Kühl. Photo: The Short Fuse.
Kathrine Kühl is one of the young players within the Arsenal side, and she is often to be found in central midfield. She joined the team in the winter transfer window of the 22-23 WSL season amidst the Gunners’ unfortunate injury crisis, and she made a big contribution towards the sides’ successful league finish despite the adversity they faced. At the time of her signing, she was just 19 years old, and already some of her attributes are being compared as similar to those of Arsenal skipper and club legend, Kim Little.
When on the pitch for her side, Kühl is consistently calm under pressure and pulls the strings in midfield. At a top team like Arsenal, there is room for her to grow and develop the skills that she already possesses and utilises effectively even further. She has played very few minutes in the WSL so far this season, but the World Cup in the summer was a tournament that she excelled in for her national team with her passing, defensive cover, and attacking play.
Her international experience and the performances she has put in for the club, particularly last season, see her well deserving of achieving more minutes on the pitch. She is most definitely a big player to watch as the season progresses.
Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Threads, Instagram, X (Twitter), TikTok, and Facebook.
by Martin Townley, Impetus Cymru Correspondent(23/11/23).
Above:Katy Hosford celebrates her winning goal for Swansea City against Wrexham in front of a big crowd at the swansea.com Stadium. Photo: FAW.
Swansea City go level on points with Wrexham at the top after 2-1 win at the swansea.com Stadium. Cardiff City win the capital city derby with 3-0 win over Cardiff Met. Connah’s Quay Nomads return to the top of the Adran North, and Cascade take over the Adran South leadership. Briton Ferry Llansawel set up Welsh Cup quarter-final tie with Wrexham.
Adran Premier
Swansea City 2-1 Wrexham
Another fantastic crowd turned out at the club’s men’s venue, the swansea.com Stadium as 3,859 saw Swansea City beat Wrexham 2-1.
Wrexham took the lead as they took advantage of a Swansea mistake at the back. Jess Williams lost the ball allowing Amber Lightfoot to shoot, but Clair Skinner saved, only for Carra Jones to tap into the empty net.
Ellie Lake levelled for the Swans as her shot from 25 yards crept under the dive of Delyth Morgan in goal.
Swansea took the lead after 66 minutes when Nieve Jenkins sent captain Katy Hosford clear in the box to make a calmly taken finish past Morgan. Swansea take a much-needed win as they look to close the gap on league leaders and rivals Cardiff City.
Barry Town United 0-2 Aberystwyth Town
A quickfire Lleucu Mathias double got Aberystwyth Town three points on the road to in-form Barry Town United.
Gavin Allen’s side had lost their three previous matches in the Genero Adran Premier after a great start to the season.
With Impetus-sponsored teenager Modlen Gwynne in the starting squad and Ella Thomas on the bench, Aberystwyth gained an excellent win.
But a thumping 8-0 win away to Rhyl in the Bute Energy Welsh Cup last weekend got them back to winning ways ahead of Sunday’s trip to Jenner Park.
The victory was their first away from home in the league since March – when they beat Barry Town United by the same scoreline.
The day was only marred by a wrist injury in the first half to midfielder Bethan ‘Cheeks’ Roberts, who was treated on the pitch before going straight to hospital.
Cardiff City remain top of the Ardan Premier and unbeaten as they beat cross-city rivals Cardiff Met 3-0.
Mackenzie Olden got the only goal of the first half to give the Bluebirds the lead at halftime.
Seren Watkins added the second shortly after the restart and added a third from the spot in the 89th minute.
The Bluebirds lead the table by six points from Wrexham and Swansea City who both have 16 points.
Table From: Genero Adran Leagues.
Adran North
Connah’s Quay Nomads 5-2 NFA FC
Nomads returned to the top of the Adran North after this win over NFA. A hat trick from Sophie Hodson and goals from Alisha Wright and Melanie Barlow helped Nomads to the win. Jessica Mills and Georgia Williams got on the scoresheet for NFA.
CPD Y Rhyl 1879 3-1 Airbus UK
Rhyl moved up to third in the Adran North as goals from Rebecca Bannister, Laura Williams, and Sade Benjamin helped them to a 3-1 win.
Adran South
Cascade YC 6-0 Llanelli Town
Cascade moved to the top of the Adran South after hammering Llanelli. The six goals all came from different scorers as Ellen Lunn, Lauren Boyd, Phoebe Ware, Melissa James and a penalty from Daisy Evan-Watkins gave them the win. Cascade sit three points ahead of Briton Ferry who have two games in hand.
Swansea Uni 1-2 Cwmbran Celtic
Cwmbran Celtic moved into third spot after this win as Swansea Uni dropped to fourth. Georgia Shwartz and Jade Crofts gave Celtic a two-goal lead, but Angelika Barris pulled one back for Swansea Uni. Cwmbran held on to gain a big away win.
Welsh Cup
Pontardawe Town 1-2 Briton Ferry Llansawel
Briton Ferry made it all the way to last season’s Welsh Cup final but had to fight back from behind against a well-organised and hardworking Pontardawe team. Catryn Cook gave the hosts the lead with a stunning free-kick after 16 minutes. They held the lead until the 44th minute when Lowri Ridings fired home at the far post following Alison Witts’ flick-on.
Pontardawe defended bravely in the second half as Briton Ferry pressed for the winner. The winning goal came in the 84th minute as super sub-Fleur Jenkins skilfully brought down Lucy Powell’s high ball and fired past Celyn Barnett in goal.
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