Above: Wellington Phoenix celebrate at Western Sydney Wanderers today. Photo: Wellington Phoenix.
Wellington Phoenix overcame warm conditions in Parramatta to rout Western Sydney Wanderers with their possession based style of play contributing to this dominant performance.
Both sides began as two teams hungry for some early season points. The game opened with neither team dominant. A shift of momentum happened around the 10th minute when the Phoenix began to execute triangular passing, hitting higher percentage passes while systematically moving the ball up the pitch. They ended the match with 62.5% possession.
The turning point was a 68th-minute set piece that led to the acrobatic goal off the head American born Venezuelan international Mariana Specimaier. It gave the Phoenix their first goal of the season and proved to be the game-winner.
The attacking continued with an additional goal in the 83rd minute from the edge of the box by technical phenom Macey Fraser assisted by Manaia Elliot. Fraser then returned the favor and assisted Elliot with a goal in the 87th minute.
Since coming into the match last week, there is no denying that the Nix have a gem on their side with the offensive prowess of American-born Venezuelan import Speckmaier. She won the battle of the Clemson Tigers with Western Sydney Wanderers Maliah Morris also making a huge impact offensively. Morris will be a person to watch going forward.
Coach Paul Temple had this to say about Speckmaier post-match: “I think she’s a really smart footballer. And she found some space at the back where she wasn’t marked and we’d targeted far post deliveries this afternoon and felt that was where we could get some joy so it was nice to see the delivery land exactly where we needed it and she found some space.”
Wanderers, relying on transitional play with Morris leading the way, saw some promising moments in the second half. However, it was Mackenzie Barry tracking back with two goal-saving defensive plays that kept the Phoenix in the match. Rylee Foster also came up with several saves. The match was a full team effort by the Phoenix and one that they will use as a foundation for the future.
An injury to Wanderer Melissa Caceras led to the insertion of 14-year-old Talia Younis. Younis came to the league 49 days before Sam Kerr did, making her the youngest player ever to play in the A-League Women Younis had quality minutes with the Wanderers and will be a presence going forward.
Phoenix head coach Paul Temple said after the match: “So in the end it was a really good night for all of us and I’m proof that if we play the style of football that we want to have the energy that we need then good things can happen and it’s it’s gonna be good for our confidence now.”
“Obviously the goal then enabled us to really kick on and show what we were about. And I think that last 20 minutes is much more of the identity that we want to show and that we want to be known for.”
This bit of magic in the first half from Hope Breslin 😱😱😱
Above: Keiewa Hieda (right) and Jaclyn Sawicki (left) celebrate the late winner for Western United. Photo: Western United.
Western United came from a goal down to defeat Melbourne Victory with a dramatic late winner at City Vista. The win gives last season’s runners up their first points of the season and leaves Victory with two defeats from the first two rounds.
Windy conditions made every aerial ball a gamble for defenders and Victory were first to benefit when Emma Checker nodded home from a corner early in the first half. Clear cut chances were hard to create for either side, but Victory enjoyed the majority of possession, with Paige Zois and Alana Murphy both controlling the centre of the pitch.
Western United’s best moments of attack came on the counter-attack, Kahli Johnson looked particularly dangerous and her performance had the added benefit of preventing Jessika Nash joining the visitors attack from fullback.
On the opposite flank, Stacey Papadopoulos pushed up in support of Hannah Keane who had drifted wide to keep Jamilla Rankin from bombing forward too easily.
Although Victory had their opponents on the back foot for much of the game, they were unable to create many clear cut chances. midfield control did not meant that Jaclyn Sawicki and the Taranto twins were willing to allow any easy passes to the attack.
Mckenzie Weinert’s defensive efforts on the wing for the visitors were matched by her willingness to shoot in the final third, but she was unable to trouble Alyssa Dall’Oste in the Western goal.
Western United drew level in the second half. Melissa Taranto bundled home from close range in the 66th minute after the Victory defence seemed to have lost track of an in swinging corner kick.
The equaliser seems to inject more urgency and spark into the game as both teams felt confident on scoring a second. Alana Murphy produced Victory’s best chance with a roulette spin in the centre of the park that momentarily unlocked Western United’s defence, but after a ball out wide to Jamilla Rankin who’s excellent cross was batted away by Dall’Oste.
As the game drew to a close, both sides made changes. Victory introduced last week’s goal scorer Ella O’Grady and Elise Kellond-Knight, Western made the most impactful change by introducing Keiwa Hieda
It was the Japanese winger who delivered the three points to the West with a 90th minute strike. Keane’s shot was too hot for Lydia Williams to handle and Hieda bundled the ball home on the line. It was her first A-League Women’s goal after lighting up the Victorian NPLW with Calder United and it condemned Victory to their second loss in as many weeks.
To make matters worse for Jeff Hopkin’ side, the goal came at an even larger cost. Williams remained down for an extended period after the goal and looked to be nursing a shoulder or arms injury as she left the field to be replaced by Miranda Templeman.
The Matildas legend was one of Victory’s big name recruits in the off season, and seen as a strong replacement for Casey Dumont. Fans of the league and the club will hope that she can recover quickly.
The win was an important one for Western United. On paper this was a difficult start to the season. This derby match fell between an opening day trip to Perth and a meeting with Melbourne City next week.
The win will give them momentum against a City side that has looked in control but not invulnerable in their first two matches.
Victory host Adelaide United and will do so in the unfamiliar position of being lower than them on the ladder. The Reds have stuttered slightly in their start to the season, facing similar struggles to Victory as larger numbers of new players develop chemistry. Round Three will take place after the International Break but will provide a test to see who has found their feet quicker.
Teams: Western United (4-4-2): Dall’Oste, Papadopoulos, Cerne, Maher, Vlajnic, M Taranto, Sawicki, A Taranto, Logarzo, Johnson, Keane. Substitutes: Robers, Hieda, Richards, Sardo, Picak.
Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Threads, Instagram, X (Twitter), and Facebook.DON’T MISS our brand new TikTok platform @ImpetusFootball too!
by Tom Coopey at The King Power Stadium forImpetus(22/10/23).
Above: Chloe Kelly (right) celebrates with Esme Morgan after scoring Manchester City’s goalyesterday. Photo: Barclays WSL.
Chloe Kelly’s early strike in the first half helped Manchester City keep their place at the top of the WSL, with Leicester City tasting defeat for the first time this season.
Two changes were made from the Leicester team that shared the point at Manchester United last weekend, with Jutta Rantala, Hannah Cain, and Julie Thibaud being introduced to the starting 11. After thrashing Bristol City last weekend, Gareth Taylor made no changes to his side.
Kelly tried her luck early on, with her effort from outside the box dragging just wide of the post. Jill Roord had an opportunity moments afterwards, with her close-range header going marginally over.
The visitors took an early lead after a rare error from Janina Leitzig, who has been so impressive for Leicester recently. A well-worked move from City saw Kelly with a shooting chance after her lay-off from Roord. The England international’s fierce strike slipped through the legs of Leitzig and into the back of the net.
Above: Chloe Kelly (9) celebrates her goal. Photo: Manchester City.
The league leaders were enjoying themselves in the East Midlands, hunting for a second, Kelly nearly found another after being clean-through on goal but Leitzig stood strong this time. Despite the dominance of the away side, Leicester were not without their own chances.
Lena Petermann had a brilliant chance to draw the Foxes level. Hannah Cain slipped the German through, with her first touch setting her up nicely, but her shot didn’t match, with Khiara Keating equal to the attempt. Jutta Rantala looked to find the equaliser, but her effort was tame and into the hands of the keeper.
Leitzig was making amends for her early error, keeping her side in the game. The home side were cut open again, with Shaw’s effort denied by the foot of the former Bayern Munich goalkeeper. Australian Mary Fowler, had a go from outside the box on her left foot, going just over the bar.
Sam Tierney found herself with a half-chance, with her attempt dropped from the air going just wide. Leicester were growing into the game after a nervy start, as they hoped to find the equalising goal. With the crowd rallying them on, Willie Kirk’s girls were stringing together some nice moves. A positive direct run from Shannon O’Brien saw her make way to the byline, with Sam Tierney’s effort from close range blocked crucially by Alex Greenwood.
As the half-time whistle blew, the Foxes would have been relieved to be going in at the break at just one goal down. With the visitors 11 shots, five of which were on target, Gareth Taylor would have been frustrated not to have extended their lead after Leitzig’s early blunder.
Leicester came out of the blocks in the second half, searching for a leveller. Sophie Howard got on the end of Rantala’s cross from the corner, with the 30-year-old’s header blocked. After some hectic defending in the Manchester City box, they finally got the ball clear.
Above: Leicester City’s Sophie Howard (blue shirt) battling with Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw. Photo: Barclays WSL.
Leicester were pushing for that all-important goal, with Cain’s dangerous ball flashed across the six-yard box, just inches away from Aileen Whelan meeting it. However, there was almost a sting in the tail as City nearly found their second of the evening, if it wasn’t for the strong hands of Leitzig. Lauren Hemp looked to make an instant impact, with Letizig parrying the effort out to Jess Park, who blazed over. It should have been 2-0.
The game was opening up, with opportunities arising at both ends of the pitch. Leicester boss Kirk made his first move of the evening, with Deanne Rose replacing the captain, Whelan. Time was running out for the Foxes, as they struggled to break the deadlock for an equaliser.
Leicester were dispossessed in the middle of the park, with Yui Hasegawa playing in Shaw. Her eventual effort was pushed out by Leitzig. Whilst the home side were looking to catch City on the break to find the leveller, the Citizens hoped to grab another to give their lead some security. This led to an open second period.
Five minutes additional time were indicated, with Leicester making a final bid to try and nick a point. Hemp nearly wrapped up the victory, with her effort tipped over the bar. It was Manchester City who tasted victory at the King Power Stadium, retaining their position at the top of the WSL.
MANCHESTER CITY: Keating, Aleixandri, Greenwood, Fowler, Kelly, Angeldahl, Morgan, Roord, Shaw, Hasegawa, Kennedy. Substitutes used: Park (for Kelly 61’), Hemp (for Fowler 61’)
Scorers: Kelly 10’.
Referee: Farai Hallam.
Attendance: TBC.
Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Threads, Instagram, X (Twitter), and Facebook.DON’T MISS our brand new TikTok platform @ImpetusFootball too!
by Rachel Cohen at Bescot Stadium for Impetus(22/10/23).
Above: Tottenham celebrate as Martha Thomas hit a hat-trick at Bescot Stadium yesterday. Photo: Barclays WSL.
This was a game in which two things were confirmed: Spurs score goals and Aston Villa really miss Kirsty Hanson and Kenza Dali.
Or maybe that should be: Martha Thomas scores goals. The Scottish forward has discovered a rich vein of form since transferring to Spurs from Manchester United, where she was a sparsely-used substitute last season. Already this season she has scored in every WSL and Conti Cup game she has played in. But here she upped the ante, getting a hattrick, the first ever by a Tottenham player across the team’s four-and-some seasons in the WSL.
But this game was not simply the Martha Thomas show.
Indeed, it was Villa who started the brighter, with a penalty after just five minutes following an attack down the right-hand side which produced a loose ball on the edge of the box. Both Eveliina Summanen and Adriana Leon went for it, but Summanen was late and raised her boot around Leon. It was a clear-cut penalty and Villa’s star striker, Rachel Daly, does not miss penalties. This one was sent hard to the left of Spurs keeper, Becky Spencer.
From that point, the first half was end to end. For Villa, Ebony Salmon demonstrated her skill on the ball with a couple of driving runs down the left, Jordan Nobbs looked lively, and Laura Blindkilde Brown was making good use of overloads on the right. Meanwhile, for the first half hour, the Villa defence held their line, several times resulting in Thomas being called offside in what would otherwise have been promising attacks.
But that changed on 33 minutes with Thomas’s equaliser. This was an archetypally Spurs-era Thomas goal. One that could be described as opportunistic, but that would be to ignore that this was an opportunity that Thomas produced for herself by pressing and then pouncing, something that she has shown herself unparalleled at. It started with her bearing down on her Scottish national teammate Rachel Corsie, who attempted an ill-judged pass, Thomas blocked it, took the ball, turned, spotted Daphne van Domselaar off her line, and sent a lob over the keeper and into the net.
After the game, Thomas commented that the lob was her favourite of the three goals she scored because “When I hit it, I said, ‘Why did I do that?’ but then it went in and I was like: ‘Okay. Happy days.’”
Thomas also provided insight into how she so regularly creates goals from defensive mistakes: “I take a lot of pride from defending from the front and making defenders feel uncomfortable. So, I just work on it. And my goal when I’m pressing is to make defenders think about where I am instead of them sort of control the tempo.”
As the game continued the chances continued for both sides. Danielle Turner fired a scorcher just wide. Jessica Naz fired over and wide.
And then in the last seconds of first-half injury time, Spurs’ two longest-serving players combined. The move began with Naz taking the ball deep into the corner and crossing for Ashleigh Nevillle who headed it across the goal and the keeper.
Above: Ashleigh Neville shows her joy after scoring for Tottenham Hotspur yesterday. Photo: Tottenham Hotspur.
It was nearly the final kick of the half and the second game in a row in which Spurs have got a goal right before halftime.
The second half began as frenetically as the first half had ended. As neither team took control both managers looked to the substitute bench. The biggest impact initially came from the introduction of Maz Pacheco who increased the energy – both on the field and in the stands, where she was greeted with a huge roar from the Villa support. But it was perhaps Drew Spence’s ability to add robustness to Spurs midfield that eventually paid off.
On 63 minutes Spence forced a save from van Domselaar. Spurs got a corner that was not cleared. Eventually, Luana Bühler headed the ball towards Clinton who tapped it back to Thomas who had a clear sight of goal to fire home her second and Tottenham’s third.
Thomas’s fourth on 72 minutes involved three players new to Spurs this summer. It started in the defensive third, with Clinton, who picked up the ball and found Olga Ahtinen inside the half. Ahtinen then played a perfectly weighted ball for Thomas to run onto, ahead of Villa’s defenders. Then, with the confidence of a striker on form, she casually lifted it over van Domselaar and in.
It could have been an even better day for Thomas who was clean through on goal again just four minutes later. But she was dragged down by Corsie, who was not having the best of days.
There continued to be chances for both teams, but the game lost a little energy. It was clear that the chance of a comeback was slim. It felt like even the referee had decided that there was little left to play for with the fourth official indicating just five minutes of injury time, in comparison to the eight to twelve minutes that has been the norm this WSL season.
But there was still time for more action. In previous weeks Villa have lost games to injury-time goals against both Manchester United and Arsenal. This time it was their turn to score at the death as, against the run of play, in the 95th minute Villa won a corner. Rachel Corsie at the far post got the second ball, and toe-poked a shot on target. Spencer made a great reaction save but the ball came out to Lucy Parker who, from a congested area, headed straight at the goal and to Spencer’s left.
And that was it. The game barely restarted after the goal before the final whistle went.
Teams:ASTON VILLA (4-3-3): van Domselaar, Turner, Corsie, Patten, Parker, Nobbs, Blindkilde, Staniforth,Salmn, Daly, Leon. Substitutes: Mayling, McLoughlin, Magill, Pacheco.
Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Threads, Instagram, X (Twitter), and Facebook.DON’T MISS our brand new TikTok platform @ImpetusFootball too!
It was a victorious return to the club’s main HBF Park stadium for Perth Glory as the Western Australians continued their 100% winning run to start the A-League Women campaign with a 1-0 win over Newcastle Jets.
As pleasing as the victory was for head coach Alex Epakis, it was also a second consecutive clean sheet for Morgan Aquino with the Glory still to concede a goal this season.
This was Perth’s first A-League Women game at HBF Park for five years, and those that gathered saw yet more signs of the growth of the purples into a team that has local youngsters combining effortlessly with experienced campaigners within a squad that has strength in depth, nous in defence and the potential for a sparkling pack of attackers to tease opponents for 90 minutes.
It was Newcastle, who had also won their opening game, a local derby win at rivals Central Coast Mariners, that conjured the opening half chance as Melindaj Barbieri saw an effort go wide without troubling Glory keeper Aquino.
One of Perth’s local teen stars, Georgia Cassidy, playing just her second professional match and looking like she has been in the role for years, found her way through to supply Millie Farrow in the box, but the English striker could not quite reach the teasing ball.
The home side continued to probe, and after a Tash Rigby cross-shot flew wide, Jessika Cowart had an effort blocked by the massed Jets defence.
It was not all Perth though and Newcastle’s acquisition of Melina Ayres was an astute piece of business. The A-League Women champion is always a real handful for any defence, and seven minutes before the interval looked have created again, only to see her shot go wide.
After the break, Cassidy was involved with a piece of trademark play that always has those who have watched her development in the NPLW WA over the past two years licking their lips in anticipation. Give the 18-year-old the ball outside the box, and there’s only one thing she’ll do – fire in a long-range rocket. Whilst this one went over the top, more often than not they go into the top corner. It won’t be long before one gets there this season.
Just three minutes later, the home side finally hit the front. The growing understanding between Farrow and Grace Jale was in evidence once more as the latter played in the former WSL and NWSL attacker with a clever inside pass. Farrow then moved across the edge of the box to feed Phonsongkham who hit a first-time low shot into the net from 16 yards into the left-hand corner of the net.
The pair combined once more shortly afterwards, but this time it was roles reversed as Phonsonghkam supplied a tempter for Farrow who was denied at the cost of a corner.
Either side of the hour mark, there were a flurry of chances at either end. First for the hosts as Jale looked to create and fought her way through, but Isobel Nino gathered in the Jets goal.
Then came the Jets’ opportunities as Claudia Cicco’s ball in from the right came off the bar before being recycled back to Rebecca Burrows who was stationed centrally just outside the box and fired in an effort that Aquino managed to gather as Lauren Allan slid in.
It was the right-hand side that Newcastle were looking to exploit, directing a series of attacks along the flank, but they more than found their match in local teenager Grace Johnston who was standing up to the heat of battle in another strong showing in just her second match after coming in from Hyundai NTC in the NPLW WA.
Another busy performer for the hosts was Sofia Sakalis, looking to inject energy in a slightly freer role. There are already strong signs of a real understanding developing between herself and Farrow, with Sakalis looking to find the striker in the box with probing passes.
Farrow came close once more with just over 20 minutes to go as Lowry worked her magic in the middle of the park and found Phonsongkham who played in a superb low-angled pass into the mix from the right which Farrow got a touch on, but Nino saved.
The final 10 minutes saw Perth’s game management come to the fore as they looked to maintain possession and slow the game as much as possible. Whilst frustrating for the Jets, it was another example of the savviness and maturity that is increasingly in evidence amongst the Western Australian side this season.
There was still time for a final opportunity for the Jets as Lara Gooch lifted in a high ball from the right for Ayres who was in space at the back post but the former Melbourne Victory star headed wide.
Alex Epakis’ side have won their two opening games, despite, for me having yet to play to their full potential. When they eventually put everything together, big things are possible for the Glory.
Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Threads, Instagram, X (Twitter), and Facebook.DON’T MISS our brand new TikTok platform @ImpetusFootball too!
Impetus’ Kieran Yap reports on Melbourne Victory’s media conference involving head coach Jeff Hopkins(22/10/23).
Above: Jeff Hopkins in training during the week Image: Melbourne Victory.
After an opening day loss to Brisbane Roar, Melbourne Victory are looking to bounce back. The tests do not come any easier, up next is a trip over the bridge to face last season’s runners up Western United.
Despite going down 2-1 against Brisbane, Victory coach Jeff Hopkins saw enough positives in the game to be confident for this weekend.
“I looked really hard at the game, and we took a lot of positive out of the game,” he told the media on Friday.
“There was a lot of things that were close to what we wanted to do.
“I think we go the game plan right, we just didn’t have quite what it took to execute properly.
“We started the game well. We caused them a few problems when they sat high. I guess the area we need to work on is when they did drop off us and put two banks of five we didn’t really have too many ideas of how to break them down.
“But we’ve looked at that this week, and we’re reasonable satisfied with the performance.
“We just need to be better this week.
“This is a great opportunity…a local derby against another team that will be pretty upset with the result in the first round as well.
“It’s going to be a good chance to put things right.”
Victory dominated the early exchanges, but fell behind to a goal soon after half time. Hopkins said that his players will need to keep composed should they concede again. He hoped that the return of Elise Kellond-Knight help refocus the team on the pitch.
“Our reaction to going a goal down wasn’t great. Normally if we do concede a goal we’re right back in the game and we’re right at the opposition. It really shook us as a team.”
Although Western United had a worse result than Victory in Round One, they will not be taken lightly. Hopkins was wary of what their attack could do. He highlighted their delivery into the box and ability to get numbers forward as something his side will prepare for.
“They make you defend in those key areas and I think if we’re going to get anything out of the game on Sunday we’re going to have to be good in our 18 yard box.”
The status of Emily Gielnik and Lia Privitelli remain unknown. Both have been in training but Hopkins was unable to commit to guaranteeing them any game time. He said that the pair of wingers and Kellond-Knight would likely play against the Young Matildas next Friday which would sharpen them up against the best young talent in Australia.
Before that, they haver to face Western United, a team that was nearly impossible to beat on their home turf last season and who have added Grace Maher to the squad this year. It took some solid defending and two exceptional goals from Perth Glory to beat them last week and Hopkins is neither expecting or really wanting an easy match.
“We need a tough test this week,” he said.
“We need something to really get us motivated. A local derby is kind of ideal for us this week.”
Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Threads, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.DON’T MISS our brand new TikTok platform @ImpetusFootball too!
Above:Chelsea Blissett celebrates after scoring her very first Liberty A-League goal. Photo:Brisbane Roar.
Brisbane Roar recorded a historic win over the reigning champions, Sydney FC, on a warm Saturday afternoon in the Sunshine State. It was the first time since 2021 that Brisbane had beaten Sydney, and the first time since 2016 that they’d beaten Sydney at home. The 1-0 win means that the Roar continue their perfect start to the season with two wins from two (against two of the strongest clubs in the league no less).
The match was the first Brisbane Roar have played at Ballymore stadium, and the atmosphere was incredible. There was a recordcrowd of 3,679 people, a considerable step up from the average of 900 who attended Roar matches last season. As usual the crowd was a sea of orange, but there was also some green and gold in there as well. The impact of the Women’s World Cup and the Matildas on full display.
The match started out very competitively. There was a lot of physicality, quick passing, good build up play, and half chances from both sides. Sydney forward, Shea Connors, who was playing against her old side, started off very lively, but her old teammate, Holly McQueen, did a fantastic job of keeping her quiet.
Sydney’s best chance of the first half came from a wonderfully weighted ball from Princess Ibini through two Brisbane defenders to Connors. The keeper was off her line and had Connors gotten there first, she would have surely been able to chip her and secure Sydney’s opening goal. But the Roar’s two defenders tracked Connors’ run, stayed composed, and managed to shut the attack down.
A few minutes later, down the other end, newly signed defender Chelsea Blissett made a stellar forward run, combining with American striker, Mia Corbin, who passed forward to set Blissett up perfectly to take a shot on goals. She took one touch to set it up and then flashed a high, curling ball past Jada Whyman in the Sydney goals. The 3,500 Roar fans in the crowd went nuts.
What a way to score your first @LibFinancial A-League goal! 😲@brisbaneroar open the scoring against Sydney FC thanks to this stunner from Chelsea Blissett! 🔥
The rest of the first half was competitive, both sides having chances, but it’s fair to say that Brisbane looked the most threatening.
Sydney FC came out strong in the second half and began to wrestle control of the match back. They began dominating possession and committing players forward for wave after wave of attack. Sydney looked menacing in the final half hour, but Brisbane Roar did a phenomenal job in defence. For the most part, their defending was calm, controlled, and well organised. They were able to resist the high press from Sydney and keep themselves out of trouble. The Roar closed out the match in front of a delighted home crowd.
Sydney looked strong against the Wanderers last week, but Brisbane posed a very different kind of threat in this match. Sydney was notably weakened by the absence of their captain and experienced centre back, Nat Tobin, who suffered an ACL injury last weekend. They also seemed to struggle withoutquality midfielders like Mackenzie Hawkesby and Sarah Hunter, who recently transferred to clubs in Europe. Cortnee Vine and Connors definitely looked dangerous at times, but they were kept quiet by Brisbane’s back line.
Brisbane looked strong and composed. Tameka Yallop put in a good first shift back for the Roar, winning the ball back in dangerous areas and making good, attacking minded passes. Once she’s back to full fitness she’ll be able to fill most of the Katrina Gorry shaped hole in the Roar’s midfield. Sharn Freier kept up her stellar form from the opening match against Melbourne Victory, hurting Sydney with her pace and physicality. She was involved in a lot of good build up play, particularly in the first half. Blissett performed really well, not only scoring her first ever Liberty A-League goal but putting in a lot of hard work in the backline as well.
Blissett’s goal won the Roar the match, but Jenna McCormick and Jordan Silkowitz prevented them from dropping any points.McCormick, who was Brisbane Roar’s captain, is an A-League veteran and capped Matilda. Her leadership and experience formed the backbone of the Roar’s defence, something that in the past few seasons has often crumbled under pressure. But even more impressive was Silkowitz. She made six saves throughout the match, many of them at pivotal moments. She also pulled out a number of spectacular diving saves to deny some fantastic shots by world class forwards such as Vine. The Brisbane Roar fan club, the Roar Corps, are now affectionately referring to her as, “Silky Mitts”.
Neither team will play next week, due to the upcoming international break. Brisbane Roar will next play Wellington Phoenix on November 4. Sydney FC face Adelaide United two weeks later on November 19, after returning from the group stage of the 2023 AFC Women’s Club Championship, which they qualified for by becoming champions last season.
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 below(21/10/23).
Above: Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall. Photo: Morganna King for Impetus.
Arsenal
by Arwen Moses
After a shaky start to the season, Jonas Eidevall’s Arsenal have regained their momentum in the league following their triumph over Aston Villa last Saturday. A late flurry of goals courtesy of Katie McCabe and Alessia Russo mean that Eidevall’s team currently sit seventh.
The Gunners face newly promoted Bristol City at Ashton Gate this weekend, looking to go into the international break with back-to-back wins. Lauren Smith’s City, however, are still searching for their first points of the season, following a rocky start to their promotion to the top league.
Throughout the course of this season, Arsenal will expect to play in front of a home crowd at the Emirates at least six times. Whilst widely accepted now, the progression for visibility, attendance, and interest in the women’s game has skyrocketed in recent years. Their most recent fixture was watched by 35,000 in the Emirates, with Arsenal also beating the record attendance for the first fixture of the season.
When reflecting on the rapid changes within the women’s game in England over recent years, Eidevall claimed, “Five years ago, it was one-offs playing at major stadiums, but now it occurs almost every week, it shows the continued development women’s football is having.
I think we have been the leading club in the league, playing most games at the biggest stadiums and drawing great attendances. As a league, everyone needs to be aiming to be doing that. I’m happy that more and more clubs are following suit, as this is the only way that we can drive the league forward.
“Two seasons ago in our league opener against Chelsea, we had an attendance of 9,000 at the Emirates, It’s hard to believe today. You need to start somewhere. You think how can we put our advertisements out to reach our target groups better and to connect with the fans? What kind of experience can we provide which makes them want to come back?”
Earlier this week, Sarina Wiegman announced her Lionesses squad to face Belgium in the Nations League. Attacker Beth Mead was overlooked for the squad, despite her return to the Arsenal bench for the first time in 11 months due to rupturing her ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) against Manchester United at the Emirates.
Whilst disappointed, Eidevall can understand the decision, “It is Sarina’s decision over the England squad, so I’ll never have an opinion on that. I do think that it’s complicating it when speaking from a return to playing-perspective. Beth is now starting to train and play minutes with us, but the reality is that over the international break, we might have three outfield players left for two weeks of training. This is far from ideal for a player like Beth, as she lacks the experience of big-pitch decisions. My hopes were that a player like Beth could have trained with England, even if she wasn’t available for selection. However, that is England’s decision.”
Last season, 43% of the Arsenal squad were seriously injured at some point during the 22/23 season (nine out of 21 players). While research is being undertaken to explore why ACL injuries are so prominent in women’s football, Eidevall reflected on the positive impact that the injuries had on the camaraderie of the playing group.
“The whole of last season, there was a common theme where we all improved with our togetherness, on and off the pitch. Sometimes what adversity does to you as a group will make you stronger, and that is clearly what has happened. We need to grow that even in good conditions, and that will develop strong teams into really strong teams. Hopefully, we can have much less adversity with regards to injuries this season, but continue to grow the togetherness as a team.”
Away from Arsenal, there have been discussions over the standard of teams from the WSL on the international stage, as Marc Skinner’s Manchester United crashed out of the Champions League after a midweek defeat against Paris St. Germain. Questions have been raised about the competitions themselves, and whether it would be beneficial for the women’s structure to mirror the current men’s one.
This would involve introducing a Europa League to accompany the current Champions League. While potentially useful in theory, Eidevall firmly believes that financially and logistically, it raises too many concerns to be viable.
“It would be a really nice opportunity for growth and an opportunity to compete internationally. We have seen that the last two seasons at Arsenal where it’s given us so much. However, when we look at the Champions League from an economic perspective, I don’t think that it is too much of a winning affair for the clubs which are part of that.
“If you can’t get the Champions League to work in a lucrative economic model, why would it work to have a second competition? I think the Champions League for women needs to start by getting their financial model right, and from then on once we have that right, we can start expanding with other competitions. We, as a league, need to understand that is our starting point, our reality. You can’t make it anyone else’s problem when it’s ours as a league.”
The English teams have not been doing well enough in Europe to get enough ranking points to get better ways to play.
“We are ranked fourth in Europe and we can’t say that’s anyone else’s problem apart from our own. We need to increase the quality in the league so that when the English clubs are out playing in Europe, they are winning their games. We live in a world where the teams in other leagues pay much better salaries to their top players. If we want the English league to be the best in the world, we need to have the best players here, and that means we need to be able to pay the best salaries.’
Looking ahead to this weekend’s clash against Bristol City, the Gunners boss was optimistic. “It is what it is with international breaks. It means that the game on Sunday is really important.
“I think when you look at building momentum, we have been playing better and better with every game, with a clear improvement. If we can continue to do that, if we can play well against Bristol City, I’m very optimistic about the game, but it is in our control to do that.”
Aston Villa
by Emily Brown
Above: The Aston Villa group rally together, with manager Carla Ward, for a post-match team huddle last week. Photo: Aston Villa Women on X (formerly Twitter).
After their third consecutive loss last weekend at the Emirates, Carla Ward’s Aston Villa look towards this Saturday’s game against Tottenham Hotspur as an opportunity for them to be better and a “must-win for the group.”
Beginning with some positive news, Ward revealed that Kenza Dali has made it back on to the grass and is ‘on track’ for her return following the international break. If her progression carries on, the Villa boss is certain Dali will be back in time for Villa’s match against Chelsea on Saturday 4th November at the Villains’ Bescot Stadium. Dali is set to begin her integration back into group training during the international break with remaining squad members.
It remains the same that, for this weekend, Kirsty Hanson will serve her final game out from her three-match ban she faced after receiving a red card against former club Manchester United on Villa’s first game of the season. However, young striker Georgia Mullett is back part of the squad following a mild, short-term illness that kept her out last week.
In the wake of concerns after conceding late goals in both their previous matches against Manchester United and Arsenal, following analysis, Ward believes she and the team know why this has happened and further believes that they “have an understanding of key elements that have played it’s part” in this eventuality. She describes their last match as “disappointing” and “heartbreak” for her side.
After three consecutive defeats, is Ward feeling any pressure? It seems unlikely. The reality for Villa is that they have had to compete against top-level teams in quick succession. Villa’s boss believes that their defeats, particularly against United and Arsenal. However, this has put Villa “in good stead” and Ward is certain there are a lot of positives to be taken from all three games so far.
“The girls were sensational and if we can take that into this weekend then we can put ourselves into a good position.”
In terms of this Saturday, Villa’s game against Spurs is not necessarily a “must-win” in general, but a “must-win for the group.” The reality regarding pressure for Ward and her team is that the only pressure they feel is that of which they put on themselves “to continue to improve every time”, focussing on what they can focus on, with Ward explaining that her team will prepare in the same way whether they’re “winning games or losing games.”
“Out of possession in all three games we’ve shown a lot of quality, defended the box really well… I think this week it has to be about us and what we do with the ball.”
Ward recognises that Spurs so far, under their new manager Robert Vilahamn, have “got off to a good start” and will be a team that will be “knocking on the door of the top six.” They will certainly be a ‘tough opposition’ this weekend. In order to combat their threat, Villa will have to focus on the impact they need to have on the ball rather than off it. She and her team will also look to exploit Spurs in places where they lack due to them possessing a lot of ‘firepower’ and aggression that simultaneously leaves them vulnerable in other areas.
“I’m a big believer in, and I fully back, what we’re doing to go in at Christmas in a similar position as last year.” When looking into the near future, Ward concurs that before Christmas Villa have “six games coming up that arguably we can get points from.” Last Christmas they went in with 11 points and Ward has faith in the fact that Villa can get into this position again this year. Their first win of the season would definitely spur the team on to achieve this goal.
Finally, on playing back at Bescot Stadium this weekend – which is something Ward loves and hopes in the near future to fill out – she is certain and has “absolutely no doubt that this weekend” the fans “will play their part.” Ward describes the team as having a “special connection” with fans this year, which is proven by the fact Villa had nearly 800 join them at the Emirates.
Already the supporters have played a massive part and with the team looking forward to playing back at their home stadium this weekend, will they encourage the team enough in order to gain their first win of the season?
Brighton and Hove Albion
by Aimee-Lou Caldecourt
Above: Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Mel Phillips alongside Poppy Pattinson Photo: Mirror
Brighton and Hove Albion currently sit tenth in the WSL after winning one of their opening three games and will face joint-leaders Chelsea at Kingsmeadow on Sunday.
Seagulls boss Mel Phillips began with updates on availability. Elisabeth Terland picked up a knock last weekend against Tottenham Hotspur and was subsequently subbed off for Madison Haley at halftime. Phillips confirmed that Terland has had “modified sessions” in training and “hopefully she’ll be available for the weekend.” She has been a crucial part of this Brighton squad since making her move to the English South Coast in 2022.
Phillips also commented on Haley, she is “growing in match fitness” following a rehab stint and is slowly building up her minutes. Haley is described as “certainly an exciting player” by her coach and will give the Seagulls a different approach to moving further up the pitch. Once fully fit, she should be able to succeed in this Brighton side.
Phillips emphasised how her team is “most disappointed in the nature in which we conceded goals” and that her and the squad “expect more from themselves, especially in the two games we dropped.”
With Brighton’s next four games after the international break being against WSL giants, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, and Arsenal, the Seagulls boss called on her team to be “competitive” but emphasised there is still “lots to be proud of and lots to grow on” according to Phillips that the focus is on “building momentum” to compete at the highest level.
The ambition of the club isn’t secret, with constant steps being made both on the pitch and behind the scenes to fulfil that ambition. Councillors in Brighton and Hove are actively looking at the thought of buying an area of land for the Seagulls Women to call home. Brighton currently play just over 20 miles north of the city at Crawley’s Broadfield Stadium. Phillips and the squad are excited about the thought of bringing the women’s side closer to Brighton and that it’s “a positive to hear that we have the council’s backing.”
These are exciting times to be a Seagulls fan, with all these developments surrounding the club. The game against Chelsea will be a hard-fought battle for Brighton in a difficult upcoming run separated by the international break.
Everton
By Beth McCowen
Above: Megan Finnigan celebrates her headed goal against Liverpool. Photo: Sky Sports.
This Sunday, Everton will face Manchester United at Walton Hall Park. Head coach Brian Sorenson previewed his side’s next Women’s Super League fixture in a pre-match press conference.
Sorenson appears confident in his squad going into this game, off the back of finally securing their first three points of the season against Liverpool in the Merseyside derby. He confirmed that, unfortunately, Lucy Hope has indeed suffered a “severe” ankle injury. The manager detailed that no surgery will be needed, but they are looking at around six to eight weeks out for the Scottish national.
In more positive news, Sorenson revealed that forward Martina Piemonte, if all goes well, should be available to play this weekend after missing the Merseyside derby with a knee injury.
Sorenson expressed that he was, overall, pleased with how his team played and dominated against Liverpool last weekend. He said that there were only about five minutes where his side were not in control of the game before managing to regain control, and that they “know why” this happened.
Despite only picking up points for the first time this season at Anfield, Everton also held their own against Manchester City earlier in the season, and whilst they didn’t get the points, they did stop the title contenders from keeping a clean sheet. Coupled with their Merseyside derby victory, this instils hope in the strength of Sorenson’s club going forward.
When asked about Clare Wheeler, Sorenson praised the midfielder as an “important” player following the departure of key player Gabby George from the club. In discussing Everton’s captain Megan Finnigan, the head coach explained that the English player, like her teammates, “had a really good game” at Anfield. He also explained the significance of Finnigan’s ability to remain “calm and composed” whilst “leading from the back.”
Sorenson described the upcoming fixture against Manchester United as one that will be a “tough game” but showed optimism that the Blues are “back on track” after their shaky start to the season. He also highlighted the importance of starting quick and strong against Marc Skinner’s strong United team, and expressed an awareness that whilst the opposition might be “mentally tired” after their exit from the Champions League on Wednesday, they are also likely to remain “motivated.”
Further, when asked about Manchester United’s performance against Paris St. Germain on Wednesday, he explained that his focus remains on the fact that they will have “everybody in contention” to play against Everton, but declared that his team “feel prepared” and confident that “we can contain them.” When asked about the importance of delivering a good performance in front of a home crowd, Sorenson stated that “we owe them one.”
Regarding Leicester’s strong performances thus far, Sorenson expressed that the WSL is a “more competitive league.” This means as the Everton boss put it, “it doesn’t matter if (the match is) home or away”.
Tottenham Hotspur
by Rachel Cohen
Above: Tottenham Hotspur head coach Robert Vilahamn. Photo: Rex.
In his Friday afternoon press conference Robert Vilahamn looked forward to the game at Aston Villa, Vilahamn emphasised how tough it was likely to be, “one of the toughest away games” and that it would be a “good test to see if we can actually compete against them.”
It would be a good tactical battle he suggested, because both teams will want the ball and will seek to attack so “hopefully it becomes that kind of game where you have a battle about who’s going to dictate it and if you dictate it, you’re going to have space to break through the lines and score goals. And if you lose it, it’s not so fun, but I want to have those games, because at those are the most fun.”
Spurs under Vilahamn have been playing possession football this season but the manager admitted that this has been an achievement because when he first arrived at Spurs from Sweden the “passing was not so good.” “The first friendly game: we lost against Reading and it was not a good game.”
Vilahamn therefore initially focused on a return to the basics: “I think when you work with players, you need to work every day on training, easy passes, and first touches, and then you need to work with self-confidence and then you need to work with movement.”
He noted that this was now paying off. “If you look at the training now and how we play the possession and the passing is, it’s so high quality. And I must say in eight weeks to see that, that’s really impressive. And I think these players can, you know, they can be so good and if they are just continuing to develop and play this way, you’re going to see even more passes and even more accuracy in the game as well, because we are playing some really good football.”
Most watchers of Spurs’ first games this season have noticed the importance of their central midfield Finnish pairing of Eveliina Summanen and Olga Ahtinen. Vilahamn confessed, however, that although both have featured for their national team he had not seen them play together until they came to Spurs.
“You think they are two brilliant footballers. But it’s like tactics are absolutely important, but for me, the relations on the field are even more important because that’s when you actually find the details that I cannot teach them. And I think people that like each other or can communicate in a good way can play easier with each other… so, I’m very happy about that and I hope that they can just develop through that because they communicate a lot on the pitch and I think that’s a good thing for us.”
Grace Clinton, at Spurs on loan from Manchester United, got her first call-up to the senior England Squad at age 21. Clinton has started the first three WSL games and Vilahamn has praised her previously. Today he emphasised her work ethic, that “from day one she’s worked so hard and is open to learn.” He also commented on what the call-up meant for Spurs: that this is “proof that we can develop young players and make them be really good for this country.”
Another young player who has had an international call-up this week is Norwegian winger, Celin Bizet, who had previously dropped out of her country’s World Cup squad. Vilahamn revealed that he’s been following her career since she was at PSG and described Bizet as “really fun to work with.” And “one of those players who can bring the Tottenham football to this ground.”
Continuing the theme of developing young players Vilahamn outlined what he has been doing to support the development of Jessica Naz, a player who has been at Spurs since 2018, and who has struggled for fitness at times, but who has looked a player-reborn this season when she has come on as a substitute.
“She’s one of those players. I was really impressed with when I looked at their games last year, but it was more like a glimpse of it, every game was a few minutes and she was struggling with injuries and she didn’t really play 90 minutes. And when I came here, a lot of people told me that she’s not really handling 90 minutes; her body is not working for that, but she has exceptional talent. So for me it was like, ‘Okay, let’s see how we rebuild her.’ So, in the beginning of preseason, I played her a lot as a nine and as a winger and made sure she improved with her conditioning.
“Now, when we have Martha Thomas, then she ended up on the bench anyway. But I think that’s been good for her because now she can be playing 30 or 40 minutes and really improve. And then she had a really good game in the Conti Cup and now, I mean she is knocking on the door to start the games for me and I think in the long run she will and I think she will be a huge star in this league because the speed she has, not too many have.”
On the topic of Thomas, currently on four goals in four games, he was effusive, suggesting she was not only potentially “one of the absolute strikers in the league” but also someone who is “so good in training and as a character and giving the other players some instructions as well” and one of the senior players who has supported Clinton’s development this season.
Repeatedly during the press conference Vilahamn noted that despite the good start to the season there would be a point at which Spurs would lose games. But he rejected the idea of “chasing the win” because that would limit his team’s ability to develop.
Vilahamn also remained confident that even as expectations rose and more other teams paid attention to Spurs they would not do anything different.
“I want to get to the point where they see how we play and they just can’t handle it. I don’t want to adapt my way of playing because they (the opponents) are good or not. I’m going to make sure we start developing and if we lose a few games through that, we’re going to do that because we’re going to learn every time we lose as well. So for me, it’s even if people are taking us more seriously, we’re gonna keep going.”
Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Threads, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.DON’T MISS our brand new TikTok platform @ImpetusFootball too!
By Emma Burke at AAMI Park for Impetus (21/10/23).
Above: Rhianna Pollicina (centre) with Holly McNamara (left) and Hannah Wilkinson (right).Photo: Melbourne City.
Melbourne City have collected all three points in their second-round game against Canberra United defeating the visitors 2-1.
The opening goal of the game came midway through the first half when young gun Daniela Galic sent in a cross that took a useful deflection and landed in the perfect time and place for Rhianna Pollicina to hit the first-time volley and beat Canberra goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln.
While the shot did come off Pollicina’s shin, whatever works, works, and City went into the rooms with the lead.
City found their second goal almost immediately after the whistle blew on the second half. Holly McNamara took off on a streaking run and was deep into the box when United defender Alex McKenzie took her down.
McNamara was awarded a penalty for her effort, which was then taken by Pollicina. Pollicina’s spot kick was driven expertly into the bottom left corner, putting City up 2-0.
Canberra had been comfortable to sit back and let City push up and in, looking to take their chances on the counter and make City pay for having their backline sit so far up the field.
Their decision eventually bore fruit, albeit not enough for them to take any points away from the game.
A long ball sent in by Vesna Milivojevic found the head of Michelle Heyman, and Canberra United’s star striker scored her 96th career goal, helped along by an unfortunate mix-up between City keeper Lysianne Proulx and Captain Rebekah Stott.
Having pulled a goal back, Canberra seemingly found their feet and spent the time remaining looking to find an equaliser.
Time would eventually run out for United and City would take the win. This puts City on a two-game winning streak and leaves Canberra winless so far.
The league now heads into an international break, with both teams having players head off to various national camps.
Round three will resume at the start of November, with Canberra finally heading home to host Perth Glory, and City facing cross-town rivals Western United.
Teams:MELBOURNE CITY: Proulx (GK), Otto, Grosso, L. McKenna (Henry), Torpey, McNamara, Pollicina (T. McKenna), Stott (c), Hughes, Wilkinson, Galic.
Goals: Pollicina 26’, 47’ (Penalty),
CANBERRA UNITED: Lincoln (GK), McKenzie, Ilijoski, Nathan, Grove, Rojas (Jackson), Milivojevic, Flannery, Clough, Heyman (c) Bertolissio (Christopherson).
Goals: Heyman 63’
Referee: Anna-Marie Keighley
Attendance: Approx 2,000 (official figure to follow).
Impetus’ Ben Gilby reports on Perth Glory’s media conference involving striker Millie Farrow and head coach Alex Epakis(21/10/23).
Above: Perth Glory attackerMillie Farrow speaking to the media today. Image: Perth Glory.
Perth Glory and their exciting young squad are about to play their first A-League Women’s game at the club’s main HBF Park stadium for a number of years tomorrow when they take on Newcastle Jets and both Millie Farrow and Alex Epakis are confident that the Western Australians can continue their positive start to the season.
Glory opened their campaign last weekend with a deserved 2-0 win over last year’s beaten Grand Finalists Western United, a game that saw English striker Farrow make her debut – and it was a match that she believes provided strong foundations for challenges ahead.
“Definitely there is a positive vibe among the squad. It definitely wasn’t our best performance though, and we can get better. We definitely stuck to our game plan and we saw that really worked well. If we can stick to that again this week, it will be good.”
With five players making their Perth debut last weekend, and several more who could potentially this weekend, Farrow believes that the characteristics of the players as well as the strength in depth marks the Glory out as a team who can achieve special things this year.
“There is definitely a lot of different characters. We’ve all got time for each other. We all know what to expect from each other and we all hold each other accountable as well, which is really positive. It’s only going to get stronger.”
Two of those debut makers last week were Farrow and strike partner Grace Jale. The Kiwi produced a moment of magic and a rocket shot to clinch Perth’s win over Western United. Farrow revealed that she is already building a strong partnership with Jale both on and off the pitch.
“Ever since we came in, we grasped that relationship from the start. We’re such different players we offer different things and are able to complement each other on the pitch. We live together as well, so it’s nice to build a relationship off the pitch.”
The English attacker has played in the WSL as well as the NWSL, but believes the A-League Women has the same level of excitement. “It’s a league that’s not talked about enough and a league that I’ve wanted to play in for a long time now. There’s a competitiveness that excites me, and Alex has put together a really good squad this year. I’m excited by what is to come.”
Farrow confirmed that the Glory are ready for the challenge of a Newcastle Jets side who also won their opening game last weekend.
“We’re expecting a physical game, but we’re ready for whatever they throw at us. The group understand their roles and it’s down to us to stay disciplined and keep that consistency.”
Above: Perth Glory head coach Alex Epakis speaking to the media yesterday. Image: Perth Glory.
Perth Glory head coach Alex Epakis is looking for his “special” squad of players to build on their excellent result last weekend against Western United when Newcastle Jets visit HBF Park tomorrow.
Reflecting on his team’s victory over the Grand Final runners-up last week, Epakis saw lots to be proud of, but equally a number of things that can be improved upon.
“We’re chasing a perfect performance and the process behind that. We were good enough to win (last week against Western United) and I thought we were in control. As a coach, I’m chasing more, and luckily enough I have a group of players who are chasing more too. We know the things we need to improve, but we are also mindful of the things we did well. Everything we did in pre-season came to fruition in round one against (last season’s) Grand Finalists.”
The Glory head coach observed that the new-look squad this season has gelled quickly with a sense of togetherness and desire to fight for the victories that will lead to Finals football returning to the Western Australian side.
“We wanted to be a more dynamic, aggressive team, and as a staff we wanted to bring in players who were just that – more dynamic and aggressive on the pitch. We’ve really hit the sweet spot with the retention and the recruitment. The player group are bringing the best out of each other, and we saw evidence of that on the weekend (against Western United). There is an untapped limit of potential of what this team can produce. (With) what we’ve got (in terms of a playing squad), we know we can do something special.”
There was also positive news on availability for tomorrow’s game, something which will prove to be a big relief for those concerned about Susan Phonsongkham, who played an influential role in last week’s win but had to leave the pitch after a heavy tackle.
“We have a full squad, everyone is available. Our strength is in our depth. I have a lot of motivated players fighting for positions. It creates sleepiness nights – but we’re all here for the right reasons.”
Tomorrow’s opponents Newcastle Jets also go into the game after winning their opening game, a local derby with Central Coast Mariners. They too have brought in some impressive signings as Epakis noted.
“They had a strong win in round one and they have some powerful players, particularly in the front third. We indicated to ourselves that if we nullify that and we tie up what we can do, then we give ourselves every chance of winning.”
Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Threads, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.DON’T MISS our brand new TikTok platform @ImpetusFootball too!
impetusfootball.org 