Above: Mary Stanic-Floody (green uniform) in action for Canberra against the Wellington Phoenix.Photo: Ryan Imray
Mary Stanic-Floody may be at the younger end of the A-League Women’s playing cohort, but has certainly experienced a lot already in her short career.
From debuting in the A-League Women’s as a teenager to now being on the cusp of a senior international debut for a country thousands of kilometres from home, Stanic-Floody sure has packed a lot into the last four years.
The young midfielder initially debuted in the national competition as a 15 year old for childhood club Sydney FC, spending a few seasons at the Sky Blues before moving to current club Canberra United at 17 years old.
Stanic-Floody looks back on her time at Sydney FC with fondness, noting how “grateful I was to be there” – especially considering she grew up barracking for the Sky Blues – but ultimately the desire for more consistent minutes is what saw Stanic-Floody move down to Canberra.
“[Now former Canberra United coach Njegosh Popovich] saw potential in me to be a first team starter and the depth of Sydney FC, they’ve got a good reputation for a reason.” Stanic-Floody explained.
“So moving to Canberra and having the opportunity to work with Michelle Heyman of course is a big one, but I think the opportunity of consistent minutes really pushed me to move to Canberra.
“I did my HSC in Canberra, so it was a big move but it was well worth it.”
Making her A-League Women’s debut so young meant that the now 19 year old Stanic-Floody has spent much of her young career to date juggling the demands of both schooling and being an elite footballer.
Although Stanic-Floody said juggling both was “very, very difficult”, she was also “very fortunate that I had the support of my teachers and they made sure I was always up to date. They would do extra lessons if I needed it, so I was very lucky.”
Her involvement with the Australian national team pathway system began even before her A League Women’s career did though, called up to the Junior Matildas in March 2021 before debuting for Sydney in December that year. She was also a member of the Junior Matildas squad that won the AFF U18 Women’s Championship the following year.
Stanic-Floody called her call up to the Junior Matildas as “a big honour, very big honour.”
“As a kid you dream to play international football and to be selected to go to the ASEAN Championship and to win it, you just want to walk away with silverware – it’s a dream of course.
“It definitely highlighted that there’s other talents out there and where you have to be, but it was a huge honour.”
But with the allure of playing in the top flight of European international football, Stanic-Floody made the tough decision to swap her international allegiance from Australia to Serbia – the ancestral homeland of her mother – with official confirmation coming through earlier this year.
“It’s very tough, but in the end, I did what was best for my career” Stanic-Floody explained as the reason for swapping her international allegiance.
Stanic-Floody also noted that “any first team football is what I want to be doing and the environment that Serbia has and just the whole built-in structure is just something I can’t say no to.”
Stanic-Floody may have only been called up to the Serbian national team for the first time last month, but it was the culmination of a journey that had actually started two years prior.
Stanic-Floody explained that she had been contacted by the Serbian Football Association two years ago back when she had first joined Canberra United, but “I was ineligible to go because I had an ankle injury.”
“It was just a huge honour, … but to finally get there, I felt so honoured to be there and represent my heritage” Stanic-Floody said.
Although Stanic-Floody ultimately did not take to the field for Serbia in the October international window, she was still heavily involved in camp, and did have a familiar face amongst her new team mates in former Canberra team mate Vesna Milivojevic.
“Oh she made it very easy for me, a smooth transition” Stanic-Floody confirmed.
“My Serbian is not the greatest. I know bits and pieces, but I can’t roll my Rs like they do in the Serbian language. But she made it so smooth. I can’t thank her enough.”
Stanic-Floody also noted that her Serbian is improving, saying that “I plan to finish learning it by the end of this year. But all my family speak it, so I do know a lot. It’s just I can’t communicate back.”
Although international football is far from ever guaranteed, Stanic-Floody’s approach to the worry about whether she will get any future call ups is one that is both calm and very mature.
Stanic-Floody’s approach has always been “club football comes first, international football is a bonus.”
“I’m very lucky that I got to go to Slovenia, but that came from my performance at Canberra. So I think it’s more individually I have to push myself rather than Serbia guaranteeing something.
“When you play well, you’ll get called up, and that’s what I hope for this season. Just continuing my goals, my assists, and how I perform, and then let the rest come.”
Although she has not been called up for the final international window of 2025, it is a big year for Serbia in 2026 so time will tell how much their newest recruit will get to be a part of what might be a historic year for the White Eagles.
Above: England’s Lionesses training at St. George’s Park. Photo: Lindsay Cook for Impetus.
England’s homecoming series concludes with games against China and Ghana next week. With friendlies a rare chance to experiment, Sarina Wiegman’s latest squad contains new names who are untested on the senior international stage.
“We have a lot of talent”, said Wiegman about new players joining the set up before the next World Cup, adding that “it’s going to be hard to make the squad”.
With Hannah Hampton, Alex Greenwood, Leah Williamson and Michelle Agyemang all out injured, and Jess Carter left out to recover from the NWSL play-off weekend, Wiegman’s latest squad has nine players with two caps or less to their name.
Lauren James has also been left out after only just returning from injury, with Wiegman naming Freya Godfrey in the group for the first time. There are nine different WSL teams represented in the latest squad.
For fans outside of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United, the inclusions of Godfrey, Anouk Denton, Lucia Kendall, Sophie Baggely and Grace Fisk may bring some welcome variety and recognition to their teams.
There were no WSL players from teams outside of the top four in Wiegman’s final squad that went onto lift the Euro 2025 trophy. To see more WSL teams represented this time out is refreshing and exciting – and arguably shows that the league has developed to a point where the big four are not as dominant.
Here is a closer look at the players trying to catch Wiegman’s eye this time out.
Anouk Denton – West Ham
Denton was a late call up to the squad for the first part of the homecoming series to provide cover at fullback. She provides versatility and quality in all areas of the pitch and can play full back or wing back on both sides.
Her performances did not go unnoticed last season, and she was shortlisted for the Young Player of the Year award at the prestigious Women’s Football Awards as well as playing for England Under 23’s.
Above: Denton for the England U23s. Photo: West Ham United website.
This season she has become an even more important figure in the Hammers’ line up, and has flourished in a wide midfield position, having an excellent game off the left-hand side versus Leicester and scoring when playing off the right-hand side versus Everton.
Denton ranks highly for tackles per 90 minutes (3.3) and also for successful take ons compared to other fullbacks across the top nine women’s leagues for the past year, according to FbREF.
Her ability to run at players and stretch opposition defences has really caught the eye in recent weeks.
Freya Godfrey – London City Lionesses
Godfrey perhaps gave hints that this could be a special season in a pre-season friendly against OL Lyonnes. Picking up the ball on the left-hand side, she drove infield with purpose before unleashing a rocket of a shot that flew into the net from 40 yards out.
Since then she has notched two goals and two assists in her past two WSL matches as London City Lionesses climbed to sixth place in the table.
Above: Godfrey for London City Lionesses. Photo: Nina Farooqi.
Godfrey’s ability to cross and shoot with both feet has particularly stood out in recent weeks – with four goal contributions in 296 minutes over five games, she has a strong 1.21 goal contributions per 90 minutes, putting her amongst the best in the league.
Wiegman was full of praise for Godfrey in her press conference, “I think she brings something different, a young player of course, she was very excited. So, I’m excited to see what she can bring in our squad.”
Whether Godfrey get’s her chance on the left or the right, remains to be seen. As she has shown this season, she doesn’t need much time to make an impression in games.
Grace Fisk – Liverpool
Fisk has been a mainstay in the WSL since 2019, when she joined West Ham and later Liverpool in the summer of 2023, making close to 150 appearances across the two teams. She was first called into the England squad in 2020 but has yet to make a senior appearance.
Above: Grace Fisk for Liverpool. Photo: Liverpool women.
Like Denton and Godfrey, she offers Wiegman some strong versatility, with her ability to play right back, as well as her preferred position in central defence. Fisk was made Liverpool captain at the start of the 2025-26 season.
Despite Liverpool’s early season struggles, she has been a consistently strong performer. Her composure and ability on the ball suits Taylor’s possession-based side who, like Denton’s West Ham have showed improvement over the past few weeks.
Fisk also ranks joint second in the league for interceptions (16), compared to other WSL centre backs. With so many injuries in that position for England, she could well start against either China or Ghana.
Lucia Kendall – Aston Villa
Kendall is the only player out of the five who has made an senior appearance for the Lionesses after her impressive performance against Australia last time out, winning player of the match.
Above: Kendall for England. Photo: @Lionesses on X.
Kendall looked confident next to Keira Walsh playing in the double pivot role and barely put a foot wrong. Her stats from the game tell the story of what an all-round performer she can be.
After the game, Kendall also won Wiegman’s plaudits: “She came in our environment and even though we didn’t have that many training sessions, straight away you saw her understanding and reading of the game,” praised the England manager.
She has seen a mesmeric climb to the international stage having only started playing in England’s top league since the summer but has quickly looked at home in the WSL after signing for Aston Villa from Southampton.
Kendall, like her teammate Missy Bo-Kearns, will be hoping for more game time against China and Ghana, as she looks to cement her place in the England squad before the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Sophie Baggaley – Brighton
Baggely may be the least likely to get on the pitch out of our featured five but will provide competition for Khiara Keating and Anna Moorhouse for a starting spot in goal, with Hampton injured.
Above: Baggaley in training with England. Photo: Lindsay Cook for Impetus.
Baggely had a decent season for Brighton in 2024-2025 but has lost her starting role to Chiamaka Nnadozie this season. She has, however, featured in all four of Brighton’s league cup games this campaign.
A strong shot stopper, Baggely ranked third for average saves per 90 minutes in the WSL last season with 3.9. She will be an able deputy if called into action for club or country this season.
Above: Tiree Burchill and Hayley Lauder battling for the ball Photo: Hibernian FC
Facing an ever-increasing injury list, Hibs held SWPL leaders Glasgow City to a draw at Petershill Park with a battling performance. The result kept Hibs 8 points off the top of the table, while Rangers, Celtic and Hearts all closed the gap to City with wins.
The Teams
Despite a late Wednesday night finish in Portugal, Leanne Ross surprisingly made only one change, as Erin McLaughlin replaced Linda Motlhalo in the midfield. Clearly, they felt that those players were rested and recovered enough, but it was certainly a departure from the heavy rotation that City have opted for throughout the season so far.
After losing Eilidh Adams and Linzi Taylor last week, Hibernian’s injury crisis only continued, as star striker Kathleen McGovern and Jess Fitzgerald missed out on the matchday squad and Caley Gibb, who went down with an injury last week was on the bench. Without a recognised striker to pick from, Grant Scott gave Tiree Burchill the start in the middle, although her preferred position is on the wing.
Lauren Doran-Barr got her first start of the season at right back in the place of Gibb while Rachel Boyle started in attacking midfield, and while she is a right back normally, this is not unfamiliar for the club captain. This would obviously have a significant effect on how Hibs played, but with a full week to prepare, they would hope to look better than in the Edinburgh derby last weekend once McGovern left the game.
The Action
As was to be expected, City had the bulk of possession early in the match. They occupied their opponent’s half, as Hibs settled back and looked for chances on the counter. Unfortunately for the visitors, Burchill and Boyle struggled to receive and hold up the ball in the way Adams and McGovern can, and this meant they couldn’t sustain possession and pressure upon the Glasgow City defence.
It was a defence however that looked vulnerable and has been known to be sloppy with the ball at their feet at times. The Hibees were clearly aware of this and made sure to be alert to such opportunities. While they did manage to pick up a fair few lose balls, Notley, Boyle and Grant all miscued passes into the box and they weren’t able to test Lee Gibson in goal.
Glasgow City also had difficulty creating chances, with McLaughlin and Kozlova’s wildly high shots their only notable advances into Hibs’ box. Although, on the stroke of half time a cross looked to have fallen for Harrison inside the six-yard box, before it was cleared desperately by the defence.
The first half did not look like a battle between first and third, as both teams were clearly affected and out of their usual sorts. It was a 45 minutes played between the boxes, full of poor touches, overhit passes and lots of contact.
The introductions of Motlhalo and Sofia Maatta at half time steadied City and they started to create some chances. Maatta had two chances shortly after the break. After a cross from Amy Muir on the left, her angle to shoot was so tight that she could only fire into the side-netting. Just moments later, Muir made a great run, cutting inside on her right foot and scything a pass through the Hibs defence into the Polish winger. Being the only thing left in between Maatta and the goal, Noa Schumacher bravely came out and smother the shot wide.
Seeing the ease with which Kozlova and Muir were getting past Doran-Barr, and considering she was on a yellow, Scott brought Caley Gibb on before any more damage could be done. It was the left side of Hibs’ defence that would come under pressure next, as Kozlova moved into the box and shot. She scuffed the shot, but it fell to Natalia Wrobel, who had a seemingly open net in front of her – with Schumacher out of position after the first effort. Luckily for Hibernian, Gibb was there to heroically clear the ball off the line.
As Glasgow City improved, so did the away team. Tegan Bowie started to pick up the ball earlier, and caused havoc with her speed and skill, including on one occasion, where Smit had to cynically hack down the young winger before she could enter the box. Rosie Livingstone also got more involved down the right, combining well with Gibb as they got some good crosses in for really the first time in the match.
Glasgow looked to be in again, but hanging around at the back post was Caley Gibb again, who headed the ball and took a brutal hit from Kozlova, who was late going for the header.
The end-to-end nature of the final 15 minutes suited Hibs, and it was them challenging the City backline. The pace of Gibb on the right allowed Livingstone to take up more central areas, while Burchill’s pace and energy meant she could keep chasing every long ball against a tiring defence. The closest the reigning champions were to scoring was a low cross from Livingstone that Bowie touched wide in injury time.
Player of the Match Noa Schumacher
Above: Schumacher after her clean sheet in the title decider at Ibrox last season Photo: Hibernian FC
Although it was a difficult start to the season for the American goalkeeper and she is by means a complete player yet, she was outstanding today. There were a few tricky balls over the top that she had to judge perfectly and she did. Her main problems this year have been giving away penalties from these situations, so it was significant to see City target this and Schumacher show improvements.
Her shot-stopping is up there with the best and that has never been in question. Schumacher one again showcased this today, as well as that courageous save from Maatta early in the second half. Something else that she did well was kicking; there was a dodgy backpass each from Hunter and Papadopoulos, but she stayed calm and blasted the ball away to safety.
Where this leaves the teams
After a tough week physically and emotionally, drawing with a title rival is absolutely an acceptable result for Leanne Ross and her side. Hibs might be weakened at the moment, but battles between the professional clubs are always close and this proved no different.
If there’s anything to be concerned about for City it is that they struggled to create anything in the first half, and although they played better in the second half, that scoring touch was still missing. They still hold a strong position in the table, with two draws against Hibs their only dropped points the entire season, so the club should be full of excitement and pride as the international break hits.
Hibs have really suffered the last two weeks with injuries and today had the potential to almost eliminate them from the title race altogether. Drawing with comfortably the best side in Scotland this year so far is a good result in that context. The performance was probably the best aspect of the day, as this team proved they can take on anyone even with so many key players injured.
Above:New Subiaco head coach Chris Coppin. Photo supplied by: Chris Coppin.
New Subiaco head coach Chris Coppin has spoken of the “real privilege” of leading the NPLW program at Rosalie Park, “a proud club that champions the women’s game in WA.”
Coppin has replaced Greg Farrell at the helm, a coach who laid the foundations of continuing improvement at the club across the NPLW WA era, with Subi looking to move into the conversation surrounding top-four places.
“I’m excited to be part of a club that’s aiming for a top-four finish and ready to challenge the teams above us.
“Subi have been right on the edge of the top four for a few seasons now. To push through, we need to raise the bar across the entire program – that means matching the professionalism, expectations, and support that clubs on the East Coast are already delivering.”
Coppin has a rich experience in the game, both locally and on the East Coast where she coached in the NPLW Victoria at both South Melbourne and Boorondara-Carey Eagles. She takes up the story of her footballing journey.
“I first kicked a ball back in primary school and kept playing all the way through high school. When I got to uni, I joined Floreat Athena and spent four years playing in the Premier League. I was also lucky enough to be selected for the Australian University team, which was a real highlight.
“As a PE teacher, I’ve worked in a few high schools as a specialist football teacher, including Morley SHS and Halls Head College.
“After my time at Floreat, I moved to Bassendean Caledonians (Callies), where I played across Divisions One to Three. That’s where my club coaching journey really began. I spent around 15 years there as both a player and a coach, and later coached at Ellenbrook United as well.
“In 2024, I was incredibly honoured to receive the Football West Female Coach of the Year award, followed by the Australian Female Football Coach of the Year. Those achievements opened some exciting doors and led me to Melbourne, where I took on an Assistant Coach role with South Melbourne’s NPLW side and also coached with the Boorondara-Carey Eagles in the Victorian NPLW.”
Subi’s new head coach has achieved a lot in the game so far, but she believes the best is yet to come at Rosalie Park.
“As a player, my proudest moments would have to be my first Premier League game and being selected for the Australian University team. From a coaching point of view, being recognised as Female Coach of the Year and stepping into an Assistant Coach role in the Victorian NPLW have been real highlights.
Image provided by: Christine Coppin.
“Now, being given the opportunity to lead Subiaco is the icing on the cake. But honestly, what means the most is the friendships I’ve made along the way and being able to help female players grow and chase their football dreams.”
In terms of what Subiaco’s supporters can expect from their NPLW WA team next season, Coppin outlines what she wants from both herself and her team.
“I think good coaches are adaptable, so really knowing my players is key to the style of football we play. My philosophy centres on being a possession-based team that can identify and exploit the opposition’s weaknesses while making the most of our own strengths.
“Whenever a new coach comes in, there’s always a bit of movement. My approach is to show players what Subiaco has to offer – our program, our support staff, and the professional standards we’re putting in place. I want players to see that this is a club where they can grow and compete at a high level.”
After coming back to the women’s game in Western Australia after a spell in Victoria, Coppin has clear views about the standards and how to continually drive progress.
“The NPLW in WA is definitely improving, but there are still a few hurdles. We need to find better ways to keep our quality players here in WA and attract A-League clubs to scout our talent. Financially, WA still lags behind other states, which makes retention tough.
“Right now, there’s a clear gap between the top and bottom four teams, whereas on the East Coast, the competition is more evenly balanced. A stronger, more competitive league across all eight WA teams would be a huge benefit for everyone involved.
“Increased financial support from governing bodies and the government would make a massive difference. That extra backing could go toward better pay for players, coaches, and support staff, helping attract and retain top talent.
“We also need more visibility. Finally, relaxing some of the loyalty and home-grown player restrictions could help smaller clubs stay competitive, especially given WA’s smaller player pool.”
Whilst it’s around four months until the new NPLW WA season, Coppin is already clear what she wants to see from Subi in 2026.
“A great season for us would mean seeing players develop, hit their goals, and play with confidence and belief. As a team and as a club, success would be finishing in the top four – and doing it in a way that shows we’re building something sustainable for the long term.”
Above: Sydney FC celebrate scoring against the Mariners. Photo: Sydney FC
A physical contest saw Sydney FC edge past the Central Coast Mariners to remain undefeated through the first four games of the season.
Leichhardt Oval hosted an exciting encounter with the visiting reigning champions Central Coast Mariners eager to bounce back after back-to-back defeats against both Melbourne sides. Sydney FC came into the match undefeated after two draws and a win.
Ante Juric made no changes to the home squad, meaning 14-year-old Willa Pearson was given another start. Central Coast opted for a few personnel changes with Annabel Martin, Isabel Gomez, and Annalise Rasmussen joining the starting line-up.
Early in the game, the Mariners opted to take a pressing approach when off the ball, trying to counter Sydney FC’s confident possession play. The press resulted in an early free kick for Tess Quilligan, but the youngster was unable to create a significant opportunity as the first five minutes started slowly.
The crowd was lively throughout, and the first significant chance came in the 12th minute when Sarah Hunter took a shot from about 35 yards out. While audacious, the effort was directed well enough to force a good save out of Sarah Langman.
Sydney were focusing on getting on the ball in midfield and trying to play it in behind to the threatening Mackenzie Hawkesby, resulting in a mix of off-sides and Mariners foul, creating pressure for the hosts who started on the back foot in the first half.
The Mariners’ first solid chance at goal was created by a run forward and cross from Annabel Martin, which found the head of Rasmussen, but it was slightly behind the forward, so she was unable to direct her header on target. This, however, won some solid territory for the Mariners, and they soon won a threatening free kick from about 30 yards out.
In the 28th minute, a venture forward from Coco-Di Sipio led to a driven shot at Robertson’s goal. The shot was just over the bar, but a good creative move from the winger.
It was quite a physical affair through the first half, with a lot of fouls and player bumps. There was one yellow card given to each team. One for Tarran King and one for Kirsty Fenton, but otherwise the referee was fairly conservative.
Both defences were very solid through the first half, stifling many front third entries on both sides. There were only five shots between the two teams at the half, with none majorly testing either goalkeeper.
A free kick from Central Coast was drifted in toward the near post, where Elizabeth Barwick-Grey was lurking. Tiahna Robertson eventually managed to knock the ball out of danger. The defending champions were looking to strike early in the second half with an up-tempo pace.
In the 50th minute, a high press from Sydney got Riley Tanner on the ball, who quickly poked the ball through to the substitute forward Jodi Ulkekul. Ulkekul struck a right-footed effort just wide from outside the box, but it was a good response after the start from the Mariners.
Sydney continued with their high pressing, with Maddie Caspers playing a clever ball through to Ulkekul, who struck a shot straight at Langman. The game really started to open up on the attacking side in the second half, with both teams looking to gain the important three points.
Tanner became a much bigger influence in the second half, consistently pressing high and winning possession. The more creative players on the Mariners side had to track back to try and contain Caspers and Tanner in particular.
The next chance came from the foot of Bianca Galic, who took a shot at goal from outside the box in the 67th minute. The strike itself was somewhat tam,e and Langman was able to deal with the chance competently.
In the 73rd minute, somewhat against the run of play, Tiana Fuller struck a well-directed effort from outside the box, which was well saved and then collected by Robertson, who had an impressive game, filling in for the injured Heather Hinz.
Three minutes later, the home side’s endeavours were eventually rewarded. An attacking move instigated by Caley Tallon-Henniker. The cross from the substitute winger was deflected away, but Hunter showed excellent awareness to tap the ball to Caspers, who struck an excellent curved effort into the top corner from 17 yards out.
A moment later, Gomez tried a long-ranged effort to get Central Coast back on level terms, but the shot was directed well wide. Avani Prakash was introduced to try and assist the title-holders’ comeback effort.
Two minutes into stoppage time, Sydney broke forward and nearly extended their lead after a run and shot from Tallon-Henniker, but the effort was directed slightly too high.
This was a very physical affair, with many fouls committed on both sides. A moment of brilliance from Caspers marked the difference between the two teams as Sydney looked to continue their rise up the table, and keep their undefeated streak alive.
Above: Wellington Phoenix players celebrate after scoring against Melbourne Victory.Photo: via A-Leagues
Wellington Phoenix claimed a 1-0 win over Melbourne Victory at Porirua Park this afternoon, with 17-year-old Pia Vlok scoring her first Ninja A-League goal to help the hosts secure their first ever win over Victory.
The match marked a notable reunion, as former Wellington defender Zoe McMeeken lined up against her old club for the first time since signing with Victory.
Phoenix also entered the match managing some early-season challenges in the squad, after having announced during the week that midfielders Tessa Middag and Alyssa Whinham have both sustained ACL injuries.
The match opened with early intent from both sides, and Melbourne Victory nearly struck first when Rachel Lowe unleashed a sharp effort on goal but Phoenix goalkeeper Victoria Esson reacted superbly, palming the strike away to keep the scores level.
Both teams pushed for an opener, but clear chances were limited until the 14th minute, when Phoenix’s Vlok tried her luck from the right-hand side of the box. Her shot, however, failed to find the target. Victory goalkeeper Courtney Newbon then produced an outstanding save of her own, denying Manaia Elliott’s powerful effort as Wellington began to build momentum.
The Phoenix maintained pressure throughout the half but struggled to convert their final chances. Play was briefly halted twice as Esson and teammate Emma Main went down with injuries, though both returned after receiving treatment.
Wellington then finally broke through in the 38th minute.
Elliott delivered a dangerous ball across the face of goal, finding Vlok who calmly slotted home the goal to put the hosts ahead.
Deep into stoppage time, the Phoenix came close to doubling their lead, but Victory’s defence scrambled to avert the danger before the play was ultimately ruled offside.
The second half began with Wellington immediately testing Victory’s defence again, as Main fired a shot on target only for Newbon to gather it safely. Victory responded by pressing hard in search of an equaliser. They earned a free kick in a dangerous position, which Alana Jančevski struck low, but Esson was equal to the task.
For the majority of the half, Victory appeared the stronger side, creating the better chances. The most notable attempt came in the 65th minute when defender Claudia Bunge unleashed a powerful strike, but it sailed just over the crossbar.
Well into extra time, Victory dominated possession and continued to push for a goal to level the scores and take home a point, but were unable to convert any of their opportunities.
Teams: WELLINGTON PHOENIX (3-4-1-2): Esson, Bott, Barry, Walker, Jale, Elliott, Van der Meer, Main, Wall, Nunn, Vlok. Substitutes: Danieli, McMillan, D. Brazendale, Ingham, L. Brazendale, Bartlett.
Above: Canberra United celebrate during their win over Perth Glory today. Photo: Canberra United.
Two goals in the opening eight minutes ensured that Canberra United earned their maiden win of the A-League Women season, condemning Perth Glory to a third successive defeat as a consequence.
Goals from Michelle Heyman and Emma Robers in that breakneck start put the capital city club well on the way before Bethany Gordon put the icing on the cake 12 minutes into the second half.
Canberra head coach Antoni Jagarinec gave an instant start to returning defender Liz Anton, with the New Zealand international facing her former club, replacing Kiara De Domizio in the back line. Bethany Gordon and Sienna Dale came into the starting line-up as well for Mary Stanic-Floody and Darcey Malone.
Perth Glory boss Stephen Peters made three changes to his starting line-up from last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Sydney FC. Charli Wainwright came into the midfield along with Bronte Trew, and Gabby Hollar was restored to the front line for defender Naomi Chinnama, midfielder Izzy Dalton, and attacker Sarah O’Donoghue.
Canberra hit the front with just three minutes on the clock, as a pass along the left flank ran perfectly for an unmarked Josie Aulicino to slide a low ball in for Heyman to sweep home at the back post.
Just eight minutes later, they doubled their advantage as Gordon’s free-kick from the left curled in to the back post, where Robers looped a high header over Alyssa Dall’Oste and in.
Perth looked to hit back and, shortly afterwards, earned a corner. Emma Tovar played a high ball into the back post, where Wainwright directed a header narrowly wide.
The home side continued to press and find gaps in the Glory defence to exploit. With just over 20 minutes on the clock, Heyman fed Sasha Grove along the right flank. She beat Onyi Zogg and played a low pass in for Sienna Dale to hit a shot that Dall’Oste held at the second attempt as Heyman slid in.
Rola Badawiya had a half chance after the half hour when Hollar profited from loose control from Hayley Taylor-Young to lay in a pass for the American striker, but Sally James held the shot comfortably as the hosts maintained their 2-0 lead into the break.
Canberra sealed the deal with a sensational third goal after 57 minutes that was so good that the visitors never had a chance to repel.
A superb barrage of one-touch passing in the centre of the park ended with Heyman laying back for Gordon to slam a shot into the net from 20 yards.
It could have got even better for Canberra if they had managed to force the ball over the line after a penalty box scramble, but Robers, Jazmin Wardlow, and Heyman all saw efforts blocked.
In the end, it was a comprehensive win for the capital city club, who will look to re-establish themselves in the top half of the table next weekend when Sydney FC visit.
Perth’s next face a third straight away trip – to Melbourne Victory next Sunday, which will be a fiendishly tough examination as they bid to shore up a defence that has conceded eight goals in their last three matches.
The Western Australians have had a tough set of games to open the season, with four of the first five games away from home, on top of this, but they are a team who are capable of scoring goals. However, in order to put chances away, their key midfield creatives need to be on point, and today that wasn’t the case often enough. It will have to be against Victory.
Above: Lauren Allan is embraced by teammates after her goal. Photo: A-League
Newcastle Jets have extended their unbeaten streak against the Western Sydney Wanderers, defeating the visitors 1-0 in their home opener at No.2 Sportground. The victory was a historical one for the Jets, as they had not gone three matches unbeaten to start their season in the club’s Ninja A-League history.
The match was an end-to-end battle from the start, with fairly even possession, and both sides were able to easily move the ball into their attacking end. The scene was set for a combative afternoon of football within the first five minutes. There was great defending for both the Wanderers and Jets, so no real chance could be found at the top of the game, despite the attacking strength across the pitch.
Ayres had the first real chance for the Jets, striking the ball from outside the box, straight to the hands of Khamis. Although the goal was missed, the Jets continued to dominate and created several chances in short succession, with Ayres at the forefront of the majority.
Play was paused for a short time as Ella Buchanan went down with a knee injury, following a clash with Lauren Allan. Although it looked quite concerning, Buchanan made her way back onto the pitch, but not before the Wandeers were forced to go with 10 players momentarily.
While the Wanderers’ 11th player was being assessed, the Jets took the opportunity to capitalise on their advantage and continued to get dangerously close to goal. Cass Davis made a clever cross to Ayres, who took a header from distance, which got close, but was saved by Khamis.
Kelli Brown got concerningly close to netting the Jets’ second, pressing Khamis. From some angles, it looked as though the ball went in. However, a touch from Khamis hit the ball out of the danger zone, as Brown took the strike just slightly too early to get past the Wanderers keeper.
Holly Caspers took a shot for the Wanderers, which was just wide of the goal, and was hit away by Jets keeper Anna Leat. The chance, however, gave the visitors a foot in the game that had thus far been dominated by the Jets.
Newcastle Jets opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, with a shot from Lauren Allan, in her 100th appearance for the Jets. The goal was off a corner that initially didn’t look like it would amount to a real chance. However, a well-timed run from Allan towards a Cass Davis pass allowed her to tap it in. It is Allan’s 4th goal against the Wanderers, and 22nd of her career.
As stoppage time approached, possession remained in favour of the Jets; however
The Wanderers managed to keep their attack alive after the opening goal and break down the Jets’ block, as it seemed increasingly likely that they would find an equaliser.
After 3 minutes of added time, there were no more goals to be found, leaving the Jets in the lead at the break.
There was a delay in play early in the half, as Alana Cerne went down with a foot injury, which seemed quite concerning. Cerne was taken off and replaced byYing Wang, who made her Western Sydney Wanderers debut.
There was even further disruption almost immediately after, when Tash Prior was taken down with a head injury, following a clash with Holly Caspers, who was also momentarily taken off. Both were cleared to re-enter the pitch shortly after.
Play remained fast-paced and aggressive, with chances at both ends, and possession was almost completely equal. Both sides came into the game in good form, both defensively and on the attack, which continued to make it difficult for anything to really come of these chances, making for a tiring, highly contentious meeting, but without a lot to show for the effort.
Newcastle had a good chance to double their lead as Ayres took a free kick in a dangerous area, but the ball was well defended by Wanderers, who immediately ran full force into a counterattack. Alyssa Ng-Saad made a great run towards the goal, as she searched for her first Ninja A-League goal and the Wanderers’ equaliser; however, it was intercepted.
Malina Ayres got dangerously close to doubling the Jets’ lead at the tail end of the match, striking the ball from distance. It looked as though it was certain to go in; however, it was slightly too high and hit the crossbar while simultaneously being hit away by Khamis.
The match did not slow down in the 6 minutes of added time, as Ayres took another outstanding shot towards the Wanderers’ goal; however, Khamis responded with an eraully showstopping save.
There was a string of excellent last-minute attempts, most of which came from the Jets; however, the Wanderers continued to fight back, as it looked like they may manage to take a point up until the last minute.
Claudia Cicco was taken off the pitch during extended stoppage time, leaving the Jets down a player after making all their subs earlier in the second half.
Despite their efforts, there were no more goals to be found, and Newcastle Jets took the win, as the score remained 1-0 at the whistle.
It was a historic win for the Newcastle Jets, as the hosts have never had a 3-game unbeaten streak in league history.
Round 5 will see Newcastle Jets remain at home to take on Brisbane Roar, while the Wanderers’ next match will be a Sydney derby on December 7th.
A 3-0 win over hosts Hó Chi Minh City WFC has secured Melbourne City a second straight home Quarter Final in the Asian Womens’ Champions League.
Melbourne City started the game with immediate impact, as star striker Holly McNamara scored their first goal for the evening before even the first minute of the game had elapsed.
McNamara pounced on a loose ball in the box, driving it into the roof of the netting after the host team failed to clear a cross.
Mere minutes later City would find their second goal, this time a long-ranged effort from Alexia Apostolakis, with this being her second goal scored in such a manner in the Group Stage of the competition.
The final goal of the game came just before half time, with McNamara hustling down the right side of the pitch playing a give-and-go with Leah Davidson, before making the selfless choice to cut the ball back to Shelby McMahon who had been following McNamara’s run.
The second half of the game saw hosts Hó Chi Minh City play much more aggressively, which in turn led them to have much more possession of the ball and create some chances on goal but City’s steadfast defence kept them from finding any joy in their attacking half.
City now look towards their Quarter Final game, with their opponent and full details of the match to be announced early in the new year, ahead of the fixture that will be held in March.
Above: NAC Breda celebrate their first top flight win. Photo: Caroline van Leusden.
Round eight of the Dutch top flight of women’s football saw a historic pair of wins for new club HERA United and promoted NAC Breda.
NAC Breda 2 – 1 Excelsior
Above: NAC v Excelsior. Photo: Gino van Outheusden/Pix4Profs
NAC Breda have had a historic Sunday victory against Excelsior – their first win since being promoted to the top flight. At home, in front of 2,200 supporters, they’ve put three points in their pocket and got themselves out of the relegation zone for now.
But it wasn’t easy for NAC, because they needed to come from behind. Excelsior, who’ve proven themselves as tougher opponents than last year, were expected to get a win at NAC. They certainly have the quality on the pitch and proved what they’re capable of in the first minutes.
Kathelyn Hendriks broke away down the flank, collecting a ball from the defence before getting her shot off. NAC’s Manoah van der Houwelingen was close by but couldn’t stop the play — her attempted clearance hesitated on her foot, helping the ball fall kindly for Hendriks. Hendriks pushed forward and squared it to the unmarked Naomi Hilhorst, who simply tapped it in to give Excelsior the lead.
But NAC Breda proved to have a real spirit about them this season. They’ve formed a team in over a year and were rushed to get ready with a big opportunity to play at the highest level. They’re not in it for just one year of experience at the top level and relegate to build from there – they want to stay.
Especially their attack has a lot going for it which was shown in their immediate response to the setback. Lynn Verhoef pulled a perfect ball behind the Excelsior defense to give a great opportunity for Brigitte Franken, who just pulled wide for the home-side.
The defense of NAC Breda is where they need to improve the most. Sarina Heijblom gave away the ball while trying to play out from the back. Her aim to recover the ball didn’t look bright either. NAC Breda got lucky with the hesitation from Excelsior’s Hendriks who wasn’t instinctive enough to make the right decision and extend their lead.
After the break neither team had many opportunities until late on. A big opportunity from a corner with Emily van der Vliet showed a first sign of the turn around for NAC Breda. Yentl van Gogh deserves all the credit in the world for the equalizer. The left-back picked up a missed header and played with a lot of technical skill herself in a position to give a great cross in front of goal. July Schneider tried to get it over the line, but Alieke de Wit tried to clear it of the goalline, to make it a poor own goal.
Excelsior did have a couple of chances to get them back in a winning position, but lacked a clinicallity. So did van Gogh’s second chance with a dangerous cross, but no NAC Breda player was there to hit it home. Franken punished poor defending from Hajar Balkhir. She stole the ball away from her in midfield and created her own opportunity via Kiki Heshof who anticipated Franken’s deeprun perfectly. Franken scored the winning 2-1 for NAC Breda, and wrote her name down in the history books.
ADO Den Haag 0 – 1 HERA United
Above: HERA v ADO. Photo: Ashton Tokromo.
HERA United won their first three points in the Eurojackpot Vrouwen Eredivisie. The squad from Amsterdam won thanks to a penalty taken by Janette van Belen. She wrote history for the first women’s-team-only football club in the Netherlands to secure a win in the Eredivisie.
ADO Den Haag and HERA United did not create a lot of opportunity, as if they were both scared to lose here. It was clear HERA United were trying to play a smart game to get corners and free kicks. In the 13th minute Vis was slightly touched while setting up an attack and fell eagerly to the ground to gain a free kick.
If they can’t win with attacking football, they have to be smarter. Van Beelen took the free kick and just hit the woodwork quite impressively. ADO Den Haag had the upper hand with danger coming from Iris Remmers and Bo Vonk. Just before the break, Anne van Egmond hit the woodwork as well, a rebound header was just hit over the bar.
After the break it all switched on for ADO den Haag, who seemed to have the upperhand in the game. In the 54th minute however, HERA’s Janette van Beelen aimed to get in the box to react to a cross in from her teammate, but got a slight touch by Vonk. van Beelen fell to the ground and the referee gave HERA a penalty. It was smart from the HERA forward, because she did what was needed to get a goal. She scored a strong penalty and got the lead for HERA United.
This secured HERA’s first win in the Eredivisie. After two draws and one win they’re now out of the relegation zone, which must make them happy. Yet, it’s absolutely one of the most cynical ways to write history. HERA United still need to improve a lot of their game play to attract fans and sponsors. With a lot of their players eager to go down with the slightest touch to get some free kick, it’s clear this was a tactical decision. I hope HERA United is able to focus on actually playing better football to raise the standard of the Eredivisie.
ADO Den Haag announced the departure of headcoach Martin Glotzbach, Sarina Wiegman’s husband, with just one point on the board. Another addition to the cynical taste this match has left in my mouth.
FC Utrecht 3 – 3 AZ Alkmaar
Above: Full time score. Photo: AZ.nl.
FC Utrecht against AZ might be the game you had to watch last sunday. AZ were 3-0 up at one point, but capitulated as Utrecht rescued a draw.
AZ started really strong against Utrecht. They pressed high with a defender constantly stepping into the forward line. They made FC Utrecht look uneasy like they weren’t sure what to do against their high press. It almost looked like the players of Utrecht weren’t really focussed in the start of the game. Which has been a problem sometimes this season. They didn’t win duels or second balls.
The first goal came out of a situation like this, where Gera op den Kelder stepped in to win a ball from AZ’s Desiree van Lunteren, but lost. The rest of the defense was left to 17-year old Aline Werelts. Jet van Beyeren was smart to put the ball through the hole op den Kelder left in the defense to give Shanique Dessing a 1 v 1 with the goalkeeper. Dessing struck gold and put AZ ahead.
From the stands it looked like Dessing was offside, the line referee was too late to see it properly. But still a deserved goal, with a misstep from Utrecht and a clever punishment from AZ. Nikita Tromp almost immediately nearly got an equalizer, but Netty Booms tipped it over the bar.
Shortly after a big chance by Van Lunteren, it was again FC Utrechts backline exposed with a wild attempt from Werelts to step in when AZ attacked. Op den Kelder who was exposed in the back made the decision to defend directly Fieke Kroeze who got the ball. She again stood 1v1 with the keeper and AZ strikers like Kroese don’t miss in these situations. On the wet field midfielder Marthe Munsterman defended well to intercept the ball from AZ attacker Dessing and kicked the ball back to her Utrecht teammate Joni Paliama. The right back slipped while trying to turn and was defeated. Dessing beat the goalkeeper to but the ball in the far corner and made it 3-0.
With only 28 minutes on the clock Utrecht faced an uphill battle. But there were also still more than 60 minutes to play. FC Utrecht did what they’ve done before against PEC Zwolle and FC Twente. They came back! Towards the break Tromp pulled of a strong shot towards goal, but goalkeeper Netty Booms wasn’t able to catch it and kicked it away, but right at where op Den Kelder expected the ball to fall and scored one of the easier goals in the Eredivisie.
This must has given FC Utrecht a bit of a boost after the break. AZ started pretty sloppy in the second half while Utrecht looked more confident. Belgian keeper Femke Bastiaen made a couple of great saves, but the Netherlands’ Tromp was the leader of the pack with plenty of chances created for Utrecht. She hit the post in the 50th minute, thanks to great work from the substitutes who gave much more width and security in midfield.
AZ’s rightback made an error in the passing, trying to patiently build up with a low crosspass to the keeper, but the 17-year old Rochelity Dapp was there to intercept and put a second goal in the back of the net. The equalizer for FC Utrecht was a screamer from Tromp who took a free kick from 25 meter and spotted goalkeeper standing of her line, expecting an attempt to assist a header from Tromp – but she kicked it instead to nab the equaliser. Both teams deserved a point for each half of great performances and great goals. AZ remain seventh and Utrecht are sixth in the Eredivisie standings.
The first half was undoubtedly in favor of PEC Zwolle. With a really stable and well structured defense and midfield, Hannah Huizinga came in to a hattrick of scoring opportunities but lacked an overall clinicality. The striker has a lot of expectations on her shoulders to bear since Zoë Zuidberg ruptured her ACL a couple of weeks ago.
Despite Heerenveen’s attacking style of play, which can be very entertaining to watch, they don’t have enough defensive instinct in the squad. The players are not the most physical to clear the goal. It was mostly due to Zwolle’s lack of a good finish that they didn’t concede more.
PEC Zwolle are level in points with PSV and Feyenoord and currently at fifth in the table, but they’ve only faced FC Twente and FC Utrecht who were top of the table last season. Upcoming months are going to be tough for Zwolle. They’ll face Ajax, Feyenoord, PSV and AZ upcoming months. They won’t have a breather up until 24th of january against NAC Breda. So PEC now needs to show what they’re made of!
Ajax 2 – 1 PSV
A week before the other matches Ajax played PSV in the Johan Cruijf Arena. Last year they lost with 0-2, but now they managed to get a win hanks to a very remarkable goal, in a match that was crucial for Ajax’s title hopes. The match seemed destined to end 1–1, until PSV defender Myrthe Kemper-Moorrees clumsily put the ball into her own net in stoppage time.
The minimum of five added minutes had just expired in the Johan Cruijff ArenA when Ajax player Mirte van Koppen sent in a harmless cross. Kemper-Moorrees attempted to control the ball with her chest, but failed to do so.
The ball slowly rolled into her own goal, with goalkeeper Nicky Evrard unable to come to her teammate’s rescue. After the blunder, PSV – with Kemper-Moorrees still on the pitch – pushed forward in full attack, but there wasn’t enough time left to force an equaliser.
PSV thus ended the match with huge disappointment, despite having started well. Just a minute had been played when Chimera Ripa made it 0-1. Shortly before halftime, Danique Tolhoek scored the equaliser for Ajax.
With the victory, Ajax are still very much a title contenders for the league.
Above: Jill Roord scores. Photo: FC Twente website.
Twente showed their prowess as the title holders as they found a last-minute victory thanks to Jill Roord, who got the winner in the final moments to keep the Tukkers at the head of the table. Never has her dad Renée Roord, the technical manager of FC Twente, lost his cool from the stands like this. He was rightfully buzzing for his club and daughter!
The last-minute win contrasted Twente and Feyenoord’s first half.The first half of the game offered little excitement. Feyenoord allowed Twente to have the ball and responded with a solid defensive block. The home side produced little more than two long-range shots saved by goalkeeper Jacintha Weimar and a header wide by Jaimy Ravensbergen.
On the rare occasions Feyenoord could think about attacking, Mao Itamura threatened with a powerful effort, while just before halftime Fleur Stoit failed to make proper contact with a cross from Zera Hulswit.
After the break, the match finally came to life. Charlotte Hulst was able to cross low from the right, insufficiently challenged by Justine Brandau, allowing Ravensbergen to smash the ball in at the near post: 1-0. That goal forced Feyenoord to abandon their defensive stance, and Jessica Torny’s side did just that.
The technical wonder Itamura struck the outside of the post with a shot that Ella Van Kerkhoven just failed to poke in. Hulswit had more luck with her cross: the ball sailed over goalkeeper Diede Lemey and into the Twente net, 1-1 in the 55th minute.
Twente had twice appealed for a penalty in vain when, in the 69th minute, they capitalised on a misunderstanding between Weimar and Esmee de Graaf. Neither intervened on a flicked-on ball by Ravensbergen, which rolled into the Rotterdam goal via the quickly reacting Sophie Proost: 2–1.
The deserved lead was nearly extended by a header from Roord, but once again Feyenoord refused to accept the situation. After a solo run from Itamura – who bypassed four defenders and even nutmegged one – the Japanese player fired at Lemey. In the rebound, substitute Kirsten van de Westeringh scored: 2-2.
In added time, a promising header from Roord landed in the hands of Weimar, but the goalkeeper stood no chance when the same Dutch international was completely left unmarked by the Feyenoord defence after a low cross from substitute Roos Ivens: 3-2, to the great disappointment of the Rotterdam camp. Over the season Feyenoord have shown they are vulnerable at the back in the final phase of the game – conceding late goals is something they have to iron out if they are to make a serious claim of title contender.
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