Above: Vietnam celebrate after qualifying for their first World Cup after winning the play-offs at the Asian Cup last year. Photo: Tuoi Tre News.
The Vietnamese Women’s National Team, also known as Những Nữ Chiến Binh Sao Vàng (Golden Star Women Warriors) are a vibrant team full of young talent and veteran experience. They made history by qualifying for the 2023 Women’s World Cup and will aim to make some more over the coming weeks.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Trần Thị Kim Thanh, Khổng Thị Hằng, Đào Thị Kiều Oanh.
Defenders: Chương Thị Kiều, Trần Thị Thu Thảo, Hoàng Thị Loan, Trần Thị Thu, Lương Thị Thu Thương, Nguyễn Thị Mỹ Anh, Lê Thị Diễm My, Trần Thị Hải Linh, Trần Thị Thúy Nga.
Midfielders: Nguyễn Thị Tuyết Dung, Dương Thị Vân, Nguyễn Thị Bích Thùy, Trần Thị Thùy Trang, Thái Thị Thảo, Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhã, Ngân Thị Vạn Sự.
Forwards: Huỳnh Như, Phạm Hải Yến, Nguyễn Thị Thúy Hằng, Vũ Thị Hoa.
Head Coach
Above: Mai Đức Chung, who led Vietnam to their first ever World Cup. Photo: Vn Express.
Under the management of Mai Đức Chung, this team has achieved unprecedented things. However, after leading the Golden Star Women Warriors to their first-ever women’s World Cup, Chung announced that he would not be part of the management come 2023, due to old age (he is 72). At the time of writing no replacement has been announced for the post.
Chung has been coaching for over 30 years, and he actually has had multiple stints with the Vietnamese Women’s National Team as well as the Vietnamese Men’s National Team and youth levels. He first coached the Golden Star Women Warriors for a few years starting in 1997. After about ten years pursuing other goals, he resumed the position of head coach in 2014, and has been the most successful coach in their history winning many minor tournaments in Asia, and bringing this team to higher levels ever since.
World Cup History
This is Vietnam’s first appearance in the final stages of the World Cup.
How they qualified
After qualifying for the quarter-finals at the Asian Women’s Cup, Vietnam went down to eventual winners, China. However, this put them into the play-off competition against two other losers in the last eight. Victories over both Thailand (2-0), and Chinese Taipei (2-1), sealed their qualification.
Strengths
Vietnam has many paths to goal. When facing weaker opponents, they have many prolific scorers to rely on.
Development Areas
Like many developing footballing nations, many of these players don’t have much experience playing quality opponents, so they have a tendency to not play the best they can due to the athleticism of other teams.
Key Players
Above: Nguyễn Thị Tuyết Dung flowing forward for Vietnam. Photo: VTC News.
Chương Thị Kiều is the most experienced defender on the team who has played a huge part in their recent success. The 27-year-old plays for Vietnamese powerhouse Hồ Chí Minh City where she strengthens her bond and chemistry with her many national teammates who ply their trade there as well.
Nguyễn Thị Tuyết Dung, who plays for Phong Phú Hà Nam is a midfielder and one of the most prominent Vietnamese sports stars of all time, being the first ever Vietnamese athlete on the BBC 100 Women List. She has made 76 appearances for her country, the highest amount currently in the squad, as well as having scored 54 goals in her time with the Golden Star Women Warriors.
Huỳnh Như is the side’s experienced captain. The only one on the team to play outside of Vietnam, the 31-year-old forward is at Portuguese club Länk FC Vilaverdense, where she has scored seven goals in her 14 appearances. Như carries that scoring prowess over to the national team, where she has scored 67 goals in 72 appearances. She has won five Vietnamese Golden Balls for being the best player in the country.
One to watch
Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhã is a 21-year-old forward who has an impressive 25 international caps, as well as five goals to her name. The Hà Nội player will aim to show the world what she is made of this summer.
Above: Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhã – young star of the Vietnam side. Photo: Dan Tri.
Success would be
Success would be having a few solid performances and holding it together throughout the group stage. Even if they could somehow get a draw, they would feel like winners in their very tough group.
Prediction
The Golden Star Women Warriors would surprise no one if they finished at the bottom of their group. Against The Netherlands, Portugal, and the USA, they’re unlikely to have results go their way.
Group E Fixtures
22nd July – USA, Eden Park, Auckland.
27th July – Portugal, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton.
1st August – Netherlands, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin.
Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.DON’T MISS our brand new TikTok platform @ImpetusFootball too!
For this week’s WA on Wednesday feature, Hyundai NTC’s attacking star Tanika Lala speaks exclusively to Ben Gilby about her footballing journey from the Western Australia Goldfields to becoming one of the NPLW WA’s top scorers and going on trial in Scotland. All whilst still a teenager(5/7/23)
Above: Tanika Lala (right) celebrates a goal for Hyundai NTC this season in the NPLW WA. Photo: Fotoenzo.
Tanika Lala is one of the outstanding young attacking talents in Western Australian women’s football. I’ve seen a fair few promising teenagers in Western Australia down the years ever since I first watched Sam Kerr play at the age of 16. Lala is one of the best that I’ve watched since.
The 19-year-old has the enviable mix of searing pace, outstanding close control, and a great eye for goal. The scary thing for defenders is that the teenager still has huge potential for further improvement.
The attacker from the Goldfields area of the state (around 590km – 360 miles north-east of Perth), first began kicking a ball during break at primary school. It was an experience that she described previously in an interview with ‘The West Australian’ as being “love at first kick.”
Above: Tanika Lala with the South Kalgoorlie team (second left, back row). Photo supplied by: Tanika Lala.
Lala, who describes herself as “a well-rounded player that is capable of handling the fundamentals and making a difference on the pitch,” began our chat by describing how this love of the game took hold of her.
“I urged my father to sign me up for my school team because I played every day during recess. I started my footballing career at South Kalgoorlie FC until the name changed to Kalgoorlie College. I played with this club until I was 16 years old.
“I soon became a part of the women’s senior team. Even though I loved playing for both teams, doing so was stressful on my body, so I switched to playing for the women’s team for an additional two years. I participated in the TSP (Football West Talent Support Program) in 2020–21. Josh Chiat, a coach based in the area, was the one who suggested I try out for NTC (Western Australia’s branch of the National Training Centre). I, therefore, relocated to Perth to further my football career. I’ve been enjoying every moment of being a full-time player at NTC for the past two years.”
That move to Perth was a big decision to make for the teenager and her family. The journey time from Kalgoorlie in the Goldfields to Perth is over six hours, and the attacker detailed just what the impact of that was.
“My parents drove me to Perth to participate in my first lot of trials in 2020 and I was accepted as an associate player for the 2021 season because I was still living in Kalgoorlie at the time. In my last year of school. I made the six-hour commute twice every month, and perhaps more or less depending on my workload at school. My school made adjustments and were supportive with me undertaking this frequent trip to Perth. I went for another NTC trial in 2021 after the season and I was subsequently accepted as a full-time player.”
Above: Tanika Lala in action for Kalgoorlie College. Photo supplied by: Tanika Lala.
Whilst the challenges involved in travelling, playing, and studying were huge, Lala identifies her self-confidence as the biggest hurdle she has had to overcome. I never thought it could be possible for me to become a professional footballer. Furthermore, my self-doubt would in turn impact my motivation levels as I was not investing a lot into my training or fitness.
“I really had to force myself to build resilience and fight for a dream that wasn’t as far-fetched as I initially imagined. So I turned motivation into discipline and began to train like an athlete should. Football players are susceptible to various injuries, which can disrupt their training and playing time. I personally had to overcome an ongoing knee injury.
“Overcoming this challenge involves proper rehabilitation, working closely with medical professionals, following a structured recovery plan, and gradually returning to full fitness. Mental resilience is also crucial during this period, as players may face frustration or doubts about their abilities. Staying positive and maintaining a strong support system can help them overcome these challenges. It’s important to stay focused, learn from failures, and keep striving for improvement.”
The Hyundai NTC team in the NPLW WA play a style of football that is extremely pleasing on the eye. There are highly technical passing triangles mixed in with accurate cross-field switches. The skills required to play this style of game are significant for experienced players – yet this is a team made up of 15 to 19-year-olds.
The attacker, not surprisingly spoke of her huge level of enjoyment in playing the sort of style that head coach Ben Anderton encourages. “The NTC style of play is top quality and it’s a privilege to be a part of what NTC is doing.
Above: Tanika Lala (fourth right, back row) with a Western Australia representative team made up of country players. Photo supplied by: Tanika Lala.
“I’m so proud of my teammates, especially considering some of the players are as young as 15 or 16 who play with such maturity. Under fantastic coaches implementing core values and despite the result we stick to our principles. It’s pleasant to play too, not only to watch for the spectators.”
The NTC are looking to build on the successes of last season that saw the youngsters reach the NPLW WA Top Four Cup Final, with Lala finishing as the league’s second highest scorer. It was a campaign that the 19-year-old will always look back on with pride.
“Being able to make the top four finals in my first season in the NPL was a huge accomplishment last year. However, thinking back on that season, it does put a little pressure on me to do well in my second season. I didn’t really have high expectations for my first year. I simply entered each game looking to contribute to the team’s improvement and, ideally, to the team’s success.”
That success also saw a busy end to the campaign. Due to the scheduling of Finals football last season, the NTC had to play a midweek game with Perth SC that went to extra time to decide their place in the Grand Final, whilst opponents Perth RedStar had a week off after taking the direct route to the season decider.
Playing so many important games in such a short space of time took its toll, as Lala reflects. “It was very challenging. We all played hard and put our bodies on the line in that top four finals games. Extra time was not helpful to us at all.
Above: Tanika Lala (blue/yellow kit) playing for a Goldfields XI against the hugely successful Northern Redbacks (now Perth RedStar). Photo supplied by: Tanika Lala.
“It is obvious that both teams’ legs were heavy and worn out, at least mine were. Yet both were very hungry to win. We didn’t have enough time to recover to the point where we were ready to play our best in the final game, (the NTC went down 3-0) but that’s football.
“We had to play, and sadly we didn’t play the game the way we wanted to. Being able to advance to the final by defeating two excellent teams in conjunction with being in fourth place makes me very proud of my team.”
This season, the NTC are pushing hard for a top-four spot again, and as well as being in the goals again, the attacker has recently returned from a series of trials in Scotland with Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL – top tier) clubs Glasgow City and Heart of Midlothian.
“That was probably one of my highest milestones in my football life where I was invited to attend professional trials in Scotland for Glasgow City. Amazingly, a week or so later they won the SWPL. I was able to test myself against the Scottish champions and witnessed intensity and professionalism at the highest level.
“I also attended trials at Heart of Midlothian in Edinburgh, and Hearts finished fourth in the league. Both experiences were great and I got some interesting and exciting feedback, which gave me an extra desire to work towards my future goals. Thankfully I have a supportive family, friends, and team around me at NTC, players, and technical staff that I can always rely on. I recently signed up with an agent (Sisu Sports Management) to help me in my career and search for opportunities both locally and abroad.
Above: Tanika Lala fires in a shot for Hyundai NTC against Balcatta Etna last season. Photo: Ben Gilby.
“I certainly wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to play overseas. The most important factor I would take into consideration is whether the environment would be adequate for my development. I really would like to see myself obtaining an opportunity to play alongside the best players in the world, and an opportunity like that would be my dream.
“I am working hard at NTC which is my short-term priority and hopefully I can progress from there. The natural progression would be making it into a professional contract in the A-League Women. What happens after that would be an added benefit. I would like to represent my home team (Perth Glory) but also look at opportunities whenever they present themselves.”
Tanika Lala is one of the most exciting young players in Western Australia right now. As thrilling as she is to watch currently, she has the potential to be even better. Remember the name.
Above: Tanika Lala – a young Western Australian who has the potential to be a major star. Photo: JASP Photography.
Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.DON’T MISS our brand new TikTok platform @ImpetusFootball too!
Above: South Melbourne celebrate one of their four goals against Bayside United on the weekend. Image: @smfc Twitter
Boroondara-Carey returned to the summit, South Melbourne showed no mercy, while Box Hill United and Calder United also enjoyed important, but hard-earned wins. There were no draws in Round 16 of the NPLW Victoria, as the race for finals enters the home stretch.
Preston Lions 2-5 Boroondara Carey Eagles
Two matches were played on Friday night to open the round, and Preston had the chance to jump several places on the ladder with a win. Standing in their way was the relentless Boroondara side with the seemingly unstoppable Kurea Okino in attack.
Preston’s best chance of stopping the Golden Boot leader was Emma Checker, the Matildas and Melbourne City centre back was instrumental in their Round 15 win, and would be vital again.
Boroondara opened the scoring in the 21st minute. Hayley Geurts whipped a corner to the near post and it was skilfully flicked across goal and into the net by Emily Heijden.
Preston struck back in impressive fashion. Kaitlyn Torpey raced onto a through ball from deep and rounded the goalkeeper to make it 1-1 in the 32nd minute. Preston had kept composed while chasing the lead, and more importantly, they had kept organized. They had not only prevented a Boroondara counter-attack but taken their chance.
Geurts set piece delivery was the source of Boroondara’s second. A free kick taken from deep was headed on by Kristina Hall and Okino muscled her way into position before slotting the ball home.
Torpey responded by bringing up her brace for Preston Lions in similar style to her first. Two long balls was all it took to create the chance and the speedster raced onto Eleanor Jones’s lofted pass to round the keeper and score again.
The scores stayed level until the 80th minute, and with some momentum at home, Preston looked likely to snatch a surprise win. But Boroondara are in a rich vein of form and still had one more gear to go to.
In the 83rd minute, Margot Robbine spotted a gap in the Preston defence and slid a through ball into the path of Okino. With that sort of space, the Japanese striker was never going to miss, and she sank the hearts of the home fans with her second of the night.
Boroondara were not finished. Robbine received the ball wide on the right and with five Preston defenders ahead of her, she cut inside and scored from the edge of the box to make it 4-2 in the 85th minute.
Morgot Robbine puts an exclamation point on Boroondara’s win against Preston in the Victorian NPLW pic.twitter.com/nccsL8KPZM
If there was any doubt left about the result, that was put to rest when Maggie Eudes headed home from another set piece in the 94th minute to make it five. It had been an exhilarating finish to the game by Boroondara. Their attack is truly frightening and although they can be beaten for pace in defense, they have no fear of chasing or even losing a lead in search of three points.
In the space of minutes, Preston went from worrying about missing out in two points to finishing the night with none. It was a cruel end to the game for the home team, but they are not the first to concede a big score to The Eagles.
Box Hill United 4-1 FV Emerging
On a freezing night out at Knox Regional Football Facility, Melinda Barbieri brought the heat. The scoreline looks convincing, but this was a very tightly contested game, played at an elite pace.
Young Box Hill winger, Holly Tancin was impressive in the early stages, and her battle with Alana Cortellino for control of the flank was a highlight of the evening.
But it was Barbieri who was the obvious difference between the sides. Following on from a goal and an assist in Round 15, she contributed three goals against FV Emerging this week.
The first will go down as an own goal against Emerging. Berbieri’s cross was aimed at Asuka Doi but deflected in at the near post by the defender. It was a rough start for Emerging’s evening, they had conceded in the fourth minute.
Barbeiri doubled the lead 20 minutes later. She raced onto a long ball from midfield and took the ball around the onrushing Charlotte Hrehoresin. With the goalkeeper beaten, there was still work to do. The Emerging defenders had raced back to the goal line, but Barbieri remained composed, took a few more steadying touches, and made certain of the goal.
Barbieri’s second goal of the night, and Box Hill’s third arrived via a well-struck volley from close range. Box Hill kept possession in attack before finding room for a cross on the left. It was the confident finish of a player in form.
FV Emerging were behind, but not beaten yet. They came out with renewed purpose in the second half and immediately began testing the home side’s defence. They got their reward in the 72nd minute when Cortellino burst forward and outpaced two defenders. Emily Kos got a block to the eventual cross, but the deflection trickled toward goal, where it was finally lashed home by Danella Butrus.
Box Hill put an end to the comeback with a corner in the 88th minute that bounced in off an unlucky Hreshoresin.
Southern United 1-2 Calder United
Calder United are suddenly snapping at the heels of the top four after a win against bottom-placed Southern United. A Raequel Derales penalty and a Larissa Walsh goal were enough to overcome Yuka Sato’s strike for the home team.
Calder have steadily progressed throughout this season. Their full-strength back four have made a difference, but Derales’ impact has also been huge in attack. She gives them a target, a creator, and a goal scorer, and she personally earned the penalty kick that opened the scoring for the day.
From the throw-in, she looked to have lost control with her first touch but wriggled her way into the 18-yard box before being brought down by her marker. It was a tough way for Southern to concede, Derales was not yet in a dangerous position, the challenge was clumsy and not malicious, but it was right under the referee’s nose.
Calder doubled their lead in the 52nd minute. Derales was at the heart of the move once more. Her shot was blocked, but she shifted the rebound wide to Montana Matthews who’s cross eventually fell to Walsh. She swept the ball in from point-blank range after a brief scramble.
Yuka Sato pulled one back for Southern to keep things interesting in the late stages. Natalie Picak chose the right side to dive and got a strong hand to the 68th-minute penalty kick, but the power behind it was enough to see it bounce off the bar and over the line.
Southern could not find a second goal in the remaining 20 minutes of play. Calder now sit in fifth just one point behind Bayside United who had a day to forget against South Melbourne.
Bayside United 0-4 South Melbourne
“A series of unfortunate events” is the best way to describe Bayside’s loss. They were simply not at their best in small moments that had big consequences.
Against some sides, errors can go unpunished, but South Melbourne were in unforgiving form and took the opportunity to solidify their top-four position.
Janna Lawson scored the opening goal in the sixth minute. A poor touch from the Bayside defender gifted her an easy opportunity after Coco Majstorovic had rolled the ball out and been left exposed.
The second goal came in chaotic circumstances. A long ball forward from Brianne Reed found Danielle Wise who worked her way past the goalkeeper at the second attempt and finished from a tight angle.
Miesha Westland was in sensational form for the visitors. The South Melbourne midfielder linked play from deep and helped create the third goal for South Melbourne. Danielle Wise found space behind the Bayside defence and when Majstorovic and her central defender almost collided, Wise was left with an easy finish to effectively seal the result in the 66th minute.
Tayla Christensen scored the fourth after persistence paid off in the 76th minute. She carried the ball forward from deep in her own half. The long run down the left wing was eventually halted by the defence, but Leticia Mckenna intercepted Bayside’s attempt to play out from the back. She quickly slipped the ball back into the path of Christensen who finished from a tight angle to make it 4-0.
GOALS Our senior women climbed back into second spot on the table with a convincing win away to Bayside on Saturday.
Danielle Wise reached the 10 goal mark with a brace, while striker partners Janna Lawson and Tayla Christensen were also on the score sheet. pic.twitter.com/jsb2LWan0p
The win meant that South Melbourne jumped into second place with a superior goal difference to Bulleen Lions. They travel to face the in-form Box Hill United next week, while Bayside will look to respond against a rested Bulleen.
Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.PLUS our new TikTok platform which can also be found@ImpetusFootball
Australia defender Charli Grant speaks EXCLUSIVELY to Ben Gilby aboutregular minutes at Vittsjöaiding her development into a top international player, her goal for the Matildas that ended England’s long unbeaten run, and looking ahead to a home World Cup
Above: Charli Grant (22) celebrates with Kyra Cooney Cross (left), Cortnee Vine, and Mary Fowler after her goal against England in April. Photo: Football Australia.
Charli Grant is about to achieve a childhood dream of representing her country at the World Cup. To do it on home soil is the culmination of a meteoric rise over the past three years.
Grant’s hugely impressive 2020/21 season with Adelaide United in what was then the W-League earned her a move to Damallsvenskan side Rosengård. Whilst the South Australian did not get the amount of game time she would have liked at the perennial UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifiers, the additional experience from being part of a squad containing the likes of Swedish legend Caroline Seger plus Jelena Čanković, Nathalie Björn, and Olivia Schough saw her as a regular pick for The Matildas.
This interview is the sixth time that the defender and I have spoken, and each time we do an interview, it feels as if Grant’s career has taken yet another big upward turn. Our discussion opened with a review of the past three years, and thoughts about how the child version of Charli that first kicked a ball as a kid would respond to her current achievements.
“So much has happened these past three years and it’s not often I sit down and look back at it as I’m always striving to be better. These three years have definitely been a roller coaster and I wouldn’t have been able to get through it without the support of all my friends and family.
“There’s definitely been some hard moments, especially during my time at Rosengård not being played, but that has only helped me grow as a player and made my achievements feel more rewarding. Young Charli would be so proud and inspired by what I’ve achieved, knowing all these years of hard work, sacrifices, and commitment is paying off.”
Above: Charli Grant strides forward for Vittsjö against IFK Kalmar. Photo: Peter Reimer / Hemmamatch.nu Supplied to Impetus by: Charli Grant.
Grant made the move over to Vittsjö last season in search of more Damallsvenskan game time. Fellow Matildas Clare Polkinghorne and Katrina Gorry are also integral parts of the team from the tiny town in Skåne. The defender is getting regular minutes and seeing the benefits in terms of her confidence, and ability – a combination which has seen her become a regular starter for Australia, even since the return of Ellie Carpenter from an ACL injury, whose right back role Grant took over in the national team.
The South Australian has been deployed as a left back at Vittsjö, meaning that Matildas head coach Tony Gustavsson can find room for both of his young star defenders. Grant is thrilled with the move and believes it has been the making of her as a player.
“I love it here. I think I’m playing some of my best football and I credit that to the lifestyle I have built here and the trust my team and coaches have in me. I’m the happiest I’ve been and I think when you are happy off the pitch you play with freedom on the pitch.
“I feel like I have a second family here which makes it a lot easier to be away from home. I’m very fortunate to be a part of this club, it doesn’t have the best of resources due to being in a smaller town but it just makes you appreciate everything you have even more.
“You want to work harder for all the volunteers that help the club and the community that continuously supports us. We’ve had lots of games in such a short period of time and we are just getting better as each game passes, which is really exciting to see.”
Vittsjö’s form sees them within striking distance of the Champions League qualification spots. These places are historically filled by the trio of Rosengård, BK Häcken, and Linköping. Grant believes her team are capable of breaking into those ranks this season.
Above: Charli Grant plays a ball through for Vittsjö against Brommapojkarna. Photo: Peter Reimer / Hemmamatch.nu Supplied to Impetus by: Charli Grant.
“I definitely think it’s realistic that the club can break into the Champions League qualification. We are creating more and more chances every game and if we can begin to convert these opportunities this will definitely increase the possibility. I think we’ve always been a strong defensive side so we just need to continue in that form. I’m really excited to see what we can achieve as a club this season, everyone wants to do everything they can to help this club succeed.
“I feel like I’m improving every match. I’m really grateful for my coach Ulf Kristiansson in trusting me to play every match and giving me the license to push forward and attack. I’ve been focusing on improving my decision-making in the final third and his trust in me to allow me to go forward has helped that. I love how competitive this league is because it allows me to play against quality wingers every week and helps me practice my one-v-one defending regularly.”
With the Australian World Cup squad revealed yesterday, Grant has been joined by fellow South Australian product Alex Chidiac in the Matildas side. The same state has also seen Matilda McNamara capped for the senior national team with Emilia Murray following in Grant’s footsteps in captaining the Young Matildas. I was keen to know what the state’s secret is.
“It’s so exciting to see the South Australians succeed. I think the trust and belief that the youth coaches have in our South Australian players is definitely a key to developing players. In addition, the Adelaide United coaches exposing young girls to a high level not only gives the girls experience but drives the younger age groups that anything is possible with hard work.”
Whilst the ability and qualities of Charli Grant have been long known by regular followers of Australian women’s football, the defender announced herself to a far wider audience back in April by scoring the goal that confirmed the Matildas’ superb win over England – a result that brought the Lionesses’ 30 match unbeaten run to a crashing halt.
Speaking to me two months after the event, the South Australian still can’t quite believe what she did.
“I just put my head on it and hoped for the best.”
Charli Grant on scoring THAT goal for Australia that ended England’s 30 match unbeaten run.
“Honestly, I still can’t quite comprehend that happened. I just remember Sam (Kerr) getting on the ball after a transition and seeing we didn’t have many numbers in the box so I needed to provide another option. Sam’s delivery was perfect and I just put my head on it and hoped for the best.
Above: Charli Grant heads home Australia’s second goal against England to seal their win. Photo: The Age.
“It was a surreal moment and a dream come true. I think what was so special was how happy everyone was for me, not only my teammates but my friends and family back home. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for a lot of them so everything I do is for them.
“Overall though it was an amazing game by the girls. I’m so proud of the team to get that result against such a high-quality side, it has definitely given us a lot of belief going into the World Cup next month.”
That tournament is now within touching distance. I wondered if Grant is still just focusing solely on her club game, or if, as a lover of football herself, it’s entering her head on a regular basis.
“The World Cup has been in my head ever since I was a young girl and fell in love with the game. So it definitely enters my head a lot, everything I do in my daily life is in preparation for the World Cup to make sure I’m in the best possible shape mentally and physically, so I can give my all to the team if selected. That involves performing at my best for Vittsjö and enjoying my time at the club.”
We ended our conversation with Grant explaining the key components within the Matildas that make them a contender for the World Cup
“I think the tight-knit group, the depth, the trust, and belief we have built within this team makes us believe anything is possible. Another key component is the fans. Playing at home in front of amazing fans will only strive us to do even better. We are so excited for the World Cup and hope we can inspire the nation and make them proud.”
Above: Charli Grant striding forward for Australia against Czechia earlier this year – something that will be a familiar sight at the World Cup. Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus.
Above: World Cup debutants Portugal. Photo: Football Arroyo.
Portugal, ranked 21 in the FIFA list, have made it to their first-ever World Cup. The Selecção das Quinas (corner selection) are out to make up for lost time by raising eyebrows with results in the tournament.
Above: Francisco Neto, Portugal Head Coach. Photo: FPF (Federação Portugesa de Futebol) website.
Francisco Neto, 41, has been in charge of Portugal for nine years. He led them to their first-ever qualification for the European Championships in 2017, and now to their maiden World Cup. They also played in last summer’s Euros, coming in as a late replacement for Russia.
World Cup History
This is Portugal’s first-ever World Cup qualification.
How they qualified
Thirteen games were necessary for Portugal to qualify. They came through a ten-match group phase and play-off matches against Belgium, Iceland, and Cameroon to make it to Australia and New Zealand.
Strengths
Their team spirit and their willingness to show to the world that they can be a great team. Nine players are from Benfica who have won the Portuguese championship for the last three seasons and played Champions League football as a consequence.
Development Areas:
They need to be more solid physically to be able to keep pace with the big-name teams and players.
Key Players:
Above: Jessica Silva (19) scoring her first goal for Olympique Lyonnais against Reims in January 2020. Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset for Impetus.
Jéssica Silva: Forward. Formerly with Olympique Lyonnais and Kansas City, Silva currently plays for the top Portuguese side Benfica. Aged 28, she has played 100 times for Portugal and scored 13 goals. Personally, I think that she is one of the best players in the world.
Above: Ana Borges. Photo: FPF (Federação Portugesa de Futebol) website.
Ana Borges: Forward. At 33 years old, Borges is an important player due to her experience of earning 157 caps and scoring 11 goals. She played for several big clubs in her career: Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, and Sporting CP.
Francisca ‘Kika’ Nazareth Midfielder. At the age of 20, Nazareth has 20 caps and six goals for Portugal. A professional since the age of 17 with Benfica, she has already won three Portuguese championships. Last season, she played 32 times for the Lisbon-based club, scoring 24 goals, and providing 15 assists. Incredible statistics.
Success would be:
To qualify for the round of sixteen.
Prediction:
It will be difficult for Portugal to make the round of sixteen but not impossible. If winning against Vietnam is almost a given, they will have to win against the Netherlands in their opening game to progress as beating their other opponent, the USA is unlikely. Personally, I think that they could get something from the Dutch and be the big surprise of group stages.
Group E Fixtures:
23rd July – Netherlands, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin.
Above: Alex Chidiac, who has been selected for her first World Cup. Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus.
For 23 players, it is a dream come true. The chance to play for Australia at a World Cup, and on home soil. When Tony Gustavsson unveiled his squad for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, there were few surprises. This is a good thing. As exciting as bolters can be, it would have been worrying had a player been suddenly thrust into the team at the 11th hour.
That would have meant that faith in the plan was shaky. It would have indicated that although Gustavsson has been resolute that he had a bigger picture in mind as he gave 94 players a chance, he still was unsure and needed to tinker some more.
His coaching history shows that if he had thought this was the case, he would have taken that step. This is not a man afraid of an unpopular decision or media scrutiny.
This 23-player squad was largely a vote of confidence in the plan that seemed impossible, to uncover new national team players, add depth to the squad, and to remain competitive at this tournament above all others.
In hindsight, the bolters of the Tokyo Olympics were not there because of a lack of options, the likes of Kyra Cooney-Cross, Courtney Nevin, and Mary Fowler gained valuable experience at that tournament. As did Charli Grant who was an unused member of the extended squad.
The seeds planted in those early days, have weathered some storms, but grown into strong, sometimes spectacular players. When the squad for the World Cup was named, there was little doubt that they would be included.
The addition of Clare Hunt and the omission of Matilda McNamara speaks to the quality of options Australia has to choose from. One was the best individual centre-back of the last A-League Women season, the other the best in the campaign before.
McNamara is unlucky, but her time will come.
Another notable inclusion was Kyah Simon. The former Tottenham Hotspur striker has not played since injuring her ACL in October. Gustavsson indicated to the media that he does not expect her to play every minute, or even start any games, but that her experience and quality could make the difference when it matters.
He also reminded anybody watching that Australia has until 24 hours before the opening game to make late changes to the squad. Simon’s inclusion is a gamble, but it is the only one in the team and in an area of the pitch where Australia boast Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord, and Mary Fowler as options.
The omissions of Emily Gielnik and Chloe Logarzo are reason for pause and can only be described as sad. Both have been great contributors to this side in the past, but have had horrible runs with injuries in the last 12 months. Rediscovering their best form was an uphill struggle.
There are heartbreaking stories in every World Cup, and for some players that starts before the tournament even begins. Remy Siemsen must have come close to selection after helping Leicester City survive relegation, and the manager has shown great faith in Larissa Crummer.
Amy Sayer is on track to be an impressive player, but her lack of senior experience at club or international level was a hurdle.
In the end, Gustavsson chose to go another way, although the door remains open should Simon be forced to withdraw late.
One popular inclusion will be that of Alex Chidiac. The Melbourne Victory icon and Racing Louisville FC playmaker was viewed for a long time as a fringe player. She was never an automatic selection under Gustavsson but was able to replicate her impact at club level with the national team.
Gustavsson loves the term “Game Changer” and Chidiac epitomises the concept. If places on The Matildas roster were determined by popular demand, she would have been in the team for every game since 2019. But football does not work that way. Different coaches need specific types of players and Chidiac now seems a perfect fit for Gustavsson’s style of play and team management.
Chidiac’s selection was a relief to many fans, although not a surprise. There are very few in this squad. Instead of bolters we have seen players steadily evolve after being tested and trusted. Players like Charli Grant and Kyra Cooney-Cross are now crucial to the way this team can play and Katrina Gorry is playing the best football of her career.
How far Australia will go in this World Cup will depend on many factors. Luck will play no small part as it did in Toyko when one good deflection meant the ball hit the back of the net against Team GB, and a bad spin saw Australia concede against Sweden.
However, this squad should give confidence to fans. Gustavsson did not spring many big surprises because there was no need to.
“Today is the end of a two-and-a-half-year process and the wonderful start of a thrilling new journey for the team,” Gustavsson told the media.
“Selecting this World Cup squad has been the toughest challenge so far, but the whole coaching and support staff are all completely overjoyed for the 23 players who will represent the nation during this tournament.”
“These 23 players not only exemplify what it means to be a part of the tradition of the CommBank Matildas, but also what it means to represent the 25 million Australians we know are fully behind us. They have the heart, desire and the passion for the crest, and I can’t wait to see the next part of their story
Above:The Netherlands will be tough opposition to crack during the World Cup – albeit without the talismanic Vivianne Miedama. Photo: Versus.
Runners-up in France 2019 to add to their Euro 2017 title, but the present-day Netherlands squad are both post-Sarina Wiegman and without the injured Vivianne Miedema which makes life considerably tougher this time round.
Squad:
Provisional squad, with final 23 to be confirmed shortly.
Goalkeepers: Daphne van Domselaar, Barbara Lorsheyd, Lize Kop, Jacintha Weimar.
Defenders: Kerstin Casparij, Caitlin Dijkstra, Merel van Dongen, Kika van Es, Stefanie van der Gragt, Aniek Nouwen, Lynn Wilms, Dominique Janssen.
Midfielders / Forwards: Danielle van de Donk, Damaris Egurrola, Jackie Groenen, Victoria Pelova, Jill Roord, Jill Baijings, Wieke Kaptein, Sherida Spitse.
Above: Netherlands head coach Andries Jonker. Photo: Haarlems Dagblad.
Andries Jonker has spent most of his career in the men’s game despite an earlier stint as the Netherlands women’s coach over two decades ago. He’s been in charge at Wolfsburg, Bayern Munich, assistant at Barcelona, and also had some time at the Arsenal academy. He’s a former player and was on the Netherlands men’s national team.
He took over from Mark Parsons in August 2022 after Parsons was sacked following a lacklustre performance by the Netherlands at the Euros 2022. Since he’s taken over, there’s been mixed results but he ensured the World Cup qualification.
His first match as coach saw a defeat of Scotland 2-1 but the next friendly saw Norway the victors 2-0, bouncing back from their disastrous Euros. The Netherlands then went on to trounce Costa Rica 4-0 and get the win over Denmark 2-0 last year. Friendlies in February with Austria resulted in a 2-1 loss, then a week later, a convincing win 4-0. In April, Germany proved too strong with a 0-1 loss but they backed up against Poland 4 days later to win again 4-1.
World Cup History
The Oranje Leeuwinnen (Orange Lionesses) come into this tournament as the runners-up from the 2019 tournament in France under Sarina Wiegman. They’ve only qualified twice before, the first time being in 2015 where they got to the round of 16, losing to Japan and coming 13th overall.
After their successful Euros win in 2017, they entered the 2019 World Cup as one of the favourites and made it to the final, losing to the all-conquering USWNT. They lost again to the USWNT in the quarter-finals at the 2020 Olympic Games, which has been their only appearance there.
They have been ranked as high as three in the world but enter the World Cup currently ranked ninth. The 2017 Euros win is their only major tournament win but it changed the way their country looked at women’s football. The team are genuine superstars now and recognised in the street in their home country. One of the enduring images of the 2017 Euros is the thousands of Oranje fans bouncing side to side down the street. The scenes in Utrecht as the squad travelled through the city on canal boats was something to behold. A sea of orange is an understatement.
Their biggest honour was to be made Knights of the Order of the Orange Nassau presented by King Willem-Alexander for those who have “earned special merits for society”. The team has changed somewhat since 2017 but quite a few of the Orange Knights remain.
Above: Dutch fans on canal boats during Euro 2017 – their supporters always make their presence felt. Photo: KNVB.
How they qualified
For Europe (UEFA), 51 teams from 55 eligible teams were drawn into nine groups of five or six teams and each group played a home and away round robin mini tournament. Netherlands came into the qualifiers ranked number one based on their previous World Cup and Euro results. The nine group winners qualified directly while the nine runners-up had to fight through the playoffs. The Netherlands came through Group C and topped their group with 20 points to qualify directly. Iceland, Czechia, Belarus, and Cyprus were the other countries in their group.
Their final match to clinch qualification was against Iceland in September 2022, not long after the Euros. Netherlands had to win to get one of the 11 direct UEFA qualification spots and to avoid playoffs and Iceland were a formidable opponent. It was 1-1 at 90 minutes until Esmee Brugts sent in a cross in injury time that sailed straight into the goal sending the home crowd into raptures and the team to the World Cup. They came through the qualifiers with 31 goals for and three against.
Strengths
The Netherlands is a small country but has a rich footballing culture and history. That is now extended to the women’s team and they are a powerhouse in the women’s game. The concept of total football, popularised by Ajax coach Rinus Michels with Johan Cruyff as the main exponent, is tailored to the women’s game. There’s been a conscious decision to invest in the women’s game at all levels and it’s paying big dividends. Dutch culture is much more accepting of women’s football than most other countries and they’ve invested in the amateur leagues, raising the standard overall. In 2022 before the Euros, the Dutch football governing body, KNVB, agreed to equal pay between the men’s and women’s national teams.
As for the team themselves, there is still a solid core from the last World Cup and they have strengths in every area – goalkeeping, defence, midfield, and up the front. They are quite a tall team so have an aerial advantage often. They are technical, fast, and know each other well. Combined with significant depth, they are a force to be reckoned with. The clubs they play for read like a who’s who of the top Euro teams. Their secret weapon is their fans who turn up in large numbers to support the team.
Development Areas
There are two big issues that might impact the team during the World Cup and one is the time with the new coach. They’ve only been together less than a year and have only played nine matches together. But he is Dutch and they all understand the Dutch style. Their losses to date with him have been against top 20 teams. Still, these are the teams you have to beat to progress through the World Cup.
The other problem is the loss of Vivianne Miedema to an ACL injury. She’s the undisputed star of the team and a goal-scoring machine. It’s a loss of significant fire-power and while there’s still plenty of talent up front, no one can convert chances like Miedema – except Sam Kerr.
Key Player
Above: Dutch goalkeeperDaphne van Domselaar. Photo: Remko Kool.
With a team full of superstars, it’s hard to pick just one especially with Vivianne Miedema missing. But for this tournament, let’s go with goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar.
She had a huge Euros after replacing Sari van Veenendaal when she got injured in their first match. Her role will be critical to getting out of the group and progressing past the Round of 16. She’s young for a keeper at just 23 years old and is on the up and up. She’s played all her professional club games with FC Twente but she’s just signed with Aston Villa until 2026.
She was the star player for the Netherlands during the Euros and is likely to rise to this occasion. She’s tall, athletic, and capable of stunning saves. She could be the difference between first and second in the group stage.
One to watch
Above: Lieke Martens (11) with teammates Shanice van der Sanden (7), Jill Rood (12) and Daniella van de Donk (10). Photo: wkams.com
Keep an eye on Lieke Martens. A playmaker who has been with Paris St. Germain for the last two seasons after five seasons with Barcelona where she helped them to their first Champions League final. She plays on the left wing but is right-footed and can also play on the right. Anything can happen when she’s got the ball. She’s a prolific goal scorer and has 58 international goals to her name
2017 was her year when Martens won Player of the Tournament during the Euros and went on to win UEFA Best Women’s Player of the Year and FIFA Women’s Player of the Year. She’s been nominated for the Ballon d’Or twice since then.
Also watch out for Olympique Lyonnais midfielder, Daniëlle Van de Donk. She’s a feisty little nugget and won’t back down from any challenge. She’s guaranteed to get a few yellows but also create chances and may even sneak in a goal or two.
Success would be
Without Miedema, a return to the final is that bit more unlikely, but the semi-finals would be a great return.
Prediction
The Netherlands should go deep in this tournament and get through to the finals, probably coming second in the group. It should be the Netherlands and the USA that make it out of Group E. If they do come second in the group, they are likely to meet Sweden in the Round of 16. That might be the end of their tournament.
It’s not an easy path through but of course, anything can happen at these sorts of tournaments so expect some upsets. The USWNT are not the team they used to be and have a few injuries that they are carrying into the tournament. It might mean the Netherlands can top the group and get a slightly easier path through the knockout stages.
Group E Fixtures
23rd July – Portugal, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin.
27th July – USA, Sky Stadium, Wellington.
1st August – Vietnam, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin.
Ben Gilby provides a full report from the game of the week, plus all the details from the other matches in Western Australia’s NPL Women’s competition (3/7/23).
Above: Hyundai NTC celebrate a goal earlier on this season. Tanika Lala (right) added to her tally yesterday in their superb win over Fremantle City, ending the port city side’s five match winning run. Photo: Fotoenzo
Main report of the week
Hyundai NTC 5-3 Fremantle City
Fremantle City’s hopes of finishing top of the NPLW WA this season took a hit yesterday as they went down 5-3 at E&D Litis Stadium to an NTC side who re-entered the top four as a consequence of this win.
This defeat, coinciding with leaders Perth RedStar’s 7-0 win over Subiaco means that City are now seven points behind in second place.
Whilst Freo tried hard to work their way back into the match on several occasions, they could never quite fire at full throttle, and the attacking threat posed by the home side made them pay.Both teams made notable changes in goal. Lilly Bailey returned for NTC after missing five game with a knee injury, and former Murdoch University Melville custodian Danelle Cornish came in for Dayle Schroeder between the sticks for Freo.
It was the talented teenagers who had the better of the opening half. With five minutes on the clock, Nelli Johnson found Tanika Lala outside her on the right who played a high cross in that Grace Johnston couldn’t quite reach. Lala was involved shortly afterwards when a ball was pulled back but Cornish saved.
Laura Waltman has been one of the players of the season in the NPLW WA in 2023, and she was in the thick of the action near the quarter-hour mark. Grace Cassidy looked to have handled the Freo star initially, but the ball returned to Waltman who hit a lofted shot that Bailey caught.
Back came the hosts as Lala tried to dance her way through the centre of the park before being brought down around 20 yards from goal. Cassidy stepped up for the free-kick, but her low effort dribbled wide of the left-hand post.
Then – a golden opportunity. Mia Britton showed great skill to find Lala who broke through in idiosyncratic style to advance into the box for a one-on-one with Cornish. It was a move that regular NPLW WA watchers have seen countless times over the last two seasons, but on this occasion, the attacker from the Goldfields saw her shot come rocketing back off the post rather than rippling the net.
Above: Another influential afternoon for Junior Matilda Ischia Brooking. Photo: Football Australia.
Fremantle were not seen as much from an attacking perspective as they had been over the course of their five-match winning streak going into this game, the NTC were working hard to deny the visitors space.Just after the half-hour mark, Ben Anderton’s youngsters hit the front. Lala broke down the right and squared from the byline for Young Matilda Ischia Brooking to dispatch from close range.
However, the NTC’s lead lasted for just three minutes. Perth Glory captain Tash Rigby found Olivia Trueman in the box, and the former NTC player pulled a pass back to Kayla McCulloch on the edge of the box to lash home a shot that came off the underside of the crossbar.
Yet, the hosts responded brilliantly. Just before the interval, Britton advanced along the right again and found Johnson in the center of the box, but the shot went narrowly wide. They had better luck in stoppage time. Hannah Collins found Brooking who played a centimetre perfect through ball to Lala. The attacker timed her run perfectly to beat the offside trap. Her initial shot was saved by Cornish’s outstretched boot, but the rebound fell for Lala who make no mistake at the second attempt.
Whilst the second half opened with a bang as Maya Spatafore supplied a pass for Jamie-Lee Gale to advance and hit a shot that cannoned back off of the bar, the action then petered out. However, the final 25 minutes, which included a spell of four goals in nine minutes more than made up for it.The drama began with 67 minutes on the clock as substitute Violet Longmore saw a shot come off the back of a Freo defender and fall perfectly for Grace Johnson to fire home from the edge of the box.
The gap was reduced to a single goal within 10 minutes as NTC keeper Bailey fell as she cleared to Mischa Anderson, who in turn was muscled out of possession on the left-hand edge of the box by Rigby. She found Trueman who was able to lay off to Mikayla Lyons to fire home.
Above: Mikayla Lyons – scorer of two goals for Fremantle City yesterday. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Mikayla Lions.
NTC responded well and with Brooking influential once more, restored their two-goal advantage within five minutes. The Young Matilda supplied Longmore on the left who played in a superb pacey cross for Louise Tana to chest over the line.
The see-saw nature of this spell of play continued with the port city side hitting back less than 120 seconds later. This time, Waltman gathered possession in the centre of the field and found Gale on the right. The former Perth Glory player lifted a high cross towards the back post where Lyons was waiting to volley home from an acute angle to bring it back to 4-3.
NTC were not finished though, and sealed the points with a moment of outstanding skill from Georgia Cassidy, who could light up the A-League Women with Perth Glory next season. Lala was fouled by Annabelle Leek right of centre, just over 25 yards from goal. Cassidy grabbed the ball, put it down, and hit one of her trademark screamer set-pieces that flew into the far corner of the net.
This was a vital win in the context of NTC’s season as they re-enter the top four ahead of missing the next two rounds of NPLW WA action due to competing in the NTC Challenge. Any hope that Fremantle City had of ending winning the title this season are now surely over with this defeat – unless they can lower Perth RedStar’s colours when they meet in a fortnight’s time.
Above: Georgia Cassidy (third left) and Grace Johnston (far right) – both of whom hit superb goals for Hyundai TC yesterday. Photo: FootbalL West.
Above: Jess Flannery, who was on target again for Perth SC on Friday night. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Rob Lizzi
Round 13 began on Friday night at Edinburgh Oval as Perth SC scored four goals in a 16-minute spell either side of the half-hour mark to overcome bottom side Curtin University.
However, Curtin deserve credit for battling away, and doubled their goalscoring tally for the season, despite being 4-0 at one stage.
The Azzurri went ahead after 18 minutes when Ella Lincoln was found on the right after an excellent team move. Her cross was nodded home by Jessica Flannery. Shortly before the half-hour mark, a lofted pass through the centre fell perfectly for Lincoln to advance and dispatch comfortably past Curtin keeper Emmanuella Adu-Pipim Boaduo.
A little more than two minutes later, Perth went 3-0 up as a clinical one-two on the edge of the box between Abbey Meakins and Stella Zampogna ended with the latter firing high into the net to the right of centre.
Above: Stella Zampogna, seen here in a previous match, was scorer of two goals for Perth SC at Curtin University on Friday. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Rob Lizzi.
Perth SC re-established their four-goal lead eight minutes into the second half when a catalogue of less-than-perfect defending from the hosts saw them waste at least three chances to clear before Zampogna made them pay by lashing home from close range.With just over a quarter of an hour remaining, Curtin got another goal back as they won turnover ball, allowing Tiana Botha to gather possession outside the box and send a powerful finish high into the net.
The final say went to the visitors deep into second-half stoppage time as Lincoln was found on the edge of the box from the right. She took one touch to turn and get past her defender before dispatching the ball into the net brilliantly to conclude the scoring.
Murdoch University Melville 0-6 Balcatta Etna
Above: Tia Stonehill (24), pictured earlier in the season, hit a hattrick for Balcatta Etna against former club Murdoch University Melville. Photo: Fotoenzo.
The Round 13 action continued late Saturday afternoon as these pair of top-four chasers met at Besteam Stadium in a match that had originally been postponed.
Balcatta had Yash Pratap taking charge as head coach for the first time, with Tim Cash moving back to the post of Head of Female Football. Additionally, they fielded former MUM FC states Tia Stonehill, Baxter Thew, and Sadie Lawrence.
Buoyed by all this, the visitors hit the front just gone the quarter-hour mark. Monique Prinsloo broke through along the right flank and squared for Stonehill to slam home inside the box. They doubled their advantage 14 minutes later as Kim McCartney’s corner from the left was headed into the net by Thew.
The visitors took the game with a firm grip when they added a third within three minutes of the second half kicking off. Murdoch University Melville stumbled over trying to clear allowing Prinsloo to snaffle possession and her shot went in off of Rosie Lehane who attempted to slide the ball away.
Etna ran out clear winners as they hit another three goals, including a spell of two in just four minutes either side of the 70-minute mark. First, Stonehill grabbed her second as she was fed in the centre of the park to run through and clinically fire home. Then, MUM FC goalkeeper Andrea Preiato’s clearance fell to Lauren Continibali who headed out to McCartney on the right to fire a shot from almost 25 yards that bounced in front of Preiato and flew on into the net.
Stonehill completed her hattrick in the dying moments of regular time as she pounced on loose play in defence from the hosts to gain possession and slide the ball into an empty net.This result remains was important to Balcatta who have added fuel to their hopes of top-four qualification at the end of the season.
Perth RedStar 7-0 Subiaco
Above: Reina Kagami (left) scorer of a hat-trick for Perth RedStar on Sunday. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Perth RedStar
League leaders Perth RedStar took advantage of Fremantle City’s defeat to open up a seven-point lead at the summit after a comprehensive victory over Subiaco at RedStar Arena on Sunday.
It took nine minutes for Carlos Vega Mena’s side to hit the front as Chiori Ikeda won possession and laid off for Renee Leota to run through and clinically dispatch the ball into the net.
The game was ultimately won with a spell of three goals in just five minutes after the half-hour mark. It was 2-0 when Renee Leota found Olivia Wood on the left flank. Wood advanced to the byline and put in a low cross for Ikeda to roll home. Five minutes later, Reina Kagami added to her collection for the season with a stunning turn and curled shot from outside the box for 3-0. Wood was involved again for the fourth as she gathered possession and found Kagami unmarked at the left-hand side of the box to add her second of the game.
Just after the hour mark, Kagami completed her hat-trick in style with an absolute rocket of shot from 25 yards after Jay Coleman played an inside pass to the Japanese attacker. Ten minutes later, amidst struggles trying to clear their lines, an attempted clearance from Subiaco cannoned into the net off of Leota for 6-0. The scoring was completed with 12 minutes to go as another clearance from the Subi defence went to a red shirt, and the move ended with Abbey Woolley lashing home another long-range effort.
Perth RedStar know that if they can win their next match, against second-placed Fremantle City in a fortnight, then a second successive NPLW WA championship is as good as secure.
Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.COMING soon – our new TikTok platform…
Above: The USWNT are fully focused to win their third successive World Cup. Photo: Goal.
Four stars on the shirts of the USA is all you need to know about the history of the US team at World Cups. Performance under pressure has been their winning formula. Always prepared, the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) will again make this World Cup about taking the top prize.
The athletes on the current roster are not the ones we thought the team would be built around. There will be no Catarina Macario, no Sam Mewis, no Christen Press, no Abby Dahlkemper, no Becky Sauerbrunn, and the devastating loss of Mallory Swanson is something that lingers in the minds of many fans. Injuries to key players might be an issue, however, the US has depth at most positions.
This tournament lands mid-season for the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and players are in the midst of weekly matches. Like all nations, they will be whisked away for a camp where they train in an environment as tough as any top competition in the world. Both of these factors give the USWNT an edge in preparation. They are mentally and physically fired up. It’s up to Vlatko Andonovski to keep it going and truly find the best chemistry and strategy for this team.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Alyssa Naeher (90 caps, Chicago Red Stars), Casey Murphy (14 caps, North Carolina Courage), Aubrey Kingsbury (1 cap, Washington Spirit).
Defenders: Alana Cook (24 caps, OL Reign), Crystal Dunn (131 caps, Portland Thorns FC), Naomi Girma (15 caps, San Diego Wave), Emily Fox (28 caps, North Carolina Courage), Kelley O’Hara (157 caps, NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Sonnett (74 caps, OL Reign)
Midfielders: Savannah DeMelo (0 caps, Racing Louisville), Julie Ertz (118 caps, Angel City FC), Andi Sullivan (44 caps, Washington Spirit), Ashley Sanchez (24 caps, Washington Spirit), Rose Lavelle (88 caps, OL Reign), Lindsey Horan (128 caps, Olympique Lyon), Kristie Mewis (50 caps, NJ/NY Gotham FC)
Forwards: Alex Morgan (206 caps, San Diego Wave), Sophia Smith (29 caps, Portland Thorns), Lynn Williams (52 caps, NJ/NY Gotham FC), Megan Rapinoe (199 caps, OL Reign), Trinity Rodman (17 caps, Washington Spirit), Alyssa Thompson (3 caps, Angel City)
Head Coach
Above: USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski. Photo: NBC Sports.
In 2019 when Jill Ellis stepped down the next natural progression in the evolution of the USWNT team was to hire Macedonian American Vlatko Andonovski. He was celebrated in the NWSL as a strategic genius, often able to create results with depleted club team squads.
Under his guidance, the USWNT was up to 44 straight wins, and they were truly humming. Then came the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and the sportscar fell apart. A terrible match against Canada and an overall lacklustre tournament with substitutions en masse left people scratching their chin as to what Andonovski was thinking, or overthinking. The big question is can he allow this team to flow again? Can he redeem himself? No one will want to prove his winning ways more than him.
World Cup History
Winners in 1991, 1999, 2015, and 2019. Though globally, women’s football has been catching up in terms of physical fitness, physicality, and technical ability, USA is still the number one team in the world. The US will use their belief in themselves, belief in each other, and the legacy of the teams in the past to keep them motivated when moments get tough. The mental edge is theirs.
It is not uncommon for the USWNT to look discombobulated in pre-tournament matches. It happened in 2015 and 2019. This past year, losses to England and Spain might be shocking to some, however, these are the times when questions are answered and adjustments are made. Pre World Cup losses are fuel for the fire for these professionals.
How they qualified
Competing in the CONCACAF (The Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football) region, the USWNT participated in the qualifying tournament held in Monterrey, Mexico, in July 2022. Demonstrating their dominance, they defeated Haiti, Jamaica, and Costa Rica. Notably, the US team played a role in crushing Mexico’s aspirations of making the World Cup. By reaching the final, they had already secured their qualification. In a highly anticipated match against Canada, motivated by a longstanding rivalry, the US emerged as the winner.
Strengths
Transitional ball is the name of the game for the USWNT. The US are the fastest and most physically fit team in the tournament. Their forwards’ press and force turnovers in a way that most teams cannot handle. If the opposition can get it out of their half, there are aggressive and highly motivated US defenders looking to strip the ball and get forward on the counter.
Development Areas
There are questions in the midfield. Under an Andonoski team, the composition changes with the opponent. Without consistency in the centre of the pitch, the team has lacked a fluidity and sense of where each other are. This often leaves the players second-guessing on where to place a pass or how to position themselves.
Will Lindsay Horan play forward or towards the back? Will Julie Ertz start? Will Rose Lavelle recover from injury in time to play and show her creative instinct and brilliance on the pitch? Will left outside back Crystal Dunn get more time up in midfield and cause some offensive chaos as she so publicly wants? Lots of uncertainty there.
Key Players
Above: USWNT star Lynn Williams. Photo: Brad Smith.
Even without Mallory Swanson, the American forward lineup, in whatever form it takes will be the most feared of the tournament. As a unit, they are fast, unpredictable, tough, and will look for each other. All are expected to put in huge defensive shifts, pressing in the back and pouncing on turnovers, a forte of Lynn Williams.
Forward Sophia Smith is having a year in the NWSL. She is currently on fire and primed for the big stage. She scores both inside and outside of the box. Watch out world, she’s about to become a household name. And don’t forget Alex Morgan, Trinity Rodman, and Megan Rapinoe. These three are three of the most phenomenal playmakers and goal scorers in the game, each willing to sacrifice their bodies to generate chances for each other.
As the cap numbers show, there are some very experienced athletes on the USWNT. Rapinoe and Kelly O’Hara are currently recovering from injuries, and as seasoned veterans, they will be diligent in managing their physical well-being.
Perhaps the two most important players in the group of defenders are Alana Cook and Naomi Girma. Relatively new on the world stage, these two Stanford grads will need to work together and play a tournament of their lives to help the US win. Splitting them will be targeted by opposing teams.
The midfield is where creativity, with Ashley Sanchez and Rose Lavelle, meets strong physicality and a winning mentality that Julie Ertz and Lindsay Horan bring. It’s Andonovski’s most intricate puzzle. The USWNT head coach has invited a red-hot Savannah DeMelo who is a proven goal scorer in the NWSL, though at zero caps she will need to create some chemistry with these other athletes. Tying into this will be question marks at the outside back positions. A healthy Dunn is a certainty, but will Emily Fox move to the right, or will O’Hara be ready to slot in there?
Getting this midfield vibe right will be a top priority in the final preparations before heading to New Zealand.
In goal, there are three solid choices, with Alyssa Naeher having the most international experience. While Nahear holds the top spot, a six-foot-tall Casey Murphy, is making the case for appearances at the World Cup with her solid play in the NWSL. The question is will Andonovski play Murphy? If cohesion is the problem, will he want Naeher to be the General for as much of the tournament as possible and be the consistent voice organizing the back line?
One to watch
Above: Julie Ertz – whose return to the USWNT squad has been eagerly awaited. Photo: Ira L. Black.
The last two World Cups, Julie Ertz was perhaps the toughest player on the pitch. Unafraid of breaking up play with fierce challenges, she epitomizes the intense physical mentality of the USWNT. After being away from the game for 19 months due to pregnancy, the question is can she still execute in the same way at the number six position?
Most fans are glad to have her back, though a lot is unknown. So far in her recent return to NWSL play, she looks good but hasn’t reached greatness yet. If she can return to her aggressiveness and quick reflexes, USA will have found their guard dog back and a big hole in the middle will be filled.
Success would be
Winning, anything else would be a disappointment.
Having said that, with every stage in this tournament, women get paid more. The USWNT is on the forefront of that discussion. Though we are only at 25% of what the men receive, winners of the tournament take home 270k, second place 195k, third place 180k, and fourth 165k. Those who make it to the quarterfinals get 90k, round of 16 get 60k, and group stage participants get 30k. The numbers are not where they need to be and the USWNT can squarely look FIFA in the eye and continue to demand more.
The USWNT are a global phenomena and at least a billion people will be watching this tournament, with eyes on them. They are willing to put the world of women’s football on their backs and will continue to elevate this and other important topics. A win means their voices are amplified, however, it’s not the only result that matters. They have got the ball rolling, so to speak, and will continue to support women’s teams in negotiations with their federations around the globe on their quest to uplift women and trans participants in sports.
Prediction
We learned in 2015 and in 2019, the red, white, and blue are the one to beat. It won’t be easy. Assuming they win their group, the toughest match in their path to victory will be a semi-final match versus Sweden in Auckland. If England makes it to the final, it will be right in USA’s sweet spot of teams to play against. Having already played them recently, the USWNT will know exactly what they are dealing with.
Above: Lauren James looks to burst through against Portugal yesterday, supported by Alessia Russo. Photo: Lionesses.
England’s send-off game ended in a disappointing goalless draw against Portugal in Milton Keynes.
Sarina Wiegman’s team did not perform at their best, even with multiple chances to grab the win in the second half.
Lucy Bronze had a great chance but her header hit the crossbar, whilst Alessia Russo was denied a goal with a great block from Ana Borges.
The Lionesses seemed to lack energy in the first half, although this could have something to do with the lack of game time they have played recently due to the end of the Women’s Super League. Rachel Daly had an early chance after a great curled cross by Lauren Hemp but Daly tapped it wide.
However, the second half showed a tremendous improvement in the involvement of the game from the players along with a new burst of energy. Russo immediately made an impact, proving herself worthy of her ‘super sub’ title. This allowed her to link up with Lauren James, who moved to the number 10 role. Russo had the most chances, two of which were set up by Chloe Kelly, but were just wide of the target.
Bronze’s header rattled the crossbar and Chloe Kelly also had a shot but just couldn’t get it to the back of the net.
Above: Chloe Kelly looks to get the ball in under the close attention of Portugal’s Marques Borges. Photo: Lionesses.
The second period showed what England are capable of with James’ link-ups with Bronze and Russo really giving Sarina food for thought, with her starting XI for the World Cup.
The Chelsea forward was one of England’s most talented athletes, but Daly missed a few opportunities and struggled to make an impact from the beginning as the number nine player.
Esme Morgan, a young Manchester City defender who struggled against Australia but was supported by Wiegman to start at centre defence, displayed maturity and calm here alongside Jess Carter.
If Millie Bright, who hasn’t played since March due to a knee injury, is unable to recover in time for the tournament’s opening game, Morgan has demonstrated her ability to play there.
This game has gave Wiegman further food for thought in her World Cup selection decisions. England are not short of talented players, but with many key names missing, the Lionesses head coach is having to find new ways to get the team to work together, which seems to be her biggest challenge.
Beth Mead, Leah Williamson, and Fran Kirby are all key components of the England squad and with them missing the World Cup due to injury, the team are really going to have to adapt to these changes in Australia.
England held 67% possession with 23 shots, eight of which were on target. Portugal had 33% possession, and two shots, neither of which were on target.
impetusfootball.org 