Martin Ho: Spurs are refreshed and ready for Liverpool test

By Roos Schelen (1/11/25)

Above: Martin Ho. Photo: Tottenham Hotspur.

The Women’s Super League kicks off again this weekend after an international break. Tottenham Hotspur host Liverpool at Brisbane Road on Sunday. 

Spurs head coach Martin Ho acknowledged that Liverpool’s position in the WSL table and the results don’t reflect the performances they have had, as his side prepare to face Gareth Taylor’s reds.

Targeting Liverpool’s weaknesses

Ho says: “I think they’ve pulled teams really close in a lot of games that have very clear identity and are very forward thinking and front footed in terms of how they want to play and that’s obviously Gareth’s implementation on the squad. So we know it’s going to be a tough game.”

Liverpool tend to want to play out from the back, but that leaves them vulnerable at times. When asked whether that is something that Ho’s Tottenham are targeting on Sunday, Ho explained: 

“Yeah, I think not just that area but other areas too. I think they have a very clear identity, as I said. And I know Gareth’s very strong on that and I like that he’s strong on that because he believes in what he does,” he said. He continued, expanding on what he hopes his Spurs side will target:

“So we need to make sure opportunity presents itself in those moments when they do build out or they’re in higher phases and we get opportunity to break and have chances on goal and we need to make sure we take them.”

Team news

Ella Morris and Luana Buhler are both out with long term injuries, so they will not be available for Spurs’ clash with Liverpool this weekend. Eveliina Summanen came back from international duty with Finland with a fractured rib and will be assessed after training on Saturday. 

Keeping the momentum

Tottenham have seen some great results ahead of the international break. They currently sit fourth in the table, ahead of North London rivals Arsenal. Spurs made it hard for Chelsea, who needed a great strike from Keira Walsh to beat Tottenham by one goal to nil. Spurs defended with great due diligence in that match. Impetus Football asked Ho whether the international break broke up that momentum a bit, with players going away to their national teams. 

Ho largely denied, saying: “It maybe breaks it slightly, but I think the players get an opportunity to go and be in a different environment, a different space, I think is important because they’ll get so long where they’re in the same environment for so long and you maybe get a little bit kind of bored of being around one another, if you want to say. So it’s actually good for them to refresh. Good for us as staff collectively to refresh and now go into these games making sure that we are fully focused on what the job is ahead.”

The match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool in the WSL kicks off at 12pm BST on Sunday the 2nd of November. The match will be shown live on Sky Sports +. 

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Accies prove value to the league in battling Celtic display

Hamilton Academical 0-3 Celtic

By Gethin Thurlow at New Douglas Park for Impetus (1/11/25)

Above: The Hamilton squad and staff before the season Photo: @accieswfc on X

Hamilton showed why they belong in Scotland’s top division with a valiant fight against Celtic in the ‘New Douglas Park derby’. McAneny and Cross starred for Celtic as the Accies fought hard and caused Celtic issues all night long, proving that an 11-0 loss last time out does not represent them.

The Teams

Having endured a difficult start to life in SWPL1, the Accies will have appreciated the time they had during the international break to reset and go again as they aim to stay in touch with the rest of the league. Abi Paton got the start in goal over Erin Halliday, after they fell to an 11-0 loss last time against Rangers.

Giard also came back into the starting lineup, having missed out last time. Robert Watson’s main threat in the opening nine games was winger Sophie Townsley, and she would have to be on top form if Hamilton were to pull off a miracle upset in the New Douglas Park derby, with Celtic also hosting games here.

With what was ultimately an opportunity to mix the team up a bit without risking the result too much, Elena Sadiku opted for Adelaide Gay in goal ahead of Lisa Rodgers, who’s been one of the standouts of the entire league so far. There was also a rare start for Sienna McGoldrick in the midfield, as Celtic’s team still looked extremely strong.

The Action

Unsurprisingly, Celtic dominated the match right from the start, able to move down the wings with complete ease, and Morgan Cross caused problems from the first minute. The Accies actually had the first proper chance of the game, as during a counterattack, Lucy Barclay hit a beautiful outside-of-the-boot through ball to Townsley. With her exceptional pace, she won the battle for the ball but couldn’t control her shot.

Going straight down the other hand, Celtic put a dagger in the hearts of any home fans that took hope from that attack. Finding McAneny in acres of the space on the left wing, they moved quickly and eventually her cross found Smith on the right. She put the ball into Saoirse Noonan in the middle, with the ever-reliable striker picking out the corner.

The hosts were not deterred by this however and continued to compete with Celtic, showing that the 11-0 wasn’t representative of them. Winning a corner and a Barclay shot were highlights of a great five-minute period for the Accies. Paton even held her own to keep Noonan out in a one-on-one scenario and ensured the score didn’t get out of hand early on like in the last few games.

Hamilton’s defensive block was adept at clogging up the middle and forcing the Celtic to be extra creative to break through the centre, but this meant that Smith and Cross on the right, and Robertson and McAneny on the left given the space to do pretty much as they please. This is just something which cannot be gifted to such talented players, and Hamilton found this out shortly.

Moments before the half-hour mark, Cross picked up the ball and lifted the ball delicately across the face of goal, with McAneny powerfully heading home to finally extend the lead.

Hamilton’s front four of Giard, Barclay, Townsley and Muir pressed aggressively, and they were able to cause a few moments of mayhem at the back for Sadiku’s team, sometimes finding themselves with overloads in the final third. However, doing anything with this threatening possession proved difficult.

Clearly unhappy with only scoring twice in the first 45, Sadiku brought Amy Richardson on at half time and Celtic slowed down their approach, taking more time on the ball and really bringing some pace out of the game. This seemed to disrupt Watson’s game plan; which relied on a fast-paced and wide-open game, allowing Accies take advantage when Celtic’s players were caught out of position.

This brought instant success, as Amy Gallacher’s cross was put out for a corner, which McAneny whipped right into the mixer, allowing Lisa Robertson to head it home for a rare goal.

The deficit did not stop Hamilton from pushing however, and Kirstie McIntosh came close to scoring Hamilton’s first since early September. That positivity shown by the attack was matched by unwavering defensive effort and commitment from the home side, as they kept pushing to keep the result respectable.

New changes brought new legs and ideas for Celtic, and they peppered the box more and more. Cross, Gallacher, Nakao and Noonan all failed to add a fourth goal from chances of various difficulty.

Player of the Match Lucy Barclay

Despite the 3-0 defeat, the story of the match was certainly the hosts. Leading this charge was attacking midfielder Lucy Barclay. She epitomises everything the Accies were this year, a young player, overlooked by the rest of the league and using that motivation to drive her performance. Without money to attract players, this is who Hamilton went after in the window.

That underdog mindset drives everything that this club do, and up against a stellar midfield today full of full time professionals, Barclay fitted right in there, winning the ball back from Nakao and Clark in the defence, carving open the pitch with world class passes, and running after every single thing she could. Hamilton fell short of a goal or point in this match, but that wasn’t for the lack effort from Barclay and her teammates.

Where this leaves the teams

Robert Watson can be so proud of his team, the work they’ve done over the break and what they showed about themselves after a tough period. Lots was made after their last loss to Rangers about the point of them even competing in the league, but they proved to everyone that they did have a right to play in the SWPL1. They caused Celtic issues that many other teams haven’t.

If they can keep up that level of performance against some of the easier opponents in the SWPL, then no doubt points will come. Staying in the league will be a difficult challenge, but this a big step in the right direction for Hamilton Academical.

For Celtic, they will be relatively pleased. Obviously, there were lots of missed chances in there and Sadiku will be looking to clean that up for future games, but Celtic looked like a great attacking unit out there, utilising the space that was gifted to them on the wing as well and doing some really nice moves in the centre of the pitch too.

The bonus of playing on Friday night is the pressure they can put on Rangers and Hibs below them to win and maintain their positions, and remind Glasgow City that any points dropped on Sunday allow their city rivals back into the title race.

Teams: Hamilton Academical (4-2-3-1): Paton, Macdonald, McStay, Gray, Cowan, Gibb, McIntosh, Townsley, Barclay, Muir, Giard Substitutes: Docherty (for Giard 58′), Maxwell (for Muir 58′), Coakley (for McIntosh 75′), Campbell (for Gibb 75′), Ritchie (for Townsley 75′)

Celtic (4-1-4-1): Gay, Smith, Clark, Walsh, Robertson, Nakao, Cross, McGoldrick, Gallacher, McAneny, Noonan Substitutes: Richardson (for Smith 46’), Streicek (for McAneny 61′), Luke (for McGoldrick 61′), Lawton (for Noonan 83′)

Scorers: 0-1 Noonan 4′, 0-2 McAneny 29′, 0-3 Robertson 50′

Referee: Gary Train

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 “If we’re performing at our best, it will be a great game.” Tumeth, Tanner, and Ülkekul set the standard ahead of Sydney FC’s opening match.

By Alice de Koster-Kitto 1/11/25

Above: Tori Tumeth at Sydney FC.

Sydney FC’s Tori Tumeth, Riley Tanner, and Jodi Ülkekul spoke to the media ahead of their clash against reigning premiers Melbourne City, at Leichardt Oval this Saturday.

The match will see both Sydney FC and Melbourne City kick off their 2025/26 Ninja A-League campaign, and it is set to be one of great contention. While  Sydney looks to get back to the standard they had maintained for so long after a disappointing 2024/25 season, City will be on a mission to maintain their reputation after topping the ladder last season and taking home the premiership.

“I obviously just wanted to play my best every single game and put my best foot forward for the team, for the club, and achieve personal goals, but our goals as a team, I think every single player in our team is trying to do the same. And with that, we’ll all, you know, reach our goals collectively,” says Tori Tumeth

It’s not lost on Sydney how difficult and important the meeting will be; however, Tumeth assures that the squad is “mostly focused on ourselves in pre-season,” adding  “we want to perform our best and we know if we’re performing at our best, it will be a great game.”

“We know that that’s not the standard, and so you kind of just take pride in that and you want to get Sydney back to where it was,” said Sydney FC forward Riley Tanner.

Tanner, the Panama international, signed with Sydney in August, after capturing the attention of the club during her national campaign against the Matildas in Perth earlier this year.

“My conversations with Ante (Juric) and other people, they’re just that they spoke so highly of this club,” said Tanner, on the decision to make the move to the A-League after her experiences with Australian football culture, adding “During the World Cup, it was just such a fun time, and honestly, back then, I knew that I would want to play here one day, but I didn’t know when that was gonna come.”

As she prepares for her Sydney FC debut against powerhouse Melbourne City, Tanner reinforced Tori Tumeth’s notion that the team is taking it “one step at a time”, saying “week by week, we just have to focus on the game that’s ahead and not get too caught up.”

Tanner is one of many recent Sydney FC signings who will be looking to make their mark at Leichhardt Oval this weekend, joining newcomers Skye Halmarick, Bianca Galic, returning Sydney FC alum Sarah Hunter, and American international Jodi Ülkekul, who have all joined the squad for the opening round.

“There’s definitely an identity here,” said Jodi Ülkekul on her time with the squad so far, “that was made very clearly from day one, and the expectations were set, and I personally respond really well to that type of leadership.”

The 28-year-old attacker, who joins Sydney FC, has had an electric career thus far, with spells in the United States, Spain, and Italy, also having spent time with the US Women’s National Team. Ülkekul is excited to bring her experience to her new side, in hoped to bring Sydney FC back up to the standards that she can already tell, the squad is capable of, saying “I think it’s good to be humbled every now and then and to be reminded of the work that we need to do and put in, and if anything, last year is just a reminder of all that.”

Although she is set to take the attack for Sydney, Ülkekul has “played pretty much every position”, saying, “it allows me to be versatile and to adapt.” This versatility and experience could be just what Sydney FC needs to reclaim its title this season.

Sydney FC will open their season against Melbourne City at Leichhardt Oval this Saturday, the 1st of November at 2:15 pm AEDT. The match will be one to watch, as both sides come onto the pitch with something monumental to prove and a drive to set the standard for the rest of the season.

“I’m really excited to just kind of get a feel of it on Saturday and get going,” says Riley Tanner.

Slegers: Arsenal must find a way through Leicester defence

By Eloise Smallbone (31/10/25)

Above: Renée Slegers. Photo: Arsenal Women.

Arsenal return to WSL action this Sunday following a lacklustre start to the season.

Results have been mixed following their European triumph earlier this summer – a draw at home to Aston Villa and loss away at Manchester City the most troubling. Ahead of their trip to a Leicester City struggling for consistency, head coach Renée Slegers has encouraged her team to return to club focus following a dramatic international break.

Taking it game by game

The international break came after a block of games where Arsenal’s results had been inconsistent. Most recently they beat Benfica 2-0 in the Champions League and Brighton in the WSL. However, these wins were preceded by losses against Lyon and Manchester City, as well as draws with Aston Villa and Manchester United.

Slegers discussed this block, and how the team are looking to improve going into these games: “Football will never be perfect”, she said, “but the team want to show our strengths both as a team and in our game of football.”

She also discussed Arsenal’s five “challenging and exciting” games coming up in the next three weeks, adding that despite the pressure, they are looking forward to the challenge.

“It is very cliché, but we are going to take it game by game,” she said, adding that her team are “proud to represent Arsenal and we want to represent Arsenal at the very best. We see the bigger picture and understand our responsibility.”

Michelle Agyemang and squad availability

Speaking on squad availability, Slegers said:

“Leah is not available, Manu is not available – the rest are in the building and training at their level,” stating that excluding Leah Williamson and Manu Zinsberger, “everyone else is in contention for Sunday.”

Arsenal also announced earlier this week that Michelle Agyemang, one of the Lionesses’ key players in the Euros this summer, had suffered a ruptured anterior crucial ligament (ACL) whilst on international break. Agyemang is currently on loan at Brighton, and Slegers expressed her sadness for the young forward, particularly due to the timing of the injury:

“I haven’t seen Mich yet, so it’s of course a very sad time. When these moments happen it’s horrible because you know that it will keep them away from the game for a long time and it’s a long wait for the players to come back again.”

What to expect from Leicester

Slegers also discussed the challenges that Leicester will pose, hoping her Arsenal side will visit the King Power Stadium with both respect and belief:

“The WSL is a very strong league. If you look at Leicester’s results there is one goal difference, so it’s going to be a challenge,” she said of their opponenents. “They have a strong identity with their defending game, so we have to find the right opportunity to capitalise.”

Slegers also reflected that in previous games in the block, Arsenal have become comfortable and not finished the games with the right results, despite a strong start.

“When we’ve been in the middle of our momentum and flow states and things have felt easy for us, and as a result of that the goals have come easy for us as well,” she reflected, adding that “what becomes really important is how you start a game, how you finish a game and dealing with everything that comes in between.”

Arsenal Women take on Leicester City Women at the King Power Stadium at 12pm on Sunday 2nd November. The game will be shown on Sky Sports

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Manchester United are on the up, but will squad depth be their downfall?

Above: Manchester United celebrate scoring a goal earlier this year Photo: @ManUtdWomen on X

By Ben Tattoo (31/10/25)

The great Mia Hamm once said: “There are always new, grander challenges to confront, and a true winner will embrace each one”. Manchester United are certainly embracing grander challenges this season, their first competing in four major competitions, including the league phase of the Champions League, after missing out in the qualifying rounds in 2023-2024.

Not only are they competing, but they have won their first two games in the Champions League and impressed many with their excellent start to the Women’s Super League.

The Red Devils are currently one of the only two teams still to be defeated in the WSL this season, currently sitting in third place, with four wins and two draws, conceding the joint least (3) and scoring the second most (16) goals.  

Despite all the positives, United fans will know better than to get too excited too soon, and the team’s squad depth (or lack thereof) has the potential to threaten a very promising season.

Games, games and more games

Before the League Cup final last season, Lucy Bronze stressed how key Chelsea’s squad depth was when competing deep into four competitions.

“If we didn’t have as big a squad, maybe it might have went against us, we wouldn’t have had the team to put out on those games”, the defender reflected.

Top teams are playing more games than ever, with the expanded Champions League beginning this season and the WSL expanding to 14 teams in 2026-2027. Not to mention the growing international competitions.

This season, it will be United looking to compete on the same four fronts; and were they to get through to the final of all four competitions, they could end up playing up to 47 games, on top of international football.   

It is a brutal number of fixtures for Marc Skinner’s squad, who could play 17 more matches than their neighbouring rivals and title contenders Manchester City.

United do not have the squad depth that Chelsea and City have, nor the winning experience that Arsenal boast. Such a huge number of games could push Skinner’s squad to breaking point.

A lack of rotation

With an increased number of games being played, good squad rotation is more important than ever.

City’s long injury list last season is the perfect example of the price teams can pay when facing more fixtures, and former manager Gareth Taylor was often accused of not rotating his side enough before he left the club.

Skinner will need to be mindful not to make the same mistakes. After competing in the Champions League qualifying rounds, United have already played four more games than any other WSL side. Despite this, United have used the joint fewest number of different players.

Number of different players used by WSL clubs this season

Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Maya Le Tissier, Hinata Miyazawa and Ella Toone have started all 12 matches played; while Anna Sandburg, Dominique Janssen, Jayde Riviere and Elisabeth Terland have started all but one.

In fact, last season’s golden glove winner Tullis-Joyce, captain Le Tissier and Miyazawa are yet to miss a minute so far this season due to the trio’s crucial roles in the side. Miyazawa has been a revelation in midfield, and as such any long-term injury could be seriously derailing.

Skinner may point to a lack of availability at the start of the season. Despite being allowed to have nine players on the bench for WSL games, United have only managed to do so for three of their six WSL games so far.

Skinner is showing a tendency to make his substitutions late in games, meaning that even when players are getting a rest, it is not for long.

In the WSL, Millie Turner, Gabrielle George, Rachel Williams, and Leah Galton have featured in 11 matches between them, yet none have played over 90 minutes this season.

Skinner may need to begin trusting his squad more as the season progresses.

A versatile squad

A strength in United’s favour is that many of their players are versatile enough to fit into different positions, with a variety of formations applied, depending on the players used and the opposition faced.

New signings Jess Park and Fridolina Rolfo have fitted seamlessly into the side and have been effective in several positions, with Park operating across the front line and Rolfo in both a left back and left wing spot.

The ability of his players to adapt to different positions offers Skinner more flexibility if players get injured or he wants to adapt his system.

Above: Man United’s versatile players
Could reinforcements arrive in January?

Injuries can so often ruin seasons at crucial times, and Marc Skinner must be careful to avoid that happening at Man United this season. He is not one to catastrophise when the going gets tough. United’s lack of squad depth and rotation has not affected them yet, and it is important not to think too far ahead.

However, if they are still competing well on all four fronts come January, it will be interesting to see if the Red Devils’ ownership will back the team with some potentially much-needed reinforcements to try and get some trophies over the line.

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Michael Matricciani and Melbourne City “ready for whatever gets thrown at us”

Above: Melbourne City women huddle. Image: Melbourne City.

By Emma Burke (31/10/25).

Ahead of their opening fixture against Sydney FC, Melbourne City head coach Michael Matricciani spoke to the media about his side’s preseason, the Asian Women’s Champions’ League, and round one of the A-League Women.

“The last eight weeks we’ve been in preseason mode, played a few friendly games, trying to add some new concepts on top of our philosophy that we were already doing,” said Matricciani.

City’s preseason has also included the arrival of a few new faces, including four Junior Matildas that they want to develop for the future.

“We ended up signing seven or eight new players, including four young players that are 15, 16 year old girls that we feel have really good potential,” he said.

Those players are Kaya Jugovic, Izabella Rako, Kiera Sarris, and Danella Butrus.

Melbourne City, alongside their cross-town rivals Melbourne Victory, have both established their own Victorian National Premier League Women’s sides that will compete in 2026, giving young players like these the opportunity to continue to gain valuable minutes at a high standard, while linked to the club.

“Players that aren’t playing [In the A-League] are able to play NPL minutes which I think is going to be huge for the development of the players that are in our space in Victoria and football in general,” said Matricciani.

“We’re going to be able to develop some really good, promising players especially under our City style.”

Melbourne City also have to contend with added fixtures to their season, as they will once again participate in the Asian Women’s Champions League.

Matricciani’s side will soon travel to Vietnam to participate in the Group Stage of the competition, facing Lion City Sailors, Stallion Laguna, and Ho Chi Minh City Women, in early November. 

“The day-to-day focus is on how we improve ourselves and obviously this week is how we’re preparing for what we expect Sydney are going to be, we get through that game, we review, we get ready for Central Coast [Mariners], and then once that finishes next Saturday, we switch our mind to travel and preparation for the three group stage games.”

With his minds on their first game against Sydney, Matricciani has done his homework on the Sky Blues, and certainly isn’t counting them out after last season’s uncharacteristically poor showing.

“They didn’t have the season that everyone expected last [season] but history shows they’ve arguably been the best side or one of the best sides [in the A-League Womens],” said Matricciani.

“We’re always ready for whatever gets thrown at us, that’s the beauty of round one, you never quite know.”

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Johnston shines as Perth end long wait for away win

Western Sydney Wanderers 1-3 Perth Glory

by Ben Gilby (31/10/25)

Above: Rola Badawiya (right) celebrates with Grace Johnston after scoring Perth Glory’s second goal tonight. Photo: Perth Glory.

Grace Johnston bagged two assists as Perth Glory opened the new A-League Women season with their first away win since 31st December 2023.

The Young Matilda was in sparkling form along the left throughout, not only linking with those around her in the middle of the park, and up front, but getting back to defend superbly when called upon.

Perth’s midfield and strikeforce this season has the potential to be hugely creative and dangerous when it clicks – and tonight they had a sharpness to them that was missing at times last season.

Among their crop of new arrivals, Wanderers gave an A-League Women return to Western Australian Poppie Hooks after three and a half years, playing against her former club. There was also a start for hugely talented 17-year-old Allysa Ng-Saad from the Blue Mountains town of Katoomba.

The Glory gave a start to emergency loan signing goalkeeper, Alyssa Dall’Oste, after Teresa Morrissey picked up a back injury at work, and Jess Skinner was sidelined with flu.

The competition’s 2025/26 curtain-raiser was delayed by over 75 minutes due to lightning strikes in the immediate area around Wanderers Football Park, but that didn’t seem to impact the home side too much, as they forced two corners in the opening three minutes.

Western Sydney’s attacks were largely centred along their right-hand side, with Holly Caspers and Tahlia Younis linking up well, which ensured that Grace Johnston was busy in the early encounters, and the young Western Australian was tidy and comfortable.

It was Ng-Saad who forced the first save of the night when her effort was held by Dall’Oste after being played in by two one-touch passes through the Perth midfield.

The visitors had their first sight of goal on 17 minutes when Susan Phonsongkham was brought down by Amy Harrison centrally 35 yards out. Captain Izzy Dalton fired in a high curler that didn’t quite dip quickly enough to trouble keeper Brianna Edwards.

Perth were looking to play a quick passing attacking game when the opportunity came to get forward – it’s a style that plays to the strengths of players such as Phonsongkham Johnston, and Tijan McKenna. If quality balls can be threaded through, then Rola Badawiya and Gabby Hollar will profit in front of goal.

Above: Rola Badawiya celebrates – she profitted from the creativity in Perth’s midfield that supplied her with chances. Photo: A-Leagues.

Glory were building more possession the longer the half went on, and hit the front on 28 minutes. Johnston showed great footwork to escape down the left after being fed by a perfectly weighted pass from McKenna in the middle of the park.

She beat Younis and played a high ball in. Edwards was buffeted under heavy traffic amidst her own defender, Ella Buchanan, and Hollar challenging, with the Glory attacker turning the ball home, with the Wanderers’ subsequent protests being waved away by referee Isabella Mossin.

Western Sydney looked to hit back with Younis finding Ng-Saad, who controlled instantly with the outside of her boot before Onyi Zogg stepped in with a tackle. But it was another example of the huge potential that Ng-Saad has.

Immediately afterwards, Ena Harada fed Younis, who hit a first-time volley just over the top. Perth remained ahead at the break.

Johnston was at it again within two minutes of the second half kicking off. She received possession out on the left from Badawiya to deliver an on-the-money low ball into the box for Badawiya to fire home inside the box.

The two-goal lead lasted for less than three minutes as Buchanan turned home from close range after a monumental schoolyard-style goalmouth scramble following a corner on the left.

Yet, they don’t call this the Chaos League for nothing, and Badawiya beat Danika Matos on the left to deliver a perfectly weighted ball for an unmarked Hollar to head home from the middle of the box. It would be the American striker’s last impact of the night after leaving the pitch following a head knock.

With just under a quarter of an hour to play, Alana Cerne let fly for the Wanderers with an absolute rocket from 25 yards in a central position, but her former Western United teammate Dall’Oste pushed it over the bar with an excellent save.

Glory saw out the remainder of the game pretty comfortably. It was a professional display with strength at the back allied to the promise further up the pitch that they showed earlier.

Glory ending their long winless streak on the road will take the headlines, but Wanderers face a tough sequence of games in the opening weeks, but if they can keep their focus at the back and up the accuracy elsewhere, they have the potential to have a better campaign than last time round.

Teams: WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS (3-4-3): Edwards, Hooks, Buchanan, Cerne, Harada, Chessari, Matos, Ng-Saad, Younis, Harrison, Caspers. Substitutes: Bennett, Fazzari, Hall (GK), Khosaba, Price, Stajčić.

Scorers: Buchanan 51′.

PERTH GLORY (3-4-3): Dall’Oste, Chinnama, Zogg, Sardo, Dalton, Tovar, Johnston, McKenna, Badawiya, Hollar, Phonsongkham. Substitutes: Anderson, Lincoln, O’Donoghue, Phillips (GK), Trew, Wainwright.

Scorers: Hollar 28′, 52′, Badawiya 48′.

Referee: Isabella Mossin.

Attendance: 957.

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Melissa Barbieri: it’s about the moments

By Emma Burke 30/10/25

Above: Melissa Barbieri in the VIC NPLW for Boroondara-Carey Eagles. Photo: Football Victoria

Ahead of the A-League Women season, Emma Burke spoke to a mainstay of the league and one of the biggest names in Australian football, Melissa Barbieri.

“The best job in the world,” is what Melissa Barbieri, affectionately known as ‘Bubs’, says of being a professional football player, she would know, she’s been doing it for about 30 years now.

Barbieri is now gearing up for her ninth season with Melbourne City, after having joined their goalkeeping contingent in 2017, and now also works with the team as an assistant coach.

“I love preseason… I’ve loved being challenged every day and that’s probably why I still play, because I wake up every day wanting to get to training and every time I leave training I want to get back here as soon as possible to keep improving,” she said.

Melbourne City will play their first game of the 25/26 A-League Women’s season on Sunday, facing old rivals Sydney FC in Sydney.

“Sydney always play well against us,” said Barbieri.

“I know they [Sydney FC] have recruited very well in the offseason, they’ve built from a strong foundation and Ante [Juric] will no doubt have brought everyone together on the same page.”

City are also part of the Asian Women’s Champions League (AWCL), having secured their spot for the second time in a row by lifting the Premiers’ Plate last season.

They narrowly missed out on lifting the inaugural AWCL Trophy in May this year, losing in a penalty shootout to Wuhan Jiangda.

Barbieri welcomes the extra challenge and travel, as in just over two weeks time her team will head to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam for the Group Stage.

“It impacts us in a lot of ways where we’ve got to move our A-League games around to fit in the [AWCL] schedule, and that makes us feel that little bit more professional.”

“It makes it harder for us in the league but it also challenges us and keeps us on our toes, so I don’t think it’s a detriment,” she said.

With the Women’s Asian Cup happening in March next year, and having won one herself while Captain of the Matildas back in 2010, Barbieri has a unique view on the upcoming tournament, and exactly what it takes to lift the trophy. 

“It’s really about the moments, the moments that you get, whether you play all the minutes or none of the minutes, it’s about the moments you get to play your role to the best of your ability and recognise that each and every player is important in their position in the team whether you’re Sam Kerr, Steph Catley, or the newbie coming in.”

Barbieri attributes the longevity of her career to a lot of things, mentions “listening to your doctors and your medical people,” as well as, “treating yourself with a huge amount of respect and understanding,” but it was Melbourne City’s director of Football, Michael Petrillo, who described it best to her.

“Everyone talks about how the wine gets better with age, and he [Petrillo] said it’s actually how you store the wine.”

It is a good analogy and Melbourne City are the proud home of a rare vintage.

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Are things finally turning to gold for the Girls in Green?

Above: The Republic of Ireland celebrate after Abbie Larkin’s late goal to see them defeat Belgium 5-4 on aggregate. Photo: via RTE

By Alyce Collett (31/10/2025)

It has been exactly the international window that the Republic of Ireland could have asked for, winning their UEFA Nations League playoff against Belgium to earn re promotion back to League A ahead of next year’s World Cup qualifiers.

After outclassing Belgium in the first leg of the tie to lead 4-2 heading into Tuesday night’s second tie, the Irish fought off a strong first half challenge from the Red Flames to find a last-second tie winning goal via Abbie Larkin.

Abbie Larkin (above) was the hero for the Republic of Ireland, with her late goal seeing the Girls in Green win on aggregate. Photo: via RTE

The win is significant for a number of factors.

It sees the Irish back in League A of the Nations League in 2026, which will serve as the qualifiers for the World Cup in 2027. Being in League A means a significantly easier path to qualifying for the World Cup because every single League A side is guaranteed at bare minimum a play off berth, which is not guaranteed in League B.

Not only this, but the Irish are the first side in League B to ever win a League A/B playoff match.

With all of this in mind, the question cannot helped be raised – is this a turning point for the Republic of Ireland?

2025 has been a far from straight forward year for the Girls in Green.

After a tough but admirable first campaign in League A in 2024, 2025 saw a return to League B and a new manager at the helm in former Aston Villa manager Carla Ward.

Things did not go as easily this time around in the second tier, and as such the Irish found themselves finishing second in their group behind Slovenia. Perhaps it was partially because the team was adapting to a new game style, perhaps it was partially it was the mental effects of not making the Euros and having to take on League B sides again, but the Republic of Ireland side of 2025 was not the class of the 2024 side that was going toe to toe with some of the best sides of the continent.

But that was all flipped on its head this international window, where the Irish played more like they did in 2024 and got the reward on the scoreboard.

The Irish have finally found the game plan system that works best for both players and coach, everyone is humming to the same tune again and perhaps the rest of the continent’s best have been put on notice a little.

There was a lot of talk after last year’s Euros play off about how much the loss had affected the Irish girls mentally.

But by not only beating Belgium, but beating them the way they did, will give the team a lot of confidence that they do deserve to be competing amongst the continent’s best, and that the Wales games were a mere bump on the team’s developmental journey.

As successful as this window was for the Irish, it also gave the team important lessons that they will need to heed upon their return to League A in the new year. These include lessons in structure – both at the front and back of the outfield formation – and around the team’s resilience.

Although it is not the situation the Irish would have wanted to be in – they would have no doubt preferred to have earned promotion to League A automatically – the way that this international break turned out for the team may be more beneficial in the long run than playing friendlies like they would have if it was them that had topped the group and not Slovenia.

Now onto the next window…

There is one more international window left in 2025, and who the Republic of Ireland end up playing in is window is important as they build up to a really important year in 2026.

It is crucial that the Republic of Ireland secures some friendlies against top tier opponents to help prepare the side for the level of opposition they will face in the World Cup qualifiers.

With the way the UEFA Nations League works these days, there really are not a lot of windows of opportunity to make these friendlies happen, so the opportunity needs to be really taken advantage off when it comes along.

A lot of the big teams have already confirmed who they are playing in November/December – including the United States, England and Australia – but teams like the Netherlands have not, so there are options.

The best transfers of the A-League Women

By Kieran Yap 31/10/25

Above: Sasha Grove with the Young Matildas Photo Football Australia

With the A-League Women about to begin, Impetus Football looks at some of the most exciting transfers of the pre-season.

Paige Zois: Melbourne Victory to Adelaide United

Adelaide United have recruited aggressively this off-season. Following a third place finish in 2024/25 they needed to bridge the rapidly closing gap between them and the likes of Melbourne Victory.

To help with that, they have signed one of Victory’s brightest young prospects. Paige Zois has been in the A-League system since 2020, so it can sometimes be easy to forget that her career is still starting. The 22 year-old has a wealth of experience, prodigious talent and an enviable highlights reel. Only bad luck has really prevented her from being a real star of this competition.

Zois is a central midfielder who can deputise at fullback or in a more attacking role. She will add composure and a rare passing range to Adelaide United’s midfield. In the likes of Dylan Holmes, and the Taranto twins, The Reds have some of the best box-to-box midfielders in the country, but Zois can control the tempo of the game, can hold a midfield together and can launch quick attacks with her long passing. She brings a versatility to the team, not just in her ability to play multiple positions, but in that she opens up new ways for them to play.

Zois also adds another weapon to Adelaide’s set-piece arsenal. She can score from free-kicks and deliver corners with pinpoint accuracy. Opportunity was limited at Victory, where she remains a cult hero to the fans, but when she played she always made an impact. Adelaide United have signed a young midfielder with the potential to be one of the best in the league.

Sienna Saveska: Western Sydney Wanderers to Melbourne Victory

Melbourne Victory have signed one of the nation’s best young forwards. Sienna Saveska is a creative and deadly attacker with a wand for a left foot. The former Wanderer and Sydney FC player has joined last season’s runners up following her most consistent club campaign and as a key part of the current Young Matildas setup.

Saveska scored seven goals and added three assists in 2024/25. The 19 year old most at home as a central attacking midfielder, and can be damaging anywhere within 30 yards of goal. She joins a talented and deep Victory attack. Jeff Hopkins has a plethora of combinations to consider, and it is easy to visualise how she would fit with any of Alana Jancevski, Ella O’Grady, Nikki Flannery, or Rachel Lowe.

Saveska is stylish, brave on the ball and as creative as she is powerful. Her set piece delivery is among the best in the country and two of her goals came as Olimpico’s last season.

She has long been considered one of the rising stars of Australian football, and last season she began to deliver on that potential. If she can build on that at Melbourne Victory, Sienna Saveska could be one of the best signings of the pre-season.

Sasha Grove: Western United to Canberra United

She’s back! After a season away with Western United, Sasha Grove has returned to Canberra United. The versatile and crowd pleasing fullback would have been one of the most sough after players from the hibernating club, and has come home to the delight of fans.

Grove is a tough tackling, tireless running machine from defence, who can also deliver a killer cross in the final third. She played a key role in the Australian Under 23 side that claimed the AFF Championship and played in the 2024 Under 20 World Cup.

Canberra United are not lacking for quality, but do have some concerns with depth, and Grove’s versatility can pretty much solve any positional problem that might arise.

With Hayley Taylor-Young and Tegan Bertolissio performing well at fullback last season, Antoni Jagarinec could have the luxury of playing Grove in a more advanced role, where the tricky feet and excellent finishing of her youth football could thrive.

Sasha Grove is a weapon that could be deployed almost anywhere on the pitch and even at 20 years of age, brings much needed experience to the team.

Chloe Lincoln: Western United to Brisbane Roar

The capped Matilda and former Western United goalkeeper solves a problem that Brisbane Roar have needed to solve. In previous season’s  Hensley Hancuff and Jordan Silkowitz have both been the first choice shot stoppers at Brisbane, but both had to return to their NWSL clubs early. From the outside, it felt questionable to sign overseas goalkeepers when Australia has more than enough capable ones, and Alex Smith has now signed an excellent goalkeeper, and one who can stay for the entirety of the season.

That could be incredibly important for a club that reached some incredible high’s last season but fell short of finals due to inconsistency. Lincoln is still a young player, but was a regular starter at Canberra United and looks comfortable playing for Australia in the U20’s and U23’s.

She competed with Alyssa Dall Oste’ for the number one spot at Western United but still earned her first senior national team call up and cap and although she experienced one nightmare game at Western, that was against Brisbane themselves which will obviously not be repeated this season.

Lincoln was one of the first transfers announced this pre-season, and could be a player that Brisbane can rely on for multiple years.

Macey Fraser: Utah Royals to Wellington Phoenix

The freestyle footballer, the free- kick expert, the thrilling forward. Macey Fraser is back at Wellington Phoenix following her time in the NWSL. The Football Fern has signed a three year deal under new coach Bev Priestman and joins the likes of CJ Bott and Brooke Nunn as new additions to the roster.

Fraser earned Phoenix a record fee with her move to the US and although the only played nine times for the Utah Royals, she could have come back as an improved player.

Fraser is an entertainer, as popular among fans as she is unpopular with goalkeepers. She is creative, tricky and could make for a potent combination with Alyssa Whinham.

Wellington Phoenix have big ambitions for this season, and Fraser’s return was a statement signing in a pre-season filled with them.

Sarah Hunter: Paris FC to Sydney FC

Sarah Hunter left Sydney FC as an A-League champion, premier and as officially the best young player in the country. She returns with a Matildas cap, Champions League experience and needing to play regular football after two injury-hit years with Paris FC.

Hunter’s return to the A-League Women should see her rediscover her best form, and with Alana Murphy on her own European adventure, the Sydney FC midfielder could re-establish herself as the best holding midfielder or deep lying playmaker in the country.

Hunter is composed on the ball, has an enviable range of passing and can score by either arriving late in the box or with one of her thunderous shots.

She has the ability to be an alite number six. The sort of midfielder that Australian football needs in the next few years, and Sydney FC will be hoping that her impact for them is immediate.

She will join a midfield boasting Shay Hollman, Maddie Caspers, Indiana Dos Santos and Hana Lowry (with the latter two also returning from injury.)

That suddenly makes Sydney FC look a lot more deep and threatening in the centre of the pitch. They struggled to control games last season, if Sarah Hunter is anywhere near her best, that will not be a problem this year.

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