Providing award winning coverage of the women’s game from our contributors worldwide since 2019
Impetus welcomes Matt Appleby to our team of regular photographers. On Sunday, he spent the afternoon at two matches in the North-East of England and shares the best of the action with us (24/1/23).
Above: Durham (blue) and Southampton battle for possession at Maiden Castle on Sunday. Photo: Matt Appleby.
Barclays Championship
FA Women’s National League Division One North
Middlesbrough (red) with Durham Cestria in blue.
Jon Smalldon captures the best of the action as the top two in tier eight’s Sussex County Women’s and Girls League Division One faced off on Sunday (24/1/23).
Above: Eastbourne Town (yellow) battle for possession with visitors Horsham Sparrows on Sunday. Photo: Jon Smalldon.
Eastbourne Town 2-1 Horsham Sparrows
Teams: EASTBOURNE TOWN: Bryant, Burt, Da Silva, Hemsey, Hughes, Mooney, O’Dwyer, Parfitt, Shambrook, Thornton-Barter, Watson. Substitutes: Semourson, Ward.
Scorers: Burt, Parfitt.
HORSHAM SPARROWS: Barry, Dallyn, Davies, Ekloff, Flood, Francis, French, Geraghty-Shewan, Hartley, Newby, Partridge. Substitutes: None listed.
Scorer: Francis.
Referee: Keith Cullen.
Perth Glory striker Cyera Hintzen speaks exclusively to Ben Gilby about her decision to remain at the club for another year, her love for the city, and what the team need to do to make Finals (23/1/23).
Above: Cyera Hintzen battles away for Perth Glory against Western United this season. Photo: Tom McCarthy.
Cyera Hintzen has been a major part of the Perth Glory squad for the last season and a half. She’s thriving in the team’s collective atmosphere and has a deep love of the city and wider state of Western Australia.
Her physical upper body strength combined with pace and sharpness in front of goal have marked her out as a key member of Alex Epakis’ squad since she arrived ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.
Last season was a huge challenge for an overseas player. After one home game, the Western Australian border closed due to COVID restrictions, forcing the Glory to spend the campaign based in New South Wales. It brought the playing group together, but without the benefits of home fans and wider support networks, it was a tough time as the striker told me.
“It was a bit of a challenge because I was coming to a country that I’d never been to before and knew really nothing about, expecting to stay in one part of the country but being uprooted to staying somewhere else was a bit confusing at first.
“I was just getting settled into living in Perth and then had to readjust to a new environment. But it was a great experience to bond with the girls and I think that chemistry and the mentality to fight for each other really showed last season.”
That incredible chemistry and mentality drove Perth Glory to the brink of Finals football, failing by just goal difference from eventual champions Melbourne Victory. It was a situation that made it an easy decision for Hintzen to sign on for another year.
“I wanted to stay at the club because of the girls and what we created on and off the field last season, I was excited to build off of that. Also, being able to fully experience Perth because last year we had to go into a hub for the majority of the season in Sydney. Being based in a hotel wasn’t easy and wasn’t the ideal experience, but we made the most of it.”
After the conclusion of last year’s campaign with the Western Australians, the striker went to Scandinavia – a familiar location: “After the A-League season, I went back to Valur which was the first club I played for starting my professional career in Iceland. I played in the Icelandic League from May to October.”
With border restrictions now lifted, Hintzen was able to return to Australia and experience both Perth and the wider state of Western Australia (WA) – and she is absolutely loving it.
“It has been an amazing experience being able to finally be in WA. The beaches and coffee are great and I love how laid back it is in Perth. Everyone has a chill vibe and it’s really easygoing.”
The attacking star teamed up with fellow American offensive players Rylee Baisden and Gabriella Coleman, who she knew from her younger days. The duo are both highly rated by Hintzen, who feels Baisden’s ACL injury is a major blow to the club.
“I didn’t know Rylee before I came to Perth but it has been a great experience playing with her. Unfortunately, with her injury we won’t get that opportunity anymore which is sad because I feel like we just started to figure each other out. With Gabriella, we are both from Dallas, Texas so I kind of knew her but she was younger than me so we never got to play together before.”
After their excellent campaign last time round and an impressive recruitment campaign in close season, including having many key players tied down long-term, there were high hopes for Perth Glory this season. At the present time, the Western Australian side are finally starting to show their potential, but have only won twice to date.
Reflecting on the campaign so far, the American told me: “I think we started off a bit slow this season and are trying to figure out what the team needs from everyone to bring up our play to the level that we know we can.
“I think we have finally started to fully believe in each other and brought back that fight for each other’s mentality. We just need to put together a full 90 minutes and be more clinical when we have those opportunities in front of the goal.”
With Perth Glory currently on a three-week hiatus due to the postponement of last weekend’s game at Sydney FC and the club having the bye this coming week, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what the team need to do in the second half of the season. Hintzen said: “I think a successful season for me would just be putting my best foot forward every single day and bringing everything I can to the club to help us win.
“I think being in that conversation for finals is the goal because we were so close last year and know we are more than capable of achieving that. So just getting everyone to believe in each other and this club and showing everyone who doubts us that we can be the team to make it to finals.”
Each week during the home and away season, Impetus’ writing and photography team covering the A-League Women will nominate a player, coach, and event of the week. We’ll keep a tally of the player and coach votes as the weeks go by, and just before the Finals, will announce our winners for 2022/23 (23/1/23)
BEN GILBY: Absolutely no contest this week. Alex Chidiac was absolutely masterful in Melbourne Victory’s successful trip to Adelaide United. When Chidiac is in that sort of form, no one can touch her.
KIERAN YAP: Alex Chidiac. The Victory playmaker was dominant and dangerous against Adelaide United. Chidiac scored once, set up another, and tormented the Adelaide defence in a virtuoso second half.
DENISE DUFFY: Betsy Hassett of Wellington Phoenix. International duty against the USA seemed to sharpen and invigorate her. It was smart to move her up the pitch to the number 10 role where she could use her intensity and experience to focus on playmaking and scoring goals.
RYAN MILLER-WOODS: Milly Clegg. Despite being only 17 years of age, the way she played against Canberra was that of a player well beyond her years as she scored the opening goal of the match (which was also her very first goal in the A-League Women) as well as playing a major part in the second goal for her side.
BEN CAREY: Alex Chidiac. Her energy and intent against Adelaide was next level. It resulted in a goal, an assist, and the creation of several more chances. She also did some good defending, making several recoveries, and even blocking a shot from going in. She was a huge part of how Victory was able to complete the comeback.
BEN GILBY: Natalie Lawrence. It’s been a tough season for the Phoenix, who had failed to build on the promise of last season despite, on paper having a more experienced squad this time. Throw in the fact that several of her team played an international match against the USA less than 24 hours before Sunday’s game against Canberra United and it makes the performance and result even more incredible. It’s a performance that they’ve been capable of all season. Now they need to use this as a launch pad, as the talent and promise is there.
KIERAN YAP: Natalie Lawrence. 5-0 against a usually free-scoring opponent, with key players having played just 20 hours before, in an international game against the reigning world champions. Incredible.
DENISE DUFFY: Natalie Lawrence of Wellington Phoenix. Guiding and steering a group of athletes when the wins are not coming must be draining. Lawrence consistently prepared her team each week and the fans saw improvements. The match against Canberra United was their moment to pounce. The game plan was aggressive. They connected passes across lines and they played fluid and exciting football.
RYAN MILLER-WOODS: Natalie Lawrence. In her very first season as Wellington’s head coach, it hasn’t by any means been easy for her with results not going her side’s way and just one point in the season before the match against Canberra United. Going into yesterday’s match, Wellington had scored just three goals in eight matches but coming out of the match had looked the strongest they had been all season in attack with five goals being scored in the match alone. This easily was Wellington’s best performance not only for this season but as a club in their relatively short time in the A-League Women. Hopefully, for Lawrence, this result can kickstart her side’s season and be a massive confidence booster as well.
BEN CAREY: Natalie Lawrence. She was able to keep Wellington Phoenix’s morale high after eight matches this season without a win. Then she implemented the perfect tactics to absolutely annihilate Canberra United at home. Super impressive.
BEN GILBY: The scenes on the pitch at Sky Stadium as both Wellington Phoenix’s women’s and men’s teams were photographed with fans after, for the first time they both won on the same day at the same stadium. The ultimate ‘one club’ photo – fantastic to see.
KIERAN YAP: Brianna Edwards’ penalty save for Wellington Phoenix against Canberra United.
DENISE DUFFY: The first minute of the second half of the Wellington Phoenix match. Just a beautiful sequence of football. Milly Clegg connected with Chloe Knott who passed to Michaela Foster who made a perfect cross to Ava Pritchard for a goal. This put the Phoenix up a confident three goals to none. On display was their highest-quality football of their season. The Phoenix were finally flying.
RYAN MILLER-WOODS: Wellington Phoenix’s win against Canberra United. In quite a few of their matches so far this season, Wellington has been very unlucky with the final result not going their way and not necessarily reflecting the hard work and determination that has very much been shown by the players in the team. However, yesterday they were honestly something else entirely against Canberra. It not only made a statement and then some but it really was just reward for a win that had been a long time coming for the Phoenix this season.
BEN CAREY: Alex Chidiac’s incredible attempt on goal in the 85th minute against Adelaide United. She kicked the ball past a defender, headed it over the keeper, but hit the crossbar. If it had gone in it surely would have been a contender for goal of the season! What followed was a mad and exciting scramble from both teams.
Norwich City 1-1 AFC Wimbledon
by George Jones – AFC Wimbledon
Above: Action from yesterday’s game between Norwich City and AFC Wimbledon. Photo: Emily Topping.
AFC Wimbledon left Norfolk disappointed after a draw away against Norwich City after the hosts levelled at the death in the tier four FA Women’s National League Division One South-East yesterday.
A soaring headed goal by birthday celebrant and captain Hannah Billingham was not enough, as the Canaries scored a last-minute equaliser to deny the visitors all three points.
The weather continued to cause havoc with fixtures across the country, but with this game being played at Norwich City’s The Nest, with a 4G pitch, it was one of the few going ahead.
Going into the game, AFC Wimbledon we had only played one game in the last six weeks and lacked the clinical edge that had served them well before the winter break, and so the South-West Londoners failed to capitalise on several good opportunities.
Neither team managed to get a hold of the game in the first half, but both had opportunities to test the keepers. Ashlee Hincks had stand-in City keeper Jess Harper make several saves, and Norwich’s Kathryn Stanley forced Faye Baker into producing the save of the day from a close-range effort.
The Dons nearly took the lead 25 minutes into the game, as Steph Mann fired off a left-footed shot from long range, but the City keeper managed to get her palms to it.
It looked as though the first half would end goalless, but in the ninth minute of injury time, Emma Plewa sent a cross into the box which Billingham perfectly headed into the Norwich goal.
The second half saw a much more dominant Dons. Emily Donovan looked set to double the visitors’ lead, before her shot was scrambled off the line by a City defender on the hour mark. The Norwich keeper then denied Hincks a chance to extend the lead 75 minutes into the game.
In the 89th minute, Wimbledon were made to pay for not taking advantage of the chances, as Norwich’s Natasha Snelling scored an equaliser after a goalmouth scramble. The hosts came close to stealing all three points in injury time, but were denied by an outstanding goal-line clearance from Kelly Highman.
Speaking after the game, Dons’ manager Kevin Foster said: “I think the first half showed we haven’t had games. We have had one game in six weeks and we looked like it, we weren’t ourselves and we were poor. In the second half we were much better.”
AFC Wimbledon are back in action Sunday 29th January, when we welcome Championship side Charlton Athletic in the 4th Round of the Vitality Women’s FA Cup. The game is being played at Carshalton Athletic FC with a 3pm kickoff.
Teams: NORWICH CITY: Harper, Johnston (Croft), Parker, Larkins, Todd, Smith, Snelling, Stanley (Symonds 59), Knights, Flye, Morran. Subs not used: Russell, Gooding, Cook.
AFC WIMBLEDON: Baker, Russell, Brooks, Highman, Billingham, Mann, Stow, Donovan (Taylor), Plewa (Newman), Hincks, Dorey (Siber). Unused Subs: Chloe Sampson, Bath.
Attendance: 330.
from Tom Freeman (23/1/23)
Above: Beth McKay celebrates with Fiona Walker after scoring for Livingston against Rossvale. Photo: Ger Harley/Sportpix
Livingston‘s new signing Beth Mckay has made an instant impact on the Scottish Women’s Championship, scoring a brace for the league leaders in a close 3-2 win away to Glasgow side Rossvale.
The first half saw the midfielder score either side of a goal from Brogan Anderson. Then Rossvale came back strongly in the second half with a double from Mel Porter, but Livi saw out the final ten minutes to defend their lead and grab the three points.
The hard-fought victory tightens the West Lothian club’s grip on the league and keeps them in pole position for promotion to the SWPL, after second-placed Renfrew Ladies were comprehensively beaten by Ayr United in Cumnock.
Clare Docherty scored a brace for United, with further goals from Cameron, Barbour and Dick with a penalty in a result which lifts the side up to fourth.
League One leaders FC Edinburgh beat Stenhousemuir 4-0 at home, while Falkirk held off a fightback by BSC Glasgow to win 3-2 and climb into second in the table. St. Mirren consolidated their top-half credentials with a 5-1 win over Dundee West which included a hat-trick by Maxine Fury.
In the second matchday of the new regional Biffa SWFL short season, Queen of the South look impressive in the SWFL South after putting 17 goals past Clark Drive, while Forfar Farmington have taken an early lead in the SWFL North after beating Dyce 5-2.
Central Girls, Bonnyrigg Rose, and Livingston Reserves all also made it two wins in two to top the SWFL East, while Alloa Athletic and Harmony Row did the same in the West league with wins over Cumbernauld Colts and West Park respectively.
Jean-Pierre Thiesset summarises the 13th round of 2022-2023 D1 Arkema season. Plus, an EXCLUSIVE photo gallery from Olympique Lyonnais’s match against Montpellier (23/1/23).
Above: Lyon fire in a shot on goal against Montpellier at the weekend. Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset for Impetus.
Rodez P-P Soyaux
A snowstorm saw this match postponed to later in the season.
Fleury 4-4 Paris Saint-Germain
A spectacular game that cost PSG top spot in the table. Even with PSG largely dominating this game (they had 78% possession), they missed too many opportunities including a 54th-minute penalty, against a Fleury team who always seemed to believe they could pull off a great result. The fact that PSG even allowed Fleury to score four times could be an indicator of worrying times ahead. Fleury are undefeated at home for eight games (six wins, two draws). Goals: Paris Saint-Germain – Kadidiatou Diani (21, 39, 49), Ramona Bachmann (27); Fleury – Ewelina Kamczyk (15), Rosemonde Kouassi (29, 74), Airine Fontaine (70).
Le Havre 1-3 Paris FC
A straightforward win away from home for Paris FC that consolidates their third place in the table. Goals: Paris FC – Mathilde Bourdieu (9), Clara Matéo (41, 58); Le Havre – Sh’nia Gordon (10).
Reims 6-1 Bordeaux
Reims overwhelmed Bordeaux with a stunning display of attacking efficiency. Rachel Corboz who came on in the 88th minute scored twice through a free kick and on a penalty. 19-year-old Melchie Dumornay, who will play for Olympique Lyonnais, put her name on the scoresheet at the end of the match. Goals: Reims – Charlène Meyong Menene (33, 53), Sonia Ouchene (79), Rachel Corboz (90+1, 90+6 penalty), Melchie Dumornay (90+3); Bordeaux – Oluwatosin Demehin (51 Own Goal).
Dijon 1-0 Guingamp
Dijon were level with Guingamp on points before the match and the win stems a long run of league defeats. Goal: Dijon – Jenna Hellstrom (53).
Olympique Lyonnais 2-0 Montpellier
A bitterly cold night at the Groupama Olympique Lyonnais Training Center on Gérard Houiller Field saw proper winter football with the match temperature being -10 with the wind chill. Lyon largely dominated the match from the off but were wasteful in the first half with Dzenifer Marozsan, Wendie Renard and Vicki Becho all missing chances. Becho, making her first start, made amends by delivering the key pass for le Sommer’s goal on 49 minutes. Selma Bacha also delivered an outstanding performance before leaving the field with an injury on 80 minutes. She will be examined on Monday but the fear is a pulled hamstring that will see her out for several weeks. Sara Däbritz was elected player of the game. Goals : Lyon – Eugénie Le Sommer (49), Sara Däbritz (80).
Jean-Pierre Thiesset’s EXCLUSIVE photo gallery from pitchside at the Groupama Training Centre
by Theo Hewson Betts (22/1/23)
Above: Scenes from the New York City ticker tape parade after the USWNT won the World Cup. Photo: Flickr/New York City Department of Transportation
Let’s get one thing absolutely clear before anything else – America loves winning. That is the most important piece of background to this piece, and it is vital that you remember it above all else.
In women’s football, the US have been trailblazers. They competed in the first women’s World Cup back in 1991 and hosted it in 1999. They won it in each of these years but it was the ‘99 victory that meant the most. It was a public exposure of the sport to the American public and, with Mia Hamm – one of the most respected and talented players of her time – providing the hero that the public needed to get hooked.
The reason that the USA were so ready for the advent of the World Cup is because of the Title IX rule – a civil rights law passed in 1972 that enforced equal funding in schools and universities towards men’s and women’s sports. In the space of 20 years, the number of girls playing high school football jumped from 700 to 120,000 (https://www.sportsver.com).
This progressive attitude towards women in football was way outside of the norm. In some of the most famous footballing nations across Europe and the World, women were essentially banned from playing the sport in any competitive circumstance. So even once the laws were changed, the infrastructure to produce and nurture young talent either didn’t exist or was too far behind to threaten the quality of the US or countries like Norway.
Interestingly, the thing that gave the US its advantage in the women’s game has been the thing holding the nation back in producing elite talents in the men’s game.
The college draft system that exists in the United States essentially replaces the academies of other countries. Young athletes are often offered places at colleges based on their sporting ability, and continue their moulding on campuses across the US, before being brought into the senior club game upon graduation.
When the college system is put side-by-side with elite footballing academies, it pales in comparison, as players don’t begin being effectively moulded for the adult game until they get out of college. In contrast, academies teach football from ages as young as 6. This is why the US when on a level playing field with countries like Spain, Germany or England, struggles to compare.
Contrast this with the approach to the women’s game – where the USA had college football education and other nations had next to none – and it becomes incredibly easy to see how the US managed to make its mark as a powerhouse of the world’s game.
The US women’s team had an advantage and then started winning. Winning in the US is the best way of drawing the attention of the populace and this was a sport, although not yet operating at its maximum capacity, that America had an opportunity to dominate for years.
American sports are full of irony. Baseball teams are named World Champions for leagues played entirely in the US. Athletes such as Tom Brady or Michael Jordan are lauded as the best athletes in the history of the world despite playing sports that are largely America-based. There is a real belief within the nation that Americans have a superiority in the sporting world, and early victories in women’s football provided more support for that belief.
Regardless of the massive achievement that was winning the first World Cup, in order to catch fire, the football team needed a spark. That spark came when the USA became the host of the 1999 tournament. It gave fans across the country the opportunity to witness a winning team.
The average attendance across that tournament was 37,000 and the American team scored 18 goals in six games on their way to a second World Cup in three tournaments. The overall attendance at the tournament was not beaten until 2015, which had more matches than the original layout. Not only was it one of the most successful tournaments in women’s sports, but it ignited the American interest in what they call soccer and embedded it firmly into the American psyche.
Mia Hamm was the star of the team and she was just important in pushing the popularity of the sport as the team’s success. The US is so commercially centred that the sport needed a Michael Jordan. It needed a Tom Brady, a Babe Ruth. Mia Hamm became that for football.
Hamm appeared in numerous adverts for popular products:
Hamm became the marketable player that the sport needed to convince young girls to start playing. Rather than aiming for nothing in particular, they could aim to be the next Mia Hamm; and this had a huge impact on how popular the sport was in schools.
The number of high school girls playing football had risen to a quarter of a million by 1999 and that did not stop rising. It is now the most popular sport for girls of that age and America’s national team is not getting any worse as time goes on.
The thing that makes America’s relationship with football so intriguing is its dismissal of the men’s game. Despite impressive talents like Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey operating at the elite level of the European game, the national team were never as successful as their counterparts, with the very college system that elevated the women’s game, holding back the men.
An interesting observation over recent weeks has come in all of my discussions with friends about the Qatar World Cup. There was no mention of their national team since Gregg Berhalter’s young side were knocked out by the Netherlands. There is a rejection of failure in American culture and so the women’s team remains at the present time lauded as greater than the men’s.
The legacy of Mia Hamm and the ‘99ers’ will live for a long time; not just in the memory of those who were there to witness it, but also in the stepovers and strikes of the young girls who dream of making it themselves.
Football is the World’s sport, and America empowered generations of girls where other countries failed them. Now, as the rest of the world continues the scramble to catch up, the US can wave them on from the finish line, secure in the knowledge that they can legitimately say they have been World Champions.
by Denise Duffy, New Zealand correspondent (22/1/23)
Above: North Harbour Stadium, where Wellington Phoenix will host Sydney FC next month. Photo: Auckland Stadiums.
Wellington Phoenix have announced that their women’s team will be playing their A-League Women round 15 match against Sydney FC at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland / Tāmaki Makaurau’s, New Zealand on Sunday 26th February.
North Harbour Stadium has a seating capacity of 19,000 and is located in Albany on the city’s North Shore. The Phoenix women’s current home is at Sky Stadium in Wellington / Te Whanganui a Tara, with a capacity of 34,500. There is an eight-hour drive between the two venues.
“With Auckland being the biggest city and having a huge number of football clubs and players, it makes total sense to take the game to Albany. There are a lot of young female players and fans in Auckland who will love the opportunity to watch their heroes play,” says supporter Jonathan Hagger, a member of the team’s Flight of the Nix supporters group.
“North Harbor Stadium is easy to get to, has great facilities and with the game being on a Sunday afternoon it will be attractive for families.”
“One of the biggest advantages of the stadium is that it is smaller and rectangular.” says Holly Eades of the Little Corner of Yellow supporters group. “It allows the fans to be closer to the action and the players will be able to hear us cheering them on in a more intimate venue.”
North Harbor Stadium is also home to the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup Play-Off Tournament and will host six matches beginning on 17th February.
Wellington Phoenix 5-0 Canberra United
By Kieran Yap
Above: Wellington Phoenix celebrate their fourth goal against Canberra United. Photo: Keep Up.
“It really has been coming for us,” said Chloe Knott after Wellington Phoenix’s 5-0 defeat of Canberra United. It is safe say that very few people outside of the club could have predicted it.
Coming into this match, Wellington’s form was concerning. Even for a new side featuring a young core, they were underperforming and showed little improvement from last season. There had been glimpses. They were organized but ultimately toothless against Western United, and up until Sunday morning, that had been their most encouraging display.
Against a dangerous Canberra United, Wellington were dominant. They were disciplined, creative, fast, and composed. This was a complete performance by the home side made especially impressive considering key players had featured against the USA in an ill-timed international just 20 hours before.
The back four were perfection against one of the league’s most versatile attacks. Mackenzie Barry and Kate Taylor look back to their best as a unit and as individuals.
Barry was faced with Michelle Heyman for much of the match. Although the Canberra captain looked capable of scoring, she was given no easy chances. Taylor sent a reminder of what she can provide when fully fit. Her ability to win possession and maintain it is remarkable for a player of her relative inexperience.
The match was likely won in midfield, where The Phoenix pressured as a team and moved the ball before Canberra could get in shape to defend. Millie Clegg was the dominant figure for much of the match. Her close control and passing was an outlet for Wellington and a concern for Canberra.
It was fitting that Clegg scored the opening goal. The Phoenix had dominated for the majority of the opening half, but their best chance was spurned by Ava Pritchard who shot over the bar with an open goal at her mercy.
A corner kick was whipped in and Clegg stayed composed to side-foot it home through a crowded goal line. Wellington had taken advantage of their momentum and deserved the lead in the 43rd minute.
The lead was doubled before halftime. Just moments later Betsy Hassett finished another move with Clegg at the centre of it all. Pritchard held up the ball well on the right and flicked a pass into the path of Clegg who’s shot stung the palms of Chloe Lincoln. Hassett was on hand to finish off the rebound.
Canberra would have come out in the second half with a plan to get back into the contest, but all of that was undone when Pritchard scored in the 46th minute.
A flowing move ended with Michaela Foster on the left flank. When she has time to cross it usually means a chance for Wellington, and she laid it on a plate for Pritchard who finished with one touch at full pace. 3-0.
Even when things went wrong for Wellington, it ended up on their highlights reel. Chloe Knott conceded a clumsy penalty through a handball and Canberra had a lifeline.
Brianne Edwards had other ideas, and she dove to her right to save Vesna Milivojevic’s strike in athletic style.
Wellington put the result beyond any remaining doubt in the 83rd minute. Izzy Gomez shaped to shoot on the edge of the penalty area but clipped a clever pass through to Hassett who finished excellently to make it four.
Mickey Robertson deflected a corner toward goal to make it five in the dying stages. Canberra appealed for a handball, but it appeared to bounce off the shoulder of Robertson at worst. The last touch came off Emma Ilijoski and it has gone down as an own goal to the Canberra defender.
This was a brilliant display by Wellington. Clegg was unstoppable at times, Paige Satchell gave them pace and mobility out wide, and Edwards was sensational in goal.
Their first win for the season came in style, and they have shown that they can score goals, and keep clean sheets in the same game. Pritchard played her best game for the club, and her form will be crucial to any more wins they enjoy.
For Canberra United, this was a shock result. They did lose to Wellington 3-0 last season, but this is a very different side. They were outmatched across the ground, and without Grace Maher in midfield, they lacked the ability to get the tempo on their terms. But this game was all about The Phoenix. It was simply a perfect performance.
Phoenix head coach Natalie Lawrence told media post-game that the “pressure was piling on” to get a result. “We knew that this win had to happen. We knew that we wanted to do it and how we wanted to do it. I’ve said to the players all along it’s been coming, that 90-minute performance where just everything clicked. I said the goals were coming and today it poured goals.
“For me personally this is a day that I’ll remember forever. To do it how we did it is exactly everything I wanted to promise at the start of the season and thanks for the players for believing in that and sticking to our processes because the outcome happened today.”
Lawrence was especially proud of how her players performed with a two-goal halftime lead. “Credit to them. That could have been the most excitable changing room where they’re losing their heads because they’re like ‘oh my god it’s two-nil’.
“But they’re like ‘no we’re professionals there’s 45 minutes left let’s get more goals. Betsy’s goal was our first goal from open play let’s build on that’.
“We knew there was going to be a game where everything came together, everything we’ve been working on came together and I’m just really, really happy for the players that it was today.
“They stepped up their professionalism today I think. We don’t want to get carried away and get ahead of ourselves. This is the start, and this should be the real turning point in our season.”
Teams: WELLINGTON PHOENIX (4-4-2): Edwards, van der Meer, Barry, Taylor, Foster, Clegg, Knott, Wisnewski, Satchell, Pritchard, Hassett. Substitutes: Vosper, Gomez, Robertson, Lancaster, Candy.
Scorers: Clegg 43’ Hassett 45’, 83’. Pritchard 56’, Ilijoski (og) 88’.
CANBERRA UNITED (4-4-2): Lincoln, Grove, Brush, Gett, Taylor-Young, Flannery, Wu, Hughes, Jale, Heyman, Milivojevic. Substitutes: Murray, Ilijoski, Christopherson, Faulknor, Segavcic.
Referee: Anna-Marie Keighley.
Attendance: 2,044.
impetusfootball.org 