Over the recent holiday period, Impetus asked Paul Donegan, a writer with UK-based women’s football website On Her Side to watch an A-League Women’s match of his choice to offer his thoughts about the facilities, quality, and stand-out players in a league he is not familiar with. Paul chose Perth Glory v Western United. Here are his thoughts:
13/1/23
Above: Perth Glory’s Sofia Sakalis in possession against Western United. Photo: Tom McCarthy.
I admit to having seen bits of matches from the A-League Women’s on telly before but it is normally on in the background if I am up early at weekends (not 4am early but more like 7/8am) whilst getting ready to go out. This would be the first match I have sat down and watched in whole.
I decided to watch a Western United game after having a look at the league table and seeing they had won their first four games as a new side in the league. Their match against Newcastle Jets between Christmas and New Year had been called off due to expected extreme heat (a bit different to games being called off due to frozen/waterlogged pitches in England)! Their next game was away to Perth Glory so on New Year’s Day and this is the one I settled down to watch.
Above: A packed stand at Macedonia Park for Perth’s game with Western United. Photo: Tom McCarthy.
The first thing I noticed was the weather and how sunny and warm it looked, but the commentator did say it was a bit windy! The blue sky looked amazing! As a bit of a football ground enthusiast, I was looking forward to seeing what Perth’s home ground Macedonia Park looked like. It came over very well and looks like a nice place to watch a football match!
The two teams’ kits were striking which I liked. Perth were wearing their home one which is purple and orange, a bit of a different combination. Western United were wearing a white kit with some black and green on it.
American Rylee Baisden gave Perth the lead in the seventh minute, scoring her fifth goal of the season. There were chances at both ends after that in first 15 minutes, so I was really enjoying it so far! Western United a bit suspect defensively, but they equalised in the 17th minute when Hannah Keane putting the ball in the net from near enough on the goal line after a good save onto the bar by the Perth goalkeeper Sarah Langman. There were more chances, a nice move from Western United finished being saved. This match was worth getting up early for! The first 25 minutes had flown by, always a good sign.
It all started to heat up a bit just before half-time. Langman with a great save onto the crossbar, then Western United hit the bar again before half time! 1-1 at the break, really good half to watch!
Above: Perth Glory celebrate Hana Lowry’s goal. Photo: Tom McCarthy.
Hana Lowry gives Perth the lead again in the 53rd minute. Western United almost immediately equalise. No let up in this game. Chloe Logarzo came on for the visitors just before the hour mark as part of a double substitution. I remember the Australian international having a spell at Bristol City in the WSL a few years ago. Getting heated again on the pitch and benches after a foul on a Western United player. Logarzo gets the equaliser, her third goal of the season, 2-2 in the 68th minute.
With four minutes left, Western United score to go ahead for the first time in the match! Keane’s effort is put into her own net by Demi Koulizakis. Is there going to be any more drama!? Five minutes added on. Another booking for a Perth player after a foul. Perth have one last attack which is cleared, and the final whistle goes, Western United win 3-2 for their fifth win in a row since the start of the season.
The real standout player of the match for me was Sarah Langman in goal for Perth. Despite being on the losing side, she made some outstanding saves and kept Perth in it. For Western United, Hannah Keane and Jess McDonald were the two who stood out for me.
I really enjoyed watching this match, a lot of action, drama, and goals. To me, it seemed like a great advert for the league. I will definitely try and watch more games in the A-League Women’s, as long as they are on at a reasonable time!
Artwork by: Charlotte Stacey, founder of On Her Side.
Ben Gilby reports on today’s announcement of the 2023 Cup of Nations where Australia, Spain, Czech Republic, and Jamaica (12/1/23)
Above: Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson sees the carefully constructed Cup of Nations as a major part of his team’s World Cup preparations. Photo: Damien Briggs, supplied to Impetus by: Football Australia.
Australia today announced that the Cup of Nations will return during next month’s international window with the Matildas welcoming Spain, Czech Republic, and Jamaica to New South Wales for a round-robin tournament.
The action will kick-off at Industree Group Stadium in Gosford on 16th February when Spain will face Jamaica before Australia take on the Czech Republic. Three days later, the teams move to Parramatta’s CommBank Stadium where Jamaica will play Czech Republic and the Matildas will come up against Spain. The final round of matches are on 22nd February at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle. This time Czech Republic will take on Spain and Australia host Jamaica.
The competition is specifically designed to as closely replicate the group stage of the World Cup with opponents specifically chosen to offer a range of challenges to enhance the Matildas’ preparations.
Speaking at Parramatta’s CommBank Stadium Football Australia CEO James Johnson underlined the importance of this event to help light the fire of the biggest ever year for the sport in the country’s history:
“I am so excited that we are in the year 2023. We fundamentally believe that the year 2023 will be the most exciting year in Australian football history. We (want to) use this (tournament) as an insight for the Australian community to see what the World Cup will be like.”
Above: Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson speaking to the media today in Parramatta. Photo: Daniel Briggs, supplied to Impetus by: Football Australia.
Also present at CommBank Stadium was the Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson who spoke of the carefully planned nature of this competition to give Australia the best possible build-up to July and August’s World Cup.
“Standing here, I am so pumped to get this going. I want to picture how this will be as a World Cup. I want it to mimic the group stage of the World Cup and see how it plays (out) with the fans in the stands to feed off that energy.
“This tournament is a small part of that wider preparation. Some players have played a lot of games. Some players will play on Sunday before the tournament starts. We might see some rotations as I need to see some players (in action) before the World Cup.”
The importance of the specific opposition that Australia have secured for the competition was also something Gustavsson highlighted.
“The fact that we have three different (styles of ) opponents replicates the World Cup. The Czech Republic are a big, strong team. They have showed in the last two years that they can achieve results against top teams. They are good at set-plays.
“If you look at Jamaica, we want (to come up against) a team that replicates Nigeria for the World Cup. If you look at their forwards, (such as Bunny Shaw from Manchester City), they can really hurt you on the break and we need to face that. Spain – we wanted to have a top-ranked team similar to Canada. Spain, although they have a different style to Canada, they are a passing team and we want to test our pressing game. That is a question – can our pressing game beat Spain’s passing game?
“We want to be a high octane ‘in your face’ sort of team, particularly on home soil with support from the fans. We have started to get more cohesion and consistency. That’s what I hope to see in this tournament.”
Above: Australia assistant coach Mel Andreatta sees the Cup of Nations as a potential sign of things to come for the country. Photo: Thomas Pombart, supplied to Impetus by: Football Australia.
At the competition’s parallel launch in Newcastle, Gustavsson’s assistant Mel Andreatta was visibly excited about what is to come next month.
“It is a World Cup year – it’s finally here. We’re super pumped. What a year to start with a tournament in Australia. What an opportunity for all Australians to do what we are best at – hosting world-class sporting events.
“These opponents have been carefully chosen for us to prepare in the runway up to the World Cup. This is the best way for us to start our final preparations for the World Cup. Let’s get started!”
Above: Kyah Simon speaking to the media today at the Cup of Nations launch in Newcastle. Photo: Thomas Pombart, supplied to Impetus by: Football Australia.
Also present at the launch were several Matildas players. Kyah Simon emphasised the importance of what is to come starting with the Cup of Nations in terms of the legacy for the next generation
“It’s a chance to watch strong, powerful female(s)… do what they do best and they can see that if a guy can do it, a girl can do it just as good.”
Kyah Simon
From a players perspective, Tottenham Hotspur star stated how she believes that the challenges posed by Spain, Czech Republic, and Jamaica are hugely important to being ready for the World Cup. “To have a tournament like this before is crucial in terms of preparations to play three teams who are so different in terms of quality and football(ing) style.”
However, it’s not just the opposition that is important, it’s the start for Australian fans to get caught up in the atmosphere of watching a successful national side – and the Matildas are all out to build on what the Socceroos achieved in Qatar.
“Being back here for the back end of the Socceroos tournament (men’s World Cup campaign), I really saw the support (that they got) from the whole of Australia… definitely lit a fire in our bellies and got that excitement going. I hope the country gets behind us just as much as they did for the boys.”
Above: Cortnee Vine pictured in Parramatta today – she’s out for redemption against Spain. Photo: Daniel Briggs, supplied to Impetus by: Football Australia.
Speaking back in Parramatta, striker Cortnee Vine was clear that Australia are going all out to make sure they right the wrongs from their last encounter against Spain, which saw a weakened Matildas side suffer a 7-0 defeat.
“I’m interested to play Spain again – we need redemption again. We need to see where we are against the best for the World Cup.
Vine also revealed that she is continuing to hone her skills as a finisher with the national squad coaches to give her the best possible chance of being selected for the World Cup squad.
“I’ve had a few words recently with the assistant coach (Mel Andreatta) to work on those little few executions of chances. I do get into good positions, but I need to get on the end of the chances. I really want to hear that crowd (when I score)!”
Above: Charli Grant speaking to the media today in Parramatta – the former Adelaide United star sees this Cup of Nations as the perfect way to start 2023. Photo: Daniel Briggs, supplied to Impetus by: Football Australia.
Breakthrough defender Charli Grant was also in Parramatta and highlighted that the importance for the Matildas to start World Cup year on the front foot.
To have a tournament leading into the World Cup against three different opposition is so good, and give a glimpse to the Australian public about what to expect in July. Hopefully, we can kick off 2023 with a bang.
Above: Grace Jale speaking to the media yesterday. Image: Canberra United.
Canberra United will be going into their match on Saturday against Newcastle Jets with a lot of confidence from the result and performance they had against Adelaide United – an outcome that ended a three-match losing streak.
Canberra United’s Grace Jale has been an integral and crucial player so far this season. Her form is going a long way to prove to national coach Jitka Klimková that she is worth a starting place in New Zealand’s squad at this year’s World Cup based on her current form for Canberra.
Jale, who recognises that the Jets will offer “a challenge”, outlined how she is settling into life in Australia’s capital city after moving from Wellington Phoenix when she spoke to the media yesterday.
“I’m loving it here, the group is great, the coaching staff is great, the players are great. I think it is a great environment to be in.”
“My own personal battles with confidence and coming into a new team was a bit daunting at first but once I was here it was great and it was really nice for all the players to be so comforting and encouraging but I think it’s just for me putting a stamp on the league (A-League Women) and trying to put my best foot forward for the World Cup coming up this year.”
Jale returned to the theme of confidence, and revealed that it took her quite a while to find her feet in the A-League Women with Wellington Phoenix last season.
“Kind of later into last season with the (Wellington) Phoenix when I had started scoring some goals I thought it’s a bit of a confidence boost and that I can do it and with Njegosh’s (Popovich) encouragement and just giving me the freedom to kind of play my own game and everyone else’s encouragement as well to play my own game, working with Michelle Heyman and all the encouraging words has made it so much easier going into games more confidently.”
Above: Canberra United head coach Njegosh Popovich sees Saturday’s opponents Newcastle Jets as “a very good side”. Image: Canberra United.
Jale’s head coach Njegosh Popovich also addressed journalists yesterday. Speaking about what the Kiwi has added to his team this season, Popovich said: “Grace (Jale) is a super person, a great player to watch.
“I think she has some incredible talent in terms of going forward and also her running metres are incredible, I can’t get over her work rate, she does things so easily that people think she is relaxing and being lazy but the reality of it is, she just makes it look easy.”
Popovich’s first season so far has seen his side playing quite well despite certain results not going Canberra’s way. He feels that their superb win in Adelaide last weekend could be the start of better things.
“I think that turning point is one word to use, it’s a new year, it’s a new beginning as people say but the reality for me is that the team has been performing well it just hasn’t been getting the results and on the weekend we still had a lot of opportunities that were missed and missed chances, we are definitely creating a lot of goals, so very happy about that.”
As for Canberra’s opponents Newcastle, they have had an up-and-down season so far and while they have scored the fourth most goals so far this season with 14 (only behind Western United, Sydney FC, and Melbourne City ), they also have the unwanted feat of having conceded the most goals so far with 22. For comparison, Perth Glory and Wellington Phoenix have the next most goals conceded with 15, so Newcastle will want to make a statement on Saturday against Canberra.
When asked about what to expect from Newcastle on Saturday, Popovich said: “I think Newcastle Jets are a very good side, to be fair and honest with you, I think they have been unlucky in a lot of games.
“I think the inconsistency on their results is probably based more around some of the younger players they have in the back third, more so than the front line, the front line is rapid so that’s something we need to keep an eye on.”
PERTH GLORY v WELLINGTON PHOENIX
Above: Perth Glory head coach Alex Epakis speaking to the media today ahead of Sunday’s home game with Wellington Phoenix. Image: Perth Glory.
Perth Glory head coach Alex Epakis began today’s media conference with an update on Rylee Baisden’s injury after the American confirmed on social media yesterday that her season has come to a premature end, writes Ben Gilby.
“It’s a serious knee injury,” said Epakis, “and it’s going to be a long-term one. It’s devastating because she’s been fantastic for us and the competition. We’re offering her as much support as we can and looking to get the rehabilitation in.”
The Perth boss underlined how Baisden’s loss to the team is more than just her ability in front of goal. “With Rylee you get fantastic energy and leadership and you also get a fantastic player on the field. To replace that isn’t easy and that’s something we’ll all have to do to try and fill the void. Other players get a chance to put their hand up now and I’m excited to see how that goes.
“We are still able to bring in unattached players, whether that is local or overseas. I’ve been really active to ascertain what that list might look like to make the most informed decision. If we can find someone, then great, but if not, we have players, we are comfortable.”
In far more positive related player news, Sunday will see Glory stalwart and former Matildas star Kim Carroll play her 150th W/A-League Women match – an achievement that Epakis believes is fitting for such an influential individual both on and off the pitch.
“That’s a huge testament to her as a person and a player. Kim has been a fantastic servent to the competition, to the national team for as far as I can remember. We’ve been very fortunate to have her here…she is someone who I value a lot. She has a lot of leadership capacity. She is a good person to rely on.
“We have conversations regarding the team, and it’s a really good exchange of ideas. She improves me as a coach, and we’re really looking forward to the team and her putting on a great effort and performance for this game.”
Above: Sunday marks Kim Carroll (centre, white shirt)’s 150th W/A-League Women appearance. Photo: Kieran Chea for Impetus.
Whilst Perth Glory have only recorded a single win for the season, the team’s recent form against the three Victorian sides Melbourne City, Western United, and Melbourne Victory has been impressive. “I think we’re finding the right balance now tactically in how we play, especially in going forward,” recognised Epakis.
Sunday’s match at Macedonia Park sees the first-ever A-League Women Distance Derby in Western Australia with Wellington Phoenix making the 5,251km trip, (flights vary from 6-9 hours). The Glory boss knows that, despite the Nix’s lowly position in the ladder, they are capable of lowering Perth colours.
“They are a very high-energy team. There are a lot of young players there and their performances have been really good. They are a hard-working group and there are a lot of parallels with us as a group as well.
“Since they have come to the competition. they haven’t let anyone get over the top of them. They are a very competitive team. We had some very tricky encounters with them last season. We know where we need to be at for the game.
“We’ve beaten them twice, both times we’ve played them. Both times we needed to be mindful of our performance and there were times where they took the ascendancy in terms of the energy.”
With the season now at it’s half way stage, Perth do not have the points on the board that many expected. Epakis stated that he his team are more than aware that for his team to reach their potential, they have to get wins on the board, and fast.
“We are in a position where we can’t have slip-ups. We’ve been really clear about that with the group. From here on in, regardless of who we are playing, we’re going all in to get maximum points, so that mindset is a good one to have. There is no Plan B, Plan A is to get a positive result.”
Alex Epakis on Perth Glory’s focus for the remainder of the season.
Above: Wellington Phoenix’s returning vice-captain Kate Taylor speaks to the media yesterday. Image: Wellington Phoenix.
Wellington Phoenix‘s Kate Taylor is back in line for selection as the Nix take the almost 12 hour flight to face Perth Glory at Macedonia Park, writes Ryan Miller-Woods.
Wellington Phoenix will really want to get a result this round to bridge the gap that they now have to 10th placed Western Sydney Wanderers thanks to Wanderers’ shock victory against Melbourne City last time out.
Wellington’s chances have been given a great boost with the return of vice-captain Kate Taylor, one of the club’s brightest young stars who unfortunately had been unavailable for the past five matches due to injury.
“I first picked up the injury back in Christchurch with the (Football) Ferns (in November). I didn’t quite know what it was but I knew it wasn’t too serious at the time so I thought I would be okay, so then we came back here (with the Phoenix) and I played those first two games (against Melbourne City and Western United) and I probably shouldn’t have.
“In hindsight, it’s just part of sport and so these past few weeks I’ve been taking it easy, kind of managing my load a bit more, and been building up slowly which has been really good and I’ve enjoyed being back running, and kicking a ball and just being back with the girls and around the squad.”
Asked about what she makes of Perth Glory this season, Taylor said: “I think they’re strong again, they’ve kept lots of the same people from last year, obviously they’ve had a horrible injury now (with Rylee Baisden who tore her ACL against Melbourne Victory last round) but I think they’re still a strong team, they like the ball, they’ve got a good coach (in Alex Epakis) and I think they know what they’re doing on and off the ball.”
With Perth Glory being very clear that they are going all out for wins between now and the end of the season, Taylor was asked about Phoenix’s own search for three points.
“Yeah, I think it’s (been) hard. Obviously, that (first) point was really momentous for us and I think that moving forward that win’s getting closer and closer, obviously, the performance last week (against Western United) was good but just not quite there so I think we just got to keep pushing and keep pushing each other in training and scoring goals as much as possible and hopefully that is reflected on the pitch.”
For Wellington, this season, unfortunate mistakes have tended to be the deciding factor in matches. This is something that they will need to eradicate on Sunday. Whilst Perth are without Rylee Baisden, they have a multitude of attacking weapons in their squad.
Above: Marisa van der Meer is positive ahead of the long trip to Perth. Image: Wellington Phoenix.
Also speaking to the media ahead of their long journey to Western Australia was Marisa van der Meer, one of Wellington’s best players up so far this season with her awareness in defence. A superb quality for a 20-year-old to possess.
Outlining how she feels the team are progressing whilst still searching for their first win, van der Meer said: “I think with each game we’re improving, getting better and better and our connection off the field is as well improving which is definitely going to help us on the field so as long as we keep moving forward I think results will follow.”
With the return of vice-captain Kate Taylor to the squad from injury, van der Meer who in Taylor’s absence had been playing centre back, will most likely be back in her usual position of right back. van der Meer feels that her vice-captain’s return is a massive plus for the Phoenix.
“It will be such a good boost for the team and especially having her as a leader in that centre back role I think will just help us to move forward and I think it will really help our defence and hopefully that can relate into our attack as well.”
Reflecting on Sunday’s opponents Perth Glory, Van der Meer observed: “I think Perth are pretty good, they weren’t bad last season as well. They’ve kept those same players, they’ve had a few good results this season as well so I think they’re quite good at their transitioning and going forward.
“They have lost one of their attacking players recently (in Rylee Baisden) but I think they’ll be a challenging team (to face). I think we’ll be able to compete with them and hopefully get a result.”
Artwork: Charlotte Stacey, founder of On Her Side.
In the latest of our Midweek Dub series of interviews with A-League Women players, Wellington Phoenix’s Chloe Knott speaks aboutthe challenges of her earliest days playing the game as a young girl in the North-West of England, her fierce desire to play international football, and the passionate belief she has that Phoenix will turn their season around(11/1/23).
Above: Chloe Knott in action for Wellington Phoenix against Melbourne Victory this season. Photo: Wellington Phoenix.
by Ben Gilby
Chloe Knott’s footballing career has been one full of challenges and hurdles to overcome from its earliest moments to the present day.
Growing up in Bolton, in the North-West of England, Knott began playing football with her Dad and local boys before going on to have a trial for Blackburn Rovers, who are now a second-tier club. However, a number of the midfielder’s contemporaries who began playing the game in Lancashire at that time reported how tough it was as a young girl to be playing football – both in terms of perception and how they could be treated.
For Knott, the game in England at the time failed to offer her the opportunities that are around in New Zealand as she outlined: “In England, it felt hard thinking about becoming a professional and making money playing football. When I moved to New Zealand it seemed like there were a lot more opportunities open to me, in terms of potentially playing overseas. It was not having a home team in New Zealand that made it hard though – you couldn’t stay here and play football as a career. Having the Phoenix now makes it incredible for girls in New Zealand.”
Above: Blackburn, in the North-West of England, where Chloe Knott had a trial with Blackburn Rovers (their stadium can be seen middle right). Photo: Blackburn with Darwen Council
The Wellington Phoenix star’s early days in England and the fact it has contributed towards preventing her from playing international football for New Zealand due to not having spent enough consistent time in the country remains a major source of frustration.
“It’s been really challenging, it’s been such a long time of wanting to do it (play for NZ), but not being able to. I just want to be able to be selected because of ability and compared to the best of the best, seeing where I stack up. Hopefully, we’ll get there. Phoenix has really helped with that though, having a New Zealand representative team in that way has helped to fill the void.”
The void that Phoenix has filled for Knott is one that fills her with a huge sense of pride. “That first game wearing the Phoenix jersey for the first time – creating history together was incredible. The first win was amazing; doing it as a team, going through it all together, it was really special.”
Yet, even that campaign was full of challenges of the highest order. Due to te COVID pandemic, Wellington were unable to play any home games in the A-League Women and were forced to spend their inaugural season based out of a hub in Wollongong, New South Wales, some 2,222km from their home city. It was a situation that had a huge impact on the group emotionally:
“The hardest thing was seeing the younger girls struggle with not having family around and having to navigate all the ups and down – especially knowing there is only so much you can do in that situation. It was a tough time. Having Christmas away from family was hard as I’m a real Christmas girl.
Chloe Knott on the most challenging aspects of having to spend all of last season’s A-League Women season outside of New Zealand.
Above: Chloe Knott in action for Wellington Phoenix during their inaugural season. Photo: Wellington Phoenix.
Out of tough times come examples of people stepping up and going above and beyond. For the Phoenix midfielder, last season’s head coach Gemma Lewis comes into that category.
“She had high standards and demanded a lot from us in terms of professionalism, but she was quite supportive. It was really tough being away (from New Zealand for all of last season), but she was great at supporting us, particularly the younger girls.”
With Lewis departing Wellington during the close season to take up a job at the FA Wales in her home country, the club appointed her assistant Nat Lawrence as the new head coach. Knott strongly supported the decision: “Nat was so supportive last season too, so having already got that relationship with the players is important. She is a great person and we respect her.”
With the COVID pandemic’s restrictions largely lifted, it meant that at last Wellington Phoenix would be able to play home matches in front of their home fans. That first occasion, in front of a record A-League Women crowd of 5,213 for a stand-alone game against Melbourne City was arguably the highlight of Knott’s career on so many levels.
“The first game – that feeling of doing it for New Zealand and the pride in doing it for New Zealand girls who have never had that opportunity. It represented so much more than just ourselves. It was so special to see all those messages coming in after the game saying how proud everyone was and how the young girls loved watching us.”
Above: Wellington Phoenix’s squad pictured after their first ever home game against Melbourne City at Sky Stadium. Photo: Wellington Phoenix.
The wider impact of having a fully professional women’s team playing home games in New Zealand is something that excites the midfielder on a deeper level.
“It makes it feel possible to stay in New Zealand, at home with your family, and be able to play in a professional team and compete at a high level. It’s such a good opportunity for young girls who might not want to go overseas to still play professional football at a high level. Hopefully, it will grow the game and make more girls want to play.”
With the duel combination of home matches and putting together a squad with an experienced Kiwi spine as well as keeping hold of the majority of their young stars from last season, Phoenix were expected by some to be pushing towards midtable. It hasn’t quite worked out like that so far.
“It’s been a slow build,” admitted Knott. We’re still learning heaps. I’m still learning a lot about my game. Obviously, we didn’t want to be losing games, we had higher expectations (of ourselves) from the start, but we know it’s a learning process. We’re building every week and we can see that growth every week.
“We want to be competitive and still want to make Finals. I 100% back us to turn the season around and start getting wins. We can compete with the best teams for a half or 70 minutes. We competed for the whole 90 against Adelaide United. I think we are going to turn it around, and I back us!”
Above: Hannah Keane unleashes a deadly strike from her left foot. Photo: Western United.
The Western United wrecking ball struck again against Sydney FC on a hot Wednesday afternoon in Victoria. This extends their winning streak to seven wins now.
Western United started out the more aggressive of the two sides, with a number of early forays into the Sydney defensive half. It was only five minutes in that Sydney was given their first real wakeup call when Jessica McDonald sliced a beautiful ball into the box that was just cleared wide by Charlize Rule.
Just after the 10-minute mark, Deborah-Anne de la Harpe made a sloppy defensive error and coughed up the ball in a dangerous position in the midfield. McDonald pounced on the opportunity and ran forward with the ball, crossing it into the box, but it was a bit too quick for Hannah Keane to catch up to and it passed harmlessly by the goal.
By now Sydney should have been well aware of the threat posed by McDonald, but they were still unable to contain her. In the 18th minute, she broke past the Sydney defensive line and crossed it into the box, which was parried away by the keeper and fell at the feet of Adriana Taranto, who patiently passed it to Keane who slotted it into the bottom right corner of the goals.
𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝐖𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍?!?! 😮
Hannah Keane gets her 4⃣th goal of the season to give @wufcofficial an early lead 🔥
Sydney had some half-chances down the other end during the first half, often coming from the partnership of Madison Haley and Mackenzie Hawkesby, but none of them did much to trouble the Western defence or goalkeeper.
In the 35th minute, McDonald showed her speed, foot skills, and work rate yet again in a crucial sideline duel with Natalie Tobin, eventually passing off to Emma Robers who whipped a ball into the box that fell awkwardly for the Sydney backline, and they were unable to clear it. Tyla-Jay Vlajnić picked it up and passed it on to Keane who tapped it home for a second of the match. With that goal, Keane became the joint top scorer in the league alongside Melina Ayres and fellow Americans Rylee Baisden and Haley.
𝐊𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄!! ✌️
The American doubles @wufcofficial's lead and goes equal-top in the Golden Boot race with five for the campaign 🇺🇸🔝
With Keane’s second goal, Sydney FC found themselves in a situation they hadn’t been in since March 2021, down two goals before halftime. In the last 10 minutes of the half, Sydney turned up the heat a little. Haley had a handful of chances near goals, but the form that had made her such a threat for the rest of the season completely abandoned her.
Near the end of the first half, Hawkesby took an amazing free kick from well outside the 18-yard box. She put a lot of power and loop on it, positioning it well in the top third of the goals. But the Western keeper, Hillary Beall was equal to it, pulling out a fantastic leaping save to snuff out the attempt. Cortnee Vine and Hunter also teamed up for an attempt, right before the stroke of halftime, but it was saved by Beall.
The second half started off in a rather uneventful fashion. The ball was held up in a midfield battle. It was fairly high intensity but a bit scrappy from both sides, neither managing to maintain much possession or build anything from it.
The game came back to life in the 74th minute when Vlajnić hit an amazing high-looping corner kick that landed right on the Sydney goal line. Amidst a mad scramble of defenders and attackers, McDonald managed to connect with it, but Shay Hollman kept her cool and made a goal-line clearance to keep Sydney in the contest.
The rest of the match played out fairly routinely, with Western United defending hard and wasting time where they could. The Sydney FC fightback that everyone has come to expect never came to fruition. There was a stellar attempt on goal very late in the piece by Princess Ibini who found herself in some space and took a terrific shot at goals, unfortunately slipping at the last second, no doubt affecting her power and accuracy. Nonetheless, it had to be parried away by the keeper and it fell to Haley who could only find the side netting.
The match wasn’t quite the blockbuster we were hoping for. It ended up being a surprisingly comfortable win for Western United. We were expecting fireworks, but we got sparklers instead. That said, the match did reveal a number of key factors about both teams.
Above: Western United’s Tyla-Jay Vlajnić gets a shot in under the watchful eye of Sydney FC’s Mackenzie Hawkesby. Photo: Sydney FC.
First, the lack of Jada Whyman is extremely evident. While Katie Offer did a great job for the majority of the match, when it came to the key moments she was often too passive in goals, unlike Whyman who is always proactive and dynamic.
Second, Sydney’s defensive structure is not as strong as we first thought. It was undone several times during the match from the dynamic movement and passing from Western United. Sydney is a team that is so dangerous when they are on the offensive and they are able to keep their opponents on the back foot, but when the roles are reversed like they were today, Sydney seemed lost at sea. Whoever said “the best defence is a good offence” obviously never came up against Western United.
Finally, Western United is a team with a lot of depth and cohesion. McDonald, Keane, and Vlajnić all had stellar performances, along with Adriana Taranto, the entire Western United backline, and Beall, who made five saves against one of the most offensive teams in the league.
Speaking after the game, Sydney FC head coach Ante Juric said: “It was a disappointing performance all round. We clearly didn’t play at our best, and we had some players playing below their usual high standards.
“Western made it tough for us and I’d say deserved the win in the end. We will get back to training, learn from the loss, work harder and have a focus on our next game.”
Despite the tough loss for Sydney, they were still celebrating Ibini’s 100th match for Sydney FC. She is only the second player to have achieved that feat for Sydney, and at the age of only 22. That’s a massive achievement and one to be celebrated far and wide.
𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑰𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒊 – 𝑺𝒚𝒅𝒏𝒆𝒚 𝑭𝑪 𝑪𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒏 💯
The Sydney local becomes only the second woman to achieve 100 Sydney FC appearances in the Liberty A-League ⭐️
Western United will face Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday and Sydney FC will have 10 days off to regroup before coming up against Perth Glory on January 21st.
Teams: WESTERN UNITED (4-3-3): Beall, Papadopoulos, Cummings, Cerne, Medwin, M. Taranto, Robers, A. Taranto, McDonald, Keane, Vlajnić. Substitutes: Dall’Oste, Dakic, Steer, Sinclair, Johsnon.
Scorers: Keane 18’, 35’.
Teams:SYDNEY FC (4-3-3): Offer, De La Harpe, Tobin, Mclean, Rule, Hawkesby, Hollman, Hunter, Ibini, Haley, Vine. Substitutes: Franco, Green, Stanic-Floody, Lowe, Badawiya.
Referee: Kate Jacewicz.
Attendance: 740.
Artwork by: Charlotte Stacey, founder of On Her Side.
Above: Bryleeh Henry and Leticia McKenna celebrate a goal for Melbourne City.Photo: Melbourne City.
On a warm Wednesday evening, Melbourne City came away with a 3-0 over Adelaide United at ServiceFM Stadium.
In a scrappy, attritional contest, the scoreline somewhat flattered City, who bookended the second half with their scoring; 16-year-old midfielder Daniela Galic opening their account just after the interval, with substitutes Leticia McKenna and Caitlyn Karic sealing the result with a goal apiece in injury time.
Both sides met not only in the middle of tough stretches of three games in seven days or less, but also in the midst of dips in their respective forms. Melbourne City had seen a downtrend in their offensive output and creativity with the absences of Emina Ekic (season-ending injury) and Maria Rojas (national team camp) and were coming off a shock loss to Western Sydney Wanderers on the weekend.
Adelaide meanwhile, were hoping to avoid losing three matches in a row, their own forwards Chelsie Dawber and Fiona Worts also having gone cold, with just two goals combined this campaign.
With short turnarounds for each team, changes were made to both line-ups. City head coach Dario Vidosic brought in Julia Grosso for McKenna – Galic sliding back into the midfield – with club captain Emma Checker and veteran goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri also injecting greater experience into the backline. For Adelaide and their boss Adrian Stenta, Paige Hayward and former City midfielder Meisha Westland drew in, in place of Xiao Yuyi and Jenna McCormick.
Above: Melissa Barbieri was back in goal for Melbourne City. Photo: Melbourne City.
Vidosic spoke on Tuesday about the game being “a great chance now to respond, to show that [the Wanderers loss] was just a one-off”, and the Melbournians almost had the perfect start in the second minute, with Bryleeh Henry’s low cross just out of the reach of striker Hannah Wilkinson, following a lovely midfield turn, drive and through pass from Leah Davidson.
City, as they have for most of the season, dominated possession throughout, with Adelaide looking to block passing lanes and apply pressure centrally to prevent their opponents having easy passage; midfielder Dylan Holmes able to fire an early shot from the edge of the box after one successful turnover, though it was a comfortable save for keeper Barbieri. The Reds’ strategy was successful in frustrating Melbourne, however, whether due to the weather or their form, both teams’ passing radars were off, and the lack of quality led to a disjointed first half, scarce of clear cut openings.
The best chance of the period came right after the midway drinks break, with Dawber finding counterpart Worts beyond the City defence. However, as has been the case all campaign thus far for last season’s golden boot winner, Worts’ scoring touch continued to desert her, disappointingly skying wide when she should have done better.
City’s recent theme of toil in conjuring final balls continued, evident in the absence of any shots at all in the first 45 minutes collectively. Whatever Vidosic said to his team at half-time though, paid immediate dividends; a well-weighted through ball from Rhianna Pollicina found Henry on the right, and she put her cross on a platter for Galic to tap home just two minutes after the restart.
The goal energised the Sky Blues, and moments later Adelaide keeper Annalee Grove had to be quick to smother the ball at Wilkinson’s feet after a long ball in transition had put the New Zealander through.
The Reds continued to look to catch City out on the break, but found it challenging to create tangible opportunities for themselves; Dawber coming closest, with City defender Katie Bowen needing to produce a last-ditch sliding tackle to prevent the Adelaide striker from pulling the trigger in the box.
Above: Adeliade United captain Izzy Hodgson. Photo: Adelaide United.
Stenta looked to his bench for answers in attack, and in the 76th minute two of his substitutes almost combined; Xiao Yuyi’s cross was barely prevented from reaching Emilia Murray by a combination of City’s Barbieri and right back Kaitlyn Torpey clearing just ahead of her.
Adelaide’s offensive intent however opened up gaps further back. Minutes later, Henry, who was Melbourne’s best on ground, put City’s own second-half substitute McKenna through on goal, but while the midfielder was able to round the keeper, she couldn’t find the back of the net from a tight angle.
The Perth native though didn’t have to wait long for another chance; two minutes into injury time, a lung-busting run by Henry into the opposition’s third forced Adelaide’s Murray into a tactical foul. McKenna all but sealed the result in slightly fortuitous circumstances, with her effort from the resulting free-kick deflecting off the wall and looping over the outstretched hand of Grove.
There was nothing lucky about fellow reserve Caitlyn Karic’s finish however, the 17-year-old putting the icing on the cake in the 96th minute by turning then burning past her marker, before producing a delicious, pinpoint curl into the bottom far corner.
The result keeps City within distance of leaders Western United in the table for now, but the unyielding schedule continues on, with a big Melbourne derby on Sunday against Victory. Adelaide meanwhile, will go back to the drawing board, hoping to find themselves on the road with a trip north to face Brisbane.
Teams: ADELAIDE UNITED (4-4-2): Grove, I. Hodgson, Sasaki, Waldus, E. Hodgson; Westland, Barbieri, Holmes, Hayward; Dawber, Worts. Substitutes: Farrow, Tolland, Coorey, Murray, Xiao.
by Blaise Ogutu, Impetus’ North American Football Correspondent(10/1/23)
The NWSL offseason is rarely a quiet time with every team trying to figure out what’s best in the coming season. The 2023 Draft is also fast approaching and it offers a chance to top collegiate talent to make the transition to the professional leagues. With that said, here is how things have panned out since the final whistle in Washington DC last season.
Kansas City Current splash big
Above: Debinha in action. Photo: Jaylynn Nash/USA Today Sports.
On Monday, the Kansas City Current made one of the biggest statement signings in the game announcing the signing of free agent Debora Cristiane de Oliviera popularly known as Debinha. The talented midfielder was touted to be heading to Europe after six years in the NWSL with the North Carolina Courage.
She has signed a contract through to 2024 with an optional additional year.
Debinha will be joining a loaded midfield with Current having also signed veterans Morgan Gautrat and Vanessa DiBernardo on free agency from the Chicago Red Stars.
Last season’s runners-up have also extended contracts of key players such as Hailie Mace, Kate Del Fava, and Alexis Loera all of whom were instrumental last season, a season that saw the team massively improve from 2021.
Chicago Red Stars in a worrisome state
Above: Ecstatic Red Stars. Photo: Matt J. Wood/Twitter
The Red Stars are a stark contrast to Kansas and have been heavily decimated with players either opting not to renew contracts or leaving as free agents. The current position the club finds itself in comes as a result of the multiple reports of league-wide investigations. The club board chose to remove chairman and majority owner Arnim Whisler due to his handling (or lack thereof) of players’ complaints of abuse and misconduct from former head coach Rory Dames who was at the centre of the investigations.
It is hard to imagine Chicago without the formidable trio of Dibernardo, Gautrat, and Danielle Colaprico. They have been at the centre of Chicago’s mainstay as a top club in the NWSL and now the club has to go through a rebuild. They have also lost defender Zoe Morse to Brighton and Hove Albion in England as well as Sarah Luebbert to Mexican side Club America.
Gotham FC Rebuild ongoing
Above: Gotham FC Team poses for photographs. Photo: GothamFC/Twitter
Last season, NJ/NY Gotham FC finished at the bottom of the table therefore it is no surprise that they have been busy during the break. They were involved in a four-way trade that saw them land Yazmeen Ryan from the Portland Thorns.
Ryan was instrumental during Thorns’ title-winning seasons with two goals and five assists. Gotham’s goalscoring record last year was poor and with the 23-year-old joining their ranks, they will be hoping things change.
The Harrison-based team also brought in Kristen Edmonds from the Current as a free agent as well as Ryan’s former Portland teammate and goalkeeper Abby Smith. Adding to their backline is an experienced Kelley O’Hara who signed in November.
Key contract extensions have also taken place at the club with forwards Ifeoma Onumonu and Taylor Smith committing to the project as well as defender Mandy Freeman.
Draft Day
Above: NWSL Ball. Photo: Jose Argueta/ISI Photos/Getty Images.
The NWSL Draft is set to take place on Thursday 12 January in Philadelphia as new faces hope to get into the league. Some top talents have been highlighted but as things stand, it seems like Los Angeles native Alyssa Thompson will be the overall top pick.
Another top prospect under huge speculation was Michelle Cooper from Duke University with many waiting to see if the talented sophomore would declare availability for the draft or choose to play overseas.
Many more prospects will be getting their shot at the top level and they will know their fate from the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Thursday.
Impetus’ Martin Townley rounds up all the weekend’s action across the Welsh FA Cup, and the three Adran Leagues(10/1/22).
Above: Cardiff Met in possession against Llandudno in the Welsh FA Cup Quarter-Final. Photo: Perry Dobbins.
Cardiff Met booked their place in the FAW Welsh Women’s Cup semi-final with a 5-1 win over Llandudno. The New Saints picked up a big win in the Adran Premier moving into fourth place. Connah’s Quay Nomads closed the gap at the top of the Adran North to two points, and Briton Ferry Llansawel returned to the top of the Adran South.
FAW Welsh Women’s Cup:
Cardiff Met 5-1 Llandudno
After two postponements, Llandudno made the long trip to the capital for the Welsh Cup quarter-final.
Emily Allen broke the deadlock at Cyncoed after 27 minutes to give Adran Premier outfit Cardiff Met the lead. The Adran North visitors held their own and managed to get level. Ffion Owen levelling the scores on 38 minutes. Llandudno may have thought that they go in level but a penalty from Robyn Pinder restored the lead for Met.
Cardiff Met took control in the second half with a third goal after 52 minutes thanks to Elianna Chavez. Emily Allen added goal number four with her second of the game after 69 minutes. Kennesha Nanette rounded off a good performance with the Archers’ fifth goal on 74 minutes.
Cardiff Met will face their rivals from across the capital, Cardiff City in the semi-final with a venue to be confirmed.
Above: Cardiff Met break through looking to add to their tally. Photo: Perry Dobbins.
Adran Premier:
Pontypridd United 0-4 The New Saints
TNS leapfrogged over Pontypridd into fourth spot after a big 4-0 win at USW Sports Park.
After a goalless opening 25 minutes, Helen Evans give the Saints the lead. Just three minutes later Emily Ridge made it 2-0 with her seventh goal of the season. A near-perfect first half was rounded off by Danielle Staley’s goal to make it 3-0.
Pontypridd were unable to reply to TNS’s goals and after 70 minutes Beth Lewis put the game beyond them from the penalty spot.
TNS go ahead of Pontypridd on goal difference with three games to go before the league split.
Adran South:
Cascade YC 0-4 Briton Ferry Llansawel
Above: Action from the game between Cascade YC and Briton Ferry Llansawel. Photo: Martin Townley.
After a win away at Briton Ferry before the Christmas break, Cascade were looking to go clear at the top of the Adran South as they hosted their title rivals.
After a scrappy start by both sides, it was the visitors who settled quicker and began to push forward. Briton Ferry captain Lowri Ridings hit the post and Megan Kearle forced a good save from Cascade keeper Kirsty Lewis. As the half came to an end it looked like the sides would go in level. A late corner for Ferry gave them the opening goal. Cascade failed to fully clear the ball and Lowri Baker fired a powerful shot into the top corner.
On 54 minutes and the Reds made it 2-0, Megan Kearle received the ball from Laura-May Walkley taking a shot from outside the box. Her low shot looked to be going straight at Lewis, but the keeper let the ball slip though her hands. Walkley then played in Jess Denscombe who coolly slotted past Lewis for 3-0. Megan Kearle got her second of the game in added time after Lucy Powell played a ball behind the Cascade defence.
Impetus’ Darrell Allen provides his weekly round-up of all the women’s football action in Norfolk (10/1/23).
Above:Rebecca Russell returned from injury in the FA Cup for Norwich City in their 1-0 defeat at Burnley. Photo: Norwich City Women FC.
Vitality Women’s FA Cup Third Round
Tier four Norwich City lost away to Burnley, a division above them in the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier 1-0 at the County Ground in Leyland. Millie Ravening scored the only goal of the game for the hosts on thirteen minutes.
Eastern Region Premier Division
King’s Lynn Town earned an unexpected point as they ended leaders Luton Town’s 100% start to the season with a 1-1 draw at The Walks. Leyah Maddix gave Luton the lead just before the break but a second-half equaliser from Stephanie Powell for the hosts saw King’s Lynn Town claim a share of the spoils.
The day’s other Tier five match in Norfolk was abandoned at halftime by the referee due to the weather. Wroxham were leading Royston Town 2-1 at halftime thanks to goals from Rebecca Russell and Hannah Waters, with Natalie Richardson responding for the visitors.
Above: Celebrations at The Walks after Stephanie Powell equalised for Kings Lynn Town in their 1-1 draw with Luton Town. Photo: Tim Smith.
Eastern Region Division One North
In Tier six, Fakenham Town were well beaten on the road at Biggleswade United. Braces from Charlene Moreton and Marilyn Munagatire with Thea Black and Kayleigh Gray adding their own saw the visitors suffer a heavy 6-0 defeat.
Norfolk Women and Girls League Division One
In Tier Seven, leaders Dussindale and Hellesdon Rovers won a thrilling game 3-2 at Caister making it eight wins from their opening nine games thanks to a couple of goals from Shanice Sutton and one from Victoria Leyer. Caister’s replies came from Leah Brown and Poppy Loveland.
Mulbarton Belles maintained their 100% winning start with a 7-1 victory at Beccles Town. Francesca Catchpole scored with Rebekah Lake and Sophie Jermy adding the other two. Grace Storey scored for the hosts.
In possibly the day’s most impressive Division One result, Sprowston won 4-0 away at Thetford Town thanks to goals from Olivia Leggett, Mollie O’Callaghan, Lyla Studd and Anais Winney.
Above: Victoria Leyer, scorer of one of Dussindale & Hellesdon Rovers’ three goals in their victory at Caister. Photo: Hardy Scott Photos
Norfolk Women and Girls League Division Two
Thorpe St. Andrew became the first team to take points off leaders King’s Lynn Soccer Club this season as their match finished 3-3. Jordan Turner scored a hat-trick for the visitors but two goals from Emily Warnes and the other from Rebecca Sutton saw Tony Allen’s team earn a point.
Blofield United beat Bulldogs FC 5-1 thanks to four goals from Bailey Duffield and the other from Lucy Schug. Amber May got the goal for Bulldogs. Mulbarton Belles Reserves were 3-0 winners with goals from Lucy Kean, Natalie Merry, and Maria Sosnina. Freethorpe picked up a 3-1 win at Shrublands with goals from Viktorija Miglane (two) and Kiera Squires, with Lacey Andrews scoring for Shrublands. The weather was the winner in the match between Vikings and Aylsham as it was abandoned after 30 minutes with Aylsham leading 3-0.
Norfolk Women and Girls League Cup Second Round
Bungay Town from Tier seven defeated lower league North Walsham 3-0 with Lauren Golder, Lauren Purling, and Maddie Flatman as the scorers. They will now play the University of East Anglia at home in the quarter-finals.
Above: Teigan Collister (left) and Rola Badawiya – newly unveiled by Sydney FC today. Artwork supplied to Impetus by: Sydney FC.
Sydney FC have swooped to land two major mid-season signings to bolster their attempt at achieving a record-breaking third consecutive Premiership and record equaling fourth Championship.
Versatile forwards Teigan Collister and Rola Badawiya will join the Sky Blues for the remainder of the Liberty A-League 2022-23 season.
22-year-old Collister and 24-year-old Badawiya will add further strength to the forward line who have already notched 17 goals in just seven matches this season.
Badawiya won the NPL New South Wales Women’s Player of the Year last season while playing for Sydney University.
She was awarded the honour at the NPL’s Gold Medal Dinner alongside fellow Sydney FC striker Jaiden Kucharski who took out the Men’s version.
The US-born striker goes straight into the squad to face second-place Western United in tomorrow night’s top-of-the-table clash in Melbourne.
“Excited doesn’t even begin to describe how I am feeling right now,” she said. “I am so grateful for this opportunity, there are a lot of people who would like to be in my position right now and it’s a massive achievement for me.
Above: Sydney FC’s Rola Badawiya and Jaiden Kucharski taking out the NPL NSW Player of the Year 2022 medals. Photo: Football NSW via Sydney FC..
“I’m so excited to be playing alongside all of these fantastic players and the Matildas in this Sydney FC squad. I don’t think it has hit me how big this game is on Wednesday. It’s not only my first game with Sydney FC, but it’s a massive game for the whole club. It will be an amazing game to be a part of and hopefully I can get on and do some great things.”
It is Badawiya’s first professional contract in the A-League Women’s competition having previously played for Roma in Italy’s Serie B and California Baptist University in the United States.
Teigan Collister has previously played for Newcastle Jets and Western Sydney Wanderers in the Liberty A-League. She flies in from Copenhagen this week where she has been completing a University exchange and believes Sydney FC can further advance her development.
“Sydney FC has had the best women’s team in the country consistently over the course of the Liberty A-League, so it is an honour to be joining this club. I’m looking forward to how I can develop my game, especially under Ante Juric and his coaching staff, as well as working with these top-quality players. I want to win trophies and Sydney FC is the club and squad who have the best chance of doing this.”
Sydney FC Head Coach Ante Juric is confident both players will give him extra options in the forward line. “Teigan is strong and has pace and power and she’s a great addition to this squad.
“She can play anywhere across the front three which gives me great options from an attacking sense. “She will work hard for the team, she gets on with the job, and is an excellent fit for our team culture.
“Rola is also a solid performer having won the NPL Player of the Year and she has a lot of attributes which suit us in the attacking third. She will also fit in with our great culture as she has been training with us for around two months and is comfortable with what we do.”
Collister will wear the number 7 shirt and Badawiya will take the number 25 jersey.
Above: Indiah-Paige Riley captured in action for Brisbane Roar during the 2019/20 season. Photo: My Football.
Brisbane Roar today announced the return of forward Indiah-Paige Riley for the remainder of the 2022/23 Liberty A-League season.
The 21-year-old made her debut for the Roar in November 2018 against the Western Sydney Wanderers, coming on as a substitute, before scoring her first professional goal a month later against the same club.
Riley would go on to be nominated for a Young Player of the Year award the following season as she become a regular in the Roar’s forward pack at just 18 years old. Then after making 20 appearances across two seasons, she joined Fortuna Hjørring, playing in Denmark’s top women’s league – Elitedvisionen, in 2020.
The former Moreton Bay United product said she is excited to be back playing in Brisbane after spending the last two seasons abroad.
“I’m very excited to be back playing in Brisbane, I can’t wait to put on the orange jersey again and play in the warm weather in front of the roar supporters,” said Riley, who comes in as an injury replacement for Mariel Hecher.
“It was quite a quick decision for me personally after talking to influential people in my life. However, it was from unfortunate circumstances that I have been given the opportunity to play here again. Mariel’s injury is a huge loss to the team; she has a massive impact on and off the field so joining as her injury replacement is no easy task,” she added.
Above: Indiah-Paige Riley in action for Fortuna Hjørring. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Fortuna Hjørring.
Since making a move to Europe, Riley has reached new heights in her professional career including playing against Barcelona FC in the Round 16 of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
She has also gone on to make her international debut for her birth country – New Zealand in September 2022. Riley believes that the move abroad helped her become a better player.
“My move overseas I think was one of the best decisions I could have made in order to grow and mature as a player and a person,” she said. “I’m constantly learning new styles of play and learning new things from my teammates every day at training really helped me develop. On my return to Roar, I hope I can continue building on the success they have had this season so far and do everything I can to help the team to win.”
Head Coach Garrath McPherson is excited to see the return of Riley, another former BRFC/NCT squad member, to the Liberty A-League squad.
“Indi is another former pathways player from Queensland who has played at the highest levels of the women’s game,” he said. “She made her debut at a young age and has spent the last two- and a bit years in Denmark. During that time, she has also been selected for national teams.
“Indi is a wide striker of great quality; she loves to take on defenders one-v-one and has an eye for goal. She aspires to be involved in a World Cup in six months’ time and we are excited that she has decided to return home to Brisbane,” McPherson added.
Brisbane Roar will face Adelaide United at AJ Kelly Park on Sunday 15 January.
Above: Melbourne City head coach Dario Vidosic who spoke to the media today ahead of his team’s trip to Adelaide United tomorrow. Image: Melbourne City
Melbourne City head coach Dario Vidosic is not too disheartened by his team’s defeat at Western Sydney Wanderers at the weekend and backs his players to get back to winning ways tomorrow at Adelaide United, writes Ben Gilby.
For Vidosic, it was simply one of those days. “It can happen. It was a day where nothing goes right. The goal – the ball was going wide it caught a gust of wind and went in. The ladder – it’s not the depiction of where they (actually) are (based on performances). They are a better team than one that only had one point. When you go to Western Sydney, it’s a tough game. It was a free shot for them. Once they got ahead, we forced the issue.”
The quick turnaround, just three days after going down to Kat Smith’s side is not ideal in terms of physicality, but in terms of getting back on the saddle, Vidosic believes it’s a positive situation.
“It’s great that we have a chance to respond quickly now. It was a one-off. There are days when nothing goes your way. Sometimes, with the youthfulness of the squad, we needed someone to calm it down and not force it. We were a lot less patient (than we usually are.)
“I’ve got a lot of confidence in the squad. I’m still learning, I’m still in my first year (as a head coach), and having this three games in six days is difficult…it’s actually a good preparation for those who want to play at a higher level – like a Champions League week, having a league game, then flying abroad in midweek and back again.”
Tomorrow’s game takes on added importance with both sides going into it on the back of recent defeats – but the City boss knows that Adelaide will be just as keen to end their run of two losses without scoring.
“Adelaide are a dangerous team, particularly in Adelaide. They lift at home. They are coming off two losses, so they want to be positive and discover their form as do we. It’s two teams that want to play football, so it should be a great game.”
City have no additional injury concerns going into the match.
Artwork by: Charlotte Stacey, founder of On Her Side.
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