Impetus’ French editor Jean-Pierre Thiesset spoke exclusively to Olympique Lyonnais’fitness coach Romain Segui about his experiences of working with some of the world’s greatest footballers and the differences in coaching women and men.
Above: Romain Segui supervising the training session before the friendly game against Fribourg (Switzerland) on July 31, 2021. Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset for Impetus.
Romain Segui was born on February 8, 1987, in Bourgoin Jallieu, France. After obtaining a training licence at the University Lyon 1 Claude Bernard from 2007 to 2010, Romain obtained a Masters in Mental Physical Preparation and Re-athleticism at the same university over the course of the following two years. Then, anticipating the future and wanting to improve in new technologies, he passed another University diploma entitled Video Analysis and Expertise in Team Sports at the University Lille 2 Law and Health in 2013-2014 as part of continuing education with Olympique Lyonnais. Segui joined Olympique Lyonnais in July 2010 as an intern before then spent four seasons with the boy’s U15s side, before a two year spell with the boy’s U17 team. A further move saw Segui joined the men’s U19 group during the 2016/17 season. He also trained the U10 boy’s side during his four seasons with the U15.
Jean-Pierre Thiesset: (JPT): Who inspired you to become a Fitness Coach in football?
Romain Segui (RS): Cyrille Dolce. I always name him because he is a great man who helped me a lot. He has been at the club for thirty years and he is a great educator both in football and human terms; he trains the man before training the player. He is my mentor as a coach. He helped me to easily integrate the club. When I arrived, I was young, I lived that as a child dream, and he “professionalized” me.
JPT: What made you move across to be a fitness coach in women’s football?
RS: It is rather an opportunity that I seized. I wanted to integrate professional football and in men it is difficult because the coaches very often came with their own staff. The women’s fitness coach role was vacant, and I was interviewed by Vincent Ponsot (OL General Director) who thought that I had the right profile for this position.
After nine years at the training centre, I had done just about everything with the young players, and I wanted to see something else. So, when we offer you to be the fitness coach of the players of the best women’s club team in the world, you from Lyon, and you say to yourself that you can play the Champions League and win it, then take the chance and sign the contract.
It a great privilege to work daily with Wendy Renard, Eugénie Le Sommer, Amandine Henry and all the other great players. My job is almost similar to the one of a fitness coach for men’s team because we have players which go to their national squad all over the world.
Above: Romain Segui with the players entering on the field for warming up for the game against Reims on August 27, 2021. Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset for Impetus.
JPT: What does your job entail?RS: It is a little bit complicated because there are several elements. You must be able to prepare the player in different physical qualities which are endurance, speed, strength and flexibility so that she performs as well as possible without putting the sliders too high because otherwise you can injure her.
When there is an injury in football, it is always the fault of the fitness coach, so we have a big emphasis on injury prevention. For that, we perform testing to individualize the workload and ensure that each player has adapted preparation and prevention routines and be as precise as possible. After all, at some point, there are injuries following collisions and on that we cannot do anything.
There is also the data nowadays and this new technique which arrived in France since five to seven years with GPS which allow us to have a lot of data on the player: distance covered, distance walked, distance made in sprint, number of sprints, acceleration, deceleration, peak speed. We as fitness coaches, must be able to process and analyze all this data and report back to coaches. You still have to be careful not to interpret everything in numbers and let football do things; the feeling is also important, and the data must be taken into account because it help without becoming categorical with them.
Above: Romain Segui, preparing Catarina Macario during half time of the game against Guingamp on September 24, 2021. Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset pour Impetus.
So, the job is very varied. We prepare the players for the training session in the morning indoors, then during the training session we will do specific workshops, for example, to develop endurance during twenty to thirty minutes, and we will verify the workload on the players because we have all data in live and ensure that the goal set is reached during the workshops; if necessary, we will adjust the training, for example, by asking to the coach to add a game sequence in order to reach the workload wanted on the players.
We have also to manage the returns from injury and re-athleticism. Hopefully, this year I have an assistant, Rémi Pullara, who can take care of this part and we can work better.
I am lucky because it is not a repetitive job, and it is not boring. For example, one day we do endurance work and the next day speed work.
JPT: What are the main exercises and the compulsory workshops that you carry out to correctly prepare the players?
RS: I am starting from the principle that it is the player’s intrinsic quality which is the most important. At the beginning of the season, we must perform a battery of tests, not only to have data, but to individualize the work in all areas included in the prevention. Some players will need mobility and other something else.
Right now, we speak a lot about integrated method, do the physical preparation with the ball, or of the dissociated method, do the physical preparation without the ball. Some fitness coaches advocate the dissociative method for the physical work. Personally, I have a little trouble with that, and I think we should use the two alternately depending on the desired goal. I like to activities without the ball to be sure to develop what we target because in this case you cannot cheat; for example, when we said to go from point A to point B in a certain time, the player cannot hide. But in long term, it is exhausting, and this is for this reason that integrated method, with the ball, is also interesting.
However, I have a principle with which I never deviate, this is that at the beginning of the season, I need an aerobic base. For that, at the beginning of each season of preparation, I need around twenty days where the players will run to make volume to build a tank; this is what we call the aerobic capacity. This base will allow the players to be more aggressive on the field, to press the opposing players but also to be able to come back quickly in case of counterattacks.
After this base, we need to work a lot on the high intensity and the speed because nowadays women football evolved more and more, and it is quicker even if we heard a lot that men football is quicker, but the gap is narrowing.
JPT: Is it very different to prepare women players rather than men players?RS: The difference may be in power and speed because men are naturally more powerful as they have more muscle mass. But it tends to evolve in women football as now we see some women players with speed peaks at 32 to 34 km/h; whereas not all men players are at 32 or 33 km/h.
However, we can consider the periods because it is the major difference between women and men. The doctors are interested in it and our doctors in the staff which are closer to the players, are attentive to this but personally it never happens to me that a player did not train because she had her period. There are a lot of things right now in the scientific journals on sport, as that the periods could be the source of a new method of individualized training; we look at what is being said and we think about it but today we have not yet implemented a protocol on this point.
There are other clubs that do, like Chelsea, but for now we think about it, we are not closing the door at all, but we want to find the best solution. I train women players as if they were men players, but I consider the fact that they are not as powerful by individualizing the work.
There is also a difference on the injury prevention because women tend to have knees a little more tucked in (a little more in an X shape) which could be the source of knees ligament ruptures. Besides, in statistics, there are more knees ligaments ruptures in women than men in all sports.
For me, this difference is even more important than the periods, and we must do specific strengthening in the glutes and hamstrings to try to rebalance the situation. For that, we do a specific test at the beginning of the season, and we adapt the strengthening if necessary.
JPT: What are the main qualities to be a good fitness coach?RS: You must be organized, methodical, have creativity, be attentive and open-minded because you must know how to question yourself; what we are doing today may not be true tomorrow and we must also open up to other sports to see how they work. You must be also a little sporty because when you must run with the players, you have to ensure you can!
Above: Romain Segui, running with OL’s players during warming up before the game against Saint-Etienne on September 5, 2021. Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset pour Impetus.
JPT: What do you prefer, to prepare the players for one game per week or for one game every three days?
RS: For one game every three days because that means that we are playing in the Champions League!
JPT: What is your greatest challenge on the pitch or during training session?RS: That we complete the training sessions without injury. We must push the players to the maximum without exceeding their limits.
JPT: What is your greatest challenge off the pitch?RS: I love to run, and my biggest challenge would be to do the UTMB (Ultra-Trail Mont Blanc) in the Alps; about 180 kilometers with a total elevation gain of around 10,000 meters. At the moment, I do not have the time to train to do it because my job takes a lot of time and my family that must not be forgotten (Romain is married and he has two children, a 7 year old girl and a 3 year old boy). It is impossible to train every day to prepare it.
JPT: What do you like to get up to off the pitch?
RS: Running and playing guitar.
JPT: What makes Olympique Lyonnais such a great club where to work?RS: We have a great President, Jean-Michel Aulas, who has always provided the necessary means as much for working conditions as for financial means and which makes that we have been far ahead of other clubs. We have great working conditions that a lot of other clubs do not have, and it is why the best players want to play at Olympique Lyonnais and want to stay there.
JPT: What is your main quality?RS: I think I am a very honest and caring person, and I am whole.
JPT: What is your main fault?RS: I am impulsive and jealous. I can get angry very quickly.
JPT: Is there a message you would like to give to Olympique Lyonnais fans?RS: First, I would like to thank all fans who follow OL Women because they are brilliant. I have seen them throughout the COVID period going at the games away from home and being stranded at the stadium gates just to see our bus arrive. I saw supporters clinging to the walls in Soyaux to see a bit of the game. I find it fantastic because they give a lot for us while it feels like we have not been able to give them a lot in return for a few months. I really want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. I hope we can celebrate the three titles together at the end of the season, it will be the best gift we can give to fans. And I believe it!
Above: Two of Chelsea’s scorers Guro Reiten and Beth England celebrate after the defending champions go 3-1 up. Photo: Sky Sports.
Brighton and Hove Albion continue to be a thorn in the side of Chelsea. Last season they were the only team to defeat the premiers. Although Chelsea won convincingly in the end today, ‘The Seagulls’ managed a goal against Chelsea at home, which is not a common event.
Chelsea nicked an early goal to take a 1-0 lead. After a couple of near misses by Sam Kerr, a quick throw in to Pernille Harder has her bringing it into the box and passing to Fran Kirby. She juggles and swivels and passes back to Guro Reiten who takes one touch then slams the ball past keeper, Megan Walsh, who gets a hand to it but can’t stop it.
Above: Guro Reiten fires Chelsea into an early lead. Photo: Getty Images.
Brighton retaliated soon after with a shot on goal headed away by Magda Eriksson.
Chelsea then settled down with the confidence of the opening goal to control play through most of the second half culminating in another goal at the 36 minute mark.
A cross from the left by Kirby is lifted over the defence. Kerr runs on to the perfectly placed ball, as do the keeper, Megan Walsh, and defender, Felicity Gibbons. The Western Australian rises above the three of them and heads the ball into goal as Walsh and Gibbons collide in her wake. Gibbons is down injured and requires treatment as Chelsea celebrate the goal.
Above: Sam Kerr celebrates with Fran Kirby after scoring Chelsea’s second. Photo: Sky Sports.
The defending champions look to have the match sewn up as they come on in the second half but Brighton aren’t giving up that easily. Within two minutes, a throw in from the right is flicked across goal by Aileen Whelan to Dan Carter who turns and rolls the ball out to the left post for Brighton’s first goal of the day and the first goal conceded at home this season by Chelsea.
This rattles the hosts somewhat and elevates Brighton. The next ten minutes sees a more even affair until a Chelsea corner is guided to Reiten but her header clears the crossbar.
Chelsea step up the pressure with Kirby going down the left and into the box. She slips the ball through to Reiten who passes to Harder, who, under pressure, flicks back to Kirby. Her shot on goal goes high and to the right.
Above: Danielle Carter (centre) celebrates after scoring Brighton and Hove Albion’s goal at Kingsmeadow. Photo: Sky Sports.
Immediately afterwards, Melanie Leupolz has a spirited shot on goal from the results of a free kick which ultimately skimmed the crossbar.
Chelsea get a free kick just outside the box after a foul on Kirby. Erin Cuthbert and Reiten line up to take it. Reiten takes a direct shot on goal that is batted away by Walsh. Kerr goes for the rebound but it’s deflected away safely.
A beautiful ball through the defenders to Kerr is just overcooked on her first touch and Walsh gets there before Kerr to clear it away successfully.
Above: Beth England battles with Maya Le Tissier at Kingsmeadow yesterday. Photo: Brighton & Hove Independent.
Leupolz has a crack from the top of the box that skims the top bar. The pressure is unrelenting now.
At the 80 minute mark, a Brighton goal kick gets headed back towards the Chelsea goal and Kirby runs on to it and crosses into the box to England. Her shot goes to the top left and in for a well-deserved 3-1 lead.
Before the end, Harder takes an ambitious shot from outside the box that goes across the face of an empty goal and out past the far post.
A week that contained the news of first confirmed home game for the Matildassince March 2020, the announcement of a new status for the top level of women’s football in the country, sixteen A-League Women signing announcements plus the news that Melbourne Victory have appointed a specific female health specialist. Ben Gilby rounds up all the happenings who hears from all the individuals involved.
Above: The Australia team that played the Republic of Ireland in Dublin last week – at last they look able to play at home again.
Matildas Come Home – At Last:
It was confirmed last week that the Matildas will host Brazil in a two-match series on 23 and 26 October, to be held at the 30,000 seater CommBank Stadium, home of Western Sydney Sydney Wanderers in Parramatta, New South Wales.
The Matildas last played on home soil when they defeated Vietnam in a Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Play-Off match in March 2020, on the eve of COVID-19 impacting the world in a profound way.
Since that time, Football Australia has made it a key priority to bring the Socceroos and Commonwealth Bank Matildas home at the earliest opportunity.
This will also be the first time that the Commonwealth Bank Matildas will be playing in front of home crowds since their record-breaking Tokyo campaign.
These matches have been made possible to be hosted in Australia by the NSW Government’s approval of Football Australia’s comprehensive Quarantine Management Plan.
Above: Chloe Logarzo competes with Vietnam’s Thai Thi Thao (13) and Tran Thi Phuong Thao (17) during the Matildas last home game in Newcastle on 6th March 2020. Photo: Saeed Khan/ AFP.
Football Australia Chief Executive Officer, James Johnson was delighted with this announcement which will see the Matildas play on home soil for the first time in over 18 months.
“We have made it our priority to bring our national teams home for international football so this is a phenomenal outcome for Australian football and one which we have been working tirelessly towards behind the scenes with both the Federal and New South Wales (NSW) Government for a considerable amount of time now and appreciate the efforts of the NSW Government in particular,” Johnson said.
“International football is unique in that players are only made available during an international window of nine days. With many of our Matildas based overseas, the 14-day compulsory quarantine period for international arrivals effectively rendered any international football in Australia impossible.”
With the confirmation of theses matches, Football Australia is now in the process of confirming the proposed fixtures between the Matildas and the current FIFA Women’s World Cup Champions, the United States in a two-match series earmarked for 27th November and 30th November, both of which are to be hosted in Australia subject to Government discussions and Public Health Orders.
New name for the W-League:
On Wednesday, Impetus heard from all those involved with the men’s, women’s and youth leagues being brought together under a unified “A-Leagues” banner. Click on the link below to read all the details from the press conference.
Melbourne City FC have announced the final four players in their squad for 2021/22 following the re-signing of Tyla-Jay Vlajnic, the arrival of Western Australian youngster Leticia McKenna. plus Merisa van der Meer and Meisha Westland for the upcoming A-League Women season.
Vlajnic re-signed on Tuesday and has made 40 appearances for City after having been part of the Club’s inaugural squad in what was then the W-League. She currently sits in eighth place on the Club’s all-time appearance list and could end the season in the top five.
A versatile player who has been deployed as a full-back and winger at different stages of her career, Vlajnic has been a part of two Premierships and four Championships in her time at the Club.
Her re-signing will provide further stability and leadership in head coach Rado Vidosic’s squad for the upcoming season.
Speaking about this latest addition to his squad, Vidosic said: “We’re delighted to have TJ returning to the Club. She’s been with us since the start and will again bring lots of experience to the squad as we look to improve on last season.”
Vlajnic was thrilled after being offered a new deal at the Sky Blues: “Coming back to City is always an easy decision. It’s been home since day one.
“I hope I can be the type of player that my teammates can rely on, week in, week out. I want to help the younger players develop and motivate my teammates to give their all in City blue.“
Artwork provided to Impetus by: Melbourne City.
Melbourne City also announced the signing of attacking midfielder Leticia McKenna until the end of the 2022/23 A-League Women season.
The 19-year-old joins City from Brisbane Roar where she made 12 appearances in 2020/21.
McKenna has a total of 37 appearances in what was previously the W-League having started out with home state side Perth Glory and has also scored three goals since making her debut in 2018.
A part of the Young Matildas program, McKenna is highly technically skilled and looks set to fit well into Rado Vidosic’s squad.
Unsurprisingly, the Melbourne City had coach was delighted with his acquisition: “We’re excited to have Leticia join us for the next two years. She’s a very determined young player who already has lots of experience at the level.
“Leticia will provide creativity in the front third and is a hard-working player both in and out of possession. We see her suiting the City style of play perfectly and expect her to play a big role for us this season.”
Speaking about her move to Victoria, McKenna said: “I want to be challenged and continue to be pushed outside my comfort zone, and I feel City is going to give me that.
“I have heard so many great things about the Club, the facilities, coaching staff and its approach to player wellbeing. I am really excited to work with Rado and the potential of what we can achieve for the fans and ourselves this season with a good mixture of youth and experience within the squad.”
Above: The final two pieces in Melbourne City’s jigsaw for 2021/22 – New Zealand defender Merisa van der Meer (left) and Meisha Westland (right). Photo: Images supplied to Impetus by Melbourne City.
The young duo of Merisa van der Meer and Meisha Westland were announced as City’s final signings ahead of the new season yesterday.
van der Meer recently received her first international call-up and was part of the White Ferns’ squad for the Tokyo Olympics, although she is yet to receive her first cap. The versatile defender can play across the backline and the 2021/22 season will be her first in Australia.
van der Meer most recently played her club football for Canterbury United Pride in New Zealand’s top tier and will be looking to make her presence felt in her first season at City.
Westland joins the Club from NPL Queensland’s Lions FC. The 20-year-old defensive midfielder has been performing at a consistently high level for the past few seasons and will now get her first taste of professional football.
Westland is a part of the Emerging Matildas Program and her playing style is set to fit in well with the City style of play.
Speaking about his final squad announcement, head coach Rado Vidosic said: “We’re very happy to be welcoming both Marisa and Meisha to the Club.
“Marisa gained some valuable experience as part of New Zealand’s squad in the Tokyo Olympics and we’re looking forward to working with her and watching her continue to develop as a player.
“She’s capable of playing multiple positions so will add further versatility and depth to our defence.
“Meisha has been a player we’ve had an eye on for a while and she’s very deserving of this opportunity. She suits our style of play and we’re excited to work with her and see her continue to improve.”
At her unveiling, Marisa van der Meer said: “I made this move to Australia and City because I see it as a really good opportunity to not only play in a great team, but to challenge and better myself as a player.
“Apart from the Club’s great reputation, I’ve heard very good things about the setup that City have, as well as the great environment that the players and staff have created.”
Meisha Westland was delighted to be signing for the club, saying: “I’m excited about being coached under Rado in a professional environment. I’m ready to be pushed, challenged, and learn a lot.
“My goals this season are to make my debut and have an impact on the field. I really want to showcase what I can do on the pitch, both in training and on game day.”
MELBOURNE CITY’S FULL A-LEAGUE WOMEN SQUAD FOR 2021/22: Melissa Barbieri (GK), Chelsea Blissett, Emma Checker (c), Naomi Chinnana, Leah Davidson, Sally JamesAMES (GK), Caitlin Karic, Darcey Malone, Leticia McKenna, Holly McNamara, Rhianna Pollicina, Rebekah Stott, Kaitlyn Torpey, Tori Tumeth, Marisa van der Meer, Tyla Jay Vlajnic, Meisha Westland, Hannah Wilkinson.
Defending Champions Add Three More To Squad:
Artwork by: Melbourne Victory
Meanwhile, across town on Tuesday, Melbourne Victoryannounced the re-signing of midfielder Paige Zois for the next two A-League Women seasons and later in the week added Harriet Withers from their rivals City and Matildas defender Courtney Nevin from Western Sydney Wanderers.
Zois, 17-years-old, is a product of Victory’s W-League Elite Girls Program, making her senior debut for the Club as a 16-year-old in the AFC Women’s Club Championship against Jiangsu Suning and debut in what was then the W-League against Brisbane Roar in the Club’s Championship-winning season.
Zois has represented her country at youth level, featuring at the 2019 U16 AFC Championships in Thailand and is one of Victoria’s brightest young stars, being awarded the player of the tournament at the 2018 U15 National Youth Championships in Coffs Harbour.
The midfielder continued her momentum from the 2020/21 campaign at Victory with a strong season in NPLW Victoria with FC Bulleen Lions and has furthered her game on and off the park ahead of the upcoming season.
Melbourne Victory A-League Women Head Coach, Jeff Hopkins, said he’s excited to see Zois continue her development at the Club.
“We’re proud to see one of Victoria’s best up and coming talents continue their footballing journey at Melbourne Victory,” Hopkins said.
“Paige’s commitment to the Club is testament to our Elite Girls Program and how it continues to develop some of the state’s finest female footballers for today and the future.
Zois said that she was thrilled to be part of the squad again. “Last season was an amazing experience for me to be with the W-League full-time and I’m excited to be a part of it again this season,” Zois said.
“Melbourne Victory has been a part of my development for a number of years now and to continue my journey at Victory with Jeff and the squad is something I’m looking forward to.”
Artwork by: Melbourne Victory.
Harriet Withers joins Victory after spending the past season at cross town rivals Melbourne City, making six appearances throughout 2020/21 and finding the back of the net once in the campaign.
The northern New South Wales native was a product of the US college system, spending four years with the Murray State Racers in Kentucky.
Withers lead the football program’s all-time goal scoring charts with 37 goals and was named the league’s offensive player of the year on two occasions.
Melbourne Victory A-League Women Head Coach, Jeff Hopkins said Withers will add more firepower to his Championship-winning squad.
“We’re pleased to have Harriet on board with the Club this season as we make the finishing touches to our title-defending squad. Harriet burst onto the scene in the league last season and her pace and finishing caught the eye of everyone at the Club so we look forward to see what she can bring in Victory colours.”
Withers said that she was looking forward to continuing the momentum she built last season.
“I’m excited to be joining this Championship-winning side and can’t wait to work with Jeff and his team to build on that success this season,” Withers said.
“Last season was really exciting for me – returning home to Australia and making my mark in the league – and I’m looking forward to building on that at Victory.”
Artwork by: Melbourne Victory
This morning saw Victory announce the major signing of current Matilda Courtney Nevin. She joined the club after three seasons with Western Sydney Wanderers where she made 28 appearances after having made her debut in what was then the W-League at 16-years of age.
The full-back has represented her country at U17 and U20 level – making her full senior Matildas debut in June 2021 against Denmark alongside Victory’s own Kyra Cooney Cross. Nevin then went on to represent Australia at the 2020 Olympic Games as part of Tony Gustavson’s 22-player squad that finished fourth in Tokyo.
A-League Women’s Head Coach Jeff Hopkins spoke of his excitement in adding Nevin to his team for the 2021/22 season. “Courtney is one of the country’s best young talents and we are thrilled to have her join our squad for the team’s title defence,” Hopkins said.
“She is the complete full-back with her attributes in defence and lethal qualities in attack which will add another dimension to our back-line as we look to finalise our squad in 2021/22.
“We’ll continue to develop and nurture Courtney’s development as one of the brightest prospects in Australian football – especially with the 2023 Women’s World Cup on the horizon.”
Courtney Nevin said she was looking forward to playing for Melbourne Victory. “It’s really exciting to be heading to Melbourne Victory to join the Champions for the upcoming season. I can’t wait to get started.
“The last 12 months has been one of the most exciting years for me in my short career – making my Matildas debut and joining the team at the Olympics – and I’m looking forward to continuing that momentum with Melbourne Victory this season.”
Nevin will train alongside Cooney-Cross in Europe with the Matildas before returning to Melbourne in late October to join the squad for the remainder of the pre-season.
Canberra United Add Another Three:
Artworkby: Canberra United
The capital city club have added to their squad for the new campaign after unveiling the signings of Margot Robinne, Holly Caspers and Chloe Middleton.
Robinne is an experienced midfielder, who made her debut in the French National League at 15 years old. She played 210 games for Montigny le Bretonneux, FC Rouen and Toulouse FC, where she scored 138 goals.
In 2017, she moved to Australia to play in the Victorian NPLW, before signing a contract in what was then known as the W-League with Melbourne City in 2020/21.
“Last season, the team at Canberra United played some exciting football, they showed great courage and passion,” she said.
“Vicki Linton’s football vision and team management approach were at the centre of my decision to make the move to Canberra. I have no doubt it’ll be a great environment for me to develop as a player and I’m eager to earn the team, club and supporters respect through my hard work and determination.
“I’m very excited to discover a new environment and play with experienced players while being able to tap into my own experience to take on a leadership role with the younger ones.”
Holly Caspers joins Canberra United from Sydney University Football Club. The young winger has been playing in the NPLW1 since 2012.
“I’ve definitely heard great things about Canberra United, especially from the girls who also play at Sydney University,” Holly said.
“I’ve always enjoyed a team with great culture and a supportive environment whilst also competitively pushing the players, and I believe Canberra United is a club that will definitely offer this.”
Artworkby: Canberra United
Chloe Middleton was unveiled by the club on Thursday, joining from Western Sydney Wanderers, where she played and started in five matches during the 2020/21 season.
The midfielder said she’s excited to join Canberra United and be part of the positive culture of the club.
“Joining Canberra is a great opportunity for me to grow as a footballer and continue to be challenged every day,” Middleton said.
“Canberra has a team culture that anyone would want to be a part of and seeing Canberra thrive under Vicki last year has definitely drawn me to the club.
“I’m looking forward to working with the girls and continuing to build on what they achieved last year.
“This year I want to continue to learn and develop my football further and become a consistent player within Canberra United. Playing finals football this season something I believe we can achieve.”
Head Coach Vicki Linton highlighted what an exciting player Middleton will be for Canberra. “Chloe brings a skillset that should complement other members of our squad,” she said.
“I look forward to bringing her into our environment and seeing her develop this season and contribute to the team.”
Brisbane Roar Add Two More Young Queenslanders:
Artwork by Brisbane Roar.
Brisbane Roar have this week added young Queenslanders Cannon Clough and Lani McDougall to their A-Leagues Women squad for 2021/22.
Versatile full-back Clough, who signed on Wednesday, becomes Garrath McPherson’s 12th confirmed squad member having forged a formidable reputation as one of the state’s standout players en route winning the NPL Queensland twice.
She has chalked up more than 60 NPL Women’s appearances across three campaigns and memorably scored the winning penalty in the Queensland State Team’s triumph over New South Wales in the Watson-O’Connor Cup in 2020.
“I am super excited,” Clough said upon signing her first A-League Women’s deal. “The girls before us at the Roar have made it a really cool place to be and given it a good name, so I think it’s going to be cool to try to add on to that.
“The goal has always been to try to play at the highest level possible over here and hopefully this opportunity means my family will be able to come over to Australia.”
Clough came through the college system in the United States before relocating to Australia and now joins some familiar faces from Lions FC in the Roar setup.
“I think that’ll be a bit of a plus for us going into this season since a few of us already know each other,” the 25-year-old said. “Even girls from other teams are already good friends. It’s all familiar faces which will be fun.
“With any team, the more time you get to spend together, the more chemistry you have, the better you know each other, the easier it is to play with each other. The NPL has done a good job to prepare us, especially Lions. The whole competition has done a good job of getting girls ready to play all over the country but in Queensland it’s really special.”
Head Coach McPherson described Clough as a “great defender” with speed and attacking, creative intent. “Cannon is an explosive, mobile defender who has had another wonderful NPL Women’s season here in Queensland after being selected in the All-Star side that beat New South Wales last year,” McPherson said.
“She is a versatile player who will provide the team with a number of options at different times throughout a match. “In all of the games I have watched Cannon play, she is competing in every moment. I really like her winning mentality. She joins a team full of that same intent to win.”
Artwork by Brisbane Roar.
The club continued its homegrown recruitment drive with the signing of Queensland Future Matildas program member Lanni McDougall on Friday.
The teenage midfielder makes the step up to the A-League Women’s competition after impressing in development programs and as a leading light for Moreton Bay United. McDougall has scored eight NPL Women’s goals this season and said she felt “super excited” when Head Coach Garrath McPherson offered the opportunity to join the Roar. “It’s always what I’ve worked for, always what I dreamed, to get in that professional environment,” she said.
“The hard work is starting to pay off now. Personally I think I’ve developed a lot this year. I want to make the biggest impact I can and look to make the most of the environment. Just enjoy every second of it really.”
McDougall has benefitted from McPherson’s mentorship through the QAS and Future Matildas setups and will now be aiming to bring her creative talents to the next level.
“Garrath is a really good coach,” she said. “He’s helped me for quite a few years through the QAS and NTC. I’m really excited to have him as a coach. As a player, I think one of my strengths is bringing everyone into the game using my attacking flair. I’m really excited to use that.”
Speaking about his latest acquisition, McPherson said: “Lanni is another exciting product of the QAS football program. She spent two years in that high performance environment after being identified playing for Sunshine Coast Wanderers and has continued to grow within our Queensland Future Matildas program this year.
“She is playing consistently well in midfield for Moreton Bay in the NPL Women’s competition and is a focused, determined young person with huge potential. “Having continually risen to the level of challenge put in front of her, I am excited to see her have an impact in her debut A-League Women’s season.”
Wanderers Sign Kiwi Star:
Artworkby Western Sydney Wanderers.
Western Sydney Wanderers FC confirmed the signing of Malia Steinmetz for the upcoming A-League Women’s season on Wednesday.
The New Zealand International played in her very first season in the domestic competition last season with Perth Glory where she featured in every match.
The 22-year-old midfielder made her debut for the New Zealand Senior Team in 2017 and most recently was part of their U20s squad in 2018.
Head coach Catherine Cannuli welcomed Steinmetz to the club: “Malia showed the league her natural talent and ability last season in the A-Leagues and has been rising through the ranks of New Zealand’s national team,” said Cannuli.
“We are delighted to have her at the club and look forward to watching her growth and development over the season.”
Steinmetz said she was ready to be part of the success the Wanderers are planning for 2021/22: “The competition (A-Leagues) was a great step up for me personally after playing in New Zealand and the National Premier League Women’s division,” said Steinmetz.
“It’s for sure a great platform that I’m learning so much from which will hopefully help my football career even more in the future. Talking to Cath (head coach Catherine Cannuli), also gave me a lot of excitement for this A-League Women’s season and what the team will be able to achieve.
“I am personally aiming for the 2023 World Cup seeing as it is across my two current homes and it would be an amazing experience. “Club-wise, I want to be part of the success I can see the team having this year, where I know a top three spot is on.”
Adelaide United Announce Triple Capture:
Artwork by: Adelaide United
Adelaide United announced three further additions to their A-League Women squad for the forthcoming season. The club added 18 year-old striker Georgia Beaumont and 20 year-old attacking midfielder Natasha Brough on Thursday, with the arrival of Japan’s Reona Omiya on Friday.
Beaumont has represented the Junior Matildas and previously been a train-on player with Brisbane Roar Women.
Beaumont spent three years with the Brisbane Roar U-18 NTC program before establishing herself in the Queensland NPL Women’s competition, scoring 22 goals in 18 matches in all competitions.
After agreeing to join the Reds, Beaumont said: “I’m so excited to be signing with Adelaide United. This is an amazing opportunity to play. I’m eager to make a positive contribution to the Club and have the finals in sight for this year.”
Adelaide United’s A-League Women Head Coach, Adrian Stenta, said: “Georgia is a smart striker with a lot of potential. At the local level she’s a proven goal-scorer and I’m confident those promising displays can translate to the A-League Women season.
“Georgia also has experience of representing her country with the Junior Matildas and I’m sure she will fit right into our team.”
Artwork: Adelaide United.
20-year-old Brough arrives at the Club having spent the last decade living and playing in Europe, particularly in Spain, before gaining her first professional experience in the Netherlands last year.
Born in the Hunter Valley region, Brough spent her junior years on the books of Valencia CF, RCD Espanyol, and La Roca.
Ahead of the 2020/21 campaign, she signed with Vrouwen Eredivisie outfit, VV Alkmaar, and scored one goal in four appearances.
Brough has also previously been a part of Young Matildas camps at the U-17 and U-19 levels.
Speaking on her decision to join the Reds, Brough said: “Moving to Adelaide is an exciting new challenge for me. I’m looking forward to returning to Australia and playing in the A-League Women competition after being in Europe for more than ten years.
“Adelaide experienced a strong season under Adrian (Stenta) last year and I’m looking to help build on that with my new teammates.”
Adelaide United’s A-League Women Head Coach, Adrian Stenta, said: “Having developed her football at some top clubs overseas, Natasha brings a lot of maturity and pedigree to our squad despite her age. She is a player with quality and we’re hoping she can flourish at our Club through hard work and application.”
Artwork: Adelaide United.
29-year-old Reona Omiya joined Adelaide United yesterday after spending the 2021 NPL Victoria Women season briefly with FC Bulleen Lions before joining South Melbourne FC until the competition was suspended due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The holding midfielder, who possesses great technical and passing attributes, scored a combined three goals in 11 matches with both teams.
Speaking on signing with the Reds, Omiya said: “I am very happy to be given this opportunity to play for Adelaide United.
“It has been one of my dreams to play in the A-League Women competition, so I am really excited that it has come true. I can’t wait to meet my new teammates and the rest of the wonderful Reds family, and I hope we can all achieve great things together this season.”
Adelaide United’s A-League Women Head Coach, Adrian Stenta, said: “Reona is a player that boasts a lot of experience and technical prowess.
“She is a hard-working midfielder and we believe will provide a lot stability and composure to our squad.”
Melbourne Victory Announce Female Health Specialist Appontment
Above: Dr. Suzana Kotevska, newly appointed as Melbourne Victory’s Women’s Female Health Specialist. Photo: stela.com.au
Melbourne Victory have appointed Dr. Suzana Kotevska as the Club’s Official A-League Women’s Female Health Specialist.
Dr. Suzana Kotevska’s team provides gynaecology, obstetric and female health services and will support the Club’s A-League Women’s team for the 2021/22 season by having a presence on the team’s playing shorts.
Melbourne Victory Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie said she was excited to partner with Dr. Suzana Kotevska.
“We’re pleased to have Dr. Kotevska on board with our A-League Women side for the upcoming season and can’t wait to foster an important partnership for our female players, staff, members and fans,” Carnegie said.
“The importance of female health and well-being has become more prevalent over recent times and we look forward to having Dr. Suzana as a partner at the Club.”
Dr. Suzana Kotevska was also thrilled to align with Melbourne Victory. “Our family has supported Melbourne Victory from day one and we believe that we share the same values with the Club, priding ourselves on respect, hard-work, courage and success,” Dr. Kotevska said.
“For us, it’s time to finally transform our passion into a partnership with the A-League Women’s Champions. We look forward to working in partnership with the Club and support all the players, staff and fans.”
With surprising results for top teams in both the Damallsvenskan and Elitettan, there’s been some dramatic goings on in Swedish women’s football this week. Ben Gilby rounds up all the action.
Above: Hayley Dowd jumps for joy after scoring for Djurgården. Photo: DIF
Arguably the result of the season took place as rock bottom Växjö’s held second placed BK Häcken to a fantastic 1-1 draw. Växjö are without a win all season and this point is only their fifth of the campaign. Stina Blackstenius put Häcken ahead four minutes into the second half, but former London City Lionesses and Bristol City player Juliette Kemppi hit an equaliser eight minutes later which left the home crowd of 140 jubilant. BK Häcken are now six points behind leaders Rosengård with five matches left.
Above: Juliette Kemppi, who hit Växjö’s goal against BK Häcken to earn her side a shock point. Photo via: Facebook
Djurgården gained an excellent 2-1 victory at home to Stockholm rivals Hammarby, which put a dent in the visitors’ hopes of finishing third. Daniela Zamora put the hosts ahead after ten minutes with Hayley Dowd making it 2-0 early in the second half. Nina Jakobsson got a goal back for Hammarby with just under 20 minutes left, but to the delight of the majority of the 2,096 fans Djurgården hung on to take the win.
Piteå continued their recent improved run of form with a 1-1 draw at home to mid table Vittsjö, in a game watched by 747 fans. Anam Imo put the hosts ahead on the quarter of an hour mark before Fernanda Da Silva levelled from the penalty spot for Vittsjö with 12 minutes left.
Above: Jenna Hellstrom (right), scorer of KIF Örebro’s second goal against AIK. Photo: M.A.V. Foto
KIF Örebro gained an important win in a battle of two sides just above the drop zone as they dispatched AIK 2-0 to the delight of the gathered 542 fans. Two goals in the last 11 minutes from Jessica Scarpi and Jenna Hellstrom sealed the points.
Rosengård failed to take advantage of BK Häcken’s shock draw as they could only be held 1-1 themselves at home by fourth placed Kristianstads. Sanne Troelsgaard put the hosts ahead just after the interval, but Mia Carlsson equalised for Kristianstads with just over 20 minutes left. 500 fans were in attendance.
Eskilstuna United are now four points clear of the pack hunting for third place after a 0-0 draw at Linköping in a game watched by 684 spectators.
Table from: Svensk Fotboll.
Round Eighteen Fixtures:
AIK v Växjö
Kristianstads v KIF Örebro
Vittsjö v Linköping
Eskilstuna United v Djurgården
BK Häcken v Rosengård
Hammarby v Piteå
ELITETTAN:
Above: Sophie Brundin who scored the decisive goal for Sundsvalls DFF in their win over IK Uppsala who went into the game in second. Photo: st.nu
Umeå IK benefitted from the inability of the chasing pack to win at the weekend as they extended their lead at the top to eight points with six games to go with a 3-1 win over IFK Norrköping. Goals from Tilde Johnasson, Vilma Koivisto and Monica Buh put the hosts in the driving seat before Jennie Egeriis grabbed a consolation for Norrköping with 13 minutes left. The gathered crowd of 321 knew that they were likely to have seen a decisive win in their side’s campaign. IK Uppsala, who have been in the top two for virtually the whole season dropped to third after a surprising 1-0 loss to 11th placed Sundsvalls DFF. Sophie Brundin’s goal with 69 minutes played was the difference in front of 181 frustrated fans. IFK Kalmar are up to second after a 2-0 win at Morön BK – a result which dealt a blow to the home side’s promotion hopes. Goals from Andrea Thorisson just before the break and Amanda Persson three minutes from time settled matters. IF Brommapojkarna’s 4-0 win over Alingsås FC United means that only goal difference separates them from IK Uppsala, a side who, for so long looked promotion certainties. Klara Andrup, Mathilda Prakt, Jennifer Sjosten and Mathilda Lindstrom were on target in front of 94 fans.
Latest Results: Jitex Mölndal 2-0 Älvsjö AIK FF, IK Uppsala 0-1 Sundsvalls DFF, Lidköpings FK 3-1 Bollstanäs SK, Morön BK 0-2 IFK Kalmar, IF Brommapojkarna 4-0 Alingsås FC United, Mallbackens IF Sunne 1-2 Borgeby FB, Umeå IK 3-1 IFK Norrköping.
Next Fixtures: IK Uppsala v Umeå IK, Bollstanäs SK v IFK Kalmar, IF Brommapojkarna v Sundsvalls DFF, IFK Norrköping v Lidköpings FK, Jitex Mölndal v Mallbackens IF Sunne, Alingsås FC United v Borgeby FB, Älvsjö AIK FF v Morön BK.
Impetus are now into their second season sponsoring Harriet Meers, a defender in her first spell of senior women’s football with Wroxham. Harriet spoke to Ben Gilby about her experience of pre-season, Wroxham’s stellar start their Eastern Region Women’s Football League Premier Division (ERWFL) campaign and targets for the months ahead.
Above: Harriet Meers (left) in action for Wroxham against Luton Town in the ERWFL Premier in August. Photo: Hardy Scott Photos.
We last caught up with Harriet just before the summer. With her university commitments coming to a close for the academic year at the same time, there was time for a short break before an eagerly awaited return to training.
“Pre-season began in June with two sessions a week. This was my first pre-season with the club and at this level and I felt like it was a great intensity. The addition of new members to the coaching team meant a great support network to build up fitness by means of individual fitness plans. As players, we motivated each other through pre-season by sharing our fitness achievements. With regards to matches we had three pre-season games against AFC Sudbury, Brantham and Needham Market and finished with a 100% win rate which put us in a great position for the start of the league season on 15th August.”
The club made some very impressive new signings over the summer. Harriet outlined how the new faces have fitted in and what they have added to the team. “Bex (Rebecca Burton, Wroxham Women manager) has done an incredible job at player recruitment this pre-season with signings coming from teams in the league above such as Cambridge United and Norwich City.
“The experience that these girls provide is invaluable and will support the team whilst we aim for promotion to the FA Women’s National League (FAWNL). The new signings have strengthened the squad in multiple areas and add to all four corners of the football model. Amber Cantwell from Cambridge United, is a huge signing for Wroxham and her ability to change the game is second to none. The personalities of the girls have fitted straight into Wroxham.”
“Additionally, it is important to note that it is not just the new singings who have made a bang this season. In particular, our captain Grace Birchall, who has netted over 50 goals for the club now and has hit an impressive three hat-tricks already this season.”
Artwork: Graphics by PW.
Wroxham have made an outstanding start to the ERWFL Premier having played five league games, winning them all and standing two points clear at the top from second placed Royston Town, who have played two games more. This is Harriet’s first experience of tier five football, which leaves her perfectly placed to outline the quality of the division.
“The level of football is definitely a step up to where I have played before but I am thoroughly enjoying the challenge. We have now played five games and come away with 15 points which is a great start to our promotion campaign. The competition is high and any team can get all three points if they turn up on the day.
“The expectation is definitely high, but it can only improve me as a player. Since I joined Wroxham, my performance has improved and that is because of the coaching staff and the high standards they have created for the squad.”
Those high standards also include a very strong support network. Despite Harriet being new to the standard of football, she is a valued member of the squad.
“The support from the other players has been monumental and I couldn’t be happier playing alongside such a great group of girls. My confidence levels are definitely still something that I need to work on, but the girls pick me up all of the time. I have recently spent some extra time with a couple of the coaches and another centre back before training to try work on some things that will improve my confidence. I have played for a few teams over the years but it is safe to say the relationship the players have with each other and the coaches is exceptional and there is always support from everyone.
“As far as my personal targets for the season go, I want to continue to improve my confidence and composure on the ball. To do this I am putting in the extra sessions with help from some of my team mates and focusing on the individual areas that I can improve. I want to ensure I’m pushing for my position on the pitch, even more so now as a result of the big squad depth.”
“As far as team targets go, promotion to the FAWNL is the aim. Wroxham have been unlucky in some respects since their formation from their previous guise of Acle United due to the disjointed seasons created by the pandemic. However, we don’t just want success in the league. As far as team targets go, a place in the final of the Norfolk County Cup would be something we set our sights on alongside a good run in the FA Cup.”
“IT’S NOT MEN’S FOOTBALL, OR WOMEN’S FOOTBALL, IT’S JUST FOOTBALL.” Danny Townsend A-Leagues Managing Director.
Above: Melbourne Victory’s Melina Ayres pictured with the new A-Leagues logo on her shirt.Photo supplied to Impetus by: A-Leagues.
Australian football has revealed its new identity, with the men’s, women’s and youth leagues brought together under a unified “A-Leagues” banner.
Recasting the men’s and women’s elite competitions as partners at the top of the game, the A-Leagues will use football’s position as the country’s most inclusive sport to grow the game for everyone.
As part of the change, the A-Leagues will move to a unified social media channel for men’s and women’s football on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok in the coming months and will re-launch a new A-Leagues website, creating a single destination for fans of professional football in Australia and significantly increasing the profile and reach of women’s football.
The reveal of the new brand is the latest in a series of announcements since the A-Leagues took over the running of the professional game in December 2020, including: the expansion of the women’s league by three teams in two years; the launch of a new Club Championship to bring the men’s and women’s leagues closer together; and an historic Collective Bargaining Agreement to drive up standards and bring genuine equity to the game.
Artwork provided to Impetus by: A-Leagues.
In the coming months, the A-Leagues will reveal a ground-breaking, world-class digital football platform to become the home of football in Australia, bringing fans closer to the world’s game.
The A-Leagues will continue to showcase the best in emerging Australian talent, from leagues featuring unparalleled numbers of emerging stars – several of whom have already played central roles at the Olympics after making headlines on the domestic stage last season.
Danny Townsend, Managing Director, said the new A-Leagues brand has a simple idea at its core. “It’s not men’s football, or women’s football, it’s just football,” he said. “We’re committed to growing the game in Australia – for everyone. That means delivering a world-class experience on and off the pitch and inspiring the next-generation of A-Leagues superstars to fulfil their highest potential. This is just the beginning of our ambitious, long-term vision for the growth of football in Australia.”
Ant Hearne, Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We know our fans live and breathe football so we want to create the best possible experience in the stadium, at home, on the move, through gaming or fashion or food – however fans want to connect with football, we will deliver.”
The new A-Leagues 2021-22 season will kick off on November 19 for A-League Men and December 3 for A-League Women.
Above: Sam Kerr celebrates after scoring her second goal against Manchester United yesterday. Photo: Getty Images.
Chelsea gave Manchester United a lesson in the importance of flexibility, concentration and ruthlessness as the defending champions comfortably dispatched the north-western side at the Leigh Sports Village, with Sam Kerr scoring two and making one of her side’s six goals.
The visitors made two changes for this game. Niamh Charles replaced Ji So-yun, who only returned from Asian Cup qualifying duty on Friday, and Melanie Leupolz came into the midfield after Erin Cuthbert suffered a head injury for Scotland during the week.
The tone of the first half was set just sixteen seconds in when a dreadful clearance from Mary Earps towards Maria Thorisdottir saw the former Chelsea defender mis-control and allow Kerr in to shoot, but Earps managed to push the ball away to the right.
Marc Skinner’s side failed to heed the warning and another catastrophe when trying to play out from the back resulted in Chelsea taking the lead. Earps played the ball towards Hannah Blundell and United’s other former Chelsea defender was robbed of possession all too easily. Leupolz’s through ball towards Sam Kerr allowed the Matildas captain to feed Fran Kirby in the middle of the six yard box, who comfortably slotted home her 50th FA WSL goal.
Above: Fran Kirby puts Chelsea ahead with less than two minutes on the clock. Photo: Getty Images.
Chelsea maintained a high press to further turn the screw and make United continue to panic at the back.
It took the hosts five minutes just to get out of their own half. Lucy Staniforth achieved it for her side when she broke down the right and pulled a ball towards Leah Galton but it was too high.
Chelsea continued to threaten and Leupolz fed Sophie Ingle, who in turn found Kirby. Thorisdottir, under extreme pressure, couldn’t clear properly and the ball fell to Kerr who volleyed an effort off her shin wide of the right-hand post.
Much of United’s joy came courtesy of Ona Batlle who was giving Charles real problems down the left, but Marc Skinner’s side were not able to supply her with the ball often enough.
Taking advantage of Charles’ problems on that side of the pitch, Staniforth came across and some fantastic footwork saw her find Kirsty Hanson, who hit an effort just wide.
As the half wore on, Charles grew into the game and she played a crucial role in nullifying the threat of Ella Toone. The United star was forced to take possession across the box rather than inside it and became increasingly isolated as a result.
With United unable to break through the Chelsea defence, the reigning champions made the home side pay for failing to convert opportunities with a moment of magic from Pernille Harder.
On 23 minutes, Denmark’s record scorer motored down the left-hand side. Jackie Groenen and Thorisdottir couldn’t handle the threat as Harder simply waltzed between them, drove into the box and dinked a glorious effort over Earps with her weaker left foot.
Above: Pernille Harder pictured after scoring her outstanding solo goal. Photo: Getty Images.
In the final ten minutes of the half, Chelsea re-imposed the high press and United simply couldn’t cope with the pressure. Kerr was left totally unmarked on the right and had acres of space to play with. She played a ball in with ease but Harder’s effort was wide.
More diabolical defending just seconds later allowed Harder to get a powerful shot away which was straight at Earps.
Four minutes before the break, another error at the back led to Chelsea’s third goal. Aoife Mannion played a pass towards Katie Zelem, but Guro Reiten intervened and found Kirby on the left. The Lioness laid a low ball across the box towards Kerr and it was easy for the Western Australian to make it 3-0.
It seemed inconceivable that United refused to amend their policy of playing out from the back. The waves of high pressing from Chelsea caused panicked loose passing which Kirby and Kerr were gleefully pouncing on. At the highest level, you just cannot keep stubbornly sticking to the same game plan when it is causing untold damage to your team.
As the players emerged for the second period, Skinner made one change with Alessia Russo replacing Staniforth in a bid to inject some more aggression into their attack. The change made a difference within two minutes when Hanson ran down the right and found Toone. Her ball across found Russo, who hit a shot that deflected off Millie Bright and into the net.
Above: Sam Kerr hits her second. Despite being clearly offside, the Western Australian’s goal was allowed to stand. Photo: Getty Images.
United’s hard work was undone just four minutes later in controversial fashion. Leupolz played a ball to Kirby on the right, and the Berkshire-born attacker in turn found Kerr with a first-time cross. The Matildas all-time record scorer was clearly offside, but play continued as Kerr’s first effort went up in the air and she knocked the ball home at the second attempt.
Russo was involved again in United’s next opportunity with 67 minutes played. Hanson beat Carter and toe-poked the ball through to the substitute, who hit a rocket shot that beat Berger but came crashing back off the bar.
Chelsea remained exceptionally well organised at the back and made a number of changes to their attack. Yet, there was still time for more below-par defending from the home side.
With two minutes left, Leupolz was able to find substitute Beth England on the edge of the box. The 2019/20 FA WSL Player of the Year laid a ball back for Drew Spence, and Chelsea’s longest-serving player was given far too much time to get a shot away and hit her side’s fifth.
Above: Drew Spence jumps for joy after making it 5-1. Photo: Getty Images.
Deep into stoppage time, Spence broke through and fired a shot which rebounded off Earps’ midriff into the path of Canada’s Olympic hero Jessie Fleming, who sidefooted home.
Speaking after the game, Chelsea boss Emma Hayes said: “I have an amazing dressing room. The players that came off the bench raised the bar towards the end. I actually thought we were poor in the first half even though we led 3-0. I have high standards. But Sam, Fran and that goal from Pernille, phwoar!
“Pernille has been unbelievable pre-season. Others take all the credit, but Pernille is a top, top player.”
Reflecting on Sam Kerr’s second goal, Hayes admitted: “To be fair, Sam was clearly offside. We have to keep putting resources into our officials and the FA making them full-time and then introduce VAR.”
Pernille Harder spoke about the win saying: “We have amazing players and I have a lot of fun here. We also have impact players off the bench too. We have a big squad. We can get better all the time. Already we’re better than last season and we are just going to get better and better.”
For Manchester United, they again have to learn the hard way about what they need to do in order to compete for Champions League qualification. Unless several new signings can come in during the winter transfer window it looks highly unlikely that they will come close to breaking into the top three this season.
Jean-Pierre Thiesset reports from Lyon’s win against Guingamp and summarizes the fourth round of D1 Arkema.
Above: Daniëlle Van De Donk scores Lyon’s fourth goal in the 86th minute. Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset for Impetus.
Olympique Lyonnais won 4-0 at home against Guingamp. Once again, Lyon dominated this game with 66% of possession, 566 passes with 86% of success, and 30 shots including 14 on target while Guingamp had only 301 passes with 71% of success and two shots with one on target. This game saw the comeback of Griedge MBock after 477 days.
Above: Griedge MBock, back on the field. Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset for Impetus.
Playing a quick game, as we are used to since Sonia Bompastor has been named coach, Lyon had a lot of opportunities to score but a lack of concentration on the last action, prevented them from scoring more than four goals.
Above: Sonia Bompastor, OL Coach Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset for Impetus.
Lyon’s goals came from Melvine Malard (3), Kadeisha Buchanan (48), Emelyne Laurent (72) and Daniëlle Van De Donk (86).
Fleury won 1-0 at home against Soyaux in a game which saw Soyaux have slightly the better of it with 59% of possession. With this second win, first at home, Fleury is now sixth in the table. Their goal came from Nicola Karczewska (39).
Montpellier won away from home against Reims 4-1 despite going behind to a strike from Kessya Busy in the opening minute. Montpellier hit back with goals from Sarah Puntigam (18, 84) and Lena Petermann (27, 31). With this win, Montpellier climb to the fifth place.
Bordeaux won away home against Issy 1-0. Goal for Bordeaux from Melissa Gomes (37), who dominated this game with 68% of possession, 22 shots including seven on target.
Saint-Etienne won away from home 4-0 against Dijon. Goals for Saint-Etienne from Esther Okoronkwo (4, 25), Cindy Caputo (52), and Audrey Chaumette (83). With this first win, Saint-Etienne are now up to seventh place. However, for Dijon, the things are not going very well and they are in eleventh place after three losses.
Paris Saint-Germain, at home, won 4-0 in the derby against Paris FC. Goals for Paris SG from Marie-Antoinette Katoto (18, 26), Kadidiatou Diani (43), and Sara Däbritz (59 on penalty). Paris SG largely dominated largely the game with 58% of possession, 19 shots including 13 on target, 488 passes (83% successful); for Paris FC, 9 shots with only 1 on target, 351 passes (76% successful). With this result, only two teams are yet to lose this season – Lyon and Paris SG.
Above: Ellie Dobson, voted as Brighouse Town’s player of the match. Photo supplied by: Brighouse Town
Brighouse Town came away from Stoke City with a point from their FA Women’s National League Northern Premier clash, but in reality should have grabbed all three.
Town will be utterly disappointed with the number of chances they squandered, and will no doubt be hoping to bounce back this coming weekend at home to West Bromwich Albion.
Brighouse started the game well but only after a scary moment at the back. Shauna Legge mis-timed her pass to allow the Stoke striker in, but Imogen Maguire did well to deny the home side an early goal.
From then on, Town took control and began to build a number of good openings. Their goal came midway through the half. Darcie Greene flew down the left wing and put in a delightful cross for Monique Watson to score her first goal for the club at the back post.
Stoke reacted well to conceding the goal and took command of the game as Brighouse struggled to get out of their own half and after a number of close chances the home side got their reward. An excellent strike from 25 yards caught the visitors out to bring the game level just before the break.
Graphic Supplied By: Brighouse Town.
A tactical change at half-time saw Sophie John enter the field of play, her ability to block off the midfield was a key factor in the decision and it proved the right one with Town dominating pretty much from start to finish. Maguire in the Town goal was a spectator in the second period with Town attacking at will. No fewer than five one on one chances came and went leaving the Brighouse faithful scratching their heads as to how they weren’t ahead in the contest.
After the match, Brighouse Town manager Rob Mitchell was left disappointed but took the positives of another point on the road. “Of course we are disappointed not to have won the game, especially given the number of chances we created, but that’s football, I would be more concerned if we weren’t creating those chances.
“Hopefully we can take today as an opportunity to learn and improve in order to move forward. We have definitely transitioned well into what is a difficult league, but we cannot rest on our laurels and we must keep picking up points to retain our place for next season.
Player of the match – Ellie Dobson (pictured at the top of the page).
Town welcome West Bromwich Albion to the Yorkshire Payments Stadium this Sunday in the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier with a big crowd anticipated. There will be junior teams taking part in games as well as being mascots from Brighouse Town, Brighouse Juniors, Battyeford Belles and Norristhorpe Panthers. If you would like to join them, it is a 2pm KO at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium, HD6 2PL and prices are £5 for adults and £3 for concessions, children U16 can get in for just £1.
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Above: Toni Duggan and Hanna Bennison embrace after the Swedish teenager’s first FAWSL goal. Photo: @EvertonWomen
After two rounds, neither team has recorded a win this season and both are desperate for the win and some points. Both sides have a few players returning from international duty and coming off successful matches for their respective countries.
What started as a pretty even affair in the first half with both teams scoring a single goal, ended with Everton slowly taking control and dominating in the second half to record a convincing 3-1 win.
Birmingham City kick off. A lob into the box by Aurora Galli finds Grace Clinton offside in Everton’s first foray into the box. Birmingham don’t seem to be at all intimidated by Everton and are getting plenty of early possession.
Above: All smiles as Leonie Maier celebrates her first goal for Everton. Photo: @EvertonWomen
A lobbed ball up to Izzy Christiansen sees her nudge it across to Clinton. Her shot is blocked and rebounds back to Leonie Maier. She strikes hard and the ball deflects off Harriet Scott and and it whistles past the keeper, Emily Ramsey, into goal to put Everton ahead.
City responded with a ball from midfield through to Sarah Ewans at the top of the box sees Sandy McIver come right out to block, then clear, the ball successfully. Shortly after, more pressure from the visitors allows Scott to get a shot away but it’s straight at McIver who has it under complete control.
Back down the other end quickly and Toni Duggen slips a pass through to Turner who crosses the ball. Maier connects but her header is into the side netting.
Birmingham attack again and Jade Pennock gets a ball from Lucy Quinn on the right, just outside the box. She controls it and brings it inside the box and strikes with her right, sending it across the goal to the bottom left corner, beating McIver cleanly, to even up the scores.
Above: Toni Duggan on the move for Everton. Photo: @EvertonWomen
Just before half time a cross by Kenza Dali sees Ramsey at full stretch to punch away the ball. After the break, Swedish teenage sensation Hannah Bennison comes on to replace Aurora Galli.
Very soon after the kick off, Dali sends a cross to Clinton who heads on target but straight to Ramsey, with no real power. Louise Quinn and Gabby George clash heads during a corner and both need concussion assessment. Quinn must have received a cut above her right eye and is heavily taped up. George seems to be OK.
With just over 20 minutes left, an Everton attack down the right leads to Emslie’s cross missed by a number of attackers to then be sent out to the right by Bennison. Shortly after, Everton play through the centre to Bennison who passes to Toni Duggan. The Lioness returns the favour to Bennison who is in the open at the top of the box. She strikes true and to the top left beating Ramsey for her first FAWSL goal to re-establish Everton’s lead.
There’s nine minutes of stoppage time but one minute in, Sørenson goes down with what looks like a knee injury. She’s able to limp off with assistance but it looks very tender and Poppy Pattinson comes on as her substitute.
Above: Kenza Dali drives past Birmingham City’s Louise Quinn. Photo: @EvertonWomen
Christiansen takes a corner late in the game. She sends it towards the back post and Sevecke pops up to head it to the left post leaving Ramsey flat footed and confirming Everton’s second half dominance for her first FAWSL goal.
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