D1 Arkema 2021/22 – Ins And Outs

Jean-Pierre Thiesset summarizes the consequences of the transfer window ahead of the new season of D1 Arkema, French women’s football’s topflight, which begins next week.

The D1 Arkema championship for 2021/22 will start on August 27th and 28th 2021 with several changes in the team’s staff.

This new campaign will see the D1 Arkema remain at twelve teams. Le Havre were relegated to D2 at the end of last season and Saint-Etienne climbed into D1 Arkema.

There are a lot of moves between last season’s top three. Three players from Paris SG (Endler, Bruun and Morroni) moved to Lyon and one player from Lyon (Karchaoui) make the reverse move. One player from Bordeaux (E. Cascarino) and one player from Montpellier (De Almeida) went to Paris SG. Hamraoui, ex Olympique Lyonnais, goes from Barcelona to Paris SG. Three players from Lyon are loaned to OL Reign, Olympique Lyonnais WNSL Franchise: Bouhaddi, Le Sommer, Marozsan.

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN:

Above: Sakina Karchaoui – unveiled by PSG after singing from Olympique Lyonnais. Photo: Paris St. Germain

Coach: Didier Ollé-Nicolle

Arrivals: Didier Ollé-Nicolle (coach, Le Mans), Estelle Cascarino (Bordeaux), Elisa De Almeida (Montpellier), Sakina Karchaoui (Lyon), Hawa Sangaré (loan return, Le Havre), Léa Khelifi (loan return, Dijon), Amanda Ilestedt (Bayern Munich, GER), Kheira Hamraoui (Barcelona, ESP), Aminata Diallo (loan return, Atlético Madrid, EPS), Constance Picaud (Le Havre), Celin Bizet Ildhusøy (Vålerenga, NOR).

Departures: Olivier Echouafni (coach), Christiane Endler (Lyon), Alanna Cook (OL Reign, USA), Formiga (São Paulo, BRA), Signe Bruun (Lyon), Nadia Nadim (Racing Louisville, USA), Irene Paredes (Barcelona, ESP), Arianna Criscione (end of contract), Perle Morroni (Lyon).

OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS:

Coach: Sonia Bompastor

Arrivals : Christiane Endler (PSG), Signe Bruun (PSG), Danielle van de Donk (Arsenal, ENG), Perle Morroni (PSG), Emelyne Laurent (loan return, Atlético Madrid, ESP), Manon Revelli (loan return, Servette Chênois FC, CH), Grace Kazadi (loan return, Atlético Madrid, ESP), Assimina Maoulida (loan return, Le Havre), Yrma Mzé Issa (Marseille), Emma Holmgren (Eskilstuna United, SWE).

Departures : Sarah Bouhaddi (OL Reign, USA, loan), Dzsenifer Marozsán (OL Reign, USA, loan), Eugénie Le Sommer (OL Reign, USA, loan), Sakina Karchaoui (PSG), Jodie Taylor (Orlando Pride, USA), Jessy Roux (end of contract, Orléans), Nikita Parris (Arsenal, ENG), Manon Revelli (Guingamp, loan), Assimina Maoulida (Issy, loan).

BORDEAUX :

Coach: Patrice Lair.

Arrivals : Patrice Lair (coach, without team), Mélissa Herrera (Reims), Mélissa Gomes (Reims), Mylène Chavas (Dijon), Marine Perea (loan return, Soyaux), Paige Culver (Soyaux), Sisca Folkertsma (Twente, NED).

Departures : Pedro Martinez Losa (Scotland Coach), Khadija Shaw (Manchester City, ENG), Estelle Cascarino (PSG), Ouleymata Sarr (Paris FC), Ghoutia Karchouni (Inter Milan, ITA), Axelle Touzeau (end of contract, Rodez).

PARIS FC:

Coach: Sandrine Soubeyrand.

Arrivals: Ouleymata Sarr (Bordeaux).

Departures : Gaëtane Thiney (NJ/NY Gotham, USA, loan), Camille Catala (retired), Linda Sällström (HJK Helsinki, FIN), Claire Savin (retired), Aurélie Claire (Saint-Maur).

Above: Signe Bruun, newly arrived at Olympique Lyonnais after signing from Paris St. Germain. Photo: Olympique Lyonnais.

GUINGAMP:

Coach: Frédéric Biancalani.

Arrivals : Laurie Teinturier (Issy), Cindy Perrault (Montpellier), Arzhelenn Dufrien (Brest), Manon Revelli (Servette Chênois FC, SWI, loan, Lyon), Angel Gurhem (Braine Chassemy Vailly/Aisne FC).

Departures : Faustine Robert (Montpellier), Anissa Lahmari (Soyaux), Solène Durand (Dijon), Laura Brock (retired), Wassilah Imlak (Strasbourg), Grace Yango (Fleury), Léa Sotier (Le Havre), Safia Tall (AS Roma Femminile, ITA).

DIJON :

Coach : Christophe Forest.

Arrivals : Christophe Forest (coach, Brest), Lisa Lichtfus (Standard de Liège, BEL), Elody Salaün (Brest), Solène Durand (Guingamp), Ekaterina Tyryshkina (Le Havre), Jenna Dear (Fleury).

Departures : Yannick Chandioux (coach, Montpellier), Genessee Daughetee (USA), Mylène Chavas (Bordeaux), Maryne Gignoux (Saint-Etienne), Elise Bonet (Saint-Etienne), Elodie Nakkach (Servette Chênois FC, CH), Salma Amani (Saint-Malo), Léa Khelifi (end of loan, PSG), Océane Daniel (Issy), Amanda Chaney (Strasbourg), Camille Pinel (Montauban), Sh’nia Gordon (CSKA Moscow, RUS).

REIMS :

Coach : Amandine Mique.

Arrivals : Julie Pasquereau (Metz), Kethna Louis (Le Havre), Jade Rastocle (Sarcelles), Emily Alvarado (TCU Horned Frogs, USA), Melike Pekel (Le Havre).

Departures : Mélissa Herrera (Bordeaux), Mélissa Gomes (Bordeaux), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (OL Reign, USA), Marie-Aurelle Awona (Napoli Femminile, ITA), Tess David (Lens), Audrey Dupupet (Orléans), Solène Wittmann (Troyes).

FLEURY :

Coach : Fabrice Abriel.

Arrivals : Fabriel Abriel (coach, already in the club), Ewelina Kamczyk (Górnik Leczna, POL), Julie Debever (Inter Milan, ITA), Marie Levasseur (Metz), Grace Yango (Guingamp), Nikola Karczewska (Górnik Łęczna, POL), Imane Chebel (BIIK Kazygurt, UKR), Amandine Béché (Nantes), María Díaz Cirauqui (Athletic Bilbao, SPA).

Departures : Laëtitia Philippe (end of loan, Soyaux), Cecilie Sandvej, Teninsoun Sissoko (Turbine Potsdam, GER), Kate Nado (Saint-Malo), Jeanne Dear (Dijon), Kamilla Karlsen (Djurgårdens IF, SWE), Michelle De Jongh (Vittsjö, SWE, end of loan), Marina Makanza (Marseille), Hannah Diaz (Houston Dash, USA), Céline Chatelain (Saint-Maur).

Above: Samantha Johnson, who signed for Soyaux over the summer. Photo: Wikipedia.

SOYAUX :

Coach : Dragan Cvetkovic.

Arrivals : Dragan Cvtekovic (coach, TP Mazembe, Congo), Anissa Lahmari (Guingamp), Lisa Martinez (Metz), Zoé Stievenart (Montpellier), Sarah Zahot (Marseille), Laëtitia Philippe (Issy), Mireille Viannelle Tchengang (PSG), Laurine Pinot (Issy), Shana Battouri (Brest), Eden Avital (MS Kyriat Gat, ISR), Samantha Johnson (Melbourne City FC, AUS), Corina Luijks (SS Lazio, ITA).

Departures : Laurent Mortel (coach), Mickaëla Bottega (Nice), Jessy Roux (end of loan, Orléans), Marine Perea (end of loan, Bordeaux), Kimberley Cazeau (Brest), Anaïs M’Bassidjé (Marseille), Paige Culver (Bordeaux), Alice Benoît (Sassuolo Femminile, ITA), Henriette Michèle Akaba Edoa (Santa Teresa Dabajoz, ESP), Tamires Souza, Chelsea Surpris (Yzeure), Coralie Austry, Viviane Boudaud (Nice), Nina Stapelfeldt (AC Milan, ITA), Agathe Donnary (Issy).

MONTPELLIER :

Coach : Yannick Chandioux.

Arrivals : Yannick Chandioux (coach, Dijon), Faustine Robert (Guingamp), Esther Mbakem Niaro (loan return, Issy), Johanna Elsig (Turbine Potsdam, GER), Gabrielle Lambert (Saint-Étienne).

Departures: Elisa De Almeida (PSG), Anouk Dekker (Braga, POR), Cindy Perrault (Guingamp), Léonie Pankratz (HJK Naiset, FIN), Adelina Engman (Växjö DFF, SWE), Zoé Stievenart (Rodez), Marie Petiteau (Saint-Malo, loan).

ST-ETIENNE :

Coach : Jérôme Bonnet.

Arrivals : Maryne Gignoux (Dijon), Elise Bonet (Dijon), Maud Antoine (Marseille), Emily Burns (Real Club Racing Santander, SPAIN), Kristen Sakaki (Trinity Western University, CAN).

Departures: Charlotte Gauvin (retired), Coralie Digonnet (retired), Naweal Ouinekh (retired), Gabrielle Lambert (Montpellier), Morgane Martins (Issy), Julie Marichaud (Nice), Joanna Viollaz (Avignon), Pilar Khoury (Nantes), Cheyenne Shorts (Celtic, SCO).

ISSY :

Coach : Camillo Vaz.

Arrivals : Océane Daniel (Dijon), Alexis Thornton (Le Havre), Morgane Martins (Saint-Étienne), Adélie Fourré (Marseille), Cosette Morché (OL Reign, USA, loan), Ally Prisock (Houston Dash, USA, loan), Agathe Donnary (Soyaux), Manon Labois (Poissy), Assimina Maoulida (Lyon, loan).

Departures : Laurie Teinturier (Guingamp), Laëtitia Philippe (Soyaux), Esther Mbakem Niaro (end of loan, Montpellier), Laurine Pinot (Soyaux), Camelia Toumi (Saint-Malo), Solène Froger (Brest), Fanny Pereira (Brest), Clara Cleus Fabregat (Vendenheim), Pauline Moitrel (Lille), Djanae Longo Nsame (Le Mans), Salma Zemzem (Albi), Allison Pantuso (Kuopion Palloseura “KuPS”, FIN), Kayla Mills (end of contract).

Jean-Pierre Thiesset’s weekly round-up of all the action from D1 Arkema will return this season in both English and French languages.

Pride Park Prepare For The New Season

The return of a club favourite and the publication of their league fixtures emphasize that a new campaign is just around the corner for Impetus partner club Pride Park. ‘Boot Room’ reports.

Above: Hannah Roberts, who is returning to Pride Park. Photo: Pride Park FC.

Tier Seven Derbyshire Ladies League Division One side Pride Park FC Ladies have announced the return of Hannah Roberts as their first summer signing.

Roberts returns to The Pride after a season at University of Derby, of which she was President in her final year of studies, after playing the three preceding seasons at Pride Park, making 46 appearances and scoring 2 goals.

Having completed her studies at University of Derby, Hannah said goodbye to the City she called ‘home’ for four years earlier this summer, but an unexpected job offer in “Derbados” meant a change of plans and the chance to return – and we had no hesitation in signing her.

“I really wasn’t expecting to be back in Derby after finishing University, but as soon as I knew that would be the case, I asked about the chance to return, and am delighted to be back at Pride Park.”

“I thoroughly enjoyed my three years at Pride Park, and missed playing with the team last year, although I kept up with their results and match reports. It was an easy decision to come back, and I can’t wait to get started again!”

The Derbyshire Ladies League fixtures have been published and it’s a tricky opening fixture on 12th September for Pride Park, away to Champions Draycott Victoria.

That will be the first of four fixtures on the road for Pride Park, who won’t play at their Moorways home until the visit of Belper Town on 10th October.

Compensation comes in the form of five home games in succession, and six out of seven games at home, in November and December before concluding with two away fixtures, at Wirksworth and Chesterfield Inspire Blues respectively.

Division One comprises nine teams, including newly promoted Chesterfield Inspire Blue and Sandiacre Town, making for a League season of sixteen matches.

There are six new teams joining the League; Amber Valley, Heanor Town, Bakewell Town, Pinxton, Mickleover U18 and Derby Rovers. Division Two of the Derbyshire Ladies League is to be split into three conferences of five teams each, making for an 18 game season.

The full schedule of fixtures is available at: http://www.gotfootball.co.uk/events/?EventID=4399 – this is the primary fixture schedule maintained by the League, so will be the first place to look to check for updates.

The scope for any Cup competitions to be held this season will be determined by the League in December, following a review of the league fixtures completed up to that point – it may look like a short season at this point, but experience suggests that postponements due to the weather and any potential Covid disruption will result in re-scheduling of any number of fixtures.

Artwork: Graphics by PW.

More Key Signings in the W-League

Overnight news from the W-League with Brisbane Roar, Newcastle Jets and Western Sydney Wanderers all announcing exciting additions to their squads.

Above: Mariel Hecher celebrates with Tameka Yallop for Brisbane Roar last season. Photo: W-League.

Brisbane Roar have announced the re-signing of highly talented attacker Mariel Hecher for a second season in orange.

The Brazilian-born forward started every game and scored four goals in a successful first W-League campaign last time around as she seamlessly stepped up from the NPL Queensland.

“I’m super excited,” Hecher said of re-signing with the Roar, “There’s always some doubt about how you will perform in your first season, so getting the invitation to play a second season is just proof that you’re doing something right. It’s good to have as an athlete.

“To have another opportunity to play on the big stage, I’m stoked about it.”
As a long-time NPL star for Lions FC, Hecher tipped the Roar’s strong Queensland-centric focus to reap rewards.

“I think we have a lot of talent here and I think promoting that is a great plan,” she said,
“As we know with the boys, it’s been working. It’s good to apply that to the female side because I think we have very talented players around. I think it’s going to be a very promising side.”

Roar Head Coach Garrath McPherson warmly welcomed Hecher’s re-signing.
“It’s awesome to have Mariel back for her second season,” McPherson said. “She showed last year her killer instinct and creativity in attack and I’m really excited to see these qualities on show again. “She is a perfect example of the pathway that exists through our NPL Women’s competition.”

Jets retain Sunny Franco:

Above: Sunny Franco in action for Newcastle Jets last season. Photo: Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle Jets have announced that they have retained the services of Sunny Franco for the 2021/22 W-League season.

After an impressive 2020/21 campaign under Coach Ash Wilson, Franco will look to continue her form and build on her attacking threat.

Wilson said; “I’m very happy to have Sunny back on board.

“She is a fierce competitor with a strong work ethic and great attitude which saw her adjust well to our team culture last season. She is dynamic, quick and powerful with clear technical ability that can be very difficult for defenders to contain.

“This is going to be important to the brand of football we want to play and I’m looking forward to working with Sunny to build on last season’s performances.”

Franco along with the likes of Tara Andrews and Gema Simon, is another key player from last season’s squad that has put pen to paper for the upcoming campaign.

Franco made 13 starting appearances for the Jets W-League side last season, with the right footed attacker contributing two goals.

Toward the end of last season, Franco signed with the Brisbane Roar and played in the Club’s finals series but is delighted to return to the Hunter.

Franco said; “I’m super stoked to re-sign with Jets.

“I think it was my favourite W-League season out of all the years I’ve played. I think we really improved as a squad last season and I’m looking forward to building on that and seeing where it can take us.”

Western Sydney Wanderers take Bianca Galic:

Above: Bianca Galic, pictured in her Canberra United days. Photo: Sitthixay Ditthavong.

Western Sydney Wanderers FC confirmed the signing of midfielder Bianca Galic for the upcoming W-League season.

The young gun joins the club from Canberra United where she played in her first W-League season.

Galic has been a familiar face in the NSW National Premier League Women’s competition where she has plied her trade at Sydney University since she was 14.

The 21-year-old will bolster the Wanderers midfield as new head coach Catherine Cannuli prepares for the 2021/22 season.

Cannuli welcomed Galic to the club, commending her work ethic and development over recent seasons.

“Bianca is a very hard-worker and understands what we are trying to build here at the Wanderers,” said Cannuli.

“Bianca has gone from strength to strength in the National Premier League competition and we have been keeping an eye on her development over the last few years.

“It was fantastic to see her break into the W-League competition last season with Canberra and we are very excited to have her now in Red & Black.”

Galic said she was delighted to play for the Wanderers this W-League season.

“My football development started in Sydney at a very young age so to be representing a Sydney-based team in the W-League is something you dream of when you’re in the youth system,” said Galic.

“It’s great to be able to tick that off my list this year and have the support of my family and friends at each game in Western Sydney.

“The Wanderers have been known to always fight for every match, every goal and every point and that’s something that resonates with me – it’s a direct reflection of the spirit and culture of the club.

“These last few seasons, the Wanderers have been re-building a squad that’s in contention for Finals football and I’m excited to help the club and (head coach) Catherine Cannuli get there this season.

“I know Cath has high expectations of where she wants to take the club and I’d like to help push the team to achieve what we set out to do.

“It would be great on a personal and club level to make another Finals Series appearance!”

Euxton Girls: Lancashire Grassroots Club of the Year

Michael Taylor, secretary of Euxton Girls, based near Chorley, spoke to Impetus editor Ben Gilby about how the club have navigated their way through the pandemic and the successes they have celebrated since then.

Above: Euxton Girls were named Grassroots Club of the Year by the Lancashire County FA. Photo: Euxton Girls.

We last caught up with Euxton Girls back in January in the midst of the second lockdown. Michael revealed what that first training session was like once girls’ football was allowed to return.

“We’d pretty much forgotten what it felt like to be honest! However, it was no less than epic to have the vast majority of all our teams back out playing home and away across Lancashire, it was a fantastic feeling for everyone to see each other again and get back doing what they love.

“Despite all the lockdowns, it’s probably been one of our best seasons on the pitch as a club with pretty much all of our teams vying for either a top league position or a cup. With three cup finals and two trophies with only our U16s losing out to a good Bolton side in a final, we also achieved a couple of playoffs and a semi-final loss thrown in as well.

Above: Euxton Girls’ U9s lifting their trophy. Photo: Tim Brice Photography via Euxton Girls.

“The standout for me and the club was the U9s winning their trophy, This team was put together in the first lockdown and had only played two games before Christmas, it was fantastic to watch. Despite the trophies and cup finals, all of the teams have really pushed on and all did amazingly well to finish where they all did and things are looking very good for the new season.

With light finally appearing at the end of the Covid tunnel, Michael emphasized the impact of the pandemic on Euxton Girls.

“Its been the toughest 18 months any grassroots football club could have had, we simply couldn’t have done it and come through it as well as we have done without the support of our parents and supporters, who’ve continued to back the club through their monthly subs and ongoing support.

“Financially, we aren’t a club that has or needs to have loads of cash in the bank, it all goes back into the teams for facilities, kit, equipment etc, so when we did have some spare cash during the lockdowns, we donated to the local food bank, but the biggest fear for me was player retention, how many would we lose due to the lockdowns, school isolations, girls being sent home just before games after a text to isolate from school for example and all sorts of curved balls thrown in.

Above: Euxton Girls’ U14s. Photo via: Euxton Girls.

“A lot of hard work and quickly putting in and ever changing processes to deal with the majority of issues has made it all a lot easier than it otherwise could have been along with the help and support of all parents, players and coaches to pull it all together across all our teams and the Wildcats.”

Despite it being summer and the close season for most, there’s been plenty going on at Euxton Girls.

“It’s been a very busy!” Michael said. “There is a tight window from the end of the season to getting ready for the new one. We were named as the Lancashire County FA Club of the Year which is just fantastic for a stand-alone girls club. We’re a partner club on a new 3G facility in the town which will be announced and opened shortly We’ve created another three new teams, with our new U7s, U8s and U9s teams from our Wildcats and consistently 60+ girls from age five at our relaunched Wildcats Centre.

“We’ve rebranded our U18s team to a development team along with our Open Age team which is finally getting started properly, with both teams starting in the County League in September. Our Nike Partner club has now started. Our long time Chairman and founder Dennis Winn stood down after almost 20 years and also received a 50 year long service award from the County FA and we welcomed Nicola Smith as the new chair of the club. Nicola is Dennis’ granddaughter and the reason the club was formed, for girls to play football in 2002 and is fantastic to have Nicola as chair and a fantastic role model for all the girls within the club, we’re hosting the district School trials in August we also sent our old football kits and boots and equipment to Africa for girls football there and are in the process of launching our supporters club. There’s more in the pipeline with hopefully more partnerships and player pathways that will be coming up very shortly, watch this space.”

Above: Euxton Girls with the giant England flag that toured the country ahead of the Euro 2020 tournament earlier this summer. Photo via: Euxton Girls.

Euxton have also outlined several aims to keep the momentum building at the club, as Michael highlighted.

“The main aim now is to continue to build on all the great work that’s happened in the background over the past few months and push on with the progress on the pitch and get the momentum going again. The younger end and the Wildcats is where a lot of the focus has been to get that conveyor belt going to continue to build more new teams and opportunities to play football to work up through the age groups. We also want to restart and revamp our Youth Council and will look to more closely integrate it within the club committee structure itself to give the players more input and to get what they want to see from their club.

“We’ve also started a young leaders initiative where we give our older players the opportunity to train and learn to be able to coach and get the experience and qualifications in coaching, maybe as part of their college courses or Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme for example and is also a good opportunity as part of our drive to hopefully get more female coaches into our teams and club alongside our existing and new coaches and the aim is to have at least one female coach in every team which is well on the way.”

The next calendar year is also hugely important for the club, with lots planned – “We’re coming up to our 20 year anniversary in early 2022,” Michael explained, “So we’re going to be planning some events and activities around that as we go into the new year which is a fantastic milestone to reach and build on as we go into the Euros and build more teams and continue to build on the great foundations we have in place.”

Rankin Returns To The Roar and Striker Hayward Joins Reds

More overnight signing news from the W-League with Brisbane Roar re-signing the hugely talented teenager Jamilla Rankin and Paige Hayward comes on board at Adelaide United.

Above: Jamilla Rankin in possession for Brisbane Roar against Melbourne Victory last season. Photo: Brisbane Roar.

Brisbane Roar have confirmed that W-League Young Footballer of the Year nominee Jamilla Rankin is its first re-signing for the 2021/22 season.

The 18-year-old returns to the team after a remarkable breakout campaign that saw her play every game in the run to the Finals Series.

“I was extremely grateful for the trust that was put in me last season,” said Rankin, who is back in Queensland after a stint playing in the NPL NSW Women’s competition.

“I didn’t really expect so much to come from it – I was just thankful to get a contract.
I’m looking forward to continuing my development and getting another season of experience under my belt.

“I think there will be opportunities for a lot of players to step up and I have full trust that we will perform.”

Though born in New South Wales, Rankin is a former QAS Player of the Year who fine-tuned her development in the NTC program now headed up by new Roar Head Coach Garrath McPherson.

“It is wonderful that we have Jamilla remaining in Queensland to continue her football development,” McPherson said.

“She is a role model to our young female footballers in regards to commitment, dedication and character. Jamilla is a great footballer and a great person and represents the types of footballers we have coming through the underpinning programs in the state.”

Above: New Adelaide United signing Paige Hayward. Photo: @PaigeHayward9

Meanwhile, Adelaide United have announced the signing of forward Paige Hayward, for the upcoming W-League 2021/22 season.

Born in Sydney, Hayward spent five years in the United States playing in college with the University of Texas in 2014 before transferring to Texas South University a year later.

Paige Hayward excelled with the Lady Tigers, scoring 25 goals across three seasons while starring in the 2016 campaign having recorded a prolific 13 goals and five assists.

Hayward also concurrently spent time with the Houston Aces in the United Women’s Soccer league and was invited to National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) outfit Houston Dash as a non-roster invitee.

In 2021, the attacker moved to Austria and plied her trade with Austria’s FFC Vorderland in the Frauen Bundesliga and scored one goal in five appearances.

Discussing her decision to join Adelaide, Hayward said: “I’m very excited to have the chance to play in the W-League this season.

“I was looking to return home to Australia and I’m grateful to Adrian (Stenta) and the Club for giving me this opportunity to play in such a strong competition.

“The team enjoyed a great season last year and I’m hoping that I can help the squad do even better this time around.”

Adelaide United’s W-League Head Coach, Adrian Stenta, said: “We’re really excited to have signed Paige.

“Her experience abroad in the United States and Austria will certainly improve our squad.

“Paige is a natural goal-scorer and a smart footballer and her arrival adds a lot of quality to our attack.”

Rebekah Stott: Back At City

Overnight, news broke of Rebekah Stott‘s return to Melbourne City, the culmination of one of the toughest years of the New Zealand international’s life.

Above: Rebekah Stott in action for Melbourne City against Perth Glory. Photo: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images.

Rebekah Stott has re-joined Melbourne City FC. The 28-year-old will make her return to the W-League this season after successfully battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. 

The inspirational Stott was a member of our inaugural W-League squad and has pulled on the City shirt on 62 occasions for the Club, tied with Steph Catley at the top of the appearance list. 

A true fan favourite of both the Club and the league, she won four Championships and two Premierships in her time at City from 2015-2020. 

She returned to Australia in February this year for treatment and is now in complete remission – her comeback to W-League football providing an inspiration during a tough period. 

On March 29 2021, Stott participated in the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave to raise awareness and much-needed funds for cancer research. She raised a huge $38,900 for charity – smashing her target of $25,000. 

Stott’s return to City’s defence will provide Rado Vidosic’s squad with an added sense of experience and leadership, while there is no doubt that fans will be thrilled to see her return to the Club. 

Stott also has 71 caps for New Zealand and has scored four goals since making her international debut in 2012. 

She made her return to the football pitch in July with Bulleen Lions in the NPL (see Catherine Paquette’s article for Impetus on Stott’s return here: https://impetus885775742.wordpress.com/2021/07/18/rebekah-stott-making-an-inspiring-return-to-football/ )

Speaking of her excitement at returning to City, Stott said: “It’s an incredible feeling for me to have football back and I definitely didn’t realise how much I’d missed it until I got back on the pitch. 

“Dr. Nick (Club doctor) has been with me from the very first appointment to the last and the Club has always been behind me and supported me, so it’s great to be back. 

“The W-League is such an amazing league that I always have a great time playing in and I can’t wait to pull on a City shirt again. 

Head Coach Rado Vidosic spoke of how pleased he was to have Rebekah Stott back.
“It’s exciting to be announcing our squad for the new season and we are thrilled to have Stotty returning. 

“Most importantly, it’s great to see her happy and healthy, but I also can’t wait to see her back on the pitch doing what she loves. 

“Our squad this season will be a mix of experience and youth so to have a player of her quality and leadership back amongst the group will be a huge benefit as we look to improve on last season.” 

Major International Club Tournaments Kick-Off

by Catherine Paquette

Above: Fans gather for The Women’s Cup. Photo: Dash Photography

The upcoming week will see two National Women’s Soccer League clubs host two major invitational women’s cups.  The first, The Women’s International Champions Cup, will be held in Portland, Oregon to crown the world’s best club.  The second, the Women’s Cup, will be held in Louisville, Kentucky. 

Both tournaments follow very similar formats, including the days the matches will be disputed.  They are a great opportunity not only to see fantastic European teams play NWSL American teams, but also to see diverse styles of football facing off. 


Women’s International Champions Cup
The Women’s International Champions Cup is in its third year of competition.  It was first held in 2018, although suspended last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, and aims to crown the world’s best club.

This year it has invited four teams to participate.  The first two are European teams, the 2020 and 2021 UEFA Women’s Champions League winners Olympique Lyonnais and FC Barcelona.  The other two are American clubs, the 2020 and 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup winners the Houston Dash and the Portland Thorns.  

Portland, and its stadium Providence Park, will be the host for this year’s WICC.  The stadium is the home ground of Portland Thorns, who have the highest average attendance of any women’s club team in the world. Over 20,000 individuals regularly pack into its 25,218 capacity stadium.  

The first two matches will be held on Wednesday, August 18.  It will start with both European teams meeting at 8:30PM ET (Thursday, August 19 at 1:30 AM BST in Europe) followed by both American teams facing off at 11PM ET (Thursday, August 10 at 4 AM BST in Europe).  

The third placed game will occur between both first match losers will occur on Saturday, August 21 at 7:30 ET (12:30 AM BST on Sunday, August 21 in Europe.  It will be followed by the final between both first match winners at 10PM ET (3 AM BST on Sunday, August 22 in Europe).


The whole tournament will be broadcast on:


It should bode to be a very competitive tournament.  FC Barcelona are coming off a season in which they earned 99 points in the Spanish top flight. l’Olympique Lyonnais have responded to a disappointing campaign by their own high standards by going on an ambitious recruiting drive, the Portland Thorns lead the NWSL by five points and the Houston Dash, while eighth in the league, are behind the second place team by only three points and will be bolstered by a number of returning Olympic medallists.


The Women’s Cup
The second invitational tournament of the week will be the Women’s Cup.  Hosted in Louisville, Kentucky, it will follow the same four game format as the WICC.  French Division One champions Paris Saint Germain, German Frauen-Bundesliga champions FC Bayern Munich, NWSL club the Chicago Red Stars and host NWSL club Racing Louisville will be the four teams participating.

The losers of both games will then meet during the weekend for the third placed game at 3PM ET (8PM BST) followed by the winners of both previous games at 6PM ET (11 PM BST) to determine the Women’s Cup champions. This will occur on Saturday, August 21.


The first match should prove to be a competitive one.  Bayern Munich are coming off a good pre-season preparation, one that has seen them win the AMOS Women’s French Cup where they beat both Olympique Lyonnais and Roma.  Paris Saint Germain’s preparation has not gone as well, losing all three of pre-season matches so far.  However, they will have the return of a number of Olympians for this tournament. 

Racing Louisville and the Chicago Red Stars have met once prior to their opening tournament match.  Racing won the match 3-0.  Both have teams fully capable of good creative play. However their teams have also proved inconsistent at times this year.  
Broadcasting for The Women’s Cup will be available on Paramount+ in the US, PSG and BM networks in France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland and on atafootball.com elsewhere.  

Impetus will be covering both tournaments in detail, so keep an eye out on our social media (@ImpetusFootball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) for Catherine Paquette‘s articles over the coming days.

W-League News Round-Up

There’s a new head coach at Brisbane Roar, three players announced by Adelaide United and two by Newcastle Jets. Impetus brings you up to date.

Brisbane Roar have announced Garrath McPherson as its new W-League Head Coach on a multi-year deal.

The appointment marks a welcome return to the Roar for the 38-year-old, who previously spent three seasons with the team as an assistant to Mel Andreatta.

That period included the Premiership-winning 2017/18 campaign and McPherson has continued to build considerable experience since contributing to that success.

He heads up the state’s National Training Centre program and coaches the Queensland Academy of Sport side in the NPL Women’s competition, positions that have seen him play an integral role in the development of many of this season’s squad members.

“Excited is the first word that comes to mind,” said McPherson, a former Male Champion of the Year nominee at the annual rebel Female Football Awards.

“I’m looking forward to reconnecting with players I’ve worked with previously, players who have come through our development systems and programs.

“It’s exciting for me to lead the next step in the Club’s mission, which is to give Queenslanders – whether they’re adopted Queenslanders or born and bred here – opportunities to play at the top level and continue progressing towards national team representation.

“I feel honoured to be able to continue the hard work that has been done by so many great people over the past decade.

Above: New Brisbane Roar head coach Garrath McPherson. Photo: @garrathmc

“The club has always been extremely supportive, back when I was with the team previously and now with providing this opportunity.

“I cannot wait to get on the pitch with the players and staff and get stuck into our preparations. Queensland has always had an incredibly strong footballing community and it’s going to be awesome to see everyone in the stands on our first matchday.”

Roar CEO David Pourre said the Club identified McPherson as the ideal candidate to drive the strong Queensland focus that has strategically been adopted in the run-up to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023.

“I’m very pleased to welcome Garrath back to Brisbane Roar at this really exciting time for our W-League program,” Pourre said.

“Garrath knows what it takes to be successful in the W-League, having worked closely with Mel Andreatta for many years, and he’s someone we trust to set those standards.

“At the same time, we think he’s incredibly well-credentialled in player development environments.

“That’s going to be very big for the Club, and very important for football in Australia given the wonderful opportunities ahead of our game.

“There is so much to look forward to and so many talented players in this state. We want to reward their hard work and give them a platform to play at the top level.

“We look forward to seeing Garrath harness that potential as part of a team that will make our fans and Queenslanders very proud.”

Adelaide United continue to announce additions to their roster for 2021/22 with the news that Emily Condon, Annalee Grove and Miranda Templeman have all been signed up.

Condon will remain with the Club until the end of the W-League 2022/23 season after signing a two-year contract.

Emily Condon lies equal first in the Club’s all-time appearances list with 72 games and 12 goals to her name since joining the Reds ahead of the 2013/14 campaign.

In 12 starts last season the 22-year-old was extremely impressive, scoring a career-high four goals and registered a further four assists.

Condon has spent the offseason with Salisbury Inter in the SA NPLW and has scored six goals in 13 matches in all competitions so far.

Speaking about entering her ninth season with the Club, Condon said: “I’m very happy to commit my future to Adelaide United.

Above: Emily Condon will return to Adelaide United red for the next two seasons. Photo: Adelaide United.

“We took great strides forward last season and I think we can only improve on the progress we made as we aim to play finals football.

“I’m really enjoying playing for Adrian (Stenta) and I’m excited for another season together with a great group of young footballers.”

Adelaide United’s W-League Head Coach, Adrian Stenta, said: “Emily enjoyed probably her most consistent season to date last year with Adelaide United and took her game to another level.

“It’s pleasing to know Emily will be with us for the next two years because she’s an integral player to our team and one of the most talented midfielders in the competition.

“Our squad is coming together quite nicely and fans should be looking forward to another strong and competitive season from our exciting, young group.”

The South Australian club have also announced that goalkeepers Annalee Grove and Miranda Templeman, have signed with the Club for the W-League 2021/22 season.

The pair are considered two of the best young shot-stoppers in the country.

Grove returns to the Reds where she made her W-League debut last season against Canberra United.

The 20-year-old, who has represented the Junior and Young Matildas, spent the offseason in Sydney with Bankstown City Lions in the NSW WNPL.

After re-signing with Adelaide, Grove said: “I’m really delighted to be back at Adelaide with this amazing team.

“I feel like we have unfinished business because of how close we came to reaching the finals last campaign.

Above: Annalee Grove returns to Adelaide United. Photo: Adelaide United.

“Last year I was fortunate enough to make my Reds debut and now I feel like I’m ready for that number one role if I keep working hard and stay focused.”

Meanwhile, Templeman arrives at the Club with a substantial amount of potential.

Originally from Perth, the 18-year-old is part of the Future Matildas program and previously represented Australia at U16 level.

Templeman, too, has plied her trade in the NSW WNPL during the offseason, but with FNSW Institute.

Speaking about joining the Reds, Templeman said: “I’m so excited to be moving to Adelaide.

“Growing up and playing the sport I love, my goal has always been to play professionally and, to now have that opportunity, my determination to make that dream a reality has only intensified.

Above: Young Western Australian Miranda Templeman joins Adelaide United. Photo: Miranda Templeman Facebook.

“I believe Adelaide is one of the best teams I could join for my development because of the opportunities it gives young players, which is exciting for me.

“Hopefully we can put together a solid season and secure a place in the finals.”

Adelaide United’s W-League Head Coach, Adrian Stenta, said: “We’re really happy with these two signings.

“Annie was obviously with us last year and got to experience playing at the W-League standard and I’m convinced she’ll only improve.

“Miranda is a really talented goalkeeper and arguably the best for her age in the country.

“She is still really young, but has all the necessary attributes to play at this level and it’s definitely going to be exciting to see these two provide competition for each other over the course of the season.”

Across in New South Wales, Newcastle Jets have announce that striker Sophie Harding and goalkeeper Claire Coelho have re-signed with the Club for the 2021/22 Westfield W-League season.

22-year-old Harding made her W-League debut for the Jets last season, making 11 appearances.

“I’m super pleased to be re-signing with Newcastle this year, it’s an awesome club and I’m excited to get to work with the girls and the coaches to build on last season,” Harding said.

“I’m honoured to be given the opportunity to come back for my second season in the W-League, and I’m looking forward to putting in the work to get some great results for the team and club.”

Above: Sophie Harding (centre, facing camera) is back at Newcastle Jets for another year. Photo: Newcastle Jets.

Coach Ash Wilson said; “Soph had a positive impact last year both on and off the pitch in her first ever W-League season. 

“She has a clear weapon in terms of her speed and poses a serious threat to other teams. But she also has a strong desire to learn and develop which is pleasing.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what Soph can do in her second season and I know she is going to positively contribute to our team performances and style of play.”

Joining Sophie Harding at the Jets for another season is goalkeeper Claire Coelho.

The 25-year-old Port Macquarie product has been part of the Jets’ W-League set-up since 2013.

With 34 W-League games to her name following 11 starts last season, Coelho is excited to have secured her future and build on last year.

“The club is moving in a positive direction, so to re-sign and be a part of this new chapter is exciting,” Coelho said.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to train with the Jets Academy boy’s teams this off-season and coming into my ninth W-League season, it’s helped me feel ready for the challenge ahead.”

Above: Claire Coelho, seen here making a save against Adelaide United, has signed up for another year with the Jets. Photo: Newcastle Jets.

W-League Coach Ash Wilson said, securing Coelho is an important part of her roster puzzle.

“Claire continues to prove herself in the W-League,” Wilson said.

“She has been an integral member of the Jets W League squad for a number of years and I’m looking forward to seeing her step up again this season.

“Her communication, bravery and shot stopping abilities will be important to this team coming into the 2021/22 season.”

Notes From North America

Impetus’ North American Women’s Football expert Catherine Paquette brings us up to date with all the action from the NWSL.

Above: England star Jodie Taylor who made a big impact for Orlando Pride in the latest round of matches. Photo: Orlando Sentinel.

Five National Women’s Soccer League matches were disputed last weekend.  As has been the situation for a few weeks now, Portland Thorns entered the weekend top of the table with seven points separating them from the rest of the league. The second to eighth placed teams were separated by only four points.  Racing Louisville was in ninth place with 14 points and Kansas City were bottom of the league with 4 points, still chasing their first franchise win.

All of teams had played 12-14 of their 24 regular season matches, with the league entering the final third of its 2021 season.  The battle is therefore intensifying.  Under the new 2021 league changes, the top six teams make the play-off rounds.  All are therefore within a reasonable range of reaching of that goal with the exception of Kansas City.  They would arguably have to win nearly all games remaining, a difficult ask considering their record.

The first match occurred on Friday between the Houston Dash and the Washington Spirit.  At seventh and eight in the league, both teams were just below the play-off positions. The game marked the 150th regular season appearance of Tori Huster, the only member of Washington’s squad to have been with the franchise since it started in the NWSL in 2013.  It was her team that were first to find a goal.  In the eight minute of play Paige Nielsen received a deflected ball off a corner and then struck a fantastic curving shot into the net. 


Nielsen then went from goal scorer to goal saver several minutes later when she headed wide a ball being crossed into the box.  While both teams had chances in the rest of the first half, fans had to wait until the 54th minute for a second goal.   Huster celebrated her appearance milestone by taking the ball, making an impressive run and then sending a rocket shot into the net to put the Spirit up 2-0.  

As is often said in football, the worst lead is being up 2-0.  This was the case for Washington on Friday.  Six minutes after the second goal, the Dash got their first of the evening when Veronica Latsko put in a ball off a corner.  The highlight of the night though came courtesy of Michaela Abam.  A product of the Dynamo & Dash Youth soccer club, Abam is the first homegrown player to have been signed by Houston.

Eleven minutes after her debut for her hometown club, Abam stole the ball off a Spirit defender and proceeded to take a successful shot on goal.  Her equalizer was the last goal of the game and helped save a needed point for the Dash. It ended 2-2.


The second match of the weekend occurred on Saturday between the Orlando Pride and the Portland Thorns.  It was the third meeting this year between both clubs, with each having won a previous game 2-1.  The Pride had announced that Alex Morgan would be unavailable for the foreseeable future, after having picked up an injury during the bronze medal match of the Olympics.  The mid-season signing of striker Jodie Taylor last month was therefore not just a good move on the part of Orlando, but also an essential one at this point in their season.

It paid off 13 minutes into the game.  Courtney Petersen, who has been one of the principal sources of creation for the Pride this year, made a fantastic cross into the box which Taylor expertly headed in.  The Thorns did not let this deter them though.  A team known for not enjoying being on the back foot, they started a series of attacks on Orlando’s goal.  Ashlyn Harris, who has been in spectacular form this year, made a number of key saves to keep her team in the lead. 


The Pride for their part also went on the offence again with Petersen being the primary creator of chances. However, it was her Thorns counterpart Megan Klingenberg who stood out.  Klingenberg has had a fantastic 2021 season, placing herself amongst the top players in the league for progressive passes, passes into the box, expected assists, progressive runs and crosses.  

In this game latest game, she was the best player on the field. It was her fantastic set piece into the box that set up Simone Charley’s equalizing header.  The match finished 1-1, ending Portland’s four match winning streak. 


The second Saturday match was between Kansas City and the OL Reign.  The meeting was between a winless franchise in KC, who had recently acquired new talent, and a talent packed team in the Reign, who had been successful of late but inconsistent during the year. It was their first match under new manager Laura Harvey who had previously been with the club for the first four years of its existence.

The game was an intense one, not reflective of what can be a dominant team meeting a winless one.  The change in KC formation, their new players and their loud home fans, bolstered their attack.  While they were more direct in their forward progression than l’OL, KC had a very offensive night.  Lo’eau Lobonta had one of her best games of the season, looking seemingly free on the right hand side of the pitch. Despite having less possession than the visitors, KC registered more shots.

The home team contained the Reign by stopping their transition, playing a very physical game, where the OL midfield were given little space and time, thus restraining the Reign from playing in their usual fluid passing style. It paid off.  In the 72nd minute a deflected KC free kick found Victoria Pickett who scored the only game of the match.  Kansas City finally got their first franchise win.


The first match on Sunday was between NJNYGotham FC and Racing Louisville FC.  Racing were the ones to open the attempts on goal.  Ebony Salmon had a tremendous shot that hit the crossbar in the seventh minute.  Not long afterwards, she received a pass into the box from Cece Kizer and instead of being selfish and taking a shot on goal she passed it to Nadia Nadim who scored against her former club.  

Salmon nearly made it two in the 26th minute but was stopped by returning Canadian gold medalist goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan.  Gotham for their part were also offensive.  Ifeoma Onunomu, who has been a real attacking threat for NJNY all season, made a great pass in the box in the 36th minute that met Elizabeth Eddy’s head.  It was deflected away though. 

Onumonu would have to wait until the 83rd minute of the game to find an equalizer with a rocket shot in to the top goal.  The game would end 1-1.  The player of the match though for Gotham was Allie Long.  The midfielder had a 98.3% pass accuracy off 60 passes.  


The last match of the weekend was between the North Carolina Courage and the Chicago Red Stars.  The game was originally delayed nearly an hour due to weather and took place in very wet conditions.  The only goal of the match came in the 40th minute.  North Carolina were awarded a penalty off a Chicago Red Stars handball.  New player Amy Rodriguez confidently put it in.

While the Courage had a greater percentage of possession and greater pass accuracy throughout the match, the Red Stars were fully capable of attacking.  The best performer for North Carolina was arguably their goalkeeper Casey Murphy. Despite the wet conditions she made a number of key saves to keep her team in the lead.  She deserves to share the player of the match award with the fans, who stayed out in the rain for more than 90 minutes. 


So after this weekend some things have changed in the NWSL.  Several teams moved up in the table, the Thorns’ lead has been minimized and KC are not winless.  The upcoming week will see four games disputed. Three will occur next weekend between the North Carolina Courage v Kansas City, the OL Reign v Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit v the Orlando Pride. One midweek game will occur this Wednesday between Racing Louisville and the Chicago Red Stars.  The game will also double as a match in The Women’s Cup exhibition tournament.  Prior to it, Paris Saint Germain will face FC Bayern Munich.  The losers of both matches will face each other in a third place game on Saturday, followed by the winners of both matches in the Cup’s first placed game. 


The Portland Thorns and the Houston Dash will face l’Olympique Lyonnais and FC Barcelona in the Women’s International Champions Cup in the coming week.  Like the Women’s Cup it will start this Wednesday with both teams European teams facing each other followed by both American teams.  Again like the Women’s Cup the losers of both matches will face each other in a third place game on Saturday followed by the winners of both matches in the WICC’s first placed game.


Brighouse Tier Three Debut Ends In Narrow Loss

Brighouse Town 2-3 Derby County

Report Supplied by Brighouse Town AFC.

Photo: Munro Sports Pics

Brighouse Town Women started their first ever campaign in the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier with narrow 3-2 defeat to title favourites Derby County.

Town found themselves 1-0 down mid way through the first half, and nearly went 2-0 down soon after but for good work from Kayleigh Bamforth to prevent a tap in at the back post.

Brighouse responded excellently. Danielle Whitham smashed the equaliser in the top corner after excellent work by Amy Woodruff. They soon found themselves in the lead when Darcie Greene found sister Drew with a long diagonal pass. Drew caught the Derby keeper out with a clever finish to put Town 2-1 up before the break.

After the interval, Brighouse should have made it 3-1 on a couple of occasions, the first was a bullet header from Woodruff from a Leah Embley cross and the second a bizarre sequence of events found Woodruff through on goal, the linesman had his flag up from a clear offside but the referee waved play on, Woodruff reacted too slowly and a missed opportunity went begging.

Above: Brighouse Town player of the match Danielle Whitman in possession against Derby County on Sunday. Photo: Munro Sports Pics.

As the game entered it’s final stages, it looked as though Town could do the unthinkable and looked in control, however, a long hopeful ball caught Becky Gompertz out leaving Derby’s Sophie Domingo one on one with debutant keeper Imogen Maguire. Maguire brought Domingo down resulting in a penalty, it was emphatically executed in the the top left hand corner despite Maguire’s best efforts.

Derby then dealt the killer blow and a real sucker punch with a quickfire goal to make it 3-2 with 10 minutes remaining, Town huffed and puffed but couldn’t find the equaliser their play so richly deserved.

Lessons learnt as they made the step up in the top National League division as they prepare to travel to Hull City this coming Sunday. Hull managed to pick up a point away at Loughbrough but threw away a 2-1 lead in the 94th minute. The game will be played at Haworth Park, please follow @btafcwomen on Twitter for all the info or live updates.

Player of the match Danielle Whitham