Ben Gilby caught up with Sutton United’s Olivia Watson (pictured above by Paul Loughlin), who we are proud to co-sponsor with Since ’71 to find out about how her final games of the campaign went and her aims for the new season.
Olivia began by outlining what she’s been up to on and off the pitch since we last caught up a two months or so ago. “I have been enjoying being back in training and we have been fortunate to have been playing regular Sunday matches up until our season ended. We are currently having a short break from football until preseason starts in early July. Off the pitch, I have been enjoying the restrictions being lifted slightly and being able to go out and spend time with friends and family.”
Sutton United had plenty of games since restrictions were lifted, both in the London and South-East Round Robin competition and the Capital Intermediate Cup. “The Spring round robin cup was a good experience as we were able to play teams that we haven’t played this season and wouldn’t have in our league. We played really well in all our games and won them all, even beating teams in the league above us, which was amazing and a great confidence boost for us all. We also then played in the Capital Intermediate cup and won our quarter-final, 3-1 but unfortunately were knocked out in the semis, which was disappointing.”
“I think my form has been quite good, not the level I want to or strive to be at but considering the long breaks due to Covid this season, I am happy with how I have played since coming back in March. I was a bit rusty at first and have only managed to score three times, which is something I want to improve on next season. However, I feel that my speed on the ball has been good and my confidence with the ball at my feet has improved.”
“In terms of how the team have progressed, I feel that we have really grown and come together. We have been working hard in training and performing well in our matches – we have been playing some of the best football we have played this season. We have worked on some aspects of our game, which we have shown on the pitch, and scored lots of goals, which helped us to win our group in the Spring Round Robin Cup. Now, I am really looking forward to pre-season and continuing this.”
Above: Olivia advancing into the box in a post lock down Spring Series game for Sutton United. Photo: Paul Loughlin,
Looking ahead to next season, Olivia’s plans are already settled. “I will definitely still be at Sutton, I have recently signed a new contract for the 2021/22 season and can’t wait to be with the team pushing for promotion. Despite the men’s team having to take up their 4G pitch having won promotion to the EFL, we will still be playing our home games at Gander Green Lane on the stadium pitch, which is very exciting and amazing opportunity for us all.”
With only a short gap between the end of the spring matches and pre-season starting, Olivia outlined her plans for the next few weeks.
“We have had a couple of weeks or so off and I have been spending as much time as I can with my friends and family, going for food and drinks, watching the Euros and enjoying a bit of freedom. I also went away, in the UK, with my family for a weekend, which was great. I have also been going to the gym and running, so hopefully, I can maintain my fitness ready for pre-season.”
With the FA having recently announced the re-allocation of clubs to various divisions as a result of applications, Sutton United will remain in the London & South-East Regional League Division One (tier six).
“I’m not 100% sure what the league will look like for next season,” Olivia commented, “but I know that Walton Casuals and Dorking Wanderers have moved up into the league and New London Lionesses have gone up to the Premier Division. So, I think it will be, us, Hackney, Clapham, Victorie, Watford, Phoenix, Walton Casuals and Dorking Wandererss, so it should be a good competitive season, in which hopefully we will be pushing for the top.”
Darrell Allen profiles Team GB who make their first appearance in the women’s football event at the Olympic Games since 2012 (as pictured above via Sky Sports).
Squad News:
After the excitement that the England team brought to the men’s Euros, it is now the turn of Team GB in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, delayed of course by one year due to the pandemic but the sense of anticipation is greater than ever with it being only the second time Team GB have entered a team into the women’s football section of this prestigious event.
Being based in Norfolk, I am very proud to see the inclusion of Lauren Hemp in the squad, notably as Team GB’s youngest player. The squad sees ten other debutants from England – Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze, Rachel Daly, Fran Kirby, Nikita Parris, Ellie Roebuck, Georgia Stanway, Demi Stokes, Keira Walsh and Leah Williamson along with Wales’ Sophie Ingle and Scotland’s Caroline Weir.
There are also five players from the London 2012 games with Steph Houghton, Jill Scott and Ellen White and Kim Little returning to the GB fold. Sandy MacIver, Carly Telford, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Niamh Charles and Ella Toone complete the squad.
Above: Hege Riise, Head Coach of the Great Britain Olympic team. Photo: Lynne Cameron/Getty Images.
Coach:
Hege Riise will take charge of the squad in Tokyo, and with experience at the Games herself having won gold with Norway at Sydney in 2000. Riise is a coach of the highest calibre and is one of only three women in the world to have won the holy grail of the Olympics, World Cup and European Championships. She celebrates her birthday tomorrow (18th July) and will be hoping celebrations continue across the coming weeks.
Olympics History:
Team GB’s previous appearance at the Olympics was in 2012, when they took part as host nation. Hope Powell’s side topped a group containing Brazil, Cameroon and New Zealand before succumbing 2-0 to Canada in the quarter-finals.
Qualifying:
Great Britain qualified for the Olympics automatically as a result of England’s fourth place finish at the 2019 World Cup in France. All of Europe’s qualification places were decided by performances at that tournament.
Strengths:
I have much confidence the team will perform well. There is a wealth of talented through the squad, particularly in offensive positions with many recognisable faces from the FAWSL and especially from Chelsea’s title winning season which also saw Emma Hayes’ team make the Champions League Final.
Development Areas:
Defence however has always been a concern for me and this will potentially be a major issue, particularly when coming up against the stronger nations.
Above: Team GB’s Fran Kirby – in the form of her life. Photo: Eurosport.
Key Players:
Whilst I hope the whole squad embrace the opportunity and give the nation something to be proud about, watch out for Chelsea’s Sophie Ingle, who will be making her first appearance on the big international stage after so many years of giving outstanding service to Wales. Additionally, her South-West London team-mate Fran Kirby is in the form of her life.
One to watch:
I of course will be hoping Lauren Hemp features as after emerging from North Walsham High School, she is doing Norfolk and most importantly herself and her family so very proud. She is getting better and better each season with Manchester City and has offered a real threat for England in her most recent appearances.
Prediction: Semi-Finals
Group Fixtures inc KO times (local/UK)
Great Britain v Chile, 21st July, Sapporo Dome. 8.30am BST.
Japan v Great Britain, 24th July, Sapporo Dome. 11.30am BST.
Canada v Great Britain, 27th July, Kashima Stadium. 12.00 midday BST.
Impetus are delighted to be able to announce a partnership with Pride Park FC. Based in Derbyshire, the club who play in the tier seven Derbyshire Ladies League Division One, are a true community grass roots club providing football from girls and youth up to their first team.
Speaking about the partnership launch, Pride Park secretary David Kwiatek said: “We are delighted to have agreed this partnership with Impetus, which will involve the site publishing features about Pride Park FC from the first team down to youth level to their worldwide readership.
“The site has additionally already published number of our first team match reports. We hope it will help raise the club’s profile, and that our content will prove of interest to the site’s readership.
Impetus founder Ben Gilby said: “Impetus takes great pride in its support of grassroots women’s football as these clubs, players and volunteers are the true heartbeat on the game. Pride Park are a fantastic and really friendly club and it’s going to be fantastic to work with them over the next year or so.”
@DandalBs updates us on the goings on in Sweden with the final round of matches in the Damallsvenskan and Elitettan before the Olympic break. There’s also lots of transfer news, with Eskilstuna United featuring prominently.
DAMALLSVENSKAN:
Linköping went down to a 3-0 loss at home to second placed BK Häcken with all the goals coming in the last 23 minutes. Milica Mijatovic put Häcken ahead with Dilja Yr Zomers doubling their advantage four minutes later. Evelyn Ijeh completed the scoring two minutes into stoppage time.
EskilstunaUnited continued their journey towards the upper reaches of the table as they sent injury-ravaged AIK to yet another loss. Felicia Rogic (pictured above via Aftonbladet) scored the only goal in the last half hour which sent the crowd of 1,112 home very happy.
Vittsjö played out a 0-0 draw with Kristianstad.
Djurgården continued to pull away from the relegation zone after a 3-0 win over strugglers Piteå. The Stockholm based side went ahead just before the break thanks to an own goal. Nellie Lilja added a second just before the hour mark with Sara Olai completing the scoring in the final minute.
As expected, Rosengård comfortably won the top against bottom clash against Växjö with a 5-0 win. Olivia Schough got the scoreboard moving after two minutes with Anna Anvegård adding a second seven minutes later. Six minutes before half-time, Nathalie Björn made it 3-0. Caroline Seger and Stefanie Sanders completed the rout.
Above: Nathalie Björn (right), scorer of Rosengård’s third goal against Växjö. Photo: Bildbyrån
Hammarby’s marvellous return to the Damallsvenskan after promotion from the Elitettan at the end of last season continues after a 3-2 win at KIF Örebro which ensures they go into the Olympic break in third place. 2-3 Hammarby. Madelen Janogy put the visitors ahead on seven minutes before Örebro levelled just two minutes later after an own goal. In the early exchanges of the second half, the hosts went ahead thanks to a strike from Karin Lundin. Two goals in five minutes turned the match on its head and ensured that Hammarby went back to Stockholm with all three points. Elsa Karlsson and Emilia Larsson’s brilliant free kick clinched the win in front of an enthralled crowd of 763.
Table from: svenskfotboll.se
The Damallsvenskan now breaks for the Olympic Games and returns on 20th August with the set of fixtures below:
Round Thirteen Fixtures:
Växjö v Vittsjö
Hammarby v Eskilstuna United
AIK v Djurgården
Piteå v Linköping
Rosengård v KIF Örebro
Kristianstads v BK Häcken
ELITETTAN
Above: Alexandra Hellekant – scorer of Jitex Mölndal opening goal in their superb 2-1 win over IK Uppsala. Photo: @JitexBK
It was a weekend of shocks in the Elitettan as the top two both suffered defeats to further tighten the promotion race. Leaders Umeå IK suffered a 3-0 loss away to fourth placed Lidköpings FK. Frida Lahteenmaki, Ida Pettersson and an own goal completed the win to the delight of 191 fans. Jitex Mölndal, in the bottom four pre-game,pulled off a sensational 2-1 win over second placed IK Uppsala. Two goals in nine first half minutes from Stinalisa Johansson and Alexandra Hellekant put Jitex ahead before an own goal just after the hour mark gave Uppsala a chance of a point, but they could not find the net again. Due to results elsewhere, Uppsala dropped to fourth as a consequence. IFK Kalmar took advantage to go second following a 1-0 win over Sundavalls DFF. Tabby Tindell’s goal with six minutes left was the difference. Morön BK went third after a 5-0 thrashing of Borgeby FK. A Hildah Tholakele Magala hat-trick plus further strikes form Arianna Veland and Lina Pettersson completed the win. Älvsjö AIK FF took advantage of the top two’s defeats to bring new life into their promotion push with a 2-0 win over Bollstanäs SK. Marie Segerholm and Alice Ahlberg were on target.
Latest Results: Alingsås FC United 0-2 IF Brommapojkarna, IFK Norrköping 2-1 Mallbackens IF Sunne, Lidköpings FK 3-0 Umeå IK, Morön BK 5-0 Borgeby FK, Jitex Mölndal 2-1 IK Uppsala, Älvsjö AIK FF 2-1 Bollstanäs SK, IFK Kalmar 1-0 Sundsvalls DFF.
The Elitettan now takes a break until the next round of matches which will be played on 7-8th August. The games scheduled for those dates are shown below:
Next matches: IF Brommapojkarna, IFK Norrköping, Bollstanäs SK v Jitex Mölndal, IFK Kalmar v Alingsås FC United, IK Uppsala v Älvsjö AIK FF, Mallbackens IF Sunne v Lidköpings FK, Sundsvalls DFF v Morön BK, Umeå IK v Borgeby FK.
Table from: svenskfotboll.se
NEWS ROUND-UP:
FAWSL side Everton have announced the signing of Swedish international Anna Anvegård on a two-year deal and fellow countrywoman Nathalie Björn on a three-year deal from Rosengård for an undisclosed fee.
Above: Anna Anvegård, wearing Everton’s new away kit, unveiled after signing for the FAWSL side this week. Photo: Everton FC
There are rumours suggesting that Emilia Larsson, who has been an important part of Hammarby‘s so far successful season, is supposed to have received offers from both BK Häcken and Rosengård. Larsson has earlier stated that she has no plans to leave Hammarby. BK Häcken coach Mats Gren added fuel to the fire by saying when asked about Larsson: “She is very interesting. She has an interesting position where she scores and assists a lot. The way we play, she would fit in very well.”
Rosengård confirms the signing of Eskilstuna United’s star Loreta Kullashi. The 22 year-old spent the last four seasons with her previous club, and has signed a three and a half year long contract.
Also departing Eskilstuna United is Fanny Andersson, who has signed a 2 year deal with Piteå. The 26 year-old midfielder played every match for her previous club since she joined 2019.
A disruptive few days concluded for Eskilstuna United with the news that their head coach Magnus Karlsson has left the club for an assignment as club director at IFK Norrköping. IFK is a classic Swedish club with a long and sometimes successful history. Eskilstuna has just begun looking for Karlsson’s replacement.
Växjö‘s Signe Holt Andersen, who announced that she would be leaving a short time ago, has been signed for Lazio, newly promoted to Serie A.
Young star Hanna Bennison has added to speculation about her departure from Rosengård by saying “Anything can happen”. Boss Therese Sjögran says a roster like Rosengård’s is bound to attract interest. More players leaving depends on “if they can be replaced, if the money is right and so on”.
Above: Rosengård’s Hanna Bennison (left) could be on the move soon, something her Sporting Director Therese Sjögran (right) did not deny. Photo: Expressen
There are rumours that European Champions Barcelona have showed some initial interest in BK Häcken and Sweden midfielder Filippa Angeldahl. Angeldahl is in her final year of her contract with BK Häcken.
Paris St. Germain have confirmed the signing of Amanda Ilestedt on a two year deal.
Australia lost for the fifth straight time in a row against Japan earlier this week in their final warm up game before the Olympics (pictured above via Getty Images), but Tony Gustavsson has remained consistent in his messaging that the results do not matter.
He has maintained from the first game of his tenure against Germany that the side is undergoing a process and a common goal.
“Everything we’ve done including the game today has been towards that New Zealand game,” said the manager after losing to Japan.
“We haven’t talked about getting out of the group we’ve only talked about that New Zealand game,” echoed captain Sam Kerr when the squad was announced.
The plan appears to be not to peak during friendlies and warm up matches but during the Olympics. Gustavsson has been here before with the U.S.A, he knows what it takes to be successful in international football.
Despite the losing streak, the Matildas have remained competitive against strong opposition.
When they faced Denmark, Australia had 14 shots on goal and 10 on target, only through a series of unfortunate events did the Danes score three times with only one shot on target for the match.
In the next match they were very much on the back foot. Sweden had 12 shots on goal to Australia’s seven. Importantly, the defence looked solid and stubborn, they kept a clean sheet against a European Cup and Olympic contender.
Both of these games were big improvements over the preceding thrashings against Germany and The Netherlands. Gustavsson and the players repeatedly refer to “the process” the team is undergoing and they generally look to be headed in the right direction.
Gustavsson has continued to tinker. Australia alternated between a three player defense and a more familiar back four.
Australia has had basically two tactical systems over the last decade, 4-3-3 and when that fails, 4-3-3 but with more effort.
While this has done the job in beating up on Brazil and can historically match the U.S.A, Australia has struggled against European opposition.
Above: Mid game discussion for The Matildas against Japan involving, from left to right: Hayley Raso, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Clare Polkinghorne, Emily van Egmond and Ellie Carpenter. Photo: ESPN
The flexibility to switch to a different system depending on the opposition and the in game scenario is needed.
If Australia are a goal or two ahead with 20 minutes to play but are under siege, switching to the formation that shut out Sweden would be a way to close out the game.
The ability to switch between this and the system that releases Catley and Carpenter as attacking weapons is the sort of tactical flexibility that Gustavsson is looking to develop.
In the 2019 World Cup, an injury to Clare Polkinghorne resulted in a domino effect of players moving positions. Being able to shift between a back three and four could be an in game alternative should misfortune strike again.
In the Japan game, Australia tried a mix of different systems and players over the 90 minutes. It was a game played in the spirit of caution by both sides, nobody wanted to get injured days out from a major event and Gustavsson evidently valued further experimentation over grinding out a meaningless result.
This is not a method Australian fans are accustomed to. The Matildas have previously attacked friendly fixtures with enthusiasm. They have always been looking to score and entertain.
This has drawn, crowds, acclaim and popularity, what it has not brought is major international success.
Gustavsson’s methods may not bring about victory in Tokyo but we do know that what has been tried in the last few years has not worked either.
The opening game against New Zealand will be Australia’s first competetive match under Tony Gustavsson. It will also be the first game of consequence for the players since February 2020.
The team and the manager have been insistent that only this upcoming contest matters, everything else has only been prelude to it.
In 2021 we have seen the Matildas play to get back together, we have seen them play to score, we have seen them play to defend and play to get some final match fitness.
On Wednesday 21st, for the first time, we will see them playing to win.
Impetus editorBen Gilby was born in South-West London but is known to be a long-time supporter of The Matildas, Australia’s national women’s team. He explains his journey from discovering this very special team to interviewing their players and reporting on their games(16/7/21).
Craven Cottage, Fulham FC on 9th October 2018. England v Australia. As a women’s football fan and someone born in nearby Roehampton, it was natural that I should be at the game (pictured above via Football Australia).
For many of my fellow countrymen and women, what was not natural was that I was there in the Matildas green and gold. It was the culmination of a number of years following Australian women’s football which started after becoming aware of Sam Kerr ten years earlier.
The Australian footballing legend grew up twenty minutes up the road from where the Western Australian branch of my own family live so my introduction to the women’s game out there was personal (for more details on this, see forthcoming player profile on Sam).
Above: A very young Sam Kerr, pictured with Emily Van Egmond around a year before Ben first discovered the Australian superstar in 2008. Photo: Sam Kerr
From East Fremantle, Kerr would go on to Perth Glory in the W-League where I saw her play in those formative years. The first Matildas experience for me came in the 2010 AFC Women’s Asian Cup (the Asia confederation’s version of the Euros) when 16 year-old Sam was part of the team that went all the way to the final in monsoon like conditions to take on North Korea. Kerr scored Australia’s goal in the 1-1 draw. Just imagine the scenes in my living room in the early hours of the morning when her goal went in. The team in green and gold went on to lift the title on penalties.
The Matildas therefore started off as the national side with a player I had a connection to. That rapidly developed on a wider scale. As social media developed more recently, the Australian women’s team have led the way in reaching out to and communicating with fans.
The Matildas are a team who, before many other national sides, recognised the importance of building links with their supporters.
Commenting on the player’s Twitter feeds about their performances or achievements will often lead to the players themselves replying to you or DM-ing you. This connection is something which has seen the Matildas become Australia’s most loved national sporting team – an award they won ahead of the men’s cricket, rugby league and rugby union teams – no mean feat.
Above: Ben’s collection of Australian national soccer shirts from 1996 onwards. Photo: Ben Gilby
Regular events for supporters online have been organised including some particularly aimed at Matildas fans overseas which involve players and the coaching staff. This is a group of people who just “get it”.
The longer this connection between player and supporter goes on, the better you come to know each other. Therefore you celebrate those wins even louder, you cry even more tears when painful defeats come round. You experience it together – hence the team’s logo #WeAreMatildas.
Putting fandom aside, since I have been fortunate to be able to write about women’s football, these very same players have been so helpful to supporting my work for both Impetus and Beyond90. It’s like being on a journey together and the next three years with Olympics, the AFC Asian Women’s Cup and a home World Cup mean that journey is going to be more exciting than ever.
Being known as “that English bloke who is obsessed about Australian women’s football” means that I am able to talk up the game Down Under publicly – and believe me, it is well worth talking up.
Above: Ben’s Matildas Active Support Flag has been seen at FAWSL games where Australian women internationals have been playing. Photo: Ben Gilby
The next generation of Matildas are already coming through and some will be on display in Tokyo. Kyra Cooney-Cross has all the makings of a superstar of the future. Having first seen her as a 16 year-old, I can’t wait to see her explode on the world stage. Charli Grant is developing at pace and deserves all the success that comes her way in the future due to her dedication, ability and the fact that she is an example of the fact that genuinely nice people can succeed.
For me the Matildas are not just Australia’s national women’s football team – they are a group who know the struggles they have had to overcome to represent their country and are more than aware that they are inspiring the next generation of Australian girls to wear the shirt after them.
This is why they are my team. This is why that whenever they play England, I’ll be in the green and gold. It’s personal.
Above: Photos of Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord and Emily van Egmond at major tournaments from 2011 onwards – the period that Ben has been following the Matildas. Photo: @SamanthaKerr20
This match, played at Sanga Stadium in Kyoto saw a limited crowd of 3,000 spectators allowed in due to the Coronavirus pandemic (photo above via YouTube).
The Matildas played 3-4-3 formation with Ellie Carpenter, Clare Polkinghorne and Steph Catley playing the back three, Tameka Yallop, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Emily Van Egmond and Kyah Simon in midfield and Caitlin Foord, Sam Kerr and Hayley Raso up the front.
Australia wore their Olympic jerseys which are making their debut. It’s mostly green with a gold triangle at the top right at the front with green shorts and from a distance, it looks a bit like a rugby jersey.
Kerr was notably wearing jersey #2. It was explained that as the team was originally 18 members, as per usual Olympic requirements, Sam chose the number two as 20 wasn’t going to be available. Then the Olympic committee changed the rules for the football teams to be 22 players and it was too late to change back, thus Charlotte Grant got the #20 jersey.
Cooney-Cross kicked off and Australia started with possession. Japan stole the ball but the cross to the box goes out and they began to press early.
There’s a long pass from midfield into the box by Carpenter but it went wide of goal with no one taking it. Foord got a run down the left but is stopped. Carpenter sends another long shot to goal which is gathered by the keeper.
Down the other end, Japan cross into the box but it also goes out. There’s a lot of long balls by both teams but no one is there to take advantage. It’s taken down the left by Japan then comes back out and is over to the right. The cross is cleared but comes right back into the box. Australia is calling for offside but the calls are ignored. Matildas need to play to the whistle. It’s cleared and a long ball goes down to Kerr but she is called offside.
Japan have more possession now but a foray into the box is cleared. Japan cross into the box from the left and Yallop clears it straight back to Japan. A shot is gathered by Micah.
The first quarter of an hour of the game has been played in Japanese territory. Van Egmond crosses to Foord in the box but she can’t get a shot away and it’s cleared. Carpenter gets it back and sends it over to Simon who takes a rather ambitious shot that is blocked at the top of the box.
Foord takes a good shot at around 19 minutes in, but it goes straight to the keeper.
Back down the other end and the back three for Australia are passing it between themselves for a while to reset. A pass to Van Egmond goes astray but Carpenter retrieves it.
A long ball to Raso is intercepted by the Japanese keeper who’s come right out. Shortly after, a cross by Raso is too far behind Kerr and goes out. Another attack ends with a foul and Japan get a free kick. Tanaka takes the shot which is blocked and held by Micah. Sugasawa is in the clear and shoots and forces a diving save by Micah. Japan is attacking a lot more now and Sugasawa is forward and makes a run in the clear and brings Micah right out to save but she’s called offside.
Another long ball comes up to Kerr who crosses into the box. There’s a couple of runners in the box but Foord’s header goes wide to the right of goal for a goal kick. It was a good chance. It’s a long goal kick straight to Polkinghorne who heads it back to Simon. She takes a long shot from the right straight to the keeper.
Above: Caitlin Foord (left) battles it out in Australia’s friendly with Japan yesterday. Photo: The Guardian
Van Egmond gets a free kick from an Iwabuchi foul. It eventually gets out to Yallop who does a 1-2 with Kerr before taking a shot which is caught in the top bins by the keeper, Yamashita. Nearly a sensational goal. Soon after, it’s half time and we’re still at 0-0.
Matildas head coach Tony Gustavsson has made a lot of changes at half time. It’s easier to just say who is on now than go through the replacements as it’s almost a new team. He’s obviously having a good look at everyone but also sparing some legs. So now we have Williams, Carpenter, Polkinghorne, Luik, Kennedy, Cooney-Cross, Van Egmond, Logarzo, Gielnik, Fowler, Raso.
Carpenter gets things going with a big run down the right flank but her cross is cleared. Carpenter gets another run into the box but is stopped in front of goal.
Not long after, Japan takes a run down the left and the cross hits Kennedy’s arm. She’s in the box and a penalty kick is awarded to Japan. Mana Iwabuchi steps up to take it. She goes hard, fast and low to the left corner and Williams has no chance. It’s 1-0 Japan.
After the kick off, Fowler gets the ball from a long cross and takes a shot. It floats over the top post harmlessly. Australia are on the attack now and Cooney-Cross takes it right up the midfield and passes to Carpenter on the right who in turn passes to Raso. She picks it up but skies it well over the goal.
Japan get a nice run into goal but the shot is neatly cleared by Polkinghorne.
Japan have a more traditional substitution and Iwabuchi is replaced by Endo. Japan attack again but the shot goes wide to the right of goal. Endo makes an immediate impact with a great strike from just outside the box. It’s high and on target and Williams has to jump up to get a hand to it to tip over the crossbar for the save of the match.
The resulting corner is cleared but Japan get another free kick. The home side get down the left and put in a cross which catches the heel of Kennedy and rebounds back. The resulting shot goes wide.
Back in Australia’s half, Gielnik gets in a tangle and despite slamming the Japanese defender to the ground, she gets a free kick. Cooney-Cross takes it and lobs it to Van Egmond. She takes a shot on goal but it goes to the left.
Gielnik then conjures up an opportunity from a long ball and she’s one on one with the keeper but is offside.
Another long ball is sent into the box by Japan and it floats into Williams hands safely. Raso sends a yet another long ball towards goal and Gielnik is there but can’t connect and it goes out.
We’re back and forth and Japan are soon attacking again. A shot sent across goal is sheparded out by Carpenter. The corner is headed away by Kennedy and cleared by Raso. Shortly after a long ball comes through for Japan and brings Williams right out of the box to tackle. Looks like she gets a hand to it so Japan get a free kick at the top of the box. Australia set up a four person wall. Momiki takes it and it hits a Japanese player in the wall and bounces over goal.
The ball is back with Australia and Raso’s cross ends up with Fowler who takes a shot which goes back across the goal and out on the right.
A good cross by Carpenter, who’s run up and down the field all night, is cleared. There’s good pressure at the end but the Japanese defence holds firm and nothing comes of it. The whistle blows and Japan win 1-0.
Defence was solid in both teams but it was a game of a lot of long passes to breach the back lines. The short passing game wasn’t really on target and finishing wasn’t happening either. Still, it’s pleasing not to concede any goals from the field. Three at the back seemed to work OK although it was caught short a couple of times with the long balls. Not sure if it would be as effective against a USA attack but we’ll see soon enough.
Japan have had a couple of big wins lately but this is their first outing against top ten opponent. Japan are in group E with Great Britain, Canada and Chile so won’t have an easy run through the tournament either.
Speaking after the game Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson said: “Japan is one of the most technical teams in the tournament,
“We wanted to press as aggressively as possible, and we did that very well and didn’t let Japan have the ball as much [as normal].
“I do think it was an even game, and when you look at the statistics that shows that evenness. I said to the players after the game that this is a good reminder of what the [Olympic] tournament is going to be about.
“It’s going to be very, very tight games – very even games. It is going to take that one moment to win or lose the games. We have to be there for those moments.”
Catherine Paquette casts her expert eye over Round Eight of the NWSL and highlights all the moments that mattered.
All ten National Women’s Soccer League matches took place last weekend. At this point in the summer, all Olympic bound internationals, except two Kiwis who were controversially held back by their clubs, were missing from the starting line-ups.
While many do ask why the NWSL does not take an Olympic break like the Swedish or Norwegian leagues do, something that could be expected given the more than 30 NWSL players departed for what could be more than a month and a half of international duty, a closer examination of the NWSL schedule easily explains why.
At present the NWSL’s regular season is expected to go until the end of October. The play-offs, which this year has three rounds including the final, will extend the post-season into late November.
Several northern NWSL clubs can expect to have temperatures at that time nearing freezing. The Chicago Red Stars and New Jersey/New York Gotham FC are located in areas that have even had snow on the ground in mid-November. From a climate perspective, it is just impossible to extend the season.
Moreover, for avid long time viewers of the NWSL the lack of World Cup and Olympic breaks have always been a positive thing. The NWSL is a notoriously difficult league to break into for novice players. The parity of the league and intense competition leaves very little leeway for player development.
The World Cup and Olympic summers offer a unique opportunity for players on the periphery, or players who may not stand out when international teammates are around, to break into the first team or even get a chance to shine.
Many NWSL mainstay players got their break during these summer openings. Previous years have seen present day superstars such as Crystal Dunn, Lynn Williams and even Jess Fishlock given the space to individually shine.
For a league often overshadowed by big international names, the World Cup and Olympic game NWSL periods give fans a chance to really see talent that may otherwise go overlooked. This past weekend lived up to this expectation.
The first match occurred on Friday between the Orlando Pride and Racing Louisville. Both teams were coming off a loss, and a tumble in the league table. Expansion side Louisville came out strong to start, dominating the early possession.
Their 20-year-old signing from Bristol City, Ebony Salmon, continued her wonderful NWSL form. Salmon broke the nil-nil deadlock in the twenty-first minute and put Racing up 1-0. It was her third goal of the season.
The real drama in the game came in the fourth minute of second half added time. Looking as if they were headed for another loss, Pride goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris ventured into Louisville’s half to recuperate the ball. Harris then struck a deep cross into Racing’s box. After making contact with Taylor Kornieck’s head, it found the boot of Sydney Leroux who struck it home. The Pride saved the point with seconds to go with the match ended at 1-1.
Orlando keeper @Ashlyn_Harris gives a great ball into the box. @sydneyleroux with a wonderful finish home! She denies Louisville the full three points.
— Her Beautiful Game (@HerBeautifulGam) July 10, 2021
The Saturday match was between the Washington Spirit and the North Carolina Courage. The relatively young Spirit side proved they could compete with a Courage side packed with seasoned players. The final score for the match was 2-0 to Washington due to a brace by Ashley Hatch.
A Washington player who stuck out though during this match was attacker Ashley Sanchez. Sanchez decided to make the daring decision in 2020 of leaving UCLA and declaring for the NWSL draft a year early. While she was surprisingly picked fourth overall, lower than expected, her form in this match showed why she could have easily gone first.
Sanchez created several chances for her teammates during the game, wreaking havoc on the seasoned North Carolina midfield and defence. In total she had seven shots, including three on target. Sanchez was unlucky due to a brilliant stop by Courage keeper Casey Murphy and two post hits. However, should she continue her form during the rest of the Olympic game period, she could easily turn out to be one of the new NWSL breakout stars.
Another player who played very well during this game was her teammate Andi Sullivan. Sullivan has been on the brink of a consistent place in the USWNT for several years now. However, while she has 18 caps for the team, she has yet to make a major tournament squad.
The maturity and vision Sullivan is displaying this season though as Spirit captain may change this in the future. Playing in a more traditional defensive midfield role, Sullivan is becoming the team metronome, essential to both their defensive and offensive capabilities.
Perhaps her best display of this defensive vision and the ability to be an offensive threat came with Washington’s second goal. Spotting a bad pass midway in her own half she stole the ball and then made a half a pitch long run before her assist pass to Ashley Hatch. Like Sanchez, this Olympic period could be her big break.
A great steal and run from Andi @sunshine_sully is then put in the net by @ash_hatch33. Hatch now has a brace as both teams head to the locker room.
— Her Beautiful Game (@HerBeautifulGam) July 10, 2021
The first of the Sunday matches was between the Portland Thorns and the New Jersey/New York Gotham FC. Overall it was a very defensive affair which ended in a 0-0 draw.
While the Thorn’s defence were better at limiting Gotham’s shots, to eleven total and two on goal, the Gotham defence and keeper for their part showed fantastic displays of defensive heroics.
Despite twice as many shots and three times as many shots on goal by the Thorns, none were able to breach Didi Haraicic’s goal.
Both Portland keeper Casey Murphy and Gotham keeper Didi Haracic have long been backup keepers in the NWSL. With their respective first team goalkeepers away with the US and Canada for the Tokyo Olympics, it could give both the opportunity to show their abilities over the next month.
Above: Action from Portland Thorns v New Jersey/New York Gotham FC. Photo: courtesy of Craig Mitchelldyer / Portland Thorns FC)
The second match of the day was between the Chicago Red Stars and the Houston Dash. It finished with the most bizarre set of circumstances.
Both teams have shown inconsistent form this season. While the Red Stars did show a more promising start in this game, they still continued to struggle offensively. The Dash for their part struggled with a number of their biggest offensive players away on international Olympic duty.
They did however find a way to break through the Red Stars defence early in the second half. A great long run by forward Jasmyne Spencer past a number of Chicago defenders was then passed to Veronica Latsko who found the back of the net.
However, what then ensued is the bizarre part. A Chicago free kick in the seventy-third minute was accidentally deflected by Houston defender Shea Groom into her own net. Her teammate Katie Naughton then also found the back of her own net three minutes later.
The Red Stars won the match 2-1 despite not having a single shot on goal.
The final match of the weekend was between the OL Reign and Kansas City. The Reign won the affair 2-0.
Both teams have struggled to find form this season. The Reign’s troubles seemed to be due to their inability to find form in the final third while KC has struggled to find form at all.
The Reign looked a lot better this game compared to previous matches. The connection and passing displays that have been on show for a while continued this game but were finally matched with offensive completion.
They opened their scoring account in the third minute of the match. A mistake by an otherwise outstanding KC goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart was intercepted and put in by Reign striker Bethany Balcer.
Balcer found the back of Barnhart’s net a second time in the first half. A great team play by OL led to a cross into the box and a perfectly timed Balcer run. Her header put the Reign up 2-0.
Drama occurred in the sixty-ninth minute of the second half. Reign goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi ran out of her net and intercepted a run by KC forward Jéssica Silva. The referee deemed it a denial of a goalscoring opportunity and handed a red card to Bouhaddi.
🟥Drama in Tacoma. Reign keeper Bouhaddi with a denial of a goal scoring opportunity outside the box is red carded.
— Her Beautiful Game (@HerBeautifulGam) July 12, 2021
Despite being up against a 10-person Reign though, KC were not able to capitalize in the final twenty minutes of the game. They barely created any opportunities despite the one woman advantage.
This leads us to this upcoming weekend. Eight teams will meet in four matches. So far each NWSL team has played 9-10 matches. What is striking in the league standings is the parity within the NWSL.
From the first to the seventh position there are only three points separating the teams. There are six points separating first and ninth position. With the notable exception of KC, this league is still wide open.
Towards the end of Spring, a brand new women’s football club was born in Surrey. Ben Gilby spoke to Benson Miyoba, the foundation manager of Guildford City about launching the club and their aims ahead of their first ever season.
Benson began our conversation by outlining the journey behind the formation of Surrey’s newest women’s football club.
“Guildford City Football Club has been in the early stages of a complete over haul since the beginning of the year with new members of the executive committee as well as a new management team for the senior men’s club. The mantra for the club is one club, one vision and one of the key objectives was to introduce women’s football as soon as possible to replicate the growth of the men’s side of the club.
“The community in Guildford has been able to access women’s and girls football at recreational and competitive level for some time. However as a club we aspire to become an all-inclusive community hub that the people of Guildford are proud of and want to become a part of, whether that be on or off of the pitch.”
Launching a new club is exceptionally challenging at the best of times, but doing it in the midst of a global pandemic made it one with unique difficulties, as Benson explained.
“One of the challenges has been the limited amount of time together as a club during the early stages of setting up the administration and staffing side of things. Video calls made it possible to interview and present the club vision to key people.
“We were also restricted in the amount of games that we could access to assess levels and suitable leagues to apply for. We don’t feel that this particularly held us back but it certainly required us to work smart.
“The initial stages of player recruitment have not been heavily influenced by players being eager to get back. If anything players have wanted to stay loyal to their current clubs and see out tournaments that were delayed and presentation evenings before coming and experiencing our setup. I think this shows great integrity from the players and we have extended the opportunity to trial with us in to July for several players so far.”
Above: Benson Miyoba, Guildford City Women’s first manager.. Photo supplied by: Benson Miyoba
With the new season rapidly approaching, Benson highlighted the key areas they are having to concentrate on.
“On the pitch I see the biggest challenge being that we have no benchmark to work against. We are entering a new league set up with a completely new club and squad. However we are approaching this as professionally as possible and preparing ourselves for the highest possible level of competition that can be put in front of us.
“We have a high number of players within the squad that are stepping up to women’s football for the first time. This is through choice and we are excited to blend them in with the experienced players that we have recruited from higher tiers to give a strong foundation for this season and beyond.
Off the pitch we are in an extremely privileged position with a phenomenal level of support from the club. The resources made available to us to make this journey a success are more than we could have wished for. The staff and players plan to repay that support through the level of commitment they put in for preparation and delivery on match days.”
Benson went into greater detail about exactly what this commitment from Guildford City’s men’s team looks like.
“It’s one club, one vision. Everything that we have built so far and that we have planned for the season has been done so in consultation with the men’s team.
“We aim to make all of the performance and analysis resources used for the men’s team available for the women’s team. We also share training facilities at the same time on a Thursday evening so as to bring the whole senior club together and feed off of each other’s energy. We see this as a fantastic opportunity to instil a winning culture within the club.”
Above: Benson (fourth left) with Guildford City Women’s coaching staff. Photo Supplied By: Benson Miyoba.
Recruitment is key when it comes to setting up a new club, and Benson outlined how things are going on this score at Guildford City.
“We have already attracted a number of experienced players from higher tiers within the women’s game. We have also secured the commitment of several under eighteens players that are serial winners in youth football that are ready to take the step up to the senior game.
“Our staff team is well balanced with both manager and assistant manager having experience at high levels within the men and women’s game respectively. We have a female head coach and assistant coach as well as our own dedicated strength and conditioning coach and sports therapist for the women’s squad. We also have a performance analyst and kit manager to make sure we have everything covered off the pitch so that the players can focus a hundred per-cent on the pitch.”
In terms of the competitions that the club will be competing in next season, Benson explained: “We will be entering the newly formed Surrey FA Women’s League. We have also entered the Combined Counties Floodlit Cup as well as all other regional cup competitions.
“This season is about laying a foundation for our goal of two promotions in three seasons. We have every intention of recruiting a side capable of hitting the ground running. However we are also committed to building a culture and a philosophy that supports long term sustainable success and aligns with the overall club vision of growing as a community club.
“We want to finish our first season with a reputation for doing things well on and off the pitch and being a club that the people of Guildford and beyond speak highly of.”
Impetus will be catching up with Benson regularly during the season to find out how Guildford City’s maiden campaign goes.
Above: Peamount United celebrate winning last season’s FAI WNL which ensured they will take part in the UEFA Women’s Champions League once more. Photo: @peamountutd
“We want to give a good account of ourselves, as we’re representing Peamount,” said Peamount United boss James Callaghan as his team’s opponents were revealed in UEFA Women’s Champions League draw.
“It’s occasions like these that I feel it’s important to highlight the need for our league to go semi-professional. A task force should be set up of key individuals and agencies to look into exactly what’s needed to go semi pro with a collective goal to go professional.
“If this was to successfully happen, I believe we would see Irish teams like Peamount progressing a lot further in the Champions Leagues as the Women’s National League would be a lot a stronger, subsequently more of our best players will stay in the country to play their football which will only benefit the senior international team hopefully resulting in qualifications for senior competitions on a consistent basis.” Callaghan added.
Peamount’s UWCL journey so far
In an historic move for the Republic of Ireland, Peamount United were the first team, men or women, to qualify for the knockout stages of a European competition during the 2011/12 season. The South Dublin based side finished second in their group and, as the best runners-up, qualified for the round of thirty-two.
They played the following fixtures:
Rayo Vallecano 1–0 Peamount United
Peamount United 7–0 Krka
Pärnu JK 1–5 Peamount United
With two wins and one loss, Peamount finished second in the table and faced French giants Paris Saint Germain. Incidentally, PSG had also qualified for the UWCL for the first time. PSG secured a 2-0 win in the first leg and a 3-0 win in the second leg, which led to the departure of Peamount from the competition.
Above: The Peamount team that took on mighty Paris St. Germain in 2011/12. Photo: Inpho Photography
Having won the 2011–12 Women’s National League, Peamount United once again qualified for the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the season commencing the 2012–13. They were unable to make it out the group stage.
They played the following fixtures:
SFK 2000 4-0 Peamount United
Peamount United 5-0 ASA Tel Aviv University
Cardiff Met. Ladies 0-4 Peamount United
The club put in a great effort in last season’s Champions League when they took on Glasgow City, quarter-finalists in 2019/20. Club secretary Elaine Harrington described that game to Impetus as being: “A surprise to us how well we did (Peamount took City to a penalty shoot-out), we worked hard to prepare but the fact the girls all have to return to college / work can put a little strain on them.”
Looking ahead to the new Champions League campaign, manager James Callaghan said: “Everyone here in Peamount are really excited to be playing in this year’s Champions League. After forcing Glasgow City to the last kick of the game to bring it to penalties, it was brilliant from the girls, however we want to go one step further this year after getting knocked out on penalties.”
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