Heroic Hibees: How Hibernian shocked Scotland to claim fairytale SWPL title

By Gethin Thurlow (25/05/2025)

Above: Hibernian women celebrate winning the SWPL. Photo: Hibernian women on X.

The best title race in Europe? Maybe not, but certainly the best underdog story. With absolutely no title winning expectations, Hibernian – a pioneering team of the women’s game in Scotland – turned the back the clock and won the title for the first time since 2007.

While there were a few signings in the summer – Australian left-back Stacey Papadopoulos and Kirsten Reilly from Crystal Palace on free trasfer being the most notable – with Hibs losing key players Jorian Beacom, Leah Eddie and Shannon McGregor, it didn’t like Hibs had really progressed much.

This couldn’t be further from the truth though, as Ciara Grant, Kathleen McGovern, Linzi Taylor, Noa Schumacher, and loanees Erin Clachers and Caley Gibb all proved to be wonderful signings, with each playing a huge role in the title challenge. For a team that had finished fifth ever since 2022 and were 36 points off champions Celtic last year, this was an uncomprehensible turnaround, although there were already clues in the summer if you looked close enough.

After a mixed start to the season, Hibs were at eight points off SWPL powerhouses Glasgow City in December. They then went on to win eight games in a row (including against Rangers, Glasgow City and Celtic – their three main title rivals) and entered the ‘split’ equal on points with Glasgow City in first place.

The split is a unique Scottish format, whereby after every team has played each other home and away, the top six and bottom six split into two separate groups, playing the other five teams home and away to conclude the season.

So, while Hibs had shocked everyone to this point, this would be another challenge. Playing top teams every week now, people were starting to take them seriously as genuine title contenders – but could they keep it up?

The first game post-split provided an astounding answer and a reflection of Hibs’ entire season. Gritty, determined defending all game against a free-flowing Glasgow City side, absorbing all the pressure. Then from a corner in the 97th Minute, Papadopoulos shot, the ball bounced and putting her body on the line for team, Kirsty Morrison forced the ball in, taking a foot to the face in the process.

Passion. Fight. Teamwork. Togetherness. These all sum up Hibs perfectly this season, but in particular they sum up one player: Siobhan Hunter. A classic centre back, Hunter loves nothing more than throwing herself into tackles and blocks, and occasionally into opposition players. As the chant goes, she might genuinely be made of steel. The 31-year-old has been at Hibs since she was nine years old, a club legend – she deserves this trophy more than anyone.

Photo: Siobhan Hunter for Hibs Women. Photo: Hibernian Women FC website.

These attributes were on show more than ever in the final game of the season, which was quite similar to the Glasgow City game I just discussed. Going into it, a draw was all Hibs needed, and they faced a defence-shattering Rangers side who had humiliated them 5-0 a couple months ago in the League Cup final.

Facing wave after wave of attacks, Hibs headed, tackled, blocked and saved anything Rangers could muster up; before centre back Linzi Taylor scored the crucial winner. A counterattack that started with Taylor winning the ball on the edge of her own area ended with her volleying a cross from striker Kathleen McGovern – who herself had chased down every ball all game. That drive to get forward and score has defined Hibs this season, and it was well and truly on display in the crucial moment.

Something else that set Hibs aside from their previous teams was the midfield. With Ciara Grant, a dead ball specialist and Kirsten Reilly coming in and playing as a deeper two with the more attack-minded Michaela McAlonie. Grant and Reilly together provided Hibs with more control, both very talented at winning and keeping the ball in tight spaces. McAlonie, who had always been a standout in the past was fantastic at pressing and often won the ball in high areas.

This allowed the attack to flourish more than in the past, especially when facing the other professional sides. An attack that was mostly made up of Kathleen McGovern and Eilidh Adams, although Adams played mostly on the wing; and traditional left winger Tegan Bowie – who excelled down the left and provided many crosses for the two strikers to aim at. McGovern and Adams scored 25 and 24 league goals respectively, with a consistent goal flow ensuring a consistent points flow too.

The defence, led by Siobhan Hunter and Linzi Taylor in the middle was the second best in the league. This included three clean sheets against Rangers and Celtic and one against Glasgow, securing so many important results in tight games.

Lauren Doran-Barr and Papadopoulos charging up and down the field from fullback both deserve acknowledgement too, as well as back up left back Caley Gibb – who had to come in for the crucial last two weeks of the season. They defended valiantly in the moments it was needed, as well as providing some extra width and numbers in attack.

The goalkeepers, Noa Schumacher and Erin Clachers were also an important part of the team. Schumacher moving over from America and Clachers, on loan from title rivals Glasgow City. They both gave their all and had to face different moments; with the saves and composure helping Hibs to that defensive and clean sheet record.

Ultimately, this was a team that fought together and for one another from the first game to the last. No one gave them a fighting chance all season, but led by manager Grant Scott they really didn’t care. A founding member of Scottish women’s football, Hibs were there to show that history does matter and that whatever happens you can never count out Hibernian FC. On a day where the Sunshine certainly shone on Leith, the ‘Hibees’ confirmed the title so few believed they could achieve.

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NPLW WA 2025 Round Nine Wrap

by Ben Gilby (25/5/25)

Above: Perth SC’s returning A-League Women star Tijan McKenna in action at Murdoch University Melville today. Photo: Rob Lizzi.

Football West Academy 2-3 Perth RedStar

Perth RedStar held off a comeback from the Football West Academy (FWA) to claim the win in the round’s opening game at Hay Park in Bunbury on Saturday night.

RedStar handed a first NPLW WA start to Young Matildas and Perth Glory goalkeeper Jess Skinner, who would be facing her former side. It was the defending champions who were the fastest out of the blocks and dominated the opening 20 minutes or so of the proceedings.

In-form Renee Leota was a player possessed in this spell and at the creative heart of everything RedStar were imposing on their teenage opponents.

The first real opportunity came after 11 minutes when Sarah Carroll fed Caitlin Doeglas out on the left. The former Perth Glory attacker saw her deflected shot roll agonisingly wide of the right-hand post. Shortly afterwards, it was Carroll’s turn to go close as she sent a curling effort wide of the same piece of woodwork.

RedStar hit the front with 22 minutes played. Andreia Teixeira’s crossfield ball from the right flank was deflected up and across to Jayna Ridley, who worked her way free from a sandwich of Harper Collinson and Marley Barlow before cooly sending a finish from a central position around 15 yards out.

The Academy responded well, and Sakura Leong became the focus of their attacking play. She was able to get behind the RedStar defence on the right on regular occasions. From one such opportunity just before the half-hour mark, she pulled a low cross across goal for in-form Cate McAuliffe, who couldn’t get her shot on target.

Seven minutes before the break, RedStar mounted an attack with Carroll getting in behind the teenage side’s defence, but her shot was wide. However, from the resulting goal kick, the defending champions immediately put the Academy under pressure in trying to play out, and as a direct result, Ridley found Leota, who in turn played in Carroll in the box. Her low shot into the net doubled RedStar’s lead.

FWA gained a crucial foothold in the game just seconds before the interval, and it was the result of yet another probing run from Leong to the right of centre. Released by McAuliffe, Leong played in yet another dangerous low ball into the mix, and at the second bite, Klaudia Houlis swept the ball home from close range. Game on at the break.

The drama continued after the interval as Caitlin Doeglas spurned an opportunity to re-establish her side’s two-goal advantage from the penalty spot, and RedStar were made to pay in the ultimate way with 65 minutes played.

Teixeira played a low pass back to Skinner who was well outside her box, but a combination of taking her time to make the clearance and a rapid closing down attempt from the Academy saw Skinner’s pass go straight to Houlis who lobbed her former team-mate from around 30 yards, with the ball nestling in the net to bring the scores level.

Parity lasted for 11 minutes before RedStar regained their lead after a sequence of events where, initially, there looked to be absolutely no chance of a goal being scored. The FWA had the ball comfortably on the left-hand flank. Ridley pushed up to close down the space available to her teenage opponents, and in doing so, forced a pass back that agonisingly rolled straight into the right-hand corner.

There was still time for one further goalscoring opportunity, and it came with the very last kick of the match. Emily Garnett released substitute Theodora Mouithys, who broke through one-on-one with Skinner, but the RedStar keeper made a superb low block to ensure her team held onto the lead, and just seconds later, the three points.

This was a thrilling encounter between two excellent sides. The outcome means that RedStar have now won three in a row in a serious statement of intent to those who thought they were not quite the side they were.

For the Football West Academy, their six-match winning run that started the season has hit the buffers with successive losses to top-four rivals Perth SC, Balcatta Etna, and now Perth RedStar. Next week’s trip to Fremantle City now looms as an important staging post in their campaign.

Teams: FOOTBALL WEST ACADEMY: McGreadie-Cole, Williams-Jones, Collinson, Barlow, Johnson, Leong, Houlis, Heys, Kuzamba, McAuliffe, Dalton. Substitutes: Dumont, Santos, Garnett, Brady, Borg (GK), Mouithys.

Scorers: Houlis 45+1′, 65′.

PERTH REDSTAR: Skinner, Monteiro, Dunn, Teixeira, Doan, Coleman, Bennett, Carroll, Doeglas, Leota, Ridley. Substitutes: Woolley, Bellanca, Continibali, Lornie, Mogridge, Finnegan, O’Donohoe.

Scorers: Ridley 22′, Carroll 38′, Own Goal 77′.

Referee: Samir Omar.

Fremantle City 1-3 Balcatta Etna

Balcatta Etna came from behind to record an impressive victory at Hilton Park this afternoon.

Whilst the character shown by his side in making the comeback will please head coach Pete Rakic, the win was marred by Mia Britton being stretchered off with less than five minutes remaining.

Freo hit the front with 12 minutes played in impressive style. Sophie Meaden gathered possession on the left and fed Janice Kiama in the middle of the pitch. Kiama drove through the centre and played a perfectly weighted ball through to Leyna Wood, who came onto the pass at the back post to fire home.

Balcatta levelled nine minutes later as Rachel Jarvis played a lovely ball through to Jamie-Lee Gale with the outside of her foot. Gale advanced and played in a cross for Abbey Meakins to head home at the back post.

Eight minutes before the break, the visitors hit the front when Meakins was on target from the penalty spot. Her low shot found the right-hand corner despite the best efforts of home goalkeeper Megan Phillips, who got a hand to the shot.

Balcatta sealed their win with 85 minutes played after a superb move. Carys Davis won possession and played the ball back to Alyssa van Heurck inside her own half to drive a ball forward for Zoee Spadano and Davis to combine, with the latter finding Gale who advanced to slot home the third.

Balcatta have responded well to their 5-0 loss to Perth RedStar three weeks ago, recording successive wins ahead of UWA-Nedlands’ visit to Home Group Stadium next weekend.

Murdoch University Melville 0-8 Perth SC
Above: Perth SC celebrate a second half goal in their 8-0 win at Murdoch University Melville today. Photo: Rob Lizzi.

The Azzurri ran out comfortable winners at Besteam Stadium this afternoon to go top of the NPLW WA ladder.

A first-half blitz of four goals in 12 minutes plus three more in another 12-minute blast after the break laid bare Perth’s superiority. However, it was not all good news, with key midfielder Daisy McAllister being stretchered off early in the second half after an aerial collision with home goalkeeper Kaitlyn Mohan.

Perth Head Coach Tom Glavovic added newly returned A-League Women stars Tijan McKenna and Georgia Cassidy to his starting line-up.

It’s been a tough start to the campaign for Murdoch University Melville (MUM FC) boss Steve Atkins. He’s lost a number of first-team players and has had to call up a raft of youngsters from the club’s U21 set-up, making cohesion and competitiveness a challenge. Those more senior players will return gradually over the coming weeks, but it’s left the side doing it tough.

The visitors hit the front just 10 minutes in when a corner came in high from the right. Flannery hit a shot which came back off a MUM FC defender and fell perfectly for Kim McCartney to fire into the roof of the net.

The Azzurri doubled their lead with 20 minutes played as McKenna sent a stunning lofted shot into the net from the right-hand side of the penalty area.

Three minutes later, it was 3-0 as Mathers drove the ball across the box from the right for Flannery, who was coming in at the back post to fire home.

Shortly afterwards, Cassidy threaded a centimetre-perfect pass through for McAllister, who saw her shot roll narrowly wide of the right-hand post.

Perth had better luck on the half hour when Kim McCartney fired a trademark free-kick into the net from the left of centre at the edge of the box.

The spell of four goals in 12 minutes concluded as Hannah Collins dispatched a fantastic first-time shot as the ball came across to her from the left.

Whilst the early exchanges of the second half saw the hosts have their best period of possession all game, midway through the second half, Perth stepped it up once more with another rapid-fire burst of goals beginning in the 68th minute. McKenna found Boehm out on the left flank from the centre of the park to lift in a high ball for Louise Tana to direct a first-time low volley into the goal.

It was 7-0 with 11 minutes remaining when Cassidy’s high corner from the left was headed home by Mathers at the back post.

The scoring was completed eight minutes from time when Mathers’ corner in from the right found Boehm completely unmarked at the back post to come in and hit a side-foot volley into the net.

The Azzurri made the most of Football West Academy’s defeat yesterday to earn top spot in the NPLW WA ladder as the mid-point of the season approaches.

Subiaco 2-3 UWA-Nedlands

UWA-Nedlands gained a superb win at Rosalie Park to increase the gap between themselves and Murdoch University Melville at the foot of the ladder.

The visitors took the lead just before the quarter-hour mark. An excellent passing move earned them a corner on the left. Emily Dinsdale sent it in for Andrea Preitao to head home at the back post.

UWA-Nedlands went 2-0 up on 28 minutes when Chloe Gaspar sent a superb free-kick arrowing into the top left-hand corner from over 25 yards.

However, Subi came out firing after the interval and got a goal back less than a minute after the restart. Jaalah Rudd took a throw-in on the left and found Tabain. The pair played a one-two which ended with the former A-League Women attacker firing home from inside the box.

With eight minutes remaining, the visitors restored their two-goal advantage when Chloe Gaspar floated in a free-kick from the left, and the ball fell for Dinsdale to lift it into the net in front of Subiaco keeper Monique Todd.

Subiaco grabbed a glimmer of hope in the final minute when Tabain pounced to get another one back after the visitors failed to clear, and Greta Bailey threaded a pass through.

Going into the round only outside the top four on goal difference, this was an extremely disappointing outcome for Subi. Conversely, UWA-Nedlands’ superb battling spirit and decent goalscoring record earned them a second win of the season.

Ladder

Perth SC P8 Pts 20 GD +20

Perth RedStar P9 Pts 19 GD +24

Football West Academy P9 Pts 18 GD +9

Balcatta Etna P7 Pts 13 GD +5

Subiaco P8 Pts 10 GD +1

Fremantle City P8 Pts 9 GD -2

UWA-Nedlands P9 Pts 6 GD -21

Murdoch University Melville P8 Pts 0 GD -36

Round 10 Fixtures:

SUNDAY: Balcatta Etna v Murdoch University Melville, Fremantle City v Football West Academy, Subiaco v Perth RedStar, UWA-Nedlands v Perth SC.

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How their Matildas influenced Arsenal’s Champions League triumph

Above: From left to right – Kyra Cooney-Cross, Caitlin Foord, and Steph Catley with the UEFA Champions League trophy last night. Photo: UWCL.

25/5/25

Three Impetus writers – Genevieve Henry, Ella McShane, and Alice de Koster-Kitto analyse the impact that Arsenal’s Australian internationals had in their superb European Champions League Final victory last night.

Shining, purposeful, and well-executed

Genevieve Henry on Steph Catley

Keeping a clean sheet against a front three that has scored 80 goals between them this season is a monumental task for anyone, but Steph Catley and the Arsenal backline were certainly up to the challenge.

When one considers the formidable midfield behind, this feat becomes all the more impressive. Catley played a massive role in the famous victory, barely putting a foot wrong throughout the tense match. The Arsenal and Matildas defender kept her composure and put her extensive experience and skills to use in keeping the best attack in Europe under control.

Catley’s first half was without blemish. Tasked with keeping Ewa Pajor in check, Catley proved too strong for even the Polish goal scoring machine. One of the major strengths of the Australian’s game was her aerial prowess, winning every ball out of the air and leaving Pajor struggling to find an inch to breathe. Catley worked hard to ensure Arsenal gave away no easy chances, marking and communicating at a high level.

As Barcelona ramped up their attack in the second half and Catley’s role got tougher, she kept her calm and continued to clean up dangerous attacks. Her responsibility shifted from winning every ball meant for Pajor to clearing out everything that came near her.

The relentless pressure in Arsenal’s defensive third certainly created chances, but Catley and co stood up to the challenge. In the 69th minute, Catley made a crucial block against perhaps Barcelona’s most dangerous attack of the game, clearing the ball out from the feet of Pajor and Salma Paralluelo only a few metres from the goalmouth.

Above: Steph Catley (right) hard at work against Barcelona last night. Photo: UWCL.

Every action Catley created throughout the whole game was purposeful and well-executed. Shining in an incredibly solid Arsenal defence, Catley worked in tandem with Leah Williamson, the pair putting on arguably their most cohesive performance of the season. Their critical role in keeping the back organized was exceptional, rarely allowing a Barcelona player to find space. Where one stepped to win the ball before their opponent, the other would drop to sweep up any messes.

Although Catley’s great strength was in her ability to calm the game down and make measured, safe decisions, she was able to add something special to the attack at times.

From briefly switching with Katie McCabe to complete one of her famous give-and-gos up the left side and her connection with Chloe Kelly throughout the match, Catley managed to sprinkle in some of what Arsenal has missed with her at centre-back.

One of the best moments for the Australian defender was when she won an excellent ball to Pina out of the air and nodded it to the feet of Frida Leonhardsen Maanum, who let it fly with a threatening long-range shot.

With Australia’s recent shakiness at centre-back, Catley’s performance will give Matildas fans confidence and hope going into the upcoming international window. Whether she partners Alanna Kennedy, Clare Hunt, or another, Catley is certainly adept at centre-back and can ease some Australian fears. Especially with the showcased improvement of her aerial abilities, Catley could be one of the very best centre-backs in the world.

Truly instrumental – a performance for the ages

Ella McShane on Caitlin Foord

Above: Caitlin Foord (second left) lifts the UEFA Champions League trophy with her Matildas teammates Kyra Cooney-Cross and Steph Catley. Photo: Football Australia.

Starting in the familiar left-wing position in Renée Slegers 4-3-3 formation, Caitlin Foord displayed excellence in every corner of the pitch in Lisbon. Wollongong’s finest was truly instrumental in the execution of a game plan that ultimately diluted Europe’s best.

Foord’s trademark pace on the wing created the promising presses that established Arsenal’s early and unprecedented contention for the title. Ten minutes in, her pace in the box allowed Steph Catley’s long ball from outside to meet potential. The header was ultimately off target, but it served as a caution to Barça of the threat posed by the underdogs.

Although in the hands of arguably a world best backline, Arsenal’s defensive strategy swiftly mobilised players from all positions to diffuse the Catalan pressure. On multiple well-timed occasions, the Aussie dropped back to deny an ever-growing uncomposed Barça side.

The most notable occasion was Fridolina Rolfö’s searing run into the box that called for immediate attention. Foord swooped in with a fiery urgency, her impeccably timed slide tackle cooling things down just as the pressure peaked. The Matildas star single-handedly denied the Swedish international a chance at goal.

Foord was substituted in the 85th minute for Swedish international Lina Hurtig, after delivering a highly skilled and analytical performance. Over the course of her 85 minutes, Foord demonstrated her highly skilled read of the game, frequently dropping into deeper areas to support defensive transitions, advancing the ball up the wing and maintaining the pressure in the final third.

Covering every blade of grass, it was a performance for the ages.

Learning and growing – under the influence of those around her

Alice de Koster-Kitto on Kyra Cooney-Cross

Above: Kyra Cooney-Cross (right) UEFA Champions League winner. Photo: Football Australia.

While she’s often regarded as the player who could have made a difference in failed moments, having garnered reputation as a game-changing ‘super-sub’ over her short career at Arsenal, it’s hard to tell if the presence of Kyra Cooney-Cross would have made much of an impact in this instance given the elite performances put on by the Gunners all over the pitch.  

It could be said that benching the Matilda may have been the right decision in such a crucial meeting, given her lack of minutes in recent weeks, although her performances this season have been pivotal in getting Arsenal to this point, and she has proven herself to be worthy of a starting position with the club next season. 

Though a triumphant win that no Arsenal fan will be complaining about, we are left wondering if Cooney-Cross’ renowned ability in tight spaces and impeccable record of accurate passes could have gotten Arsenal out of some dangerous situations, and calmed down the pitch, leading to an earlier opener. 

It is this signature calm and collected style of play that is what ultimately led the Gunners to the trophy, a testament to how she has seamlessly settled into the squad since signing in 2023, as she could have easily been a direct replacement for any of the world-class midfielders present, had Arsenal been in need of a tactical switch.  

A player of Cooney-Cross’s quality being benched goes to show the quality within the Arsenal midfield. Learning and playing among such esteemed midfielders as Kim Little, Lia Walti, and Mariona Caldentey has given the 23-year-old invaluable experience, not to mention the confidence that lifting the most prestigious trophy in European club football will award her, coming into the upcoming Matildas camp.

If you missed the previous articles in our countdown to the UWCL final, you can find them below:

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Melbourne City end Champions League run with shootout heartbreak

Melbourne City 1-1 Wuhan Jiangda 
(4-5 on penalties) 

By Alyce Collett 25/5/25

Above: Alexia Apostolakis. Photo: Melbourne City

Melbourne City has been denied the fairy tale finish to their Asian Champions League campaign, losing to Wuhan Jiangda in a penalty shoot out.  

In an at times chaotic match, it ultimately finish 1-1 after 120 minutes after Wang Shuang’s extra time goal cancelled out Shelby McMahon’s opener. It was in the penalty shoot out where the heartbreak ultimately came for City, who went down 5-4 after some clutch saves from Wuhan keeper Chen Chen, who remarkably only came on at half time after first choice keeper Ding Xuan was injured in the first half.  

Possession was pretty even between the two sides early in the proceedings, but it was Wuhan who were able to get more shots away early.  

One thing that was clear early was that if Melbourne City were going to win, they were going to need to be patient to try and work through Wuhan’s low block, and City were certainly showing plenty of patience early.  

Both sides did eventually get their shooting boots on, with the crafty forwards from both sides starting to get into the game. For Melbourne City it was Holly McNamara who proved the biggest threat, while for Wuhan Terry Engesha really looked dangerous on a number of occasions.  

City did plenty of attacking at the death of the half, but just could not quite work their way past the Wuhan defence.  

Wuhan then almost countered up the other end with a Wang long bomb, but a stellar save from Malena Mires ensured it remained a scoreless draw at the break.  

The half time stats really did show how even the first 45 minutes of play had been.  

Although City had seven percent of the possession, both sides had registered five shots on goal, with City only getting one more of their shots on target than Wuhan did.  

A well structured defence from Wuhan continued to be a thorn in the side for Melbourne City, who struggled to navigate round that defensive wall. 

That defensive solidity was truly an asset for Wuhan, because City were a lot more composed on the ball than the home town team were, with the long bomb passes Wuhan was doing no help to its forwards, who were proving to be dangerous if fed properly.  

Just as the doubt was starting to creep in about whether the game would be decided within regular time, Melbourne City finally found the breakthrough with about 15 minutes to go, when McMahon headed home a perfectly placed Leticia McKenna free kick. 

The goal in a way emboldened Wuhan though, who began to commit more numbers forward in their attacking plays, which they had plenty of.  

However the extra numbers did not help improve Wuhan’s shot accuracy, with the home town side not looking any more likely to score than they had before the goal.  

City had seemed to have put the icing on the cake in stoppage time through a well placed Bryleeh Henry shot, but VAR disallowed the goal after it picked up a foul Henry had committed earlier in the attacking play.  

The chaos was dialled up moments later when Wuhan earned themselves a penalty after Mariana Speckmaier handballed the ball, and Wang perfectly nailed the subsequent penalty kick.  

There were some nervy moments for City in the first half of extra time, but ultimately some resolute defending from City kept the score at one all heading into half time of extra time.  

The deadlock still was not able to be broken in the second half of extra time, so off to penalties the sides went.  

It was impossible to split the sides in the early stages of the penalty shoot out, with both sides converting their first three penalties.  

However, Mires saved Wuhan’s fourth penalty, and all Rebekah Stott had to do was convert her shot and the title was City’s, but the City captain could not get the job done and the shoot out continued. Wuhan then converted their sixth penalty, and the pressure was on Bryleeh Henry to score and keep the shoot out going. However, her shot did not trouble Chen and the title went to Wuhan.  

Teams: MELBOURNE CITY (4-4-2): Mieres, Roestbakken, Stott, Otto, Apostolakis, McKenna, Davidson, McMahon, Henry, McNamara, Bosch. Substitutes: Varley, Harvey, Pollicina, Murray, Hughes, Meyers, Speckmaier, Karic, Accardo, Barbieri, Vlajnic, Rossi. 

Regular Time Scorer: McMahon 76’ 

WUHAN JIANGDA (4-4-2): Ding, Ma, Y.Zhao, H.Wu, Kim, F.Song, S.Wang, C.Jiang, C.Dai, Engesha, Traore. Substitutes: T.Xie, L.Tingting, Y.Wei, T.Han, Q.Xu, C.Chen, M.Deng, Q.Wang, J.Zhao, Duan, B.Huang, D.Jianqun. 

Regular Time Scorer: Wang 90+8’ [PEN] 

Referee: Asaka Koizumi (JPN) 

Attendance: 18,000 

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Arsenal’s tactical nous seals sensational Champions League triumph

Arsenal 1-0 FC Barcelona

by Ben Gilby (24/5/25)

Above: Steph Catley battles away in tonight’s final. Photo: UWCL

Arsenal produced a superb performance full of discipline, grit and supreme tactical organisation to win the UEFA Women’s Champions League at Lisbon’s Estádio José Alvalade this evening.

The Gunners won their second European trophy – some 18 years after their first – a sensational feat as they underline their achievement of being the only British side to win a continental cup.

Renee Slegers named an unchanged starting line-up from their second-leg semi-final win at Olympique Lyonnais as her side went into battle against a Barcelona side playing their hundredth Champions League game and their fifth successive final.

The temperature at kick-off time was in the low 80s, with the added heat in the shape of a stunning atmosphere produced by two of the most passionate sets of fans in the women’s club game beaming down from the stands at Sporting CP men’s 50,095 capacity stadium.

The opening 20 minutes were going to be all-important for the Gunners. They needed to boss the flanks in order to maintain possession and ensure that the Catalan side were denied the ability to drive through the middle of the park. This, allied with a rapid high press, was pretty much successful as Slegers’ side saw out this important period of the game largely unscathed.

Above: Barcelona fans in Lisbon tonight. Photo: FC Barcelona Femeni.

With 11 minutes played, both teams gained their first half-chances. Kim Little gained possession on the right-hand flank and floated a perfect high ball across to the back post where Caitlin Foord was waiting to direct a header across goal, but no one was coming in to put on the finishing touch.

Immediately afterwards, Aitana was found in the box and hit a shot that Steph Catley got an excellent block on to loop the ball up into the arms of Gunners keeper Daphne van Domselaar.

Foord had made an intelligent start to the game, timing her runs perfectly into space behind the Barcelona defence to create opportunities for both herself and the explosive presence of Alessia Russo.

Then, with 22 minutes gone, the Gunners penetrated the Catalan defence. Chloe Kelly played a low ball into the box, and Peredes turned the ball into her own net. The defending champions were saved, however, when a VAR check rightly showed Kelly was marginally offside.

However, it was a warning sign for Barcelona. Arsenal’s game plan was working, and the pressure was building. They were being rewarded for their intelligent and patient approach to the game that was now beginning to both nullify the three-time Champions League winners’ attack, and see them maximise both possession and territory. The chances were continuing to come.

Above: Katie McCabe (right) wins a tackle tonight. Photo: Arsenal Women.

Five minutes later, after excellent work from Catley, Frida Leonhardsen Maanum let fly from 35 yards out, bringing a fine save from Cata Coll, who pushed it over the top.

Catley and Kelly were continuing to link up well, and Foord threatened offensively as well as dropping back to assist her defence with some superb tackles. All Arsenal needed now was a goal to reward their work in the opening half-hour. At this, the highest level of the club game, you have to score when on top, especially against the Catalan giants. It failed to materialise.

As the half entered its final 10 minutes, Barcelona put together their most consistent period of pressure, although most of the attacks were coming along the flanks, as the Gunners were still managing to deny the holders the passage through the centre that they thrive on. It remained goalless at the break.

Barcelona came out in the early stages of the second half full of their quick passing triangles. From one such build-up on the left, Pina hit a shot that took a deflection and looped up onto the crossbar before Arsenal cleared. Shortly afterwards, Ona Batlle saw a drive from the edge of the box go narrowly wide of the left-hand post.

The Catalans upped the pace and intensity, crucially allowed more space to attack more centrally. Ewa Pajor was seeing more of the ball, and Aitana was aiming to get shots away. Batlle saw another long-range effort just fly over the top. Arsenal needed to slow things down and regain the middle of the park in order to end the spell of momentum that Barcelona had built.

Above: Mariona Caldentey (right) fights for possession in Lisbon tonight. Photo: FC Barcelona Femeni.

In the end, that was achieved thanks to the introduction of Stina Blackstenius and Beth Mead with 67 minutes played. Their outstanding link-up play through the centre was the catalyst for Arsenal to drive through that area of the field, and once more break up Barcelona’s favoured method of attack.

Five minutes after coming on, Blackstenius danced her way through the centre with space to drive into and let fly with a shot that Cata Coll saved with her legs. It was a warning to the defending champions of what the newly arrived pair offered – a real threat.

There was a reminder of what Barcelona could do when Alexia’s ball in was headed just over the top by Pajor.

However, it wasn’t long before the Gunners’ substitutes combined to deadly effect. Mariona’s corner from the right wasn’t cleared, and she was able to feed Mead from the same part of the field. The Lionesses’ star played a pass through to Blackstenius, who lashed the ball home.

Arsenal saw out the remaining 15 minutes of regulation time and eight minutes of stoppage time confidently and competently to earn a superb reward. They are Champions of Europe once again.

Above: Stina Blackstenius (left) celebrates Arsenal’s winning goal. Photo: UWCL.

Teams: ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): van Domselaar, Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe, Little, Caldentey, Kelly, Leonhardsen Maanum, Foord, Russo. Substitutes: Blackstenius (for Leonhardsen Maanum 67′), Laia Codina, Cooney-Cross, Nighswonger, Hurtig (for Foord 86′), Ilestedt, Mead (for Kelly 67′), Pelova, Williams, Wubben-Moy (for Russo 91′), Wälti, Zinsberger.

Scorers: Blackstenius 74’.

FC BARCELONA (4-3-3): Cata Coll, Peredes, Mapi Leòn, Pina, Rolfö, Graham Hansen, Alexia, Patrii, Aitana, Pajor, Batlle. Substitutes: Gemma, Roebuck, Jana, Paralluelo (for Pina 62′), Marta, Vicky, Engen (for Mapi Leòn 79′), Brugts (for Rolfö 79′), Caño, Schertenleib, Serrajordi, Judit.

Referee: Ivana Martinčić (CRO).

Attendance: 38,356.

If you missed the previous articles in our countdown to the UWCL final, you can find them below:

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The Final showdown: Arsenal vs Barcelona preview

Above: Arsenal celebrate one of their goals away in Lyon that sent them to Lisbon. Photo: Arsenal FC. 

By Ava-Marianne Elliott (24/05/25)

In the seventh article of special coverage building up to a huge clash between Arsenal and Barcelona in Lisbon, Impetus Football’s Ava-Marianne Elliott previews the action and looks into how both finalists reached the last hurdle.

Today marks a huge clash in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, as the last two standing on Europe’s biggest stage battle for the trophy. Arsenal, the only ever English side to claim the title meet one of the competition’s most formidable sides, Spanish giants Barcelona. The match takes place Estadio José Alvalade in Lisbon, where over 50,000 spectators are set to witness a landmark game in women’s football.

For Arsenal fans, this fixture is set to be a memorable one. The passion displayed after that full-time whistle away in Lyon after the Gunners’ s semi-final win from the team and fans alike was 18 years in the making. After their first win in the competition during the club’s historic 2006-2007 season, Arsenal have failed to reach the final again, including falling short in four semi-finals since.

This year however, the North London side have the trophy in arm’s reach. Some may say its down to new Manager, Renée Slegers, who has had a profound impact and seemingly injected a rejuvenated sense of energy into the team, despite them missing out on any domestic silverware this season.

Differing to their opponents, Barcelona have won the title the past two-years in a row, aiming to make it a hattrick this year. Last year, they successfully beat Lyon in the final and further cemented their status as a powerhouse in women’s football, but now, they’re looking to go that extra mile.

A win for the Catalan club would see them be the second team to lift the Champion’s League trophy three years in a row. They head into the fixture off the back of six consecutive title wins in their league, and the odds seem to be leaning in their favour over an Arsenal side that have been hailed the comeback queens of this year’s competition.

Above: Arsenal applaud their incredible fans after the defeat to Lyon in the first leg of the semi-finals. Photo: Arsenal FC. 

Arsenal’s turbulent journey

Despite one dip in the road, Arsenal otherwise passed through the qualifying stages with ease. They started off with a 6-0 win over Rangers and a 1-0 win over Rosenborg, both at Borehamwood. It was Hacken away where they struggled, but the 1-0 deficit in Sweden was swiftly overturned with a 4-0 win back on home soil.

The quarter-finals, they were tested greatly with a difficult away trip to Madrid, where they were met with unsuitable playing conditions and handed a 2-0 defeat. The result was bleak and felt like a huge drawback, giving the team a heavy job to do at the Emirates. Flash forward to eight-days later, that night was long forgotten and hopes were sky-high as the scoreboard read Arsenal 3-2 Real Madrid on aggregate at the final whistle.

The first leg of the semis at the Emirates didn’t quite go as planned, and yet again the Gunners trailed going into the second leg after a 2-1 defeat to Lyon. Somehow, the loss didn’t quite feel like the end of the world, and surely enough, Arsenal produced more magic to sink the most successful side the UWCL’s seen, earning their spot in Lisbon.

Above: The full time score at Stamford Bridge after Barcelona comfortably knocked Chelsea out of the semi-finals. Photo: FCBFemeni on Twitter. 

Barcelona’s road to Lisbon

Barcelona’s run has looked vastly different to their opponents. Coming in at the group stage, last years victors had just one defeat in the run up to the final, occurring in their first fixture of the competition at the hands of Manchester City. Despite the loss, they topped the group and advanced to the knockouts with no other blemishes to their immaculate record.

Astoundingly, they knocked Frauen-Bundesliga second-place Wolfsburg out in the quarterfinals with a staggering 10-2 scoreline across both legs. Their intense style of play and high-pressure attack proved to be too much for not just Wolfsburg, as Barcelona then went on to produce one of the most shocking scorelines of the season.

They were in full flow in the semi-finals, beating WSL title-holders Chelsea 4-1 both home and away. The team wreaked havoc at Stamford Bridge. Despite not being as untouchable as they have been in previous years and statistically having their worst season, Barca stormed past the Blues, who ultimately stood no chance against an 8-2 aggregate score thanks to the brilliance of Claudia Pina.

Above: Barcelona’s brilliant forwards, Ewa Pajor (left) and Claudia Pina (right) celebrate at Stamford Bridge. Photo: FCBFemeni on Twitter. 

Ones to watch

Having spent a huge portion of her career at Barcelona, Spanish international Mariona Caldentey made the move across the pond to Arsenal last summer. In her first season, she has been more than incredible, bringing her talent to the WSL and showcasing it on a new stage. The decisive, tactically intelligent attacking-midfielder brings a whole new level to N5, and her experience in big fixtures, alongside her understanding of the opponents could prove to be vital in this high-stake match up.

Claudia Pina is the definition of an impact player. The 23-year-old forward has played just 423 minutes of the UWCL this season but, she sits at the top of the charts as the competitions top-scorer. Pina has excellent positional awareness, always finding herself in the right place at the right time to provide a jaw-dropping, clinical strike.

Alessia Russo’s season in the WSL has been outstanding. She has been pivotal in Arsenal’s lineup, scoring 12 goals in the league and always being a relentless threat, no matter the opponent. The striker is in stellar goal-scoring form, particularly establishing her impact in that crucial home win against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals. More importantly, Russo doesn’t just bring goals to the table, with her off the ball movement and work being integral to the Gunners.

Above: Caitlin Foord celebrates her goal against Lyon as her teammates run to join her. Photo: Arsenal FC.

Digging deeper

In order to sink Barcelona, Arsenal are going to have to be on their toes. There’s a very blatant reason as to why the current holders are going to their fifth final in a row. They very rarely show an ounce of vulnerability across fixtures, not giving opponents enough time to find a strategy that will crack their flawless formation.

Stats per 90ArsenalBarcelona
Shots on target69.9
Goals2.54.4
Goals conceded1.40.7
Accurate passes482.9684.6
Accurate crosses5.55.5

Above: A table containing both finalists statistics per 90 across the competition so far. Barcelona’s ruthless, possession based, quick and passing based style heavily acts in their favour, as they average 4.4 goals per match.  

Barcelona operate with patience, often holding possession and waiting for the right chance to pounce, creating build-up play that travels up from their defensive line to the immense quality they have upfront. The fluidity of their attack is largely down to two of the world’s greatest, Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas, who dominate the midfield. The pair are stellar at sourcing pockets of space, no matter how big or small to dictate the pace before laying off a smart pass to one of the forwards.

To get around this, Arsenal are going to have to be creative in their movement, but also be brave and take the opportunities that they find themselves with. A higher press would effectively disrupt that build-up play from their opponent’s backline and provide them with chances to pounce at keeper Cata Coll’s net. Alongside the fact they’ll have to try and stretch Barcelona to the limit through attacking motions, the Gunners will have to keep a tight and well-constructed defensive shape if they want to see gold.

Under Slegers, Arsenal have shown that they have an increased adaptability. Their resilience has been outstanding, and with their quality-stacked squad and leadership from the likes of Kim Little, they could very well take the top spot.

“We want to show courage tomorrow. We respect Barca as a team. They are a really good football team, so we are humble, but we are here to win.” – Renée Slegers.

If you missed the previous articles in our countdown to the UWCL final, you can find them below:

The Champions league final between Arsenal and Barcelona will be played in Lisbon, Portugal on Saturday May 24th at 17:00 UK time. It will be broadcast on TNT Sports in the UK and on DAZN elsewhere.

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Bayern Munich spark joy in inaugural World Sevens win

By Catherine MacKenzie (23/05/2025)

Above: Bayern Munich win the inaugural World Sevens. Photo: FCBfrauen on X.

The inaugural World Sevens tournament taking place in Portugal this week has been about fun first-and-foremost. Teams have spent longer working out their ‘introduction acts’ than they have on tactics and had a rare opportunity to network with each other in a neutral, social environment.

There have been social media posts from clubs showing their players enjoying the sunshine whilst sightseeing; playing at the beach; watching other sports like beach volleyball and eating ice creams.

The tournament initially caused raised eyebrows across the women’s game for its scheduling – being mere weeks away from a major tournament for many of the players involved – but instead of a tough tournament leading to injuries and exhaustion, it became a medium for teams to have a team-building holiday akin to some kind of multi-organisation voluntary corporate retreat.

The atmosphere around the stadium aided this. A DJ was playing music permanently – even throughout games – and players sat around the pitch in directors’ chairs to watch each other’s games. The player of the match trophy was a branded water bottle, and the stands were very close to the pitch, meaning fans were a key part of the game.

The format prompted fun as well – ‘roll-on-roll-off’ substitutions caused frequent occasions where commentators would get player names mixed up (particularly Bayern Munich’s goalkeepers Mala Grohs and Ena Mahmutovic, who frequently switched at half-time).

Beyond that, the structure of the game itself created excitement – a small pitch meant teams were initially missing the pitch completely with their corners, and the short halves of only fifteen minutes meant there was little time to gain momentum.

The opening games were more cautious as teams figured out what the format felt like. Some teams (like Manchester City) raced out of the gates and seemed to adapt to the new surroundings with ease. Once teams clocked on to the lack of offside rule and smaller spaces to work with, the chains were off, and the games became more stretched – exemplified by a more settled Ajax taking Manchester City to penalties.

Overall, the teams who performed the best also seemed to have the most fun. The two teams who reached the final – Manchester United and Bayern Munich – both have an ethos of togetherness at their core, which made them naturally good competitors in the seven-a-side format.

They knew how to work together closely; communicated clearly and enjoyed it when their teammates took the risks that are paramount in these kinds of games, even if the risks did not pay off.

Ahead of a massive summer with a serious major tournament, most discussions are inevitably around team selections and tactics. Many players will be feeling immense pressure at this point – England feeling the pressure of trying to retain a major trophy, Spain wanting to add to their World Cup win in the face of off-pitch tribulations.

At the end of the tournament, Manchester United and champions Bayern Munich celebrated together on the pitch – there was a conga line and hugs between the sides – in a scene emblematic of the three days as a whole.

Instead of creating a greater burden on players by forcing additional games before a busy summer, the World Sevens has provided a welcome reprieve for both players and fans, reminding us all that at its heart, football is about fun.

Standout teams

The universal consensus seems to be that tournament winners Bayern Munich – nicknamed ‘Vibes FC’ on social media – have been the standout team of the tournament, and for good reason. They scored the most goals – three or more in every game except the final – and looked like they had the most fun doing so. It is a fitting end to Alexander Straus’ tenure as manager to win a tournament’s inaugural trophy. Their ‘introductions’ were also top-line, such as creating a bicycle illusion and a rock band.

Above: Bayern Munich fun. Photo: FCBfrauen on X.

Their fellow finalists Manchester United also provided entertainment – from cartwheels during introductions to captain and centre-back Maya Le Tissier scoring a standout goal. On the pitch, United had perhaps the most to lose from this tournament.

Manager Marc Skinner has been forthright with his comments that United are short of funds and winnings would help them build a team capable of competing in the Champions League next year. It is telling that despite this pressure, the team still managed to play with such joy and freedom.

Above: Manchester United introduction. Photo: ManUtdWomen on X.

Less prolific in terms of goal-scoring but with some impressive performances, Roma were also a standout team. Their game against Benfica was particularly fun to watch, especially the final five minutes (including three goals).

Standout players

Young Ajax and USWNT midfielder Lily Yohannes scored a goal in every game and caused defences trouble with her technical ability. Yet to celebrate her 18th birthday, the midfielder has already scored for the senior USWNT, and it is unlikely that Ajax will be able to hold on to her for much longer.

United youngster Simi Awujo was also on good goalscoring form throughout the tournament – including finding the top corner in the final against Bayern Munich. Lacking gametime in the WSL, she is likely an important asset for a United who are heading into the Champions League next year.

A little older but no less impressive, Bayern Munich’s 30-year old Serbian midfielder Jovana Damnjanovic ran riot and seemed to want to play every role on the pitch. One second, she was backing up her goalkeeper with an important clearance. Seconds she was setting up a goal at the other end. Her work rate was stellar and her relationships with her team-mates clear to see.

The next World Sevens is due to take place this autumn in the United States, comprising of eight NWSL teams.

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From City outcast to European finalist: How Chloe Kelly changed the narrative

Above: Chloe has already put in some player of the match displays for the Gunners Photo: Arsenal.com

By Gethin Thurlow (23/05/25) 

In the sixth article of our series of special articles ahead of the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final on Saturday, Impetus Football’s Gethin Thurlow evaluates the impact of Chloe Kelly.

“A key lesson I have learned in life is that whilst I can’t control someone’s negative behaviour towards me, I can control how long I am prepared to take it.”

This is how Chloe Kelly reflected on Gareth Taylor and Manchester City’s treatment of her in the first half of the season as she pushed for a move away from the club.Just four starts, all in less important games, a brand new star signing in her position and Sarina Wiegman on the verge of dropping her from England; it was clear something needed to change.

We will probably never know the full extent of what happened between Kelly and Taylor, but it’s clear that it was down to more than just performance, as he claimed. Across those four starts, Kelly scored a goal and provided three assists, not the sort of form you’d expect from the third or fourth choice winger. In fact, Kelly was just second in goal contribution (goal or assist) per minute ratio in her time at the club this season, significantly ahead of Mary Fowler and Aoba Fujino who were consistently picked ahead of her.                            

Regardless of this, Arsenal was always going to be a tough team to break into, and with only a few months left until the Euros, Kelly couldn’t afford to wait around for her opportunity. Luckily for her, Renee Slegers is no Taylor and likes to utilise attacking substitutions every game, giving players plenty of minutes even when they start on the bench. 

For Kelly though, who came into football through the Arsenal academy all those years ago being on the bench was only a reality for one game. She started her second game against West Ham- kick starting the Gunner’s comeback with a goal, later providing an assist from a corner and has never looked back since then. 

Playing as a traditional winger: bombing down the right wing then whipping crosses into the area with a magical right foot really suits Slegers’ Arsenal side who dominate the ball and like to attack the box with numbers. The second leg of the Champions League quarter final against Real Madrid was a particularly memorable game, where Kelly just kept on firing cross after cross into the box – eventually being converted and seeing Arsenal through to the semis. 

Above: Chloe Kelly has already cemented herself in Lionesses folklore Photo: PA Media

It’s not just the Champions League crowd that have been blessed with Kelly’s crossing ability however. She leads the entire WSL in crosses per 90 minutes, a stat which I’m sure Golden Boot winner Alessia Russo is appreciative of. 

As if she hasn’t shown the world enough yet, the Champions League Final presents an opportunity for Kelly to complete a footballing story for the ages: from being counted out at City to a Champions League hero merely months later. 

Ultimately, this is a story of resilience; of an unwavering commitment to represent your country; of how good environments make good players; and, despite what some in East Manchester may say: how Chloe Kelly never ‘lost it’. England Legend, football hero; Chloe Kelly’s legacy is only going one way. 

If you missed the previous articles in our countdown to the UWCL final, you can find them below:

The Champions league final between Arsenal and Barcelona will be played in Lisbon, Portugal on Saturday May 24th at 17:00 UK time. It will be broadcast on TNT Sports in the UK and on DAZN elsewhere.

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Australian Arsenal fans share their love of the Gunners ahead of Champions League Final

by Alyce Collett (23/5/25)

Above: Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley, and Kyra Cooney-Cross (left to right) – Arsenal’s three Matildas stars who have brought a huge number of fans based Down Under to the North London club, celebrate with the Conti Cup last season. Photo: Arsenal Women.

In the fifth part of our series of special articles ahead of the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final on Saturday, Impetus’ Alyce Collett speaks to a number of Gunners fans based Down Under to highlight the huge number of fans cheering the Gunners on from the other side of the world following the signings of Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, and Kyra Cooney-Cross.

As Arsenal have been growing their attendances in recent seasons, the support in Australia for the club has been growing just as fast.

Whilst the men’s team has been big worldwide for a long time, in recent seasons, love for the women’s side of the club has been growing, and in Australia, that is in large part due to the Gunners’ choice to sign members of the Australian national team to their squad.

Arsenal’s current trio of Matildas – Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, and Kyra-Cooney-Cross are big names on the national team, and speaking to many Australian fans in the past week, it is clear they have big sway when it comes to recruiting new potential Gooners.

“At first it was heavily influenced by the Matildas players but I realised I knew not much about women’s football really outside of the Matildas so I wanted learn more and see a different perspective, and out of all the WSL clubs despite there being the Aussie girls I was still drawn to Arsenal,” explained Megan.

Fellow newer fan Kristen shared Megan’s sentiments, saying that “I wanted to start supporting women’s football both here in Australia and overseas, wanted a London team as that is where I plan on moving to, chose Arsenal as soon as I saw KCC (Kyra Cooney-Cross) had signed, I knew that she was one to watch! Three Aussies in the team and being a team with a rich history sealed the deal!”

Another big source of new Arsenal fans was the 2023 Women’s World Cup, hosted in Australia and New Zealand. A life-changing tournament for so many, women’s football became much better known in Australia, which drew many people to start following their favourite players they had watched at the tournament on the domestic front.

“The 2023 Women’s World Cup changed everything,” Sham told me. “Caitlin Foord lit a spark, and when I found out she played for Arsenal, I followed. The Matildas connection made it personal—Foord, Catley, Cooney-Cross—they brought me in, but Arsenal kept me hooked. Now it’s passion, pride, and no sleep lost—just love.”

“While watching the Women’s World Cup in 2023, the Matildas were becoming such a big deal and I myself fell in love with the team,” said Louise, also sharing Sham’s sentiments. “After the tournament, I wanted to keep watching them, and then I found out that Caitlin and Steph both played for Arsenal, which is the club my family follows and supports. It hadn’t even occurred to me that Arsenal would have a women’s team, but once I found out, it became my new favourite thing and I have become a fan ever since, even travelling to London for one of their games.”

Above: Caitlin Foord appeals whilst Matildas and Gunners team mate Kyra Cooney-Cross hits the deck. Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus.

However, there have been Australian fans of Arsenal for much longer than there have been Matildas at the club, with some having supported the club for more than 20 years.

While some trace their love of the club beginning with the men’s side, some cited women’s players like Jen Beattie, Kim Little, and Katie McCabe as the reason for becoming a fan of the club.

Some of the older fans have seen quite the evolution when it comes to being able to watch Arsenal’s women’s team. David – who has been an Arsenal fan for almost 25 years after living in North London for some time, is one such person.

“In terms of the women’s team, I think that I always had an awareness of Arsenal Ladies FC as they were then called, and that they were really good. However, apart from a page in the now defunct Arsenal magazine each month and sometimes noticing that the Cup final was on the BBC, there wasn’t much of an opportunity to watch or follow them,” he said.

“After moving back to Australia, I became more interested when Joe Montemurro became manager in 2017. I would sometimes watch streams on the FA Player. When Optus started showing the WSL, it became a lot easier to follow AWFC. I also would listen to the Arseblog episodes that focus on the women’s team.

“After she scored a great goal against Lyon, I went to Foudys and bought a home shirt with Mariona 8 on it. That’s something I never would have guessed would happen when I first started supporting Arsenal.”

These fans who were Arsenal fans before the Aussie influx, were overjoyed at the club’s decision to sign the Matildas.

“Love it, even more reason to be a Gooner!” said Jane, who has been an Arsenal fan for almost 10 years.

The fandom have a wide variety of feelings about the club’s popularity Down Under. Those who became supporters after the Matildas’ arrival generally had a positive view on it.

“I love how popular it is here,” said Nicole. “I feel that there are more conversations being had in regards to how the girls play. The Aussie Facebook groups and Instagram pages are a great way of communicating as well, even making new friends. TikTok is also a great way to see footage of the games that is not shown on Optus Sport.”

Meanwhile, the fans from the pre-Matildas era have a variety of views on it.

“It’s pretty funny when I’m wearing my Arsenal shirt and people recognise it and want to talk about the boys’ team – which I know a bit about, but not much really – and their eyes go a little blank when I talk about how shifting Catley alongside Williamson has been a brilliant innovation this season,” said Mark Riboldi.

“It’s a weird one. I love that they are popular, which means it’s easier to buy things, but at the same time, this sort of ‘celebrity’ status has taken over, and the football aspect is diminished” explained Michelle.

Above: Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord. Photo: Arsenal Women.

Irrespective of how the interviewed fans became Gooners themselves, there was a shared sentiment that having Australians at the club is what has driven the club’s popularity in Australia.

“I think big Matilda’s names like Steph, Caitlin, and Kyra massively influenced the growth of Australian supporters in Arsenal,” said Indi, one of the more recent Arsenal fans. Having three girls in one team makes it easy for Tillies fans to stay in the know of how some of their national team players are performing in club season as well as getting joy out of seeing the trio together and thriving with one another at both club and country level.”

Sham – another newer Arsenal fan – echoed Indi’s sentiments, noting that “Arsenal’s already a giant, but having Steph, Caitlin, and Kyra at the club has taken it to another level in Australia. They’ve bridged the gap, making the Gunners feel like family to Aussie fans. It’s more than just football.”

It is much talked about in media circles about how important it is for sports clubs to fully utilise social media to gain more fans, and Arsenal fans, both young and old, have noticed how the Gunners are reaping the rewards for being at the forefront of that social media innovation.

“I think the Arsenal social media is strong and promotes our ‘Ausenal’ girls to the fan base. This appears to have reaped rewards with an increased fan base, me included,” said Hels, a recent convert to being a Gunner.

“The support for the women’s game has grown massively and I think a lot of people off the back of that have become Arsenal supporters because they were very innovative with the way they used social media to reach an international market” said Madison, one of those fans that became an Arsenal fan before the arrival of the Matildas players.

Arsenal certainly have a loyal fanbase Down Under, and many of them are gearing up to watch the UEFA Women’s Champions League match this weekend, at the most unforgiving of hours in the middle of the night.

Whether they are planning to watch at home or at a watch party in one of the state capital cities, they hold their proverbial breath in anticipation of whether their beloved Gunners can take down the might of Barcelona.

Above: Arsenal fans loud and proud on the North Bank at The Emirates. Their huge Australian fan base will be matching that volume from afar this Saturday. Photo: Ben Gilby for Impetus.

If you missed the previous articles in our countdown to the UWCL final, you can find them below:

The Champions league final between Arsenal and Barcelona will be played in Lisbon, Portugal on Saturday May 24th at 17:00 UK time. It will be broadcast on TNT Sports in the UK and on DAZN elsewhere.

Follow Impetus on social media –

Twitter (X): @impetusfootball TikTok: @impetusfootball

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Steph Catley: “This is a special team, and we have a lot of belief in what we’re doing…”


Alice de Koster-Kitto  23/5/25

CommBank Matildas and Arsenal defender Steph Catley is headed to what is sure to be one of the biggest moments of her footballing career. Catleys Arsenal are set to take on reigning European Champions FC Barcelona in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final this weekend, marking the club’s first shot at the trophy in 18 years.  

“It is a massive occasion, but we’re really excited for it”, says Catley, looking onto taking on such a huge threat, as  Barcelona look for their third consecutive win. Catley and her Arsenal teammates aren’t deterred by their status as the underdog, rather capitalising on their ability to come out on top when least expected.  

Arsenal has had a massive, and at times, tumultuous Champions League campaign thus far, coming from behind in two knockouts, having overcome deficits in the second leg, to defeat both Real Madrid and Olympique Lyonnais, with this resilience giving Arsenal the confidence to go all the way.   

“The team that we have this year in particular is very very resilient you know, we’ve got superstars in our team, we’ve got such talented players, but i think as a team the way we work for each other particularly off the ball, it’s not like many teams in the world can do that” 

“We’re ready to all be at our best, all focus on that on the day.”  

While they’ve garnered this reputation of impeccable comebacks, the chance to play in a one-and-done final is an experience the squad is looking forward to putting their all into this last chance at the trophy.  

“Anything can happen, two amazing teams going at it, it’s the best thing about Champions League football.”  

“I think that’s been the key throughout the season is that, you know, we’ve got a really strong foundation, but how can we keep getting better?” 

Among great successes this past season, Arsenal have also known their fair share of losses, but Catley reflects on these “couple of dips in form in league football” positively,  believing  “it’s almost like we needed to have that in a way because we learnt so much from those moments”  

“We’ve gone over that with a fine-tooth comb and we’ve ironed out all the kinks, and we’ve learnt so much from that.” 

As such a crucial part of Arsenal’s defence, it is Steph in particular who will be looking to hold off the attacking giant that is FC Barcelona. “Defensively getting consistency and detail, and really caring about clean sheets,” has been a “massive focus” for Arsenal this season, says Catley, “and that being a core part of what we believe in.” 

“When you think about us defending, it starts with the press and it starts with our forwards, putting teams in situations that help us at the back that make things predictable.” 

Win or lose, the triumphs achieved at Arsenal this season, which have gotten them to this stage, cannot be understated.  “When you play here, you feel a real deep connection to the club and you want to do well for the team, but also what the club stands for”, Catley reflects on the rich history of Arsenal, and what it means to play for the badge on Europe’s biggest footballing stage.  

“This club is just full of history and full of so much success and so many wonderful stories.” 

Steph Catley and her CommBank Matildas and Arsenal team-mates, Cailtin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross, are no strangers to playing on a stage such as this one, with the 2023 home World Cup, and the successes found within that, instilling the confidence in the trio to shake off any nerves that might come with stepping in front of a huge Lisbon crowd.   

“Coming into a game like this, I know I feel prepared, I know I’ve played in front of big crowds before when everything’s on the line and it means everything to you.” 

For Steph, the opportunity to play in a Champions League final goes beyond the shot at the trophy. Beginning her footballing career on an all-boys team in Melbourne, European football and the idea of the Champions League just wasn’t on the cards” 

“All I knew at the time was that I loved football and I wanted to play”  

The representation of Australian football on a global level has come in leaps and bounds over recent years, with Catley and her teammates at the forefront of opening up these possibilities for budding Australian footballers. 

Catley’s hopes going into the final, no matter the result,  are that the belief of young Australians will be further cemented, as they see themselves represented at such an elite level.  

“If you see that there are three Australians playing in this Champions League final, then it’s definitely possible for them.” 

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