Just a couple of weeks after France’s national team goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi went public with her disagreements with France coach Corinne Diacre, Jean-Pierre Thiesset describes another incendiary TV interview, this time given by France’s captain Amandine Henry on Sunday where more of the problems inside the French camp came to light.
During her interview given to “Canal Football Club” on Sunday, Amandine Henry, the France team captain, spoke bluntly about her relations with Corinne Diacre, France’s team coach and spoke out about the problems inside the team.
Above: Amandine Henry, captain of the French national side. Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset.
The following is a translation of a part of her interview without any change.
About her non-selection for the last France national matches:
“When she (Corinne Diacre) called me, I said to myself, ‘the coach made choices, it is normal’. The call lasted 15 seconds, I will remember it all my life. Instantly, I was shocked. I was speechless.”
“This discussion hurts me; it will stay engraved in my heart. I was feeling very well. I went to my coaches, they told me I was playing well. I questioned myself. I could have accepted it, but it was beyond a sporting (performance) matter.”
About the problems in the French team:
“There are a lot of problems. As captain, it is important to wear the armband. But when it is necessary to speak up and put your fist on the table, you have to do it also.”
“I would rather think that I never react in a hot manner. I was shocked (by being dropped). I was obliged to question myself. It is the qualifications for the European Championships. I should not be selfish, the group have to stay concentrated.”
“After the World Cup, the coach wanted to do individual interviews. The World Cup was hard. There were girls that cried in their room. It happened to me that I cried in my room. It was the atmosphere, the management, the global ambiance which was there that was wrong. Trust is the basis of any relationship.”
Above: Amandine Henry in action for Olympique Lyonnais. Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset.
About the future:
“I would like to think that we can put everything on and win the Euros. With the qualities that we have, France must win a title. We have a golden generation. I know that I have taken a risk, but I can’t look at myself in the mirror (if I don’t say this). If I do not say it, who will?”
In two days time – this Thursday, Corinne Diacre is due to announce her list of players for France’s next European Championship qualification matches. We will see if Amandine Henry is sanctioned for speaking up against the head coach.
There was late drama at Meadow Park with two goals in the last four minutes as the clash of two London heavyweights ended all square.
Arsenal welcomed back Jill Roord into the starting line-up after her goal laden start to the FAWSL season was interrupted by injury. For the visitors, Guro Reiten was back on the bench after injury with Sam Kerr joining her in an exceptionally strong list of substitutes compared to the Gunners.
The two sides came into the game in contrasting form with the hosts putting in a disappointing performance at Manchester United last time out and Chelsea putting in a hugely impressive performance in defeating Everton 4-0. Arsenal boss Joe Montemurro was determined to improve his record against the reigning FAWSL champions which read as eight losses and a draw in ten matches.
In the early exchanges, Kim Little was involved in a collision with Ji which caused the Scot to leave the field for treatment for a long period, leaving the Gunners with ten players.
Chelsea offered an early threat as Sophie Ingle combined with Maren Mjelde. The Norwegian then found Pernille Harder, but she couldn’t squeeze a pass through to Ji as Chelsea started to look comfortable in possession.
Kim Little returned to the action and was involved immediately, playing a lovely pass through to Vivianne Miedema, but Ann-Katrin Berger got in quickly to save.
Above: Vivianne Miedema closes in on Chelsea keeper Ann-Katrin Berger. Photo: @ArsenalWFC
It was the Scottish international who was stamping her influence on the game in the opening fifteen minutes as Arsenal had to rely on less possession and territory.
Just after the twenty minute mark, Jonna Andersson combined with Ji and Ingle but Arsenal’s pressing defence worked well to win possession. They found Beth Mead on the right who did well to get a cross in, but it was too high for Miedema.
Arsenal’s energy in repelling Chelsea’s advances started to turn the tide in possession. Little found Mead, who in turn found Leonie Maier. Her pass played in Lia Walti who went down between two defenders, but it was never going to be a penalty.
With conditions ranging between sun, heavy rain, wind and a rainbow the final fifteen minutes of the half were generally even in terms of chances, but Arsenal were now shading the possession count.
Little combined well with Miedema once more, but the Chelsea defence closed the Dutch star down instantly and snuffed out any threat.
Arsenal were doing well to contain the threat of Jonna Andersson who bossed the game for Chelsea against Everton the week before, taking away a significant threat down the left. They were also working hard to keep both Melanie Leupolz and Beth England on the periphery of the action.
Two minutes before the break, Sophie Ingle gave the ball away to Australian international Caitlin Foord and the Matildas star crashed in a shot which came off the bar, flew up in the air and bounced off the woodwork again on the way down with Ann-Katrin Berger punching away the rebound. It remained goalless at the interval.
Emma Hayes brought Sam Kerr on for the second half and Chelsea started with greater intensity. Leah Williamson lost Pernille Harder and the Dane found Beth England who shot over. This increased energy from Chelsea began to force errors from Arsenal in possession.
Seven minutes into the half, Arsenal mounted a promising attack down their right which was ended by Millie Bright. The England defender launched a move which saw Sophie Ingle find Beth England. Her cross saw Erin Cuthbert get a shot away but Katie MacCabe blocked the effort.
Twice in quick succession, Beth Mead caused danger for the Blues defence. First, she closed down Ann-Katrin Berger and forced a less than impressive clearance from the Chelsea goalkeeper and shortly afterwards she forced a corner from Magda Eriksson.
Beth England had a great chance on the hour mark as a dreadful pass out from Leah Williamson allowed the Lionesses’ hot shot in, but her effort was well off target.
With twenty-two minutes left, Mead escaped down the right once more and fired in a cross which was blocked by Magda Eriksson for a corner which was cleared temporarily before a second flag kick was earned. Foord got in a shot, but Berger saved comfortably.
An error from Lotte Wubben-Moy then allowed Sam Kerr to use her pace to close in on goal, but a superb tackle from Katie McCabe cleared the danger momentarily. From the resulting throw, Ji found Pernille Harder in the box and it took a great save from Manuela Zinsberger to deny the former VfL Wolfsburg star.
Miedema then had a great chance which was deflected out for a corner. Mead’s ball in found Williamson whose effort went wide.
Above: Pernille Harder challenges for the ball this afternoon against Arsenal. Photo: @ArsenalWFC
With four minutes to go, Miedema popped up down the left hand side and made a great run which resulted in her comfortably beating Bright to get in a cross for Mead to dispatch into the net.
Emma Hayes reacted with a double substitution as Canadian Jessie Fleming came in for Ji and Niamh Charles replaced Cuthbert.
As the clock ticked into stoppage time, Harder floated out onto the right hand side and played in a cross which deflected off of Wubben-Moy and ballooned over Zinsberger into the net for an equaliser.
Two minutes later, Chelsea could have won it as Kerr lofted the ball over Zinsberger, but with just as everyone was starting to shout “Goal!” the ball dropped narrowly wide.
Berger still had one last save to make to deny the Gunners at the death in an end to end conclusion.
Chelsea’s ability to get up off the floor and fashion an equaliser – albeit one with a great slice of fortune about it – shows the sort of character that champions are made of. Joe Montemurro will no doubt feel that his side should have won, but once the dust settles the Gunners will be pleased with the progress in their performance and organisation from last weekend.
Teams: ARSENAL: Zinsberger, Maier, Williamson, Wubben-Moy, McCabe, Little, Walti, Roord, Mead, Miedema, Foord. Substitutes: van de Donk, Evans, Williams (GK), Gut, Mace, Pearse, Garrard.
Scorers: Mead 86.
CHELSEA: Berger, Mjelde, Bright, Eriksson, Andersson, Ji, Leupolz, Ingle, Cuthbert, England, Harder. Substitutes: Thorisdottir, Carter, Reiten, J. Fleming, Kerr, Charles, Telford, C. Fleming.
Jean-Pierre Thiesset returns with his regular column bringing us all the news from the Women’s game in France. This week he rounds up all the action from Week Eight of the D1 Arkema season.
This D1 Arkema round came up with a few surprises.
Firstly, Dijon’s 1-0 win over Montpellier, and Guingamp obtaining a 1-1 draw against Paris FC. Bordeaux’s 2-0 win over Le Havre and Fleury’s 2-1 win at Reims. Olympique Lyonnais won 5-1 against Soyaux which is not a surprise. Equally, Paris St. Germain’s win over Issy is not a surprise, but the score line was an incredible 14-0!
Montpellier was not able to stop losing after their game at Lyon last round and the consequence now is that Dijon are now only two points from third place and Bordeaux are back in the game and move up one place to third in front of Montpellier fall one place.
Bordeaux are already eight points behind second placed PSG and it seems that like in a lot of seasons before this one, the title will be once again played between Lyon and PSG.
In this context, the match between PSG and Lyon game next week in the “Parc des Prince” in Paris will be the most important of the season for PSG. If Lyon win at Paris, they will be five points ahead of PSG and the D1 Arkema championships will have no more suspense for the first place. This game will be played on Friday 20 November 2020 at 9:00 PM.
So, as an OL fan, I hope that Lyon win and secure the first place to fly towards a 15th consecutive title, but as a football fan I have to say that if PSG win it will keep more suspense and the rest of the championships season will be more interesting even if I would prefer the former result.
Another interesting game will be Paris FC against Bordeaux which will take place on Sunday 22 November 2020 in Paris. Bordeaux being only 2 points ahead of Paris.
One moment of magic from Claudia Walker settled the first ever competitive Villa v Birmingham second city derby in women’s football history in what was, in all honesty a dire game at Villa Park.
This was a game of huge importance, not just with local bragging rights at stake, but in the vital scrap for points towards the bottom of the table.
Villa went into the game on the back of their first ever FAWSL win last weekend at fellow strugglers Brighton & Hove Albion. Birmingham were decimated by injuries to the extent that they could only name two substitutes compared to Villa’s nine.
The home side had the territory and more possession in the opening half, but they could never build on either advantage due to poor quality final passes.
A half chance fell to Jodie Hutton after eight minutes after a threatening move involving Stine Larsen and Shania Hayles but the Blues mopped up the danger.
Hayles was the stand out player in the first half for the Villains, she was busy and industrious. It was the Burton born striker who had the first shot on goal which was aimed straight at Hannah Hampton in the Birmingham goal.
The visitors fashioned their sole opportunity of the first period when Molly Green’s weak effort was easily snaffled up by Lisa Weiss.
The remaining half chances all went the way of the home side. First, Jodie Hutton’s great run down the left ended in a cross that was way above anyone. Just before the break Villa earned a free-kick when Rebecca Holloway fouled Ella Franklin-Fraiture on the right, in line with the six yard-box. Hutton’s set piece was headed well wide by Larsson.
Above: Marisa Ewers firing in an effort this afternoon. Photo: @AVWFCOfficial
Birmingham rallied after the break and had the better of the second half of a game which rarely rose above average. Three minutes into the second half, Chloe McCarron fired a shot over the bar.
With twenty minutes remaining, Villa created another chance when Georgia Brougham cleared Nadine Hanssen’s shot from under the bar for a corner. From the resulting flag kick, Marisa Ewers’ effort went well wide.
Then, with seventy-two minutes played, the one moment of quality arrived. Stine Larsen lost possession to Brougham who combined with Rachel Corsie. The ball found its way out to the right wing when substitute Lucy Whipp pulled in a first time cross. Elisha N’Dow’s attempted clearance went straight to Claudia Walker who smashed it straight into the net from the edge of the area.
Despite facing adversity, Aston Villa could not create anything approaching real quality in their search for an equaliser and this will be a desperate disappointment against their injury ridden cross-city rivals.
Above: Midfield action in the Second City Derby this afternoon. Photo: @AVWFCOfficial
The Blues have now won as many games as Manchester City this season and stand nine points ahead of the sole relegation place already. This statistic will likely mean that today’s win could already ensure Birmingham City will remain a FAWSL side next season.
Casey Stoney’s Manchester United earned the reward for a determined second half performance led by Kirsty Hanson which saw the unbeaten Reds turn around a two goal deficit.
The Red Devils came into the game on the back of an outstanding performance in dispatching Arsenal last weekend far more comfortably than the 1-0 score line suggested. City have had an up and down season, winning the delayed FA Cup Final, but have come up short in terms of results more often than they would have expected.
An open start at the Leigh Sports Village saw Tobin Heath create an early attacking move for the hosts with Jess Sigsworth prominent before Georgia Stanway hit the side netting shortly afterwards with City’s first attempt after a move down their left.
With five minutes on the clock, Heath was again at the heart of the battle. Lucy Bronze hung back from putting in a challenge allowing the American to play a ball through to Ella Toone whose effort went just wide of the right hand post.
However, just three minutes later, it was City who took the lead. Mary Earps stayed on her line for a corner, Chloe Kelly’s attempt to hook the ball back towards the goal failed as did United’s attempts to clear the danger and a gentle poke across the box from Steph Houghton found Kelly again to turn the ball round the corner and grab the opener.
Within sixty seconds, Stanway played a 1-2 with Sam Mewis and hit a shot which went far too close for comfort from United’s perspective.
Above: Georgia Stanway had a dominant first half for Manchester City. Photo: @BarclaysFAWSL
City were now dominant, forcing corners and making it making it tough for United to be seen as an attacking force. Half way through the half, a vicious in-swinger of a corner from Alex Greenwood found Mewis’ head, but her effort went over.
Casey Stoney’s charges needed a sustained spell of possession to stem the City flow and lay the foundations for a comeback. Yet, throughout the remainder of the opening half, it never quite materialised. United’s consistent high press gave them so much joy against Arsenal last week. City were able to play their way out of the attempted straightjacket and as a consequence they earned so much space in the midfield to exploit. That and the total dominance that Georgia Stanway held over Ona Batlle down the left to create so much of City’s offensive play meant that the home side were on the back foot throughout the opening period.
Just on the half hour mark, Laura Coombs was afforded acres of space in the midfield and found Stanway, but the City star took one touch too many which allowed Mary Earps to block the danger at some physical cost to the United keeper as a result.
With twelve minutes of the half remaining, Christen Press robbed Houghton and got in a great cross, but no-one could quite get on the end of it.
Another teasing Greenwood corner missed everyone before coming to Houghton on the back post but the Lionesses skipper couldn’t quite get the right touch on it.
In stoppage time, Coombs added a brilliant second. Mewis collected the ball outside the box and hit an effort which was blocked by Amy Turner, only to fall straight to Coombs who rifled a shot past Earps first time.
At the break, Casey Stoney brought on Kirsty Hanson for Jess Sigsworth, and within five minutes the influence of the substitution was felt. Hanson beat a City player to earn a throw and then a corner. Tobin Heath sent the ball in and Ella Toone hit an effort from the edge of the ‘D’ which was deflected for the first of two further corners.
Shortly afterwards, City’s Lucy Bronze played a careless ball back towards her own box which was gobbled up by Tobin Heath who fired home a glorious shot and the home side were right back in it.
Above: Tobin Heath – scorer of a glorious goal for Manchester United. Photo: @BarclaysFAWSL
On the hour mark, Ellen White had a great effort to re-establish the Sky Blues’ two goal cushion when she was played in by Bronze, but her effort ballooned over the bar.
Nine minutes later, Chloe Kelly beat Millie Turner along the right which allowed her to play in a great cross, only for Georgia Stanway to miss the target.
As the game approached its final quarter of an hour, Kirsty Hanson again showed her worth. It was the substitute’s run down the right wing which won a corner from Alex Greenwood. Leah Galton’s flag kick led to a shot from Millie Turner which effort off of Sam Mewis and out for a corner.
Hanson’s influence reached its zenith on seventy four minutes when, from a corner, she fired in a shot which was brilliantly blocked at point blank range by Ellie Roebuck. The rebound came back to Hanson and the Scottish international could not miss and the scores were level.
Into the final minute United could have won it when Leah Galton’s corner was met by Lucy Stanforth’s header, only for Demi Stokes to clear off of the line.
City’s three wins from their opening eight FAWSL games remains a concern with them now potentially six points from top spot by the end of the weekend. Allowing such a stranglehold on the game to be loosened is not something that will make the pressure on Gareth Taylor go away any time soon.
United remain unbeaten and having picked up five points from their home games against the trio of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City suggests that they could be ready to break into that top three themselves this season.
Teams: MANCHESTER UNITED: Earps, Batlle, A. Turner, M. Turner, Galton, Ladd, Groenen, Sigsworth, Toone, Heath, Press. Substitutes: Ramsey (GK), Okvist, Staniforth, Zelem, James, Hanson, Ross.
Olympique Lyonnais won their eighth successive game in D1 Arkema this season with a relentless attacking performance that yielded a 5-1 victory over strugglers ASJ Soyaux-Charente at the Groupama Training Centre tonight.
Soyaux came into the game after a week of upheaval with both the club president and head coach leaving. A new temporary head coach, Laurent Mortel, was drafted in on Monday. Currently also the head coach of Haiti Women and previously coach of Montpellier Women, he will be looking to improve on the club’s opening run of only two wins from their opening eight league games.
Lyon’s first choice goalkeeper, Sarah Bouhaddi was absent for the game with Lola Gallardo taking her place between the sticks.
Olympique Lyonnais were in control from the start. The first shot in anger was fired after nine minutes when a trademark mazy run from Sakina Karchaoui up the left saw two defenders beaten and her ball found Nikita Parris. The England international’s ball was deflected back to Cascarino who found Sarah Bjork Gunnarsdottir, but the Icelander’s weak effort was pounced on by Romaine Munich in the Soyaux goal.
With the visitors, who had only scored four goals all season coming into the game, failing to get out of their own half, Lyon had to remain patient in attempting to find the right pass to break through the massed ranks of blue shirts. Cathy Couturier and Viviane Boudard were working particularly hard in trying to stem the flow of Ellie Carpenter and Delphine Cascarino down the right hand side.
In the end it took 21 minutes for OL to get on the scoresheet. Karchaoui combined with Amadine Henry on the left with the former receiving the ball back. Her cross into the six yard box beat the entire Soyaux defence leaving Dzsenifer Marozsan in acres of space to score with ease.
Four minutes later, Nikita Parris was brought down centrally on the edge of the area by Couturier. The resulting free-kick by Karchaoui curled round the wall and was pushed out for a corner by Munich. From the resulting set-piece, Karchaoui was tripped with her back to goal by Laura Bourgouin. Up stepped Wendie Renard to take the penalty, but her effort was saved by Munich, but unfortunately for the Soyaux keeper, it deflected straight into Renard’s path and she didn’t miss the second chance.
Just after the half hour mark, Eugenie Le Sommer won a free kick which Amadine Henry floated in. Soyaux’s Canadian defender Paige Culver’s attempted clearance turned into an air-shot, with the ball subsequently falling to Marozsan on the left, but the German international’s effort narrowly missed.
OL refused to take their foot off the pedal and a glorious move with ten minutes of the half left almost produced a third goal. Cascarino found Marozsan who in turn played in Carpenter. The Australian international’s pin point ball found Le Sommer, but Munich made a good save.
Two minutes before the break, the third goal arrived. Some outstanding pace and power allied with great footwork down the right by Cascarino saw her put in a perfect cross for Parris to head home.
Parris had another chance in first half stoppage time, but her header hit the side netting. It was one way traffic and the scary thing for Soyaux was that it was self-evident that if Lyon kept the pace and pressing at the same rate in the second period, the visitors could be on the receiving end of an absolute shellacking.
The second half started in a familiar fashion with the home side mounting continuous pressure. A free kick on fifty-two minutes by Dzsenifer Marozsan from the left found its way back to Saki Kumagai, on as sub, but the Japanese international blasted an effort over the bar.
A rare sortie forward by Soyaux saw Alice Benoit brought down by Wendie Renard on the right. Laura Bourgouin’s free-kick caused huge problems for Lola Gallardo in the Lyon goal as the ball curled in high. She couldn’t decide whether to catch it or palm the ball away. In the end she didn’t really do either and the ball bounced off of her fingers onto the bar and Rachel Avant headed it over the line for Soyaux’s first goal in four matches and only the second Lyon have conceded all season.
With sixty-two minutes on the clock, Dzenifer Marozsan played a perfect pass into the stride of Nikita Parris on the left hand side of the eighteen yard box. The England international took a touch and comfortably side-footed it into the net for her second and OL’s fourth.
With twenty minutes left, Dumont’s attempted rugby tackle on Sakina Karchaoui earned Lyon a free-kick on the left wing. Marozsan’s delivery was whipped in with pace towards the towering Wendie Renard, but her glancing header went just wide.
Three minutes later, substitute Cayman, on for Ellie Carpenter, found Eugenie Le Sommer. The cross found Parris, braced for the hat-trick, but her effort flew away from the target.
With just over ten minutes left, the home side’s dominance was rewarded with a fifth goal. Marozsan’s free kick was headed across goal by Renard for her fellow central defender Kadeisha Buchanan to nod home.
Romane Munich produced an outstanding save with four minutes left to deny Amadine Henry as OL pressed once more
ASJ Soyaux Charente’s efforts and sheer hard work was rewarded by Rachel Avant’s goal. Their season will come down to results in the games against the teams around them at the bottom rather than when they take on the big guns. For Olympique Lyonnais, this was, in the end a routine victory ahead of next Friday night’s mouth-watering showdown with Paris St.Germain.
In the second part of our occasional World Cup 2023 countdown feature on the state of the game in Australia, co-hosts of the tournament, Ben Gilby looks at the appointment of former USNWT assistant Tony Gustavsson as the head coach of the Australian national side.
Above: Tony Gustavsson following his unveiling as the Matildas’ new head coach. Photo: @TheMatildas
The Football Federation Australia recently announced Tony Gustavsson as the new head coach of the Matildas.
The appointment was a huge one in the context of Australia facing the Olympic Games, Asia Cup and hosting the Women’s World Cup between now and the end of 2023.
The Swede, who previously worked alongside both Jill Ellis and Pia Sundhage with the US National Women’s team (USNWT) with great success in two World Cups was appointed after a long search with coaches of the calibre of Emma Hayes, Joe Montemurro and Caroline Morace all strongly linked with the post.
Forty-seven year-old Gustavsson was born in Sundsvall, where he started his playing career in 1989 a sixteen year playing career ended with him taking charge of Degerfors IF men’s side in the second tier of the Swedish game. He then took over at top tier side Hammarby IF and led the Stockholm side into the UEFA Cup.
The new Matildas coach took his first coaching position in women’s football with Tyreso FF and immediately led them to the top flight championship. Two years later, under Gustavsson, Tyreso FF made the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final where they went down 4-3 to mighty Wolfsburg. His success with Tyreso attracted the attention of the USNWT which saw him help to shape a team that won the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015 and 2019.
After his appointment, Gustavsson told matildas.com.au what immediately attracted him to the job: “The Federation are showing that they are willing to invest in women’s football. We have the 2023 World Cup and a wonderful player pool. It’s a group that can get to the next level. There’s also the next generation coming through.”
“I am really proud and extremely excited. I’ve seen how much the team means to the country. I’m proud to lead your much loved Matildas. We have a big four years ahead of us and I’m excited for a journey with the team and an amazing group of fans. I can’t wait to get started.”
Above: Gustafsson at the start of his coaching career where he had success in his native Sweden before heading to the USA. Photo: Wikipedia.
The Swede outlined how he wanted to shape the Australian side: “I’m a very passionate person and passionate coach. We want to create a legacy that is bigger than winning. Every team can win when they play good, but you have to find a way of winning when you do not play good. I want to put this game management into the Matildas.”
Having coached both men’s and women’s football, Gustavsson identified how he saw the differences: “It’s not about whether you are working with a boy or girl, it’s about how you reach that person or group’s full potential. The players in the women’s side are more appreciative and professional. I have a slogan – do you want to get one day better or one day older and I feel the women always want to be one day better.”
He then turned to what he feels his new squad need to do in order to reach the top level of the sport: “The Matildas have this never say die attitude. There is always a fighting spirit in the team. As a coach that’s always the most important thing to have in a team, and that’s already there with the Matildas. There’s two things I’d like to add – first, the players need to believe how good they are and how good they can become and that comes important in those biggest games. The second is game management and tactics. Whatever the circumstances, we always have to find a way to win.”
“I call football the green field of chess. I started being overambitious with players and tactics. The question is what do the Matildas have and how can we take advantage of that and the chemistry and relationships. Titles are won and loss inside eighteens. The improvement inside the attacking and defensive eighteen.”
Over the past six months or so virtually the whole national side have left their clubs in Australia to play in Europe. For Gustavsson this is only an advantage – both for the established stars and for those playing in state and W-League football within Australia: “There are two advantages to us having so many players in Europe now. A lot of players get to experience training in a quality environment with other quality players. They get to be challenged in training and in games that are tough and there are lots of games. They get to be exposed to the European style and hopefully lots get to play Champions League football. The other advantage is having players playing in Australia – the next generation in Australia that will now get to play games regularly here to move up and challenge.”
In terms of where Australia stand in the international pecking order of women’s football, the Swede was hugely positive: “Is there a gap between us and the USA or top European national sides? If you look at the rosters and the potential in this team maybe there is not.”
Gustavsson ended by highlighting his immediate plans in his new position: “The first thing for me is to watch as many players as possible and get to know the staff. I need a team behind the team otherwise I am nothing. I then need to scout the player pool. I need 23 players in 2023. Depth in the roster is the key moving forward. A football journey is about creating new memories together with people. I love to work closely with players, staff, fans, stakeholders to create a legacy of winning. The journey means a lot to me.”
Tony Gustavsson’s words at the press conference were hugely impressive and mark him out as a great motivator of players who “gets” the unique esteem that The Matildas are held in – they are hugely loved and respected in a sport mad country. His appointment is potentially an inspired choice by the FFA for the biggest four years in Australian women’s football history. The time for action has come, as has the time for The Matildas to reach their undoubted potential.
Above: Tony Gustavsson will be hoping there’ll be plenty more for Sam Kerr and her team mates to celebrate in the coming three years. Photo: @TheMatildas
Chelsea won the battle of two unbeaten sides in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League at Kingsmeadow this afternoon.
More ominously for the rest of the FAWSL sides, towards the end of the game, Emma Hayes’ side began to find the form that their star-studded squad has promised for so long – but as yet had not quite delivered consistently.
Chelsea named Beth England in the starting line-up with Sam Kerr dropping to the bench. Eighteen year-old Emily Orman stepped up as substitute goalkeeper in place of Carly Telford with seventeen year-old forward Emily Murphy also on the bench. For Everton their two top scorers Valerie Gauvin and Lucy Graham were missing after picking up injuries in last Sunday’s FA Cup Final. They were replaced by Simone Magill and Claire Emslie.
The Toffees pressed high from the start, getting into Chelsea’s faces and trying to impose themselves on the game. In one such move, Ingle was dispossessed by Christiansen but the danger was cleared.
It was a breathless opening. Jonna Andersson’s balls into the box caused no end of problems to the Everton defence in this period. Her free kick on seven minutes led to Melanie Leupolz playing in a secondary ball towards Beth England, but Rikke Sevecke marshalled the reigning FAWSL Player of the Year out.
Shortly afterwards, the Swede lofted another cross in which was just out of Pernille Harder’s reach.
Everton came close just before the quarter hour mark when Ann-Katrin Berger’s clearance fell at the feet of Damaris Egurrola who lofted an attempt towards the empty net as Berger scrambled back to her goal, with the ball falling wide.
It was another goalkeeping error that provided the first goal of the afternoon. Everton custodian Sandy MacIver, the Merseysiders’ hero at Wembley last week, drove an attempted clearance in to England’s back with the ball falling to Ji on the edge of the box. The South Korean star volleyed her effort first time into the net.
After the goal, Chelsea tried to take the sting out of the game by going into a patient, passing game to maximise possession and wait for the optimal moment to launch an attack.
Above: Pernille Harder and Demaris Egurrola battle it out at Kingsmeadow this afternoon. Photo: @EvertonWomen
With 27 minutes on the clock, a foul on Leupolz outside to the box to the left of centre saw Mjelde drive a free kick into the wall, with the ball rebounding to Ji in a similar position to where she scored, but this time the power and accuracy was not quite there.
Ten minutes before the break, Everton created a great chance. Izzy Christiansen combined well with Claire Emslie. The Scot found Hayley Raso on the left and the Australian international played in a perfect cross for Christiansen who got between two defenders, but couldn’t get any power or direction in her attempt.
Chelsea’s response was instant and Cuthbert produced a beautiful ball in for England who headed over. Shortly afterwards, England had another chance when she was clean through with just MacIver to beat. The Lionesses star chose to take the ball on rather than shoot early and the Toffees keeper was able to force striker too wide to get an accurate shot in.
The home side’s promising build up play continued as Millie Bright combined with Ingle and Cuthbert. The Scot found Ji whose effort went over the bar.
In the final minutes of the half, Chelsea were comfortably in the ascendency. Mjelde forced Raso into conceding a corner. Andersson’s ball in once more caused huge problems as it found its way across to Harder who will be disappointed that her header went wide.
Everton created the first chance of the second half when Claire Emslie refused to give up by the bye-line and won a free kick from Magda Eriksson. Christiansen’s free kick found Raso but the home defence refused to allow the Toffees to get a shot away.
Pernille Harder gained a free-kick when referee Abigail Byrne adjudged somewhat harshly that Hayley Raso had fouled her. Christiansen cleared the danger for a throw.
Rikke Sevecke was forced off after an accidental collision of heads with Beth England just before the hour mark. It was England who came close again when she powered past two defenders on the left hand side and crashed in a shot that Sandy MacIver pushed out for a corner.
Jonna Andersson earned a corner after combining well with Erin Cuthbert. Millie Bright met the flag kick with an eye catching back heeled flick which went just wide.
Hayley Raso missed a great chance for the visitors when she was found by Ingrid Moe Wold’s cross but her effort was wide.
Cuthbert fired in a great early effort with eighteen minutes left which MacIver got down well to catch. Seconds later, the defending champions had better luck. Harder found Leupolz in the box who gloriously back heeled the ball into the path of England who finished beautifully.
Two minutes later, Cuthbert had another effort which MacIver dealt with brilliantly by pushing onto the bar. Beth England, back in razor sharp form, reacted the quickest to head home.
From the re-start it was nearly a hat-trick. Andersson played in yet another great cross but England’s diving header went just wide.
With nine minutes left, Berger gave the ball away again in an attempted clearance and the ball found its way to Molly Pike whose effort was cleared for a corner.
Above: Maren Mjelde and Hayley Raso in the race for the ball this afternoon. Photo: @EvertonWomen
Sam Kerr came on and created a chance for herself with a driving run along the left hand side before cutting in and getting a shot away which MacIver gathered.
Nicoline Sorensen earned a corner from Jess Carter. Izzy Christiansen’s flag kick was dealt with, but Moe Wold played the ball back in with the resulting header from Damaris Egurrola coming back off of the post.
There was one more moment of magic at the very end. Pernille Harder grabbed her first Chelsea strike with a sensational finish. The Dane received the ball in midfield, drove past two defenders and played a one-two with England before dispatching a glorious effort into the top corner.
After gaining an important victory against the most improved side in the FAWSL, Chelsea now face a fascinating clash with Arsenal at Boreham Wood next weekend.
Teams: CHELSEA: Berger, Mjelde, Bright, Eriksson, Ingle, Leupolz, Cuthbert, Ji, England, Harder. Substitutes: Orman (GK), Thorisdottir, Carter, J. Fleming, Kerr, Charles, Murphy.
Manchester City gained a routine victory over a weakened Bristol City side in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League this afternoon.
Controversy reigned before kick-off with Bristol City releasing a statement revealing that they had requested a postponement after five of their first team players were following Covid-19 protocols and isolating as per Public Health England guidance. The statement revealed: “One player developed Covid like symptoms overnight and as a result of players living in a shared house, Charlie Wellings, Gemma Evans, Ella Mastrantonio, Abi Harrison and Meaghan Sargeant are now isolating. The FA has directed that the game should go ahead and Bristol City has accordingly drafted in players from the club’s academy.”
This news meant that a match that was already going to be a stern test for Tanya Oxtoby’s side, without a FAWSL win all season, with only one league goal scored and playing a Continental Cup tie at Crystal Palace less than forty-eight hours before this match, now appeared to take on insurmountable proportions.
However, for the vast majority of the half, not only were Bristol City well organised they were also full of effort and energy and it looked likely that the ‘Vixens’ would get their reward with a score line closer than many expected.
Manchester City dominated the early exchanges with fast tempo passing looking to find and then exploit gaps in the visitors defence. Crucially in this stage, the Vixens held firm.
It took six minutes for the ball to finally leave the Bristol City half of the pitch and their star striker Ebony Salmon’s hard work was rewarded with a throw-in near the 18 yard box. Jenna Purfield and Australian international Chloe Logarzo combined well to play a ball in, but the Sky Blues cleared the danger.
However the sustained pressure on the visitors finally told after nine minutes when Laura Coombes combined with Georgia Stanway on the left. Her cross led to a scrimmage in the six yard box which ended with the ball bouncing off Bristol City keeper Sophie Baggeley and into the net.
Above: Bristol City goalkeeper Sophie Baggeley makes one of her superb saves. Photo: @bristolcitywfc
To their eternal credit, Bristol City went straight up the field and were level within two minutes – although there was a large degree of fortune about it. Ebony Salmon stole the ball from City keeper Ellie Roebuck on the edge of the area and had all the time in the world to slot the ball into the empty net.
The visitors were, unsurprisingly, buoyed by this and kept their shape exceptionally well. Gareth Taylor’s side dominated possession, but were profligate in front of goal as Ellen White inexplicably missed the target after being played in brilliantly by Lucy Bronze. Two minutes later, USNWT star Sam Mewis badly miscued a header from Chloe Kelly’s cross.
Just as the side from the South-West looked to have done more than enough to take a 1-1 score line in to half-time, the hosts finally broke through. Laura Coombes strode into the box and rifled a confident finish past Baggeley with six minutes of the half left.
Two further goals in the following four minutes emphasised the gulf in the two sides’ team sheets. On forty-two minutes Keira Walsh fired past Baggeley’s despairing dive from the edge of the area.
Tanya Oxtoby’s charges immediately stormed up the pitch and earned a corner. The Sky Blues gained possession from the set-piece and mounted an instant counter attack. A great run from Lucy Bronze resulted in the former Olympique Lyonnais star hitting her side’s fourth off of the post.
The home side confirmed their dominance with a fifth goal within three minutes of the re-start. An inch perfect delivery from the right from Lucy Bronze was tapped home with easy by Georgia Stanway.
City kept pushing and continued to completely dominate all aspects of the game. Alex Greenwood combined with Jill Scott after fifty-nine minutes to play a ball in. Ellen White stuck out a foot and number six was the result.
A combination of Manchester City taking their foot off the gas and the visitors rallying superbly saw the floodgates momentarily close – with some outstanding goalkeeping from Sophie Baggeley who produced three wonderful saves also aiding her side.
First, Greenwood found substitute Janine Beckie who fired in a vicious effort which the Vixens’ custodian did well to repel. Just six minutes later, Greenwood was involved again and got away a great strike from the left hand side of the box and Baggeley got down brilliantly to save.
The Sky Blue’s patient, probing passing was resulting in total domination. It took until the thirty-first minute of the second half for Bristol City to get out of their own half and almost as soon as they did so, disaster struck as Chloe Logarzo lost possession to Ellen White. The Lionesses’ sharp shooter broke through and found Janine Beckie whose effort from the right made it seven.
With five minutes to go, White grabbed her second of the afternoon. A direct ball over the top saw her lose marker Jas Matthews and knock home City’s eighth at the near post.
The home side had two further opportunities to further increase their lead in stoppage time. First, Greenwood hit a screamer that came back off of the near post, and then Ellen White was denied her hat-trick after Baggeley made a top class save from the City star’s turn and instant shot.
This was a game that, realistically Manchester City were always going to win. The score line will not necessarily reflect a fantastic effort from Bristol City. The Vixens fans should be incredibly proud of their team – they quite literally gave it their all.
Jean-Pierre Thiesset provides us with a fascinating insight into what a typical matchday is like at Olympique Lyonnais – Europe’s top women’s club – and the incredible access that supporters of the team get to some of the world’s greatest players.
The last game played at Groupama OL Training Center before France’s covid restrictions were changed was on October 16, 2020 against EA Guingamp. At the moment all games will now be behind closed doors.
As usual, this involved the club’s supporters arriving about an hour in advance to meet our OL (Olympique Lyonnais) Ang’Elles friends around their stand of goodies – amongst them the OL Ang’Elles scarf to show our colours.
OL Ang’Elles fan group was been created in 2011 by Isabelle Bernard and was the first women’s football fan group in France. It counted almost 300 members last season. This group supports the OL players in Lyon and all over Europe in the UEFA Champions League with their uninterrupted songs during the game. They have OL Ang’Elles and Olympique Lyonnais flags and streamers but also all the flags from the country of the foreign OL team players.
Above: Matchday atmosphere at the Groupama Training Centre for a OL Feminin game. Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset.
From time to time LYOU, the Olympique Lyonnais mascot join us to support our players. There is also another smaller fan club “Kop Fenottes” which supports OL Women team.
Most of home games take place at the Groupama OL Training Center. Only the big games, like the one against Paris St. Germain or UEFA Champions League semi-finals take place in the Groupama Stadium; the big stadium where more than 25 000 spectators gathered for the last OL Feminin – PSG game in 2019.
Let’s try to know a little bit more the team that these fans support, and which dominates French and European football. Olympique Lyonnais Women section was created in 2004 by the acquisition of the FC Lyon Women team (1970-2004). Their Nickname is “Les Fenottes”.
OL’s women’s team has a lot of records and their honours is very impressive:
7 UEFA Champion League (2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)
14 consecutive French Championship titles from 2007 to 2020
Above: Trophies won by OL Feminin during 2019/20 including French D1 and the UEFA Champions League. Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset.
Main Current Staff consist of President: Jean-Michel Aulas, Manager: Olivier Blanc, Coach: Jean-Luc Vasseur, Assistant coach: Michel Sorin, Assistant coach: Camille Abily, Goalkeeper coach: Christophe Gardiè and Fitness Trainer: Romain Segui.
Before the game starts, teams are presented to the 1,500 spectators in the stands and everyone spells out loudly the name of the players when they appear on the big screen in one corner of the stadium.
Then the players arrive on the field for the team photo. During this Covid19 period it looks a little different. Here is the photo taken on October 16:
Above: OL Feminin line up for their last home game against EA Guingamp on 16th October. Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset.
Jean-Luc Vasseur has a roster of 29 players to choose to make his team of the day. A list of players which includes stars such as Sarah Bouhaddi, Wendie Renard, Ellie Carpenter, Sakina Karchaoui, Amel Majri, Dzsenifer Marozsan, Eugenie Le Sommer, Ada Hegerberg, Nikita Parris and Delphine Cascarino.
OL fans know the players very well because, usually, OL Ang’Elles and other supporters can meet all the players during one open training session almost every week. I said usually because right now with the Covid19 restrictions, no training sessions are open to the public. The relationship between players and supporters are particularly good. During the training sessions, supporters are within one metre of the field and can admire their preferred players and take any photos they want. At the end of the training session, players come to meet the supporters, talk with them, sign photos and other items and take the usual selfies with the fans. OL Feminin players and fans are like a big family and it is great to live with them like that!
Above: OL Feminin players celebrate with their fans earlier this season. Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset.
At the end of every game, players come to thank the supporters and especially the fan groups. The supporters then go home with a lot of memories of the game and our preferred players.
Latest news: OL Feminin won 5-0 away from home to third placed Montpellier last Saturday and are still unbeaten in D1 with seven consecutive wins.
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