@DandalBs returns with our weekly feature on all the news, views and transfer speculation in the top two tiers of Swedish Women’s Football, the Damallsvenskan and Elitettan.
As we suspected two weeks ago, it now seems almost certain that Kopparbergs/Göteborgs FC will play Damallsvenskan 2021 as a part of BK Häcken. Häcken is the club behind the huge Gothia Cup youth tournament and at the present the strongest of the men’s elite clubs in Göteborg. Things should be confirmed on 27th January when the board of BK Häcken has called its members to an extra annual meeting to decide whether or not they will take over Kopparbergs/Göteborgs FC.
Above: BK Häcken are set to vote on taking over Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC.
From BK Häcken’s perspective, their official supporter club, with no formal standing but influence, has announced that they are against incorporating Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC in their club. However, they have stated that they are not against a co-operation between the clubs.
Back within Kopparbergs/Göteborgs, coach Jörgen Ericson has left the club after three years. As he departed, he said: “I love the girls, the club has been gold. But it’s enough now.” It is reported that club chairman Bronsman would have liked him to stay. Mats Gren stays on the coaching staff and has been joined by Matti Demegård, Sweden’s assistant coach when they won silver medal at the 2016 Olympics’ Women’s Football event.
Above: Lotta Ökvist – has joined reigning champions Kopparbergs/Göteborgs from Manchester United this week. Photo: @NeverlandMGMT.
There have been some movement of players at the club over the last week as Sweden U19 midfielder Hanna Andersson has left after limited playing time and joins Piteå. It has also been rumoured that Julia Roddar may be on the move to NWSL side Washington Spirit Roddar is under contract 2021, so a transfer fee would be required. Coming in is Swedish international defender Lotta Ökvist from Manchester United. United manager Casey Stoney said of the transfer: “It was the right thing to do by her as a person to allow her to go back to Sweden and be closer to the people that she cares about,” following reports that Ökvist was finding it hard being in England during the pandemic.
NEWS IN BRIEF:
Damallsvenskan 2021 will start on 18th April and finish on 13th November. Match schedule not set yet. It has also been confirmed that this will be the last 12 team season for the Swedish women’s top flight. There will be only 1 club relegated and three promoted from the Elitettan. There will then 14 teams in the Damallsvenskan from 2022.
The Swedish Cup for Women in 2021 will be structured with four groups of four teams and will be played between 13th and 27th March. The four group winners will advance to semi-finals.
Rosengård‘s 25 year-old back-up goalkeeper Emma Lind has joined Frauen-Bundesliga club Turbine Potsdam.
Above: Emma Lind newly arrived at Turbine Potsdam. Photo: cityreport.pnr24-online.de.
After five years in Linköping, mostly as a back-up, 24 year old goalkeeper Matilda Haglund moves back to Elitettan side Lidköping.
Damallsvenskan clubs are starting their pre-season training, with newly promoted Hammarby doing so in the midst of snow. The club have stated their aim to win the top flight championship within three years. Their lost top flight title came in 1985.
Above: Hammarby begin training for the 2021 Damallsvenskan campaign in the snow. Photo: Jonas Lindkvist.
Goalkeeper Shannon Lynn, who has been at Vittsjö since 2014, has signed a new contract to stay at the club for one more year. The club have also announced the signing of 24 year-old Finnish international midfielder Julia Tunturi from Eskilstuna on a two year deal.
Hot on the heels of a sensational performance in the qualification stages of the UEFA Women’s Champions League and the club clinching the League and Cup double, Ben Gilby spoke to Elaine Harrington, secretary of Republic of Ireland’s top side Peamount United.
Above: Peamount United celebrate winning the FAI Women’s National League at the end of the season. Photo: @peamountutd
Elaine began our conversation by explaining the history of the club: “We were founded in 1983. The club itself is mostly known for its success with our women’s teams which was established in 1988. Year on year we have strengthened girls/women’s section and now attract some of the best players to our club. We won the first ever Women’s National League in Ireland, and subsequently became the first ever Irish team, male or female to qualify for the final stages of the UEFA Champions League in the process.”
It is to Peamount United’s Champions League history that we then turned to. “Previously when we played in the Champions League we got through the qualification group finishing as the best runner up. We were then took on Paris St. Germain. Sometimes the fact we are an amateur club can have a strain on our players as they are all either in college or work and find it hard to get time off. This season we had a qualification game against Glasgow City. It was a surprise to us how well we did (Peamount took City to a penalty shoot-out), we worked hard to prepare but the fact the girls all have to return to college / work can put a little strain on them.”
Peamount United’s return to Champions League football a couple of months back came after they won the Women’s National League for the first time in seven years. “For the previous three years we had finished as runners-up so we were getting stronger, but just couldn’t get it over the finish line. Wexford were the champions and we beat them twice. We actually only lost one game all season but Shelbourne pushed us all the way finishing one point behind us in 2019”
That championship win put Peamount United into a UEFA Women’s Champions League First Qualifying Round tie in which they were handed possibly the toughest possible draw – away to last season’s Quarter-Finalists, Glasgow City. Peamount took City to extra-time and then a sudden death penalty shoot-out: “Honest opinion: We were outstanding!” said Elaine.
“I think we were not expecting the result. We never even considered penalties! I think going into a game as the underdogs is a help as you feel you have nothing to lose, we had been playing really well in the previous games and had no injuries so we were hopeful. We were absolutely delighted with the performance of the team, however we were a little disappointed thinking how close we got. We dusted ourselves off as we had a semi-final game against Wexford on the following Sunday, which we won thank God!”
Those Champions League appearances have had long lasting benefits for the Irish side as Elaine explained: “When you have a success like that it can then give you that final push to try and win the league again to get back to Champions League again. It also gives you the opportunity to attract new players in.”
Above: Peamount United walk out to a guard of honour from opponents Wexford Youths when the FAI WNL title was confirmed. Photo: @peamountutd
I then asked Elaine to give us the lowdown on the top flight of women’s football in the Republic of Ireland: “The Women’s National League (WNL) was founded in 2011, previously we competed in the DWSL (Dublin Womens Soccer League). The WNL was set up by the FAI to try run things more professionally. This year there are nine teams in it. There is a gap between top and bottom, however the gap is closing as more girls are playing soccer at the moment. It is well supported by UEFA and FAI, but as long as it remains amateur it is hard to grow it. It costs about 50,000 Euros per annum to run a team, and we are always relying on sponsors and asking our players to get a sponsor for themselves. But hopefully it will change in the future. The 20*20 campaign has been a big help to girls’ sports.”
The year 2020 has not just been about an incredible UEFA Women’s Champions League performance – they also secured their return to the competition next season by not just winning the WNL but claiming the FAI Women’s Cup in fine style.
The Women’s National League of Ireland was won by five points from runners-up Shelbourne. Peamount United won eleven of their twelve matches, with just one defeat – 3-0 to Wexford Youths in August. The FAI Cup was won in true style as the club beat Cork City 6-0 at Tallaght Stadium. Stephanie Roche scored two with Aine Marie O’Gorman, Karen Duggan, Rebecca Watkins and Teigan Ruddy on the mark.
All of Peamount United’s fantastic achievements in 2020 have of course come against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic. Harrington identified the areas that it had impacted on the club: “The biggest impact is not having spectators at our games. Financially we are better off as we have received COVID payments to the club from our Government to help us out. Apart from that the other major challenge that we have is the fact that the girls have to work or study and still play. The amateur status is the thing we would most like to change, if we could even go semi-professional it would be a big help.”
The club have a fantastic pathway for female football too, which Elaine outlined to me: “We currently have a top girls team at every level from U12. The FAI have brought in an U17 WNL team two years ago, and hopefully next season we will have an U19 WNL team. Our aim is to try and keep them at the club for as long as possible.”
As a totally amateur club, Peamount United rely on a small band of volunteers to keep them up and running. One of the most prominent of this band is Denis Commins who Harrington identifies as being “one of the founder members of the club. He has always ensured that everything is run to benefit the girls in every way possible, he is always going out and looking for sponsorship for girls, along with looking after our facilities, which are top class.”
Above: Peamount United celebrate completing the domestic double by lifting the FAI Women’s Cup after a 6-0 win over Cork City. Photo: @FAI_WNL
Elaine Harrington ended by stating what she feels is her strongest wish for the club over the next five years: “I hope to see us go semi-professional. I’m sure if the same people that are involved with it today are still around we will be as good if not better than we are today.”
Impetus‘ comprehensive coverage of the 2020/21 Westfield W League season is drawing large numbers of readers throughout the UK, Australia, USA, Scandinavia and France! We’re proud that, thanks to our Australian based contributors Kris Goman and Kieran Yap, and UK based Ben Gilby we have been in a position to offer reports on every game played so far and share with you exclusive photos from Sydney based matches.
Our ‘Sunday Dub’ articles each week will continue to feature all the reports, action, views and news. Look out for our Midweek Dub interviews and previews in addition.
Impetus is the home of W League coverage in the UK – know any women’s football fans who haven’t joined the ‘Sunday Dub’ yet? Spread the word #SundayDub
Thanks to Graphics by PW for this phenomenal piece of artwork to support our coverage!
Impetus is not associated with or approved by the players or teams shown.
Above: Fran Kirby celebrates one of her four strikes at the Madejski Stadium this afternoon. Photo: @BarclaysFAWSL
Chelsea took advantage of all other FA Women’s Super League teams being on the side-lines to close the gap on Manchester United at the top of the table to three points in addition to holding a game in hand and having superior goal difference over United after a comfortable win over Reading at the Madejski Stadium.
Emma Hayes’ side went into the game with Guro Reiten back in her influential midfield spot with Beth England, Ji and Pernille Harder forming part of an astonishingly strong bench with, perhaps an eye on next Sunday’s showdown with Manchester United.
Reading had plenty of possession in the earliest of the initial exchanges before Fran Kirby began to spark the visitors into attack.
With five minutes played, Melanie Leupolz stole possession from Angharad James and played in Kirby who in turn fed Sam Kerr. The Matildas superstar could have had a shot, but laid a ball off for Kirby which the hosts cleared for a corner.
Four minutes later, Kirby showed her influence again down the left and once more found Kerr, but the Australian’s shot was not powerful enough and easily blocked.
There was a glimmer of hope for Reading just before the quarter hour mark after Reiten gave away a free kick centrally outside the box, but Fara Williams’ weak effort went well wide.
Shortly afterwards, Reading were punished after a superb solo finish from Fran Kirby. A long ball through was flicked on beautifully by Kerr into the path of Kirby who was in acres of space. The former Royal rounded Grace Moloney and hit the ball into the net with ease. It was a deserved goal for a player in dominant form.
Kirby’s magic start to the game almost led to a second goal on twenty-two minutes. Jonna Andersson charged down the left and found Kirby in acres of space but the effort came back off of the woodwork.
Seconds later there was no stopping the Chelsea hot shot. She easily won a battle against Emma Mitchell and held off the former Arsenal defender to hit a shot across Moloney for her second of the afternoon.
Just before the half-hour mark, Reading came close when James played in Tash Harding who saw Ann-Katrin Berger off her line and lofted a great effort only to see it bounce narrowly wide.
The Royals did a good job in taking the sting out of Chelsea by trying to maintain a patient passing game around the half hour mark, but the home side’s downfall was an inability to maintain that possession in an attacking sense.
An example of poor control of the ball in an attacking position by Reading almost let in Chelsea for a third goal on thirty-six minutes as Kerr broke free and looked to be in a great position to shoot, but squared for Kirby which allowed the Royals to clear.
Above: Niamh Charles had an impressive afternoon for Chelsea. Photo: @ReadingFCWomen
As the half entered its closing stages, Chelsea pressed. Andersson was found by Reiten on the left and played in a glorious curling cross towards Niamh Charles which Moloney dealt with.
Then, a glorious inch perfect ball from Sophie Ingle found Charles on the right. The former Liverpool player beat Lily Woodham and laid a pass back for Kirby in the box, but Jess Fishlock cleared.
Right on the half-time whistle, Kirby grabbed her hat-trick goal which she so richly deserved for an outstanding performance.
Fara Williams gave away a free-kick and received a yellow card for her pains. Erin Cuthbert floated the resulting set-piece to the back post to Kerr. The East Fremantle born striker lofted the ball back to Kirby who was unmarked in the six yard box and she nodded home with ease. Reading keeper Grace Moloney protested that the ball was out of play when Kerr played the cross in and received a yellow card as a result.
Fran Kirby was in on goal within three minutes of the re-start and was denied by a sensational tackle from Jess Fishlock. Moments later, Sam Kerr was agonisingly close when Erin Cuthbert found Kirby who played a lovely ball in but the Australian put her header just wide of the left hand post.
Chelsea earned a corner on fifty-two minutes after a quick counter attack. Originally, a poor clearance from Ann-Katrin Berger fell straight to Lauren Bruton, but the visitors regained possession and drove up the left wing. Kerr got in behind and earned a corner. The flag kick was met with another thumping header from Kirby for hers and Chelsea’s fourth with questionable marking once more from Reading.
Just past the hour mark, there was a flurry of danger from Reading when Angharad James pulled a decent ball back into the box but Millie Bright was able to clear. Shortly afterwards, Bruton found Tash Harding who raced through and was just denied by Berger before the assistant lifted an offside flag.
Chelsea rang the changes and two of the new arrivals were involved in their next chance with ten minutes left. Ji played in Pernille Harder who raced in but was denied by Moloney.
With six minutes to go, the visitors earned a free kick when Beth England was fouled by Deanna Cooper centrally just outside the box. Ji fired in a free-kick which Moloney seemed happy to let go wide – but it was far closer than she may have thought.
Less than a minute later, Ji had better luck with a glorious finish. Blundell played in a high ball which Jessie Fleming played towards the South Korean who let it bounce before unleashing a great shot into the far corner of the net.
Fran Kirby will quite rightly take all the headlines from a sensational individual performance. There does need to be major questions asked of Reading’s defensive structure which allowed their former star so much space amid some catastrophic marking. Chelsea will also point to a really positive performance from 21 year-old midfielder Niamh Charles who hasn’t started many games this season, but put in a great shift this afternoon.
It makes their showdown with Manchester United at Kingsmeadow next weekend even more mouth-watering. If Chelsea were to win that, it would mark a potentially decisive shift in the championship race.
Above: Amy Jackson jumps for joy after scoring for Melbourne Victory. Photo: @victorywleague.
Under a beaming summer sun and in front of a vocal and ecstatic crowd, Melbourne Victory delivered a football lesson to Melbourne City and sent out a warning to the rest of the league. After a stuttering and at time frustrating opening game, they look to have hit their stride.
The navy blue fans had plenty to cheer in the first half, they started aggressively, snapping into tackles and pressing their opposition at every opportunity. It was almost undone after a sequence of errors presented City striker Harriet Withers with an open goal, but her shot under pressure from 16 yards bobbled wide.
Despite this scare, Victory had the best of the opening exchanges and on 15 minutes they made it one-nil, the busy and tireless De Vanna received the ball from Zimmerman and threaded a perfect pass into the path of Annalie Longo, the New Zealand playmaker did not have to break stride and was able to side foot it past Micah in the City goal with a well placed first time shot.
De Vanna remained a constant threat and combined with Cooney-Cross to flash a cross just out the reach of Zimmerman in the middle and minutes later tried to lob Micah after another City turnover but hit her shot high and wide.
The second goal eventually came after Angie Beard intercepted a pass into the City midfield. The Victory captain fed De Vanna out wide and continued her run to receive the return ball hitting a shot from close range that Micah did well to save. Unfortunately for City she could not hold the ball, Melina Ayres was on the spot to tap home the rebound and she wheeled away to celebrate with the fans behind the goal.
Harriet Withers was the most dangerous player for Melbourne City, she provided them with an attacking focal point not obvious in previous games and although City had trouble maintaining possession her tenacity, pace and willingness to shoot meant that Victory could not lose focus at the back.
She provided City’s best clear chance in the first half after running onto a long ball on the right wing, driving with purpose into the box and cutting the ball back to Japanese International Kira. The shot was well saved by Garton when a goal looked certain and after some short-lived panic, Victory managed to clear.
The half ended after two more chances for Victory, Kyra Cooney-Cross and De Vanna linked up to send a dangerous ball into the box towards Zimmerman and Ayres but again Micah was well positioned to deny them. In the dying minutes before the break, De Vanna tackled and flicked a pass to the unopposed Ayres who perhaps had too much time to think about the shot and in the end hit it over the bar.
The second half continued much the same as the first, the introduction of Rhali Dobson injected more pace up front for City but they struggled to maintain possession or create from midfield despite working hard to chase and press. Victory had no such problems and on the 60th minute Melina Ayres nearly doubled her tally after receiving a Cooney-Cross pass on the edge of the box and firing against the frame.
Above: Melbourne City’s Harriet Withers on the ball in what was a desperately disappointing game for them. Photo: @melbournecity
The returning Matilda, Alex Chidiac made an almost immediate impact after coming on for City, surging in familiar style towards goal before being bundled over by De Vanna, the resulting set piece ended in a spectacular point blank Garton save from Withers after McCormick headed across goal.
City looked to have some momentum finally after that moment and Dobson came close to scoring with a long run along the left flank and shot that flashed wide of the near post, but their momentary ascendancy was killed off in spectacular fashion.
Lisa De Vanna had the ball played out to her on the right wing, with the defender racing to reach her she let it run past both of them with a delightful step over and surged toward goal. With only Tory Tumeth ahead of her she sped past the young defender and fired across Micah into the far corner. It was vintage De Vanna and a spectacular goal, the calm finish capped off a run that began deep in her own half. After some near misses in the first game, she had hit full stride to punish City.
This goal opened the floodgates with midfieler Amy Jackson exchanging passes with Ayres to glide through the defense almost unopposed and make it 4-0. It was a great run and finish but Micah was left stranded by overwhelmed and fatigued defenders.
Victory had no intention of slowing down even in conditions that required drink-breaks every 15 minutes and as added time ticked over, Catherine Zimmerman scored her first W-League goal, emphatically blasting home into an open goal after a perfect Barbieri cross found her at the far post.
Spectators could be forgiven for thinking it was all over at 5-0 but Victory had one more goal left in them, Kyra Cooney-Cross ran onto a chipped Tiffany Eliadis pass and accelerated past her marker to finish well to make it 6-0 to Melbourne Victory.
Above: So much to celebrate for Melbourne Victory. Photo: @WLeague.
Six goals, from six scorers, all coming from different styles of attacks, Jeff Hopkins would have been pleased to see six different scorers and an attacking third of the pitch working in perfect harmony. The substitutes had an impact and Angela Beard continued her form from their first game with an excellent performance at left back.
City again showed glimpses and a fully match-fit Alex Chidiac will help link the midfield and the attack but today they were a long way off Victory who looked fluid, inventive and clinical in comparison. City will get a chance for redemption in six days, it will be an engaging encounter but one set of fans will be more excited than the other.
Adelaide United recorded their first W League win of the season at Marden Sports Complex when they saw off a Perth Glory side who put in a game effort in the first half of a game played in 34c heat.
Above: Adelaide United’ Emily Condon (left) who scored the only goal of the game from the spot, holds off Perth’s Elizabeth Anton. Photo: @WLeague.
It was the Western Australians’ first game of the campaign on a weekend when some clubs were playing their third match of the season. This actually may well have benefitted new head coach Alex Epakis and his players. Given the extremely late arrival of the vast majority of coaching staff and squad which meant that around Christmas, five were still in quarantine, it has meant than some full squad training sessions have been able to take place ahead of their opening game in Adelaide.
Perth conjured up their first chance of the game with just three minutes played as Gemma Craine cut in from down the left and let fly with an effort which came back off the post.
Everything dangerous from a Perth point of view came along that left flank in the first period with Craine at the heart of everything positive that her team were producing. With eight minutes gone she played in Marianna Tabain who put an effort wide of the left hand post.
Maria Jose Rojas was the star turn for Adelaide United in the opening exchanges and after being played in by Isabel Hodgson, the Chilean turned beautifully and found Fiona Worts before Glory tidied up.
Above: Perth Glory’s Malia Steinmetz can’t stop Adelaide United’s superstar Maria Jose Rojas (left). Photo: @PerthGloryFC
Perth replied with Kat Jukic winning a free kick on the edge of the box on twelve minutes after being robustly brought down by Matilda McNamara, who received a yellow card. Tabain’s curling free kick went narrowly wide of the left hand post as Glory continued to look good coming forward. Five minutes later, Craine ran onto a through ball which forced home keeper Sian Fryer-McLaren to race off her line quickly to grab the ball.
Lily Alfeld then kept Perth in the game when she pushed over a sensational strike from Emily Condon just ahead of the first drinks break.
Once more Craine was causing real problems for Adelaide. With twenty-six minutes gone, she drove her way up the left and eased her way into the box before Fryer-McLaren denied her again. Shortly afterwards Craine had United in knots again and a great pass found Deborah-Anne de la Harpe who forced Fryer-McLaren into another save.
With eight minutes of the half to go, the tempo eased due to the conditions, but Craine was still looking sharp in getting another shot away which Fryer-McLaren held.
Lily Alfeld was called into action shortly afterwards when Condon danced through the box and hit an effort which was saved as the two sides went in 0-0 at the break.
Above: Adelaide keeper Sian Fryer-McLaren made several superb saves in the first half. Photo: @AUFCWomen
Adelaide were the more organised side at the start of the second period as Perth found it more challenging to build possession, particularly in the final third. United’s build up found Dylan Holmes who drove in a glorious effort which came back off the bar to Mallory Weber who took too long to get her effort in.
Minutes later, Maria Jose Rojas took the ball past the entire Perth defence with ease, but her shot flew over the bar.
Adelaide conjured up another effort when Marianna Tabain fouled Mallory Weber on the edge of the box. Emily Condon’s free kick landed in Glory keeper Alfeld’s arms.
Perth’s inability to make patient, accurate passes when attacking just added to the amount of pressure that Adelaide were able to build. Whilst it was apparent that the large number of new players in the Glory side were still trying to settle in and work out how to play together, there was still an argument for changing the tactics slightly to shake things up. Gemma Craine got a rare second half effort away for Perth from the right hand side of the box which Sian Fryer-McLaren had to dive to save.
With ten minutes to go, a clever run from Rojas ended with a penalty when Natasha Rigby went in with her and looked to have taken the ball first but was adjudged by referee Georgia Ghirardello that the challenge was robust enough to warrant the spot kick. Emily Condon hit the penalty into the right hand side of the goal with the ball flying through a hole in the net and Adelaide were ahead.
Craine broke clean through for Perth with four minutes left and was brought down just outside the box by Sian McLaren who was yellow carded for her efforts. Tabain’s effort was well dealt with by a diving Fryer-McLaren and that was the last chance for the visitors.
Perth Glory will be delighted by the problems that Gemma Craine caused Adelaide plus some of the work of Lily Alfeld and Marianna Tabain. Despite this, with the season so short in 2021, the Western Australian side will need to hit the ground running from now on to avoid being left behind.
Above: Adelaide United celebrate their first win of the season. Photo: @AUFCWomen
After their great effort in defeat to Canberra in their opening game, Adelaide will be delighted to get the win. They are undoubtedly a good team with some super players in Maria Jose Rojas, Mallory Weber, Emily Condon and Chelsie Dawber – if they can win the tight games regularly then they can be a real danger this season.
Above: Sydney FC celebrate keeping their 100% start to the season intact. Photo: @SydneyWFC
Sydney made the trip north up the highway to McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle for this third round W League clash.
Sydney went into the game coming off a win against cross city rivals Western Sydney Wanderers and Newcastle came off a loss to the Wanderers, both having only played one match.
Sydney lined-up in a 4-3-3 formation compared to the home side’s 5-4-1 defensive formation.
Seven minutes in, Newcastle’s Taren King got a yellow for a tackle on Princess Ibini in the centre of the park. Teresa Polias took the free kick and Ally Green moved it down the left side and crossed to Cortnee Vine who controlled and shot harmlessly wide of the top left corner.
Soon after, Polias took a corner and curled it in. Claire Coelho punched it away but Natalie Tobin gathered it up and passed out to Ibini who took a shot but it was easily blocked.
Another bad clearance, which was Newcastle’s downfall against the Wanderers, is snatched by Remy Siemsen who had a crack but the effort was blocked again by Coelho. The resulting corner was safe in Coelho’s hands. Ibini takes another decent shot after bringing the ball to the top of the box from the sideline but it too goes wide to the left.
The Jets got out of their half with Sophie Harding taking the ball down the left unchallenged after a long ball in transition. For some unknown reason, she then almost stopped when she got into the box to eventually pass across to Rhianna Pollicina who shot low and Jada Mathysson-Whyman took the ball in.
Newcastle were not allowing Sydney too much time on the ball and thus the turnovers are frequent, despite the pressure. Sunny Franco had a shot which went high over the crossbar as Newcastle started to up their own pressure.
Back at the other end, Cassidy Davis fouled Ibini and once more Ibini is the target of a yellow grade tackle. It looked more like a rugby tackle and was quite late. The continued fouls on Ibini show that the Jets aren’t letting her get any space. Polias took it and went for goal but skied her effort over the crossbar.
With four minutes to go until the break, the Jets got a free kick near the sideline. Gema Simon took it and there was a lot of heading as the ball bounced around the box before it landed at the feet of Tara Andrews who popped it past Whyman for the first goal of the match. Newcastle ahead 1-0 and it stayed that way at half time.
The second half opened with Sydney dominant from the start. Within two minutes, Cortnee Vine sent a couple of balls into the box that bounced around but eventually got to Taylor Ray at the back of the box. The 19 year-old wound up her left foot, struck it beautifully and it flew into the bottom right corner for the equaliser.
Newcastle finally got a bit of play when Sunny Franco took it down the right and crossed but Sophie Harding was ruled offside so it was all for nought.
Once more, a heavy tackle from behind by Franco on Ibini results in a free kick for Polias. She chipped it into the whirlpool but the ball was headed away safely by Newcastle. Sydney had another chance shortly afterwards when Vine brought it down the right and crosssed to Siemsen but the Jets defence stepped up and she’s offside.
Ally Green took a nice run down the left for Sydney, swerving past a few players but the cross went over Allira Toby’s head. It went back into general play around the box a number of times before landing at Rachel Lowe’s feet and she lobbed an effort over the players in front. It goes in the left side of the net past Claire Coelho’s forlorn look. 2-1 and Sydney take the lead at the 75 minute mark.
Newcastle had a chance to hit back after a bit of ping pong in the box which ended with handball by Mackenzie Hawkesby. Jets’ Gema Simon stepped up with Tara Andrews for the kick just outside the box and the chance to equalise. Andrews took it with some power towards the top left but it just skims the bar.
With four minutes stoppage time announced, Newcastle were applying all the pressure. A long ball went forward to Toby but she sent it over the crossbar before the final whistle blows.
Sydney ran out winners in what was, in the end, a pretty close match that could have gone either way. Sydney had the better possession and territory and probably the most telling statistic was balls into area which was 32 for Sydney and 12 for Newcastle.
Despite this, Sydney only had 10 Shots and Newcastle 8, and shots on target were only 3 for Sydney and 4 for Newcastle.
Newcastle certainly continue to be a threat and are no easy beats but Sydney’s class shone through in the end to take them into second place in the table with two matches in the round left to play. Cortnee Vine got player of the match.
Above: Olivia Chance brings the ball away on her Brisbane Roar debut against Canberra United. Photo: @brisbaneroar
The star studded Brisbane Roar against the in-form Canberra United had all the ingredients for a blockbuster encounter, both sides met on a windy Thursday night undefeated with Canberra on fire in front of goal and The Roar yet to concede despite their trouble finding the back of the net.
Katrina Gorry changed that unwelcome statistic when fans were still finding their seats, unleashing a rocket off one step in the third minute. She received the ball around 25 yards out and with the wind at her back, struck it into the top corner beyond the leaping Sally James in the Canberra goal.
There was very little the young goalkeeper could do to prevent it, it was perfectly hit, with very little warning or wind up. The Canberra defender closed her down but not quickly enough and there was no immediate danger until the ball left Gorry’s wand of a right boot.
With the goal in hand Brisbane looked to be in cruise control, the pressed Canberra to deny them space in the midfield and prevent them playing the ball easily out from the back. The away team responded with a few encouraging counter attacks, utilizing the pace of Paige Satchell and the craft of Michelle Heyman. Any easy scoring opportunities were denied by the experienced and miserly defence of Polkinghorne and Carroll, though Heyman did crash a shot off the woodwork with when she was able to run at the goal and was unlucky not the score.
With the wind in their back Brisbane seemed eager to test James from distance at every opportunity, Gielnik and Gorry trying their luck again and Isobel Dalton hitting the post late in the half with a shot on the turn from 20 yards.
If the first half had a pattern it was that Roar were largely playing the way they wanted and denying Canberra the chance to get into a rhythm, Gielnik looked determined to score and was only denied by confident keeping by James, once to save a well hit toe poke from the flank and again coming out to claim Mariel Hecher’s curling through ball before Gielnik could reach it.
Above: Emily Gielnik celebrated her hundredth game but couldn’t mark it with a goal. Photo: @TheRoarCorps
The second half followed much the same pattern, Brisbane dominated early possession with Gorry knitting the team together and making herself available for every possible pass. She is a delight to watch in full form, able to move her own team and the opposition around with clever movement and tight ball control. The Roar number 10 had was unlucky not to double her team’s tally with a low shot on the run denied by James.
Brisbane’s new signing, former Perth prodigy Leticia McKenna was the next to be frustrated, after an exchange of passes and decoy runs opened up some space for her, her shot was good but James was it’s equal.
Soon after, Michelle Heyman used a clever change of pace to beat Clare Polkinghorne on the right but the resulting strike from the edge of the box was well saved by Georgina Worth, the Brisbane goalkeeper had a busy night, mopping up the long balls and distributing from the back, but was rarely troubled, when her time came and Heyman hit the target, she met the challenge.
Katrina Gorry continued to torment the Canberra defence and she combined with Rosie Sutton to whip the ball across goal leaving James helpless and the defenders stranded, Emily Gielnik arrived at the far post, on cue in her 100th game and determined to score she met the ball at full pace but somehow managed to hit the cross bar from point blank range.
From the ridiculous to the sublime and from one moment of madness to another the game suddenly changed in a single moment. Grace Maher received the ball inside the centre circle, just inside her attacking half, she quickly spotted Worth off her line and with the wind in her back she hit the ball as sweetly as a ball can be hit, sailing it over the back peddling keeper and stunning the crowd, the opposition and her teammates with a probable contender for goal of the season.
Above: Grace Maher (right) celebrates her stunning equaliser for Canberra United. Photo: @WLeague.
As fatigue kicked in and the weather worsened with heavy rain joining the wind, the game opened up in the late stages with both teams trying to find the winner, Gorry had a shot saved again by Sally James after Gielnik galloped forward and played it back to her and Flannery attempted to replicate her heroics from the previous game and score a long range winner for United but the evening ended in another draw for Brisbane, another escape act by Canberra and another set of spectacular W-League highlights to start the round.
@DandalBs brings us all the news from the Swedish women’s football scene over the past weekas the weekly series moves to its regular slot of a Saturday.
First this week, we head back to reigning champions Kopparbergs/Göteborg where the club have confirmed their place in the Damallsvenskan for 2021 along with the exit of two players. First, Finnish international Emma Koivisto has left after “three wonderful years”. She has not announced a new club. Additionally, Annika Schmidt, who spent most of last season on loan to Sunnanå, has joined Houston Dash.
Vittsjö have signed Piteå’s 27 year-old Brazilian forward Fernanda da Silva on a deal for a minimum length of one season.
Above: Fernanda da Silva (right) just signed for Vittsjö. Photo: Bildbyrån via svenskalag.se
The club have also given new two year deals to Kajsa Lind and Paulina Nyström. The club have joined 20 year-old forward Beatrice Persson from Rosengård.
Guðbjörg Gunnarsdóttir, who just recently left Djurgården, has signed with Norwegian Toppserien club Arna-Bjørnar. Also leaving the club is defender Kim Sundlöv after having most of 2019 and 2020 destroyed by injuries. No new club has been announced as yet.
Rosengård have announced the signing of 24 year-old Olivia Welin, previously with Kristianstad, on a two year deal. Welin’s career has been hampered by injuries the last four years, but her new club believes in her talent.
Above: Olivia Welin (left) has left Kristianstad for Rosengård. Photo: Mathilda Ahlberg via Sydsvenskan.
They have also given a two year senior contract to U19s goal keeper Angel Mukasa gets a 2 year senior contract. Mukasa has been capped for Sweden at youth level.
NEWS IN BRIEF…
Svava Rós Gudmundsdóttir, who left Kristianstad in December has joined Girondins de Bordeaux, who are hot favourites to clinch the third French spot in next season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Jennie Nordin, the 27 year-old defender and captain of Växjö the last 3 seasons, has joined Piteå on a deal lasting for at least one season.
Örebro have signed 24 year-old American winger/forward Jessie Scarpa who spent last season at Washington Spirit where she played with recent Örebro signing Jenna Hellstrom. She had a short stint in Sweden’s D2 with Lidköping 2019.
Above: Jessie Scarpa has arrived at Örebro from Washington Spirit in the NWSL. Photo: Nerikes Allehanda.
Linköping have brought in 22 year-old Norwegian international Heidi Ellingsen has signed a two year deal with. She has spent the last two years with LSK Kvinner.
Hammarby have handed new contracts to Hanna Lundkvist and Frida Thörnqvist, Hammarby.
Impetus‘ Ben Gilby spoke to D-M Withers (D-M), Shahan Miah (SM) and Nat Brown (NB) from Bristol City Vixencast – the weekly podcast featuring all things Bristol City Women.
How did the podcast get started?
D-M: Last season (2019/20) I decided I wanted to try and make a podcast about Bristol City Women. This was back in the day when we could go to matches. Initially the podcast was called Oxtoby Revolution. For many years the atmosphere at Stoke Gifford Stadium was a bit unfriendly. I went to matches but never spoke to anyone. I thought if I had an audio recorder with me, I’d have an excuse to talk to people (in my professional life I am a life historian, and love listening to people’s stories). I was also curious about who the fans of Bristol City Women were—on some level I thought it might be helpful for the club to have a better understanding of who their audience was. So the first iteration of the podcast was composed of pitch side interviews with fans and documents our singing, and things like that. I made my partner Nat [Brown] join in and talk about football because she sounds authoritative and clever when talking about tactics (I also think she likes doing it). I am actually really pleased I captured the material, for obvious reasons: it turned out to be our last season at SGS; it also records that moment just before the pandemic disrupted life as we had known it. Football historians of the future – I accept your advance thanks (assuming these podcasts find themselves into an archive!) Through doing the podcast and general Bristol City fandom I met Shahan [Miah], who has become a dear friend and excellent collaborator. So when I decided to rebrand the podcast for the new season, he became more involved—indeed, he suggested the new name! So that’s the story of the podcast so far. My friend listened to it and said that it was a bit like a fanzine—that podcasts are like the fanzines of the present. I like that idea, as it captures that sense of making your own media, especially if you feel like your interests are not being properly represented by what’s on offer.
SM: Also, it turned out that I live relatively near D-M & Nat, so for this season, I was able to go to their house & record with them there, while maintaining social distancing. However with subsequent restrictions put in place, we now record remotely over Zoom.
Tell us a bit about all of yourselves in terms of your backgrounds – how did you all get into women’s football?
D-M: I’ve been a football fan since quite a young age, initially supporting men’s teams. I actually support Norwich City FC, the same as my Grandad. I have fond memories of going to Carrow Road with him, and to away games in and around London. I grew up near Reading and regularly went to Elm Park in my teens. I loved going to Elm Park but didn’t follow Reading when they moved to the Madejski. I started to support Bristol Academy in the first season of the Women’s Super League in 2011. It was a total revelation watching women’s football live and I’ve been hooked ever since.
NB: I’d always been a football fan, but I never had any particular club allegiance. My route into women’s football was through playing. I actually played in goal for Bristol City under 15s, 16s and a brief spell in the first team! I also started watching Bristol Academy in the first season of the Women’s Super League – I was excited to have a women’s football team I could support. I am now trying to get my coaching badges, working with a youth team in the local area.
SM: I grew up in Long Ashton, right near Ashton Gate Stadium, so I couldn’t get more local than that! I’ve been an occasional attendee for the better part of the last 15 years. My first ever women’s football match was at Ashton Gate; I saw Bristol Academy’s first UEFA Women’s Champions League game there in 2011, as me & my then-housemate were curious. Club legends Anne Heatherson & Jess Fishlock played in that game, however it was not until many years later I realised the significance that I got to see them play.
My second ever women’s football match was also at Ashton Gate, when in 2015, England played Bosnia & Herzegovina in a UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 qualifier. There were so many Lionesses past & present in that squad that I did not know of at the time. I had started to get aware of the team after hearing of how well they did in that summer’s Women’s World Cup.
It was in 2017 when I started to gain casual interest. A friend & I checked out the WSL Spring Series in 2017, where Bristol City Women (as they had become) lost all their home games. I watched all of Women’s Euro 2017 & the Women’s World Cup in 2019, and it was on the last game of the 2018/2019 WSL season that I was free to attend. Bristol City lost 2-1 to West Ham, however I had such a great time with the supporters singing & a welcoming atmosphere, that I felt encouraged to attend many more games in the subsequent season.
How do you feel links are between the men’s and women’s teams?
D-M: In Bristol? Tenuous at best. Sometimes they appear in the same marketing campaigns. More could certainly be done to foster a ‘one club’ ethos. I’m thinking shared training facilities and better investment.
Above: Ebony Salmon – another impressive set of performances for Bristol City this season. Photo: @bristolcitywfc
NB: Well, Bristol City Women is still a relatively new thing. It was Bristol Academy and maybe the connection between them is not yet as strong as could be.
SM: The team has been known as Bristol City Women for almost five years now, and owned by Bristol Sport (who run Bristol City men & Bristol Bears rugby teams), compared to Bristol Academy which for many years was independent.
I feel the links have improved, but there’s still plenty more to do. It’s great to see the women in the same media/photoshoots as the men’s team. The women have played at Ashton Gate several times, however in those games I felt the atmosphere wasn’t quite the same as it could be at Stoke Gifford, for example.
How would you sum up the podcast in terms of what an average episode is like – style, humour, regular features/catchphrases etc?
D-M: We try to keep the episodes to around thirty minutes and hopefully it’s fairly fast moving while having time for discussion. I think between us we create a nice balance between detail, humour and analysis. Occasionally there is singing, a sprinkle of surreal humour. I think the main point is we are making space to talk about Bristol City as we do get a bit overlooked in the mainstream women’s football media.
NB: Since Shahan has got on board, we’ve got a nice balance of detail and chat. He’s great at the research. D-M does an awesome job at the editing and I just say things about the football – easy!
SM: I’m inspired by other fan-based podcasts for the Bristol City men’s team, most notably One Stream in Bristol, who can combine analysis & humour. As games are still behind closed doors (at time of writing) I’m glad to have helped build the podcast, in terms of building audiences nationally (& internationally). One catchphrase we tend to use is the clip from manager Tanya Oxtoby, recorded in a training session from last season, filmed for Australia’s Optus Sport, where she yells to her team “Do you want to f*****g win on Sunday or not?”
Results wise, it’s been a tough start to the season. How have you all assessed things so far?
D-M: Oooooooooooh. There were positive signs. I am not feeling so positive now, writing after our 4-0 defeats to both Aston Villa and West Ham. Pass!
NB: I’m a positive wizard. I say something good and I see it! Gemma Evans has been doing her job fantastically. Baggers (Sophie Baggaley) is back on legendary form- I think it’s that rainbow/My Little Pony kit she now wears. We can score goals. Yana Daniels gets fouled for fun. We have a midfield this year. We get to wear the purple and lime. I could continue…
Above: Sophie Baggaley in the famous ‘My Little Pony’ goalkeeping kit. Photo: @bristolcitywfc
SM: Not gone according to plan! I was quite surprised when Tottenham & West Ham; teams above Bristol City in the table; have changed managers already this season, and yet the same set-up is still present at our club. I get the “We go again” & “It’s a marathon, not a sprint” comments made in media interviews, but there’s so many times they can be used as what feels like excuses before the club gets in real trouble.
What do you think about the move to Twerton Park – albeit not being able to have attended games there in person?
D-M: I felt really good about the move to Twerton Park when it was first announced. We have been to a few matches there, as we had media passes for the games against London Bees and Birmingham City. I really like it, as a stadium, and would be tempted to watch Bath City FC play too when it becomes possible to go to matches again. I look forward to the day when fans get to be there and get behind the team. Only then, I think, will we be able to assess whether the Twerton Park move is a success. SGS (the old Bristol stadium) was not a great place to watch football. It is out of the way and hard to get to. Twerton Park is nestled in a residential area; I feel very nostalgic about stadiums like that—it reminds me of Elm Park – Reading FC men’s old home ground I suppose. I hope the team will be able to pick up fans who live close by. Twerton Park is also near to the Bristol-Bath cycle path and, if you are so inclined, you could take in the Bath skyline walk before a match. Lovely.
NB: I’m really happy about it. The old stadium was our home, but it’s great to have the stands. Looking forward to filling the place and created some atmosphere when we can. As D-M said, we attended a couple of games- one of which was under the floodlights and a great win!
SM: I was surprised with the announcement, firstly because there was no obvious supporter consultation, and also because it would mean I’d have to travel to another city. Fans of other clubs may be used to that, but I always loved the fact that Bristol City actually played in a Bristol postcode! However, having attended with D-M & Nat with our media passes, Twerton Park feels like a nice ground, and I can’t wait to see it with fans! At time of writing, Bath is in Tier 2, however Bristol is in Tier 3, so this is why we couldn’t attend games.
Sophie Baggaley and Ebony Salmon get most of the headlines at the Vixens, but who else has been catching your eye and why?
D-M: Jemma Purfield had a really strong start to the season, offering the team much needed dynamism from the left wing-back. It’s been amazing to see Naomi Layzell break through into the first team, especially given that she’s only 16. Wow. I’ve enjoyed Emma Bissell’s performances and thought she took the goal at Reading superbly. Charlie Wellings seems to be enjoying her football this season. Yana Daniels always fights for the team. It’s great to have our Australian contingent too. The results have been disappointing, for sure, but the effort is there from all the players. Behind them all the way.
NB: Careful, or I might start on our Christmas anthem ‘The 12 days of Vixens’! The funny thing is, everyone’s been playing pretty well. I love Ella Mastrantonio and was really excited about her and Aimee Palmer playing in midfield together bringing a bit of class and muscle. Hopefully Palmer’s injury will get sorted and she can start playing again. Gemma Evans has been great, especially in the last few games. Bissell has been brilliant, as has Purfield.
SM: I’ve been really impressed with Emma Bissell since she joined over the summer. Not sure if it’s to prove what she could have done at her former club Manchester City, but I’m loving it! Nice to see more of Chloe Logarzo, as she only played a couple of games last season before last season abruptly ended. She seems to be the first choice penalty taker now, and she’s successful at it!
Above: Emma Bissell in action for Bristol City. Photo: @bristolcitywfc
Bristol have had a really strong presence in the top tier of the women’s game for a number of years – over the short-term what are the Vixens’ aims on and off the pitch do you think?
D-M: To be honest, I really don’t know what the strategy is for the team, in the short or the long term. I’d love to know. I think we all felt encouraged by the appointment of [head of women’s football] Lee Billiard in the summer and we had hoped it could be the start of a bit more dialogue and exchange between the club and its fans—we haven’t had that for a long time. That hasn’t exactly happened, but there are reasons for that, not least a global pandemic! I am confident we can build some good relations in the future. I am weary of the refrain that “we don’t have as much as other clubs, we’re run on a developmental basis, etc etc” even if that’s true. What this means is practice is we will lose, or it’s always an uphill struggle, with the incline getting fiercer all the time. In the past few years it’s obvious that we are being left behind when compared with the business strategies pursued by most teams at the top level of the women’s game (big up to Lewes FC for doing things differently!) It would help if the Lansdown family [owners of Bristol Sport] could spread their risk a bit more in our direction. We might then be able to make a short – or even, gasp—a long term plan.
NB: Surely we need to thinking more than ‘let’s not get relegated’
SM: To invest more in the right quality of players & coaching, have all our injured players come back when ready, and to get on a winning run. Come on you Vixens!
We recommend giving Bristol City Vixencast a listen. All the links you need are below:
impetusfootball.org 