Renee Slegers and Katie Reid anticipate United showdown

By Rachel Gore 21/9/25

Above: Arsenal celebrate scoring against West Ham in 2024/25 Photo: Jay Patel/SPP

Ahead of an early narrative-setting matchup in the WSL, Rachel Gore spoke to Arsenal’s Renee Slegers and Katie Reid

Context

Manchester United and Arsenal sit in first and second place respectively in the WSL table. Both sides have earnt six points so far, but United lead on the goal difference. Sunday’s match will determine which team takes the top spot and set a precedent for what’s to come in the WSL.

What should fans expect?

This clash between the current top two teams in the WSL will be an extremely competitive fixture, and Slegers is anticipating that United are “going to play with a lot of intensity”.

Matches between title-challengers, such as United and Arsenal are crucial for the overall table, but also for mentality. Despite knowing how significant Sunday’s match is for Arsenal, Reid suggested that the North London side will view this match as they do any other fixture. The young defender said:

“You don’t want to make it into this huge, big deal because you don’t want to put too much pressure on yourselves. We’re just going to go out there and play the way we know we can play and just compete and fight for the result, but we believe we can do it and there’s no doubts in everyone’s minds. We’ve got our fans as well; we’ve got a thousand fans coming with their support.”

The 1,000 Arsenal fans that Reid mentioned were also spoken about by Slegers. The manager knows that Leigh Sports Village is “a setting with a big crowd” full of “loud” United fans, but she insists her team “will feed off of” their travelling support.

Slegers’ summarised what these travelling fans, and those watching online, can expect from Sunday’s match in one simple sentence: “I’m sure it will be a very tight game on Sunday with momentum shifts as well, but again, we’re trying to control as much as possible.”

Team news

Arsenal fans will be pleased to hear that Chloe Kelly has been “in big parts of training this week” and the possibility of her return “looks very positive” having been absent from Arsenal’s last matchday squad due to a knock.

Form

Both teams have been prolific in attack throughout their opening two matches, scoring nine goals. Speaking on Arsenal’s performance in the WSL so far this season, Reid said:

“The most important thing is we’ve got two lots of three points from the past two games. I think we’ve scored lots of goals and we’ve got lots of different goals scorers as well.”

The bulk of these goals have occurred in the latter stages of matches. When asked about this emerging pattern, Slegers challenged her team to build into games “earlier and quicker.“

She emphasised the idea however, that getting results was more important than anything else, stating:

“If we can score goals early, then we’ll do it. If they come late, then we’ll go for it as well. Every game has its own story, momentum shifts.”

Looking at the hosts, their goal-scoring output has perhaps been more surprising than that of Arsenal. In previous years, the side’s defence has been relied on to get Mark Skinner’s team over the line, but in 2025/26 their attack has shone.

Speaking on United’s form this season in comparison with the last, Slegers said:

“I still think they have a similar identity to last year, but of course every team is trying to work on the details and add to their squad.”

She added:

“There’s a lot of identity in their game connected to their game out of possession and they have a lot of quality both as a team and as individuals in possession.”

This week, United also secured their place in the main draw of the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the first time. They become the third English team to be playing in this years competition. When asked about the importance of having another English team playing in the Champions League, Reid said:

“I think it’s so important. I think it shows how big the WSL is becoming and even the WSL2. The growth and the money being invested nowadays is so good for the English game. I think it’s a real positive.”

Difference makers

One Arsenal player that has stood out this season is Reid, who has played every minute of Arsenal’s two WSL games so far.

Reid has come through the ranks of Arsenal’s academy and has “a lot of qualities” that Slegers believes Arsenal “need” in their squad. For Slegers, Reid’s standout quality is her mindset: “how she wants to learn, how she’s humble, how she takes things on board, how she communicates”.

Reid’s resilient mindset was evident in Arsenal’s opening fixture against London City Lionesses. Haven given away an early penalty which cost her team the lead, she did not get overwhelmed and played out a solid game, earning her spot in the starting team for the next week.

Reid works on the backline with some extremely experienced players, such as Steph Catley, Emily Fox and Katie McCabe. When asked about what she learns from her teammates, Reid said:

“I learned so much from them, just their communication on the pitch as well, like they’re constantly talking. And even the girls off the pitch; I learn so much from Lotte (Wubben-Moy), Codi (Laia Codina) and all the centre backs because they all have different attributes which are their strengths.”

One of the forwards that Reid and her fellow defenders will face is Melvine Malard, who has already scored four WSL goals for United this season. Malard is strong under pressure with quick footwork and a great first touch. She’s a forward who can play as a central striker or on the wing and therefore she poses as a great threat to Arsenal.

Elizabeth Terland comes into the game with a midweek hat-rick under her belt, having scored all three goals to see United through Champions League qualifying. Reid and the rest of the Arsenal backline will need to be on top form to keep United out. bb

Manchester United v Arsenal kicks off at 14:50 BST and will be broadcast on BBC One.

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Dutch teams in Europe: a fantastic week for the women’s Eredivisie

By Jan-Kees Joosse (19/9/25)

Above: FC Twente celebrate reaching the UWCL league phase. Photo: FCTwenteVrouwen on X.

Dutch women’s football has enjoyed a dream week on the European stage. PSV, Ajax, and FC Twente all delivered strong results, keeping their continental ambitions alive.

PSV stun with sensational comeback

PSV seemed to be out of the Europa League play-offs after a 3-0 defeat in Norway against Rosenborg. But in Eindhoven, the team turned the tie around with a stunning 4-0 victory — a result few had expected after some lackluster performances in recent weeks. This time, all their potential shone through, and the leaders stepped up.

Chimera Ripa opened the scoring early with a sharp cut-in finish, Renate Jansen doubled the lead after a fine assist from young talent Chibani, Nina Nijstad powered in the third from a well-worked corner variation, and Xhemaili sealed the deal after the best flowing attack PSV have shown all season. Thanks to this historic comeback, PSV will compete in the Europa League this season — a massive confidence boost.

With Aniek Nouwen and Fenna Kalma still recovering from injury, PSV’s European future suddenly looks brighter than expected. The Eindhoven side will face FC Minsk in the play-offs.

Above: PSV celebrate. Photo: NOS Sport.
Ajax dominate Sturm Graz and prove consistency

Ajax also impressed on the European stage, defeating Sturm Graz twice by 2-0 to comfortably advance to the second round of the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup.

Striker Danique Tolhoek, just 19 years old, continues to show remarkable movement and work rate, always finding the right positions to score. On the wing, Bo van Egmond punished defensive errors and seems ready to step into the role left behind by Lotte Keukelaar, who recently signed for Real Madrid.

With Yohannes moving to Lyon, Keukelaar to Real Madrid, Kardinaal to London City Lionesses, and Van Gool to Everton, Ajax’s conveyor belt of talent once again proves how much potential the club holds. But these transfers also raise the question: how will Ajax build a recognizable and reliable squad after so many ins and outs?

From the starting XI that played the Champions League quarter-final just 18 months ago, only goalkeeper Regina van Eijk and captain Sherida Spitse still wear the Ajax shirt.

This turnover opens the door for a new generation of exciting teenagers, such as Ranneke Derks, to make their mark. Ajax will head back to the Alps to face GC Frauen in the final play-off round before the knockout stage begins.

FC Twente storm into the UWCL league phase

FC Twente, led by Jill Roord, have booked their place in the league phase of the UEFA Women’s Champions League with an emphatic 8-1 aggregate win over GKS Katowice. After a 4-0 victory in Poland, the Dutch champions finished the job at home with a commanding 4-1 win in Enschede.

Roord once again proved why she is the heartbeat of this team, scoring twice in the first half and setting the tone for Twente’s dominance. Danique van Ginkel added another with a precise strike, before Sophie te Brake capped the night in stoppage time with a spectacular long-range effort.

Above: Jill Roord for FC Twente. Photo: FCTwenteVrouwen on X.

A quieter evening for the Eredivisie’s 2024-25 top scorer Jaimy Ravensbergen in terms of goals, however the 24-year-old showed again why Netherlands fans want her to be given a chance in the national team. Pressing high and with agression, Ravensbergen pulled the Katowice defense out of position, allowing Roord and van Ginkel the space to move. For more about Ravensbergen, the striker has been profiled here.

With their qualification, Twente looks even more dangerous than last season. The squad has remained largely intact, added valuable experience from their previous group-stage campaign, and now enters the league phase with greater maturity and cohesion. Facing Europe’s elite later this year, Twente will be eager to prove it belongs among the continent’s very best.

In the group stage, Twente will host Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Atlético Madrid, while traveling to face Arsenal, OH Leuven, and Benfica.

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WSL2: Amy Merricks says Birmingham City “want to respond” vs Newcastle

By Eloise Smallbone (19/9/25)

Above: Amy Merricks. Photo: Birmingham City.

On Sunday, Birmingham City face Newcastle United in their second home game of the season.

Birmingham City Head Coach Amy Merricks revealed that her team “want to respond” after securing a difficult point away at Sunderland last weekend. Their fixture against Newcastle United is a great opportunity, as both teams are potential title contenders this year.

The fixture promises to be a huge clash, as Birmingham City are currently unbeaten and sit in third place in the league, and Newcastle United are fifth. Fans can look forward to seeing new signings in action for both sides.

In some ways, Birmingham City’s 1-1 draw with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light last weekend was disappointing, as the Blues had several good opportunities throughout the game. Head Coach Amy Merricks described how the team “want to respond from Sunday’s performance.”

There were plenty of positives from the game too, and Merricks commented on having “really good opportunities in the game” however the Blues were “not sharp enough in the final third” and the “biggest piece (to work on) is in the box” and “being clinical”.

Merricks also praised the mentality, work rate and hunger of the Blues. She said that as soon as the final whistle went on Sunday, they already wanted to respond and they are a “really hungry group, I don’t need to say a lot to them as they’re very driven”.

The team’s hunger and drive will be hugely important on Sunday, with Newcastle United also being unbeaten in the WSL 2. Birmingham City’s signings from the summer are also settling into the squad well, and this will only boost the Blues further.

Amy Merricks also spoke about how important the fans will be on Sunday too. She said that they “want the fans behind us again” and described the fanbase as “incredible and very special.” She also described wanting to create a “fortress feeling at St Andrews”, as the team experienced in their first game of the season, which was an emphatic 5-1 home victory against Bristol City.

Merricks also described how this fortress feeling and support from the crowds will go hand in hand with the kind of performance that fans want to see. She told us that the fans will want to see a team that is “competitive” and “on the front foot”.

Birmingham City will face Newcastle United on Sunday 21st September at St. Andrew’s. The match will be broadcast on WSL2’s Youtube channel.

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Elisabeth Terland’s perfect hat-trick gives Manchester United UWCL football

Manchester United 3-0 SK Brann

By Catherine MacKenzie (18/9/25)

Above: United’s Elisabeth Terland celebrates her third goal. Photo: ManUtdWomen on X.

Manchester United made history on Thursday evening as they overturned a 1-0 deficit to reach the UWCL proper for the first time, beating SK Brann 3-0 at Leigh Sports Village thanks to a hat-trick from Elisabeth Terland.

The context

Manchester United had the opportunity to do something they have never done before: reach the first round of the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Two years ago, they had the same chance but faced a foe at the top of their game in PSG, failing to qualify for the competition proper. United feel they belong in the UWCL – as head coach Marc Skinner said:

“We’re constantly improving, and playing in the Champions League is part of that growth. It’s a platform to test ourselves and push to the next level. We’re not just here to compete; we want to progress and show that Manchester United belongs at the top.”

Skinner’s side controlled the first leg in Norway last week but trailed on aggregate ahead of the return match. Against the run of play, Ingrid Stenevik struck a 76th-minute header to hand Brann the lead. United had a number of chances, with goalkeeper Selma Panengstuen delivering an impressive performance to deny them. They needed more composure up front – and to get around Panengstuen – to overcome the deficit.

For Brann, it would be their second appearance in the UWCL. The Norwegian club made it to the quarter-finals just two years ago, falling to FC Barcelona. They sit top of their domestic league, which runs until November, and remain favourites for the title. At the helm is Leif Smerud, who took charge after Martin Ho departed to join WSL side Tottenham Hotspur.

The teams

Marc Skinner made two changes to the Manchester United lineup following their win against London City Lionesses over the weekend. Dominique Janssen replaced the injured Millie Turner, while Celin Bizet was absent due to a minor issue. As a precaution, Bizet was left out of the squad. Elisabeth Terland returned to the starting lineup.

The Brann team that triumphed 1-0 over United in Norway last week saw just one change. Monica Isaksen was brought into the starting lineup, taking the place of Dilja Zomers, who moved to the bench.

The action

Brann are known for playing aggressively in their domestic league, however started against United with a low block. They were clumsy in the opening minutes, giving the ball away in their own half, insisting on building up from the back with short passes that were easy for United to intercept.

In contrast, United flew out of the block, immediately pressing with aggression. Brann were defending in a narrow shape which gave the home side plenty of space on the wings to cross balls in. It did not take long for United to take the lead: Norwegian Elisabeth Terland won the ball in the penalty area, passing to Jayde Riviere on the wing. Riviere put a well-weighted cross back in which found its way to Terland who fired a powerful shot into the top corner. Terland got her second five minutes later as she latched on to Julia Zigiotti Olme’s corner, sending a header flying past Panengstuen.

The rest of the half persisted in a similar vein: United pressing aggressively and Brann sitting in a deep block with eleven players behind the ball. Throughout the half, the visitors insisted on continuing to play out from the back – which gave United numerous opportunities to The Red Devils did well to find the spaces between the lines but couldn’t quite break the Brann defense down throughout the rest of the half, and Brann survived the rest of the half without further damage.

Following the break, Brann showed a sense of impetus that had been missing for the first half of the game. They pushed their wide players forward, giving United more defensive work to do – a few corners later, United broke out of the press and got the ball back into Brann’s half. United will be pleased that after a half with no work to do, the back line maintained their concentration enough to deal with the team in front of them.

Following a string of chances, Terland completed her perfect hat-trick: the first was scored with her left foot, second with her head, and third with her right foot. The goal came from some neat link-up play between the Norwegian and Melvine Malard. Malard drove forward, and Terland made the overlapping run to latch onto the through ball and poked it past Panengstuen.

Above: Terland celebrates. Photo: ManUtdWomen on X.
Where does this leave the teams?

United made history by reaching the UWCL proper for the first time, and will compete alongside the best teams in Europe. The achievement is both expected and exceptional: United are most often a club that makes headlines due to off-pitch scandal rather than on-pitch achievements. The question now is whether the team have enough depth to sustain runs in a number of competitions – something Skinner has admitted will need to be addressed in the January transfer window.

Brann will be disappointed with how quickly their lead disappeared – they will now take part in the inaugural Europa Cup. However, it is not all negative – head coach Smerud should end the season with the league title, and his team will be strong contenders for the Cup.

TEAMS: MANCHESTER UNITED (4-3-3): Tullis-Joyce, Sandberg, Le Tissier, Toone, Park, Malard, Terland, Riviere, Janssen, Zigiotti, Miyazawa. Substitutes: Middleton-Patel, Rendell, George (for Sandberg 66′), Rolfö (for Malard 66′), Griffiths, Naalsund (for Riviere 78′), Williams (for Terland 83′).

Scorers: Terland 0-1 (8′), 0-2 (13′), 0-3 (62′)

SK BRANN (4-3-3): Panengstuen; Stenevik, Authen, Tynnilä, Lehtola, Bogere, Haugland, Gaupset, Davidson, Isaksen, Eikeland. Substitutes: Stavenes, Kvamme (for Stenevik 87′), Thorisdottir, Ellingsen, Renmark, Lovera (for Isaksen 67′), Zomers (for Davidson 87′), Lie Eghdami, Birkelund (for Tynnilä 87′), Svendheim, Peuhkurinen (for Bogere 46′), Johnsen.

Referee: Marta Huerta de Aza

Attendance: 2,972

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Hibs bow out of Europe with hard-fought Inter defeat

Hibernian 0-1 Internazionale

By Gethin Thurlow at Easter Road for Impetus (18/9/25)

Above: The Hibs starting lineup in Edinburgh Photo: @HibernianWomen on X

Hibs were knocked out of the Europa Cup after a 1-0 defeat to Inter Milan at Easter Road. Coming into the game trailing by three, Hibs played with intensity in attack and stayed solid at the back, and were unfortunate to come away with a loss on the night.

The Matchup

Inter took control of this tie in the first leg, which was in Italy. Scoring two goals within 10 minutes, they asserted themselves on the game from the start. A very spirited response from Hibs brought the game to close at 4-1, with Eilidh Adams grabbing their only goal, scoring from the edge of the box

This presented a mammoth task for the Edinburgh club in the second leg, and different game plan possibilities for Inter Milan to consider. Going into a game three goals up is very different to starting from scratch, and taking advantage of that that was probably the only hope that Hibernian had of causing a shock.

The Teams

Grant Scott made a number of changes from the 5-0 blowing-away of Montrose that his team delivered on Sunday. Particularly notable was the absence of Tegan Bowie, the left winger who provided assists for three of those goals, with Rosie Livingstone and Tiree Burchill preferred on the wings instead.

Rachel Boyle being on the bench was another boost for the hosts, as she has missed the last few weeks with an injury picked up in Champions League qualifying.

Inter Milan meanwhile went full strength as they looked to keep that European run going. They managed to win 4-1 even without Belgian superstar Tessa Wullaert in the first leg, so her return to the starting 11 gave the Italian team even more confidence that they could advance to the next round of the Europa Cup.

The Action

The difference in what both teams needed from the game was clear to see from the off. Hibs were showing clear intent, pushing aggressively forward, going in for every tackle, leaving it all out there essentially. While Inter were not overtly time-wasting, it was clear they were more interested in keeping the ball rather than creating lots of chances.

It was however the visitors who got in early. Papadopoulos held firm to deny Magull, after the Italian side counter attacked from a corner, and Schumacher did well to save a shot from Wullaert as she was played through on goal moments after.

Hibernian had clearly learnt from the first matchup, and were very disciplined in holding a defensive line, catching the Inter Milan attack offside six times in the game.

They knew that good defending couldn’t eradicate a three-goal deficit and began to get more creative in attack, trying anything that could get them a goal and bring that glimmer of hope. Siobhan Hunter attempted a cheeky chip from the halfway line, after McGovern was fouled, but Iceland international Runnarsdottir was not to be caught out.

Chances did come though for the Hibees. Eilidh Adams received an inch perfect pass from Ciara Grant, which allowed her to move past Runarsdottir, but her touch was too big and by the time she shot the angle to the goal was closing and her momentum was taking her away, which resulted in a very easy effort for Inter to defend.

Hibernian also looked in at one point, with a four-on-four counterattack situation, but some indecisiveness from Burchill allowed the defence to take shape again, and Rosie Livingstone miscued a difficult volley from the ensuing cross.

The game looked to have flipped on its head in one single moment when Adams was played behind the defence and Runarsdottircame sprinting out of her box. Lunging in, she missed the ball and Adams went down but the referee remained unmoved, and replays showed that was the correct choice, as they were never contact between the two.

Above: Kathleen McGovern chased the ball around all night Photo: @HibernianWomen on X

Hibs were just three 50-50 moments away from being level but ultimately had not made dent into the gap by half time.

Despite the scoreline, there was no panic from Hibs and at half time they stuck with the players which had challenged the Inter team in the first 45.  

Hibs did start to dominate the game and were able to control the ball in the visitors’ half throughout the first 20 minutes of the second half. In key moments however, Livingstone, Adams, Grant and Burchill all failed to provide the quality needed to get Hibs on the scoreboard. 

As the minutes ebbed away, it was clear how much effort Hibernian had put in, and that the whole team were completely physically and mentally exhausted. They still pushed all they could, but any hope of putting together an attack and having enough quality to score was gone.

The end of the match was overshadowed by Noa Schumacher receiving a red card. Ellis Notley badly underhit a back pass, forcing Schumacher to come out of her box. She clattered down Glionna as the ball ran past; however, Linzi Taylor was behind Schumacher, meaning the goalkeeper was not the last line of defence anymore and that a red card was not necessary.

With a number of mistakes in that Champions League qualifier against Fortuna, it has been a very Jekyll-and-Hyde European campaign for Schumacher. She has made plenty of impressive saves, showing off her flexibility and diving ability, while at the same time making some really costly errors in situations where she’s coming out to meet players, and dealing with crosses.

17-year-old Rowena Armitage was thrust into the action and could do nothing to stop Tomasevic’s strike to give Inter the lead, which did a disservice to the full performance from Hibs.

Overall, Hibs can be proud of a very valiant display, where they never gave up the fight against a very good Inter Milan side. The final result was certainly not a reflection of the entire game, in which there wasn’t much between the sides. While the context of the scores did affect how Inter approached the game, they still pushed hard and would have preferred to wrap up the win before they eventually did.

Teams HIBERNIAN (4-2-3-1): Schumacher, Gibb, L Taylor, Hunter, Papadopoulos, Grant, Notley (c), Adams, Burchill, Livingstone, McGovern Substitutes: Bowie (for Livingstone 69’), Boyle (for Gibb 69’) Armitage (for McGovern 81’), Fitzgerald (for Burchill 88’), Morrison (for Adams 88’)

INTERNAZIONALE (4-4-2): Runarsdottir, Ivana, Milinkovic, Pleidrup, Robustellini, Schough, Magull, Csiszar (c), Vilhjalmsdottir, Bujega, Wullaert Substitutes: Tomasevic (for Magull 61’, Detruyer (for Vilhjalmsdottir 61’), Santi (for Wullaert 71’), Glionna (for Bugeja 71’), Bartoli (for Robustellini 71’)

Scorer: Tomasevic 90+2’

Referee: Riem Hussien (Ger)

Attendance: 1,606.

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Dominant Glasgow City defeat Athlone Town to continue in Europa Cup

Athlone Town 0 – 3 Glasgow City

By Catherine MacKenzie

Above: Kelly Brady clashes with Lisa Evans. Photo: Dan Clohessy/INPHO.

The women’s Europa Cup continued midweek with Glasgow Ciy making the short hop across to the League of Ireland’s Athlone Town.

The context

The first qualifying round of the inaugural Europa Cup kicked off last week; two-legged duels between clubs from across Europe. The second tier of European women’s football, clubs enter the qualifying rounds through either league position or by exiting the UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifying rounds. The League of Ireland’s Athlone Town were drawn against Scottish Premier League club Glasgow City. Leanne Ross’ City side dominated the first leg, gaining a three goal advantage last week at Petershill.

The action

Following their dominant 3-0 lead in the first leg, Glasgow dominated the early stages. They pressed aggressively without a breakthrough until the 33rd minute, when Republic of Ireland international Emily Whelan latched onto a perfectly tailored cross from Linda Motlhalo and headed home. The Scottish team searched for a second goal for the rest of the half, with Sofia Määttä causing the Athlone defense repeated problems with her pace and ability to work through the lines.

The 20-year-old Finnish international was withdrawn at half-time – with City 4-0 up on aggregate, likely to manage her minutes ahead of a weekend visit from Hearts in the league. Whilst she formed the only change for the visitors, Athlone made a host of changes at the break, starting the second half brightly. They had their first real chances of the game, with Hannah Waesch’s shot missing the target and Madie Gibson taking a dangerous free kick.

However, it did not take long for Glasgow City to re-establish their momentum – and a number of set-pieces followed. Whelan’s corner was met by Dutch defender Kimberley Smit who had a decent chance, and Motlhalo forced a save from Maria Matthaiou in the Athlone goal. Former Arsenal player Lisa Evans delivered a perfectly-weighted corner which met a City head but went wide, and Matthaiou produced a strong diving save to further frustrate the visitors.

A penalty from substitute Nicole Kozlova was saved, but the visitors exploited Athlone’s disorganisation at the back to work the ball easily back into the danger zone. Kozlova was ready to pounce and headed into the net for City’s second goal of the evening. A third followed as Kozlova tapped in from an Amy Muir cross.

Above: Nicole Koslova celebrates. Photo: GlasgowCityFC on X.
Where this leaves the teams

With Hibernian’s exit at the hands of Inter Milan, Glasgow City form the last Scottish side remaining in Europe. This is a mantle the club will hold in high regard: having a team in European competition reflects well on the domestic league – with the introduction of the Europa Cup, there is more of a chance for clubs like City to be seen by a wider audience.

Athlone Town’s exit from the competition will be disappointing for the League of Ireland, however the exposure that has come from the run is positive. There is hope that with this visibility, the league will continue on the path towards becoming fully professional, with greater investment across the board leading to more teams taking part in European competition.

TEAMS: ATHLONE TOWN (4-4-2): Matthaiou, K. Brennan, McNally, Shine, Rice, O’Connor, Slevin, Waesch, Ryan, Brady, Donegan. Substitutes: Plaschko, S. Brennan (for Donegan 46′), Molloy (for O’Connor 46′), Mooney, Gibson (for McNally 46′), Strickland, C. O’Neill, Fitzeraid, D. O’Neill.

GLASGOW CITY (4-3-3): Gibson, Evans, Golob, Smit, Muir, Motlhalo, Lauder, Wróbel, Määttä, Whelan, Forrest. Substitutes: Clachers, Warrington, McLaughlin (for Lauder 59′), Lockwood (for Wróbel 59′), Harrison, Anderson (for Motlhalo 66′), Kozlova (for Forrest 59′), Tanaka (for Määttä 58′), Brownlie, Boyes.

Scorers: Whelan 0-1 (33′), Kozlova 0-2, 0-3 (80′, 82′)

Referee: Karoline Wacker

Attendance: TBC

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Hibs look west to bolster squad as European exit looms

By Gethin Thurlow 16/9/25

Above: Jess Fitzgerald in her new colours Photo: Hibernian FC

Hibernian brought in two Irish players on deadline day as they add depth to a narrow-looking squad, ahead of what is likely their final European game of the season – a second leg Europa Cup tie against Inter Milan in which they are trailing 4-1.

As is the theme with all of the Hibees’ signings this summer, they are both young players. Jess Fitzgerald is a 19-year-old midfielder, joining from Peamount United. Fitzgerald’s talent has earned her regular appearances for the Ireland U19’s team, and she signs a first professional of her career with Grant Scott’s team.

Picking up the newly available number 8 shirt, Fitzgerald will seemingly compete for that attacking midfield void left by Michaela McAlonie’s departure, with fellow signings Tiree Burchill, Hannah Jordan and Milly Boughton. Scott described her as “a composed, technically gifted midfielder that will offer so much to our team.”

Above: Scarlett Herron as she signs for Hibernian Photo: Hibernian FC

Adding important depth, Scarlett Herron joins the backline. Siobhan Hunter’s injury at the start of the season exposed Hibernian’s lack of centre-backs, with Ellis Notley having to drop down from midfield to fulfil that role. While they have plenty of options at full back, covering that central defence was essential and Herron brings her talent to that do exactly that.

Aged only 20, she is yet further evidence of the Hibees future-proofing their team. Herron moves across from Shamrock Rovers and has also represented Ireland’s U-19’s team.

With her first words at the club, Herron stated: “It’s a really tight schedule coming up thick and fast, so I’m really excited to get my feet on the ground”, indicating that she will be given minutes right away, due to all the rotation needed to manage the extra European games.

The addition of Herron was crucial given Hibs’ stark lack of centre-backs, while Fitzgerald is another exciting one to watch in the Hibernian team. While staying in Europe is probably beyond them even with the signings, Hibernian have clearly learnt the lesson harshly taught to Celtic last year and have done all they can do to build a bigger squad, ensuring they will be firing on all cylinders come March and the split.

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NPLW VIC: Box Hill crowned Champions & a look back at season 2025.

By Kieran Yap 16/9/25

Above: Box Hill lift the Championship trophy. Photo: Passion Creations

Box Hill United are the 2025 NPLW VIC Champions after defeating Heidelberg United 2-1 in the Grand Final.

Carina Rossi struck twice after half time to send the trophy to Box Hill for the first time, and secured the clubs first piece of senior silverware in 13 years.

The stage was set for an epic encounter. Box Hill arrived at The Home of The Matildas as the competition’s in-form team. Heidelberg United entered the arena as the premiers. The league’s runaway leaders were trying to win a rare double, and be the first club since Calder United in 2022 to achieve that.

Adding to the occasion, it was the 186th and final game for league legend, Steph Galea. The Heidelberg captain announced her retirement after the semi final win, and although she started on the bench, her presence loomed as large as always.

The first half was incident filled, but not overly exciting. As finals can be, it was a bit of an arm wrestle. Before either team could really get started the match was paused following an accidental collision between the referee and Box Hill’s Holly Murray. The defender was ok to continue, the referee was not.

Chances were rare in the opening 45 minutes. Both goalkeepers looked comfortable when the ball came their way, but were not really tested. Box Hill’s central defenders were well aware of the threat Sawa Matsuda posed, and closed her down quickly whenever she looked like finding space in the 18 yard box.

Heidelberg enjoyed the majority of possession, and played with plenty of attacking intent, but Box Hill dropped deep. They were determined not to allow any real space behind the back four.

The game opened up in the second half, and it was a moment of invention that broke the deadlock.

Box Hill counter attacked from a Heidelberg free kick and in an instant Sofia Sakalis was racing toward goal. Acting quickly, Warriors goalkeeper Mia Bailey came out to close the angle. In most situations this would push the forward wide and perhaps give the backtracking defenders time to cover. Sakalis had other plans.

With vision and skill, she flick a square pass with the outside of the foot, the ball took everyone by surprise and opened up the attacking space. Rossi still had plenty to do but finished calmly to make it 1-0.

In an effort to hit back, Heidelberg brought  Galea into the game almost instantly, but she was unable to get settled before Rossi had a second.

This one was a stunning individual effort. A perfectly struck, curling ball the found the top corner of the net.

The game had rapidly changed from tight tactical battle to an open, fast paced affair.

Box Hill were prepared to counter attack from the opening whistle, so with a two goal lead, the rest of the match was set up exactly the way they wanted it.

They were able to sit back, absorb pressure and try and pinch a third.

Those plans were briefly threatened when Heidelberg pulled one back. Caitlin Karic’s long range free kick dipped awkwardly and Teresa Morrissey fumbled it over the line.

That gave Heidelberg a chance of a comeback, but Box Hill seemed able to regroup quickly. A 10 game winning steak likely instilled them with confidence they could see out this match.

Sakalis was inches away from adding a third. Her leap at a the back post was agonisingly close to connecting and effectively ending the game. Rhianna Pollicina looked ever dangerous in the attacking third and calm on the ball in midfield.

Heidelberg pushed for an equaliser. They were entitled to believe in miracles after last season’s dramatic climax. ?$( it was not to be in 2025. The final whistle blew and a new champion was crowned.

The post match was filled with emotion. Box Hill celebrated a win that few saw coming at the midway point of the season, for many players thus has been the culmination of years of work, and development at thr cjub.

They have been literally unstoppable for 11 games in a row, and were slowly building before that. Box Hill United are organised without the ball and have rare individual quality with it. Rossi is an elite finisher and showed that on the big stage, and while Sakalis would undoubtedly preferred to score, he’d assist was genius.

Heidelberg farewelled Galea in the aftermath. It is truly the end of an era, but she leaves a legacy that she can be proud of and every club would want to emulate.

It has been a privilege to watch her play.

It is hard to imagine what it would have taken for Heidelberg to get this far. They experienced unimaginable tragedy in 2025, and were able to not only continue but win the premiership.

This is a remarkable group of players at a club now widely regarded as one of the best in the nation. This defeat should fade quickly for The Warriors, they’ll be back in contention again.

The Grand Final also saw Football farewell Maria Berry. The iconic administrator, coach and advocate of the women’s game sadly passed away in the weeks before the match.

Maria was a touchstone for so many in the sport and like hundreds of other people, she one of my best friends in the sport.

Tributes for Maria are found easily, she was a giant in this game, but one of my favourite memories was that she wanted me to text updates of her favourite NPLW players to her during the 2023 World Cup.

“How is Rosie Rodger playing?” Was one of the first questions she asked before the World Cup semifinal  between England and Australia. She loved Victorian football and I’ll miss chatting with her about it.

The 2025 was one of the most high-quality NPL campaigns in memory. The league expanded to 12 teams, for the second year, relegation was a factor and it produced some amazing games and stories.

Aleks Sinclair turned back the clock with some incredible performances for Spring Hills FC, Sarah Cain played her best football since her Gold Medallist season in 2022, and Sawa Matsuda was irrepressible for much of the season.

We had a new Champion, a new Premier and new genuine stars in the likes of Bulleen attacker Danella Butrus and Alamein’s great discovery Maximillia.

This season also saw the last generation of the FV Academy senior side. The state’s development program has routinely produced the best players in the league and some absolutely incredible teams over the journey, and the class of 2025 will undoubtedly go on to achieve big things in the sport.

There were reputations enhanced. Anika Dovaston, Fiorina Iaria, Clancy Westaway and Poppy O’Keeffe all went up another level. Jade Tam was dependable and mature in defence and Emily Rutkowski became a human highlight reel.

The 2025 NPLW also provided Australia with some potential new Matildas. Kaya Jugovic captained and starred for Australia’s U16’s in the ASEAN Championship, and she was joined by Heidelberg prodigy Aeryn Tarrant.

For the Under 23 National team, Sofia Sakalis and Essendon Royals Alana Cernd both contributed to Australia winning the ASEAN senior Championship for the first time since 2008. Back at home, senior Matildas boss Joe Montemurro could be spotted on numerous NPL fence lines.

As much as things changed, many still stayed the same. Bulleen Lions and Essendon Royals both finished top four again. Players like Nia Salleh and Emma Langley stood out for the clubs respectively, while both attracted high quality recruits like Isabella Accardo and Grace Maher.

There is a quiet rivalry growing between these two clubs who look to be in contention for years to come.

For all the highs and lows and the goals, the saves, this was a season packed with memories and highlights.

Another one awaits, but right now the moment belongs to Box Hill United. Congratulations to the champions of 2025.

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“We want to focus on what we can do defensively”: Ho on Spurs v Everton

By Rachel Gore (13/9/25)

Above: Martin Ho. Photo: SpursWomen on X.

Tomorrow, Spurs face Everton away in their second game of the 25/26 season.

Prior to the game, and after he led Spurs to their first win in 9 months, Martin Ho spoke to the media about the “precious” victory in their season opener, his relationship with Everton and expectations for the upcoming fixture.

In his first game as manager Ho delivered; his squad kept a clean sheet and came away with 3 points putting them in fifth place in the WSL table. This position came as a result of players’ “attitude, commitment, desire and passion”, attributes which Ho believes the side “haven’t seen a lot of” before.

These qualities were evident as Spurs’ players were “more expressive” and “braver” with the ball against West Ham. Whilst Tottenham’s only goal was scored via a penalty, the victory has embedded “confidence and belief” into the team and has taken “a weight off their shoulders”.

Ho hopes to “keep the momentum” and bring their winning “energy” into this weekend’s fixture against Everton.

Everton is a club which Ho knows particularly well; as a youngster he played for the Liverpudlian side and he began his coaching journey in Everton’s boys and girls academy set ups. As a result of these experiences he has “a lot of respect for the club” and therefore recognises that the upcoming fixture will be a “tough game” whereby “both teams leave everything on the pitch”.

One of Everton’s players who left everything on the pitch last weekend was 20-year-old Ornella Vignola. Her hattrick on her Everton debut made a statement about what she brings to the table.

To nullify Vignola, Ho said: “we want to focus on what we can do defensively”. The manager will pull on the defensive strategies that his team successfully utilised against West Ham. In and around the box, the Spurs players won duels, made tackles and kept the ball out of the goal. According to Ho, “the best moments in that game were the ones which looked a little bit ugly”.

One defender who had an exceptional performance last weekend was 19-year-old Toko Koga. Speaking on Koga, Ho said: “In Toko, you can see a really mature performance for a 19-year-old; someone who is calm, composed, but her game intelligence is really high.” Adding to this, Ho mentioned that he is “hoping for a big performance from her on the weekend”.

Whilst Koga, and her fellow defenders, were successful last weekend, Spurs only took one shot on target during the game. Commenting on this, Ho mentioned that he wants his players to “sustain attacks for longer”.

Striker Araya Dennis is one of the ballers that Ho hopes will drive these attacks and bring in goals. Dennis, who like Koga is just 19-years-old, made her first WSL start against West Ham last weekend. Speaking on this monumental moment in Dennis’ career, Ho said: “Araya deserved the opportunity. She trained well and she’s been doing that throughout pre-season.”

Against West Ham, Dennis was strong in one-v-ones and had some nice movements off the ball. Throughout the season, Ho aims to build the forward’s confidence and will work on “maturing her in certain stiuations tactically” through “trying to give her the experience that she needs”.

Kit Graham was another player who made a statement last week as she returned to the pitch after suffering from an ACL injury. Ho was pleased to see her “perform really well” and “put in a big shift”. Moving forward, the manager will “keep integrating her slowly”.

There was less certainty from Ho about when he will utilise experienced Spurs player Ashleigh Neville. Neville did not appear in any of the team’s preseason friendlies and was not in last weekend’s matchday squad. Ho stated that she “had a bit of a knock” which has been recovering from. She was however back on the pitch training today so it is likely that her return to the matchday squad is imminent.

Tomorrow, Spurs’ matchday squad will travel Goodison Park, which is now the official home of Everton’s women’s team. In this new home, Ho anticipates that “Everton are going to be really competitive this year”.

The Spurs manager is expecting “surprises” thorughout the ninety minutes and simply wants his teem to “impose” their game plan. He knows that his side “can adjust and readjust” and looks forward to watching his players.

Both on the pitch or off it, Ho has spent the last 6 weeks working with his entire squad to “build relationships”. The weeks of hard work were rewarded last weekend but Ho recognises that there is much more to be done. He said: “I don’t think there’s anyone in the team who wants to win more than me. I kick every ball with the players, I head every ball with the players”.

The new manager’s determination and motivation is evident and fans will be excited to watch him lead Spurs against Everton this weekend.

Everton v Spurs kicks off at 14:30 on Sunday at Goodison Park. The match will be shown on the BBC.

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