by Alyce Collett at AAMI Park for Impetus (11/4/25)
Above: Holly McNamara (Sky Blue shirt, centre) celebrates with Taylor Otto. Photo: Adrian Geremia for Impetus.
Melbourne City’s invincible season is still intact after defeating the Newcastle Jets tonight 4-1.
In an at-times chaotic match, City were too strong for a Newcastle side who was its own worst enemy at times. The home side’s goals came from Rhianna Pollicina, Bryleeh Henry, and a brace to Holly McNamara on her return from Matildas duty. Deven Jackson was the one to peg a goal back for the Jets.
One thing that was really evident from the first moments of the match was City’s intent on the ball, no matter who was in possession. Particularly when they did not have the ball, the defensive pressure was intense, making the Jets turn over the ball on a number of occasions and not giving them much time to think or room to move into advantageous positions.
However, as good as City were defensively, that last pass into attack before a forward could shoot just was not quite working for them in the early stages.
As the half got to its halfway stage things started to open up a bit, the game became more of an end to end spectacle, and Newcastle started to find its way to goal much better.
City’s first goal eventually came in the 20th minute, when McNamara pounced on a week pass Newcastle made it its defence and slotted a goal right into the bottom corner of the Jets’ goal.
Things went from bad to worse for the Jets not even 10 minutes later when Sheridan Gallagher was sent off after picking up a second yellow for the match.
McNamara had her second goal just over the half-hour mark after heading in a Leticia McKenna cross.
The second goal saw the momentum really start to shift in City’s direction, and it almost felt like a metaphorical fog of pressure was lifted off the game.
Things got even worse for the Jets just before halftime when Lorena Baumann became the second Jet sent off after round housing Karly Roestbakken.
Ultimately, the score remained at 2-0 at the break, but there was a sense that more goals could very much be on the way in the second half.
Above: Newcastle Jets’ Deven Jackson (11) gets up highest. Photo: Adrian Geremia for Impetus.
City began the second half much like they played the first, dominating the attacking play and racking up the shots on goal, albeit not racking up many shots on target.
Then, completely against the run of play, Newcastle managed to snag a goal back after knocking the ball into the goal in the middle of a goal mouth scramble. Official reports credited the goal to Jackson, but closer inspection saw that it had perhaps come off the body of Emilia Murray.
Newcastle’s resurgence was short-lived, though, as City scored two more goals within the following five minutes to really put to bed any hopes of a resurgence from the Jets. The goals came from Pollicina and Henry, who both struck beautiful shots from inside the box.
Despite having a comfortable advantage on the scoreboard, City did not take their foot off the pressure pedal at all, continuing to pile on the pressure as any quality side would.
To view more of Adrian Geremia’s images from the game for Impetus, check out our Instagram page – @ImpetusFootball
Above: Manchester United head coach Marc Skinner with the FA Cup. Photo: Adam Davy/PA
On Sunday, FA Cup holders Manchester United face cross-city rivals Manchester City in a blockbuster semi-final at a sold-out Joie Stadium.
United’s FA Cup win last year was their first piece of major silverware, and the road to the trophy was not easy. They faced Chelsea in the semi-final, winning against the blues for the first time to progress to a final where they dominated Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley, winning 4-0.
The FA Cup win offset a disappointing season in the Women’s Super League; after finishing second behind Chelsea the year before, they fell out of the Champions league spots in the 2023-24 season, ending up in fifth place.
Above: Manchester United celebrate winning the 2023-24 FA Cup. Photo: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian.
Whilst the cup win was enough to see United head coach Marc Skinner receive a new contract, Manchester City come into Sunday’s game off the back of a recent change in leadership.
Long-serving City head coach Gareth Taylor left his post and previous City coach Nick Cushing returned to lead them ahead of a ‘quadrilogy’ of games against Chelsea; City won one and lost three of the games, seeing them lose the League Cup final and fall behind in the race for a top-three WSL finish.
Ahead of Sunday’s game, Skinner was asked about the changes Cushing has implemented at City, and the extent to which facing them will differ to their duels under Taylor:
“There are definitely signs of Nick’s influence on the team, however I’ve said this before; each manager of a Manchester City team adapts and evolves it slightly, but there is still a playing style, still a structure in the way that they play.” He added: “…for us it is about understanding his traits but also knowing that Manchester City do what Manchester City do”.
Skinner can rely on one of the league’s best defences; United have conceded nine goals across the season. This equates to an average of 0.56 goals conceded per match, compared to 20 goals conceded (1.25 goals per game) for Manchester City.
Whilst Skinner praised his entire defence for their role in the team’s defensive record, he highlighted goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who recently earned her first cap for the USWNT under Emma Hayes. The 28-year-old took over the reigns from the World’s Best keeper Mary Earps, who departed for PSG last summer:
“She [Tullis-Joyce] is a very intelligent woman, which is important. She is aware of what is needed to do the role…she is having to get used to what it is like being Man United’s no.1, but I don’t think there is any greater audition for her to win this year’s golden glove than what she has produced. I am so pleased with her performances.”
Above: Phallon Tullis-Joyce. Photo: Manchester United
Focusing on what his team will need to win the game; Skinner also highlighted the importance of his attacking line. Although United have had a multitude of goal-scorers this season, their most prolific goal-scorer is Norway’s Elisabeth Terland.
Terland has scored nine goals for United in this WSL season, including a standout match against Crystal Palace in February 2025, where she scored twice in a 3-1 victory for United. She also scored a brace in a 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in October 2024. On Terland, Skinner said:
“…she’s been incredible this season. I hope that continues of course in these next five slash six games. She’s hit the ground running here and I think she’s done a fantastic job.”
Manchester City vs Manchester United kicks off on Sunday at 3pm UK-time, and will be broadcast on BBC Two and streamed on BBC iPlayer.The winner will face either Chelsea or Liverpool at Wembley.
Above: England celebrate U19 success. Photo: The FA
While much of the attention on UEFA this international window has been on the senior Nations League competition, it is not the only competition that has been running.
The confederation’s best and brightest Under 19 stars have also been in action, battling it out in the hopes of qualifying for this year’s Under 19s Euros, set to be held in Poland this June. That Euros tournament will also be UEFA’s qualifier for this year’s Under 20 World Cup, which is also set to be held in Poland in September this year.
After a first round of qualifying took place late last year, 28 countries were still left in the running to make the tournament.
After a series of round robin mini tournaments, the eight qualifiers were decided.
England, France, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain all qualified after topping their qualification groups, while Poland had already qualified as hosts of the tournament. However, since Poland also topped their group this meant that the best of the seven group runner ups also qualified, and the beneficiary of this was Sweden.
RESULTS – UNDER 19S EUROS QUALIFICATIONS ROUND 2
G – games W – wins D – draws L – losses GF – goals for GA – goals against Pts – points
Group 1
G
W
D
L
GF
GA
Pts
Netherlands
3
3
0
0
11
0
9
Denmark
3
2
0
1
4
2
6
Greece
3
1
0
2
4
7
3
Romania
3
0
0
3
0
10
0
Denmark: Beat Greece and Romania, lost to Netherlands
Greece: Beat Romania, lost to Netherlands and Denmark
Netherlands: Won all three games
Romania: Lost all three games
Group top goal scorer: Jade van Hensbergen (Netherlands) – 4
Group 2
G
W
D
L
GF
GA
Pts
Portugal
3
2
1
0
8
2
7
Norway
3
2
1
0
3
1
7
Iceland
3
1
0
2
4
4
3
Slovenia
3
0
0
3
2
10
0
Iceland: Lost to Portugal and Norway, defeated Slovenia
Norway: Defeated Slovenia and Iceland, drew with Portugal
Portugal: Defeated Iceland and Slovenia, drew with Norway
Slovenia: Lost all three matches
Group top goal scorer: Leonete Correia, Neide Guedes and Anna Marques (all Portugal) – 2
Group 3
G
W
D
L
GF
GA
Pts
England
3
3
0
0
21
1
9
Austria
3
2
0
1
7
6
6
Belgium
3
1
0
2
5
10
3
Ukraine
3
0
0
3
1
17
0
Austria: Defeated Ukraine (via forfeit) and Belgium, lost to England
Belgium: Defeated Ukraine, lost to Austria and Ukraine
England: Won all three games
Ukraine: Lost all three games
Group top goal scorer: Princess Ademiluyi and Ava Baker (both England) – 4
Group 4
G
W
D
L
GF
GA
Pts
Italy
3
2
1
0
13
2
7
Sweden
3
2
1
0
4
0
7
Belarus
3
0
1
2
2
9
1
Slovakia
3
0
1
2
2
10
1
Belarus: Lost to Italy and Sweden, drew with Slovakia
Italy: Defeated Belarus and Slovakia, drew with Sweden
Slovakia: Lost to Sweden and Italy, drew with Belarus
Sweden: Defeated Slovakia and Belarus drew with Italy
Group top goal scorer: Marta Zamboni (Italy) – 4
Group 5
G
W
D
L
GF
GA
Pts
Spain
3
3
0
0
17
0
9
Switzerland
3
2
0
1
5
3
6
Scotland
3
1
0
2
4
8
3
Czechia
3
0
0
3
0
15
0
Czechia: Lost all three games
Scotland: Defeated Czechia, lost to Spain and Switzerland
Spain: Won all three games
Switzerland: Defeated Scotland and Czechia, lost to Spain
Group top goal scorer: Pau (Spain) – 3
Group 6
G
W
D
L
GF
GA
Pts
France
3
3
0
0
7
4
9
Wales
3
1
1
1
2
2
4
Republic of Ireland
3
1
0
2
2
3
3
Serbia
3
0
1
2
4
6
1
France: Won all three gamesRepublic of Ireland: Defeated Serbia, lost to France and Wales
Serbia: Lost to France and Republic of Ireland, drew with Wales
Wales: Defeated Republic of Ireland, lost to Wales, drew with Serbia
Group top goal scorer: Mélinda Mendy and Justine Rouquet (both France) – 2
Group 7
G
W
D
L
GF
GA
Pts
Poland
3
2
0
1
8
2
6
Germany
3
2
0
1
4
2
6
Finland
3
2
0
1
4
2
6
Israel
3
0
0
3
1
11
0
Finland: Defeated Poland and Israel, lost to Germany
Germany: Beat Finland and Israel, lost to Poland
Israel: Lost all three games
Poland: Defeated Germany and Israel, lost to Finland
Group top goal scorer: Tilda Råtts (Finland) – 3
It was a strong tournament for England, winning all three of their games and finishing with a goal difference of +20, which was the highest goal difference in any of the seven groups.
It was not such a positive tournament for England’s neighbours Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. Scotland and the Republic of Ireland finished third in their groups, and Wales only finished second on goal difference ahead of the Irish.
Above: Michelle Heyman (right) in action for Canberra United. Photo: Canberra United.
by Genevieve Henry(10/4/25).
Michelle Heyman is set to make her 200th A-League Women appearance this weekend, becoming the first player to reach this impressive milestone. The all-time leading scorer, with 117 goals, debuted in the inaugural season of the competition in 2008.
“I can’t believe I did it. I think it’s just like, who would have thought that, you know, from in 2008 playing 12 to 14 games to today being able to tick over the 200. It’s just an incredible achievement. I feel very proud and just grateful to still be playing the game.”
Heyman’s first seasons in the W-League, as it was then known, were played with Sydney FC and Central Coast Mariners. Heyman shared about that time in her career and the anxiety that came along with being a young player, 21 at the time, in a new competition.
“For me, it was more along the lines of, am I good enough to be in this team, playing with some of the greats that have played within the national team? It was just to get out there, to show people who I was and to try and enjoy the football.”
In 2010, Heyman moved to Canberra United, where she has stayed for the majority of her career, with brief stints abroad, one at Adelaide United, and a period spent coaching rather than playing.
“It’s home. Canberra means the world to me. This club gave me an opportunity to shine…It goes back from 2010 to today, and I’ve tried to be loyal to this club because this is home. I hope the Canberra United fans and everyone within the A-Leagues can really see that loyalty that I have within this club.”
Above: A young Michelle Heyman in her early days at Canberra United. Photo: Wikipedia.
The majority of Heyman’s appearances and goals have been in Canberra colours, with 172 caps and 105 goals so far. “It’s just walking out on the McKellar (Park), like just being able to walk out onto that field, see everybody cheering us on, supporting us. We’re a small community, but we are very loud, and we are very big when it comes to women’s football here in Canberra…It’s special. It’s really special.”
Of course, as a player who has seen 17 seasons of the A-League Women, Heyman has experienced it all. When asked what changes she has seen, Heyman replied, “Everything. I think just the amount of games; being able to play everyone home and away is something really special. That’s something that we’ve been fighting for for many years. To see that within football is incredible.”
“Back then, there was no salary cap. There was no salary at all. We just played the game for fun. So we’ve come a long way. It was the love of the game that everyone was playing for. And I think that is super important to remember because most of the girls that were doing it were just doing it because they love it and they wanted to play in the national team. So you could see that fight and that hunger in every single game.”
Over these years of tumultuous change, Heyman has remained consistent in her prolificacy in front of goal. As a striker, of course, Heyman emphasized just how important that is. “For me personally, that’s my number one job. Score goals, have fun, and smile.”
“I think when you score all the time, it’s kind of like you’re always happy.” She continued, “You’re always wanting to feel that feeling. I know it’s a motivation for myself. I know when I’m happy, when I’m smiling, when I’m feeling good, that’s when the goals usually come.
Above: The famous Heyman smile. Photo: Canberra Times.
“So as soon as you see the cranky Michelle, that’s when I’ve got to kind of like compose myself and really think about trying to get that smile back. Sometimes I draw a little smiley face on my hand just to look at it to remember the reasons why (I’m) doing this.”
Her goal-scoring prowess has remained impressive throughout her career. When asked about her most treasured goal, she responded, “It’s probably my 100th goal without even noticing that it was going to be so special. But to be able to continue to be within this league and to do the one thing that I’m meant to do every game and to show people that I am a goal scorer, it was an incredible feeling to be able to knock that one off and to create history and to be the first one to ever do it in the Women’s A-League.”
Throughout her expansive career, Heyman has played with excellent players who have provided her with great service. “Ash Sykes, Nicky Flannery, Steph Oakes, Terran Hemmings, pretty much all my wingers, all my partners in crime being able to set me up. Pretty much all of these goals that I’m scoring are from them. I’m very lucky with the quality of players that I’ve been able to play with up top.”
Heyman spoke about the importance of true friendships and how they helped get her through the lowest parts of her career. “I was lucky enough to put myself in a good situation, have some time away, learn a bit more about myself, and just kind of enjoy being away from football to heal. Then, to get that little fight back, to be like, actually, I’ve missed this a lot.
“It all started in COVID, just kicking a ball against the wall. It just brought back so (many) memories of why I do it.” She continued, “It’s been a really tough journey, but it’s been an incredible one. I wouldn’t change it.”
Above: Michelle Heyman crashes in a shot against Brisbane Roar. Photo: Canberra United.
“It’s my happy place, just being able to run and kick a ball around. The days when I’m not feeling great and I’m unhappy on the field, I’m like, ‘okay, I think I need to take some mental time again, just relax, remember why I do it and how fortunate and lucky I am to be able to do this as a career.’ It’s our life. It’s who we are as people, and we’re very lucky to be able to do it.”
Heyman spoke about how special the Canberra family is, especially when it comes to supporting players who have come up through the ranks.
“I think one of the biggest highlights was watching Chloe Lincoln and Laura Hughes go out and make their national debut for the Matildas…I reckon there were like six Canberra United players on the field at that time, and I was like, ‘this is really nice to see how far everyone’s coming and what incredible careers they’re all going to have.’ People kind of laugh at me about it because I’m like an old mother now. But to me, these are my children, and I’m really proud of every single one of them.”
On her return following a long hiatus from the Matildas, Heyman said her biggest motivation to get back on the international stage was the World Cup. “Being there, watching those games, seeing the crowd, seeing people support the game. It was something that I was never a part of. We didn’t really have a big crowd or much fans of the women’s game back when I was playing.
“To see that and to see my friends doing what they do and loving it, it was a big motivation for me.”
Above: Michelle Heyman’s Matildas recall was rich reward. Photo: Tilly McDonald for Impetus.
“I was trying my hardest to try and get in that World Cup team that season. I thought I had a really good season but was just unlucky to not get a spot. But, I think everything happens for a reason because more hunger happened, and I was grateful for the opportunity, and I’m trying really hard to never let it go again.”
Heyman has won two premierships, two championships, three golden boots, and two Julie Dolan medals, so there’s not much uncharted territory. When asked what’s left to achieve, she said, “More of everything.”
“I think it’s more about being that leader, being that mentor, helping the rest of the team achieve what they want to achieve as well. Just making sure that I go out there and give it my all and try to be the best role model possible. But also score as many goals as I can, win awards, win trophies, and bring that shine back to Canberra United.”
When asked about what she wants her legacy to be, Heyman spoke boldly. “Legend. And, I think loyalty, goalscorer, just a good human. I hope that’s what I leave behind.”
Heyman will make history in her 200th match on Sunday at McKellar Park against Wellington Phoenix.
Above: Michelle Heyman in familiar pose. Photo: Canberra United.
Above: Megan Wynne speaking to the mediaat Perth Glory’s Fremantle HQ today. Image: Perth Glory.
Perth Glory midfielder Megan Wynne believes that the week off for the international break is a positive for the team as it has allowed them to “regroup”after the huge disappointment of defeat to Canberra United last time out all but ended the team’s Finals hopes.
Perth’s strong home form had seen them set themselves up for a final three games of the season that they knew, if they could preserve that run, could see them earn a first place in the Finals since 2018/19. However, Canberra United became the first visiting team to win on Western Australian soil since Central Coast Mariners on 27th December to bring hopes of Finals football crashing down once more.
“We knew if we won that game, we had a really strong chance (of making the Finals). I think we’ve (now) got to just focus on finishing as strong as we can.
“The initial reaction straight from the (Canberra United) game was very disappointed. We didn’t give the best account of ourselves, so it was real flat after that. We had a couple of days off, and we came back in…it’s been a positive vibe, and everyone is looking to regroup for these last two games.”
Having a fortnight until their next game after that 2-1 loss has come with major benefits. It has allowed the Glory to process the frustration and channel the emotions into finishing the season as powerfully as possible. The Cymru international has outlined how the reflective and re-energising process has gone.
Above: Megan Wynne (centre) celebrating a Perth Glory goal against Western United with Sarah O’Donoghue (left) and Kelli Brown (right.) Photo: Rob Lizzi for Impetus.
“It’s disappointing, and you can see it’s flat. We had a meeting and spoke about the aims for the end of the season. We spoke about the Sydney game, and obviously, the last time we finished above Sydney was a long time ago (2016/17), so that’s been the main focus in finishing as strong as we can.”
Glory’s hosts on Saturday are a very different beast to the one they’ve been for most of the season.
Having been around the bottom of the ladder for most of the season, Ante Juric’s side has hit red-hot form at the right time. With four wins in their last five games, a win over Perth will put them in the frame for Finals qualification. Something that was inconceivable just two months ago.
“They shocked everyone with their start to the season and how badly that went for them…Now they are on the up and they have real motivation to push on…They have a very strong squad, especially off the bench they can change games, so we’ve got to start strongly, get our foot in the door, and get the first goal.”
With Wynne approaching the end of her first season in purple, she looked back on the positives – but feels she has unfinished business ahead of her second campaign at the club in 2025/26.
“I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s really competitive, and I feel that I’ve really settled in here at Perth. It’s been very eye-opening and what I was hoping for in a new challenge. For me personally, I would have liked to have had a bigger impact on the pitch, but I’m looking forward to pushing on (here) next season, and hopefully I’ll have an injury-free season.”
Above : Alana Burn celebrates her first goal since joining South Melbourne.
Round 4 of the NPLW Victoria saw South Melbourne FC take all the points against their traditional rivals in Heidelberg United FC, defeating them 5-1 at the Olympic Village.
In a decisive performance made up of two penalties, two goals scored as a result of corners, and an open play goal, Hellas worked a clinic over Heidelberg United.
Canadian import Nikki Furukawa, who had previously been playing in New Zealand, scored the first and last of South’s five goals for the afternoon.
Furukawa opened the scoring early, nutmegging Heidelberg keeper and captain Mia Bailey, after being played in through an excellent pass from Raquel Deralas.
South Melbourne found the back of the net again only minutes later through defender Alana Burn. The former Bulleen Lions player made great contact on a corner delivery with her head, putting the visitors up 2-0 with less than 15 minutes played.
Only minutes later would Hellas win their first penalty of the afternoon. Meisha Westland was brought to ground just inside the box, leading the referee to point to the spot. Taken expertly by former Melbourne Victory player Tiffany Elliadis, South Melbourne took a definitive 3-0 lead against the Bergers.
Heidelberg managed to stem the bleeding for the rest of the first half, but the struggle continued for them almost immediately in the second.
South Melbourne won and converted, this time by Westland, their second penalty of the game when Bergers’ keeper Bailey took out Furukawa who was in one-on-one with her.
The final goal for South was Furukawa sealing her brace by making an unmarked run on a corner play, allowing her to volley the ball home.
Heidelberg secured their solitary consolation goal through Keely Lockhart, her first for the season, who came up on the end of a corner clearance and slammed it across the line.
This game marks last year’s league Champions’ first loss of the season, and sees South Melbourne put the rest of the league officially on notice.
In other games, Bulleen succumbed to a second successive defeat due to a 1-0 loss to Alamein.
The Preston Lions won their tie against Essendon Royals 3-1 and Brunswick Juventus scored three against The FV Academy.
In other games, Boroondara-Carey Eagles took full points against Spring Hills FC with a 2-0 win and Box Hill defeated Bentleigh Greens with a 1-0 result.
Above: Tessa Wullaert celebrates her brace. Photo: BelRedFlames on X
Belgium pulled off a shock 3-2 win against injury-ridden England in Leuven, three days after being beaten 5-0 by the same team.
Following a Lionesses game, the reaction on social media can vary from “we are going to win everything” to “we are never going to win a game again”. Fans are vocal and opinionated, their emotions irrevocably tied up in the performance of a team that has given them a huge amount of joy in winning England’s first major trophy since 1966.
This year, the Lionesses have won against Spain and Belgium in stellar performances whilst missing a substantial portion of the squad to injury. The narrative on social media has been positive; suggesting the team are ‘back’, that they have improved so massively that not even their so-called ‘bogey’ team could set them back.
Last time England were in Leuven, the Red Flames pulled off a stunning 3-2 victory. Ask any England fan and they will tell you about the context around that game; it was mere weeks after the world cup final, and the referee on that day got fundamental decisions wrong.
This time, the Lionesses have been in good form, beating the Red Flames 5-0 in the first leg of the double header. However, following the home game in Bristol, England’s injury woes worsened when two players withdrew from the squad: Lauren James and Alessia Russo. Both are fundamental to the team’s structure.
The Lionesses were already without Lauren Hemp, Georgia Stanway and Alex Greenwood, who would all likely be part of the starting eleven if fit. Losing James and Russo in addition to the trio was an immediate blow that turned the positive social media narrative around staggeringly quickly. Questions of man-management; should Wiegman have rested James for the first leg, or not played Russo? This led to further questions about the need for this international window, and the integrity of the UEFA Nations League.
Above: Alessia Russo in action for England during the first game against Belgium in Bristol. Photo: Shell Lawrence for Impetus.
With James’ injury in addition to Hemp and Greenwood, England’s left flank was most affected, with first choice left-winger and left-back both unavailable.
It was this left side that Belgium exploited in Leuven on Tuesday evening, using the pace of Belgian captain and star player Tessa Wullaert to outrun England’s left-back, Niamh Charles.
James and first-choice left winger Lauren Hemp have both become known for their tendency to track back and aid their defence. With both players injured, 21-year-old Chelsea starlet Aggie-Beever Jones was in their place.
Beever-Jones has yet to solidify her best position; she can play all over the front line. A key difference to James and Hemp is that she is not used to tracking back; a lethal attack-minded player, this is not something she has often had to do.
The lack of support from Beever-Jones left England’s left flank exposed, and Charles alone to face the speed of the Belgian counterattack. Charles is at her best when she can get forward, and as she did this, there was ample space for Belgium to hoof a long ball into because there was no James or Hemp to cover. Charles then struggled for the pace to get back, and found herself beaten by Wullaert every time the Belgian broke forward.
By half-time, England were 3-1 down thanks to two goals from Wullaert and one from Justine Vanhaevermaet. Esme Morgan and Jess Carter, who both play in the US’ NWSL, were brought on at half time for Bright and Charles. Morgan had more success in dealing with Wullaert’s pace, and Carter brought more physicality to the England back line. Whilst the first half could have been four or five to Belgium, they did not register a shot on target in the second half, owing to these changes.
Speaking post-match, Morgan said that “we had clear messaging that we needed to be tighter on the transition, get pressure on the ball and counter press”.
For England fans, the highlight of the evening will be when nineteen-year-old Michelle Agyemang made her debut in the 80th minute, scoring a brilliant goal a mere 41 seconds later. It is often a criticism levelled at Wiegman that she does not trust youth; few would have expected Agyemang to make her debut when she was playing for England’s under-19s a mere few days ago, called up to the senior squad as a replacement for the injured Alessia Russo.
She scored with her second touch in the match, getting hold of a cross from Leah Williamson and smashing the ball into the top left corner. England pushed for the remainder of the match, however were unable to find the back of the net.
Asked for her thoughts post-match, Wiegman said that “Belgium are a different team with and without Tessa Wullaert”, and that certainly proved to be the case. She added that for her team, it simply “was not good enough”; that it “does not feel good” but she and her squad will learn from this loss.
It is difficult to truly assess this performance for England given the number of injuries to important players. The next window includes the home game against Portugal and the away leg against Spain, and at least some of the injured players should have returned by then to provide a much more accurate view of where the Lionesses are in their preparations.
Above: England head coach Sarina Wiegman thanks fans after the game. Photo: Lionesses
For Belgium, this is the first win under new coach, the Icelander Elisabet Gunnarsdottir. After narrowly losing to Spain 3-2, they will be hoping to use this result as a springboard to develop ahead of this summer’s European Championships. They remain bottom of the Nations League group, one point behind Portugal.
Spain returned to the top of the group, and as things stand, they will head to the finals later this year. If England win against Portugal, the group standings would come down to the final game in Spain, taking place in June.
Above: Ireland celebrate their win. Photo: Ireland Football
The Republic of Ireland has made it two wins from as many matches against Greece this international window, after winning 2-1 tonight in Dublin.
The Girls in Green dominated in many key areas but just could not finish cleanly in front of goal. The Irish goals came from Amber Barrett and Anna Patten, while the Greeks pegged one back late off the boot of star midfielder Veatriki Sarri.
Unlike the first match between the sides this window, the Republic of Ireland were on the front foot early, dominating possession and pressing high, putting the Greeks under plenty of pressure. The Irish were finally playing with the true confidence that had perhaps been missing for a while, and were showing the dominance that had perhaps been expected of them all campaign.
The Irish dominance was rewarded early when Barrett perfectly converted a penalty kick in the ninth minute.
However as the half progressed, as much as the home side were dominating possession, the Greek defence sat back and crowded the box, making it harder for the Irish to get shots on goal, which led them to take shots that were rushed and from further out.
Barrett’s goal was ultimately the only goal in the first half, with plenty to think about for both sides ahead of the second half.
The Republic of Ireland took even less time in the second half to score a goal than they did in the first, after Patten headed in a goal to convert a strong Megan Campbell corner within the first five minutes of the half.
Despite being well beaten in many areas for most of the night, Greece never gave up hope of finding themselves a goal, and they eventually did with a long strike from Sarri in the 72nd minute.
This gave the visitors a bit of a boost, who took control of possession and controlled things for a bit, which was helped along by a drop in the quality of the Irish passing.
However the Republic of Ireland did eventually wrestle control of the match back, but as much as they were controlling the game, a crowded box full of Greek defenders meant that the shots on goal the home side were taking were often from far out and rarely on target.
One player who impressed for the home side from opening whistle to final whistle was Aoife Mannion, who despite playing as a centre back was at times more playing like a wing back, getting high up the pitch and creating nice attacking drive on multiple occasions.
Despite picking up a vital three points, the Republic of Ireland will need to get their scoring boots on in the final two matches of the leagues if they want to catch up to group leaders Slovenia and automatically qualify for promotion back to League A. Slovenia’s goal difference is currently seven goals better than the Girls in Green’s.
Above: Lionesses train in Leuven, Belgium. Photo: Catherine MacKenzie for Impetus
On a beautifully sunny afternoon in Leuven, Belgium, England’s Lionesses trained ahead of their second match in the UEFA Nations League double header against the Belgian Red Flames. The home leg saw a dominant win for England, with five different players on the score-sheet. Joy from Friday’s performance was marred only by injuries, as Alessia Russo was the third player to withdraw from the squad this window.
Despite these (and other) injuries, England head into the game top of their Nations League group half-way through the phase. They are one point ahead of world champions Spain, and a win against Belgium will see them retain that lead. Draw or lose, and that lead diminishes, dependent on Portugal’s ability to thwart their Spanish rivals.
During the press conference, questions primarily revolved around these injuries – both new and long-term. Lionesses head coach Sarina Wiegman was asked for updates on the three players who left camp, but could not provide any this soon. In terms of those out longer-term, Wiegman shared her hope that all or part of the trio (Lauren Hemp, Georgia Stanway and Alex Greenwood) will return in time for the last scheduled camp before this summer’s European championships.
The role of Beth Mead was highlighted by media, with her head coach agreeing that the Arsenal player was integral for the team’s attack in the home game – particularly linking up with Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze. This is something Wiegman will be hoping to replicate on Tuesday evening, although she admitted that she is expecting a different game – that Belgium will “play a little deeper” and be tougher to break down.
Above: Beth Mead for England. Photo: Shell Lawrence for Impetus.
With the likely return of Belgian star player Tessa Wullaert and the Belgian fans known to be loud in their support, the game already has potential to be difficult. There are echoes of the time England played here in late 2023; they were also besieged by injuries that autumn, however were not on as good a run of form.
The game in 2023 also came soon after the world cup, when many players were feeling the fallout from their journey. Looking ahead, Wiegman issued a strong statement: that England are out “to get revenge on ourselves” – that the team did not play well in 2023, and are looking to rectify that.
Wiegman was joined by Chelsea left back Niamh Charles, who has endured a difficult season thus far. One of England’s most promising young players, Charles suffered an injury late last year and missed a few months of Chelsea’s season alongside two England camps.
Above: Niamh Charles for England against Belgium. Photo: Shell Lawrence for Impetus.
Asked what it is like to come back into a squad that is developing rapidly ahead of a summer tournament, Charles responded that it has been nice to be back “catching up on what I’ve missed and being in and around the conversations we’ve had as well, that it is sort of a new team and we’re really looking forward to developing that camp by camp.”
She continued; “…it was nice, although it was horrible watching from the side-lines. It was sort of nice to see the progress and then come back in and be a part of it.”
Belgium v England kicks off at 19:30 UK time on ITV.
Above: The Matildas celebrate their second goal in Newcastle tonight. Photo: Football Australia.
Australia has completed a series clean sweep against Korea Republic, after defeating them 2-0 tonight in Newcastle in a composed performance.
Once the Matildas took control of the game, they really asserted their dominance, and found the goals through Mary Fowler and a second successive own goal from Lim Seon-Joo.
Both sides were up and about early in the clash, with a lot of end-to-end action, and recorded some promising shots on goal. However, it was the visitors who looked the more dangerous of the sides early, with the likes of Mun Eun-Ju, Choo Hyo-Joo, and Kang Chae-Rim getting into really good positions and being able to sneak past the Matildas’ defensive line on a number of occasions.
Eventually, Australia did get settled into the match, and started to get their attacking systems firing. Fowler and Holly McNamara were starting to ask questions of Korea’s defence, but just could not find the space to inflict maximum impact.
The Korean defence was holding up really well and double teaming Matildas’ attackers at times, and just as it was starting to look like there may be no goals in the first half, Fowler was played in with a well-timed pass from Emily van Egmond to wriggle her way past Korea’s defence and slot the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
Both sides started the second half with high energy and intensity, as the on-field play was free-flowing and end to end, much like it was in the first half.
Australia did eventually pick up a second goal, which came just after the hour mark. The goal came after the ball pinballed around in the box after a number of deflections of Caitlin Foord shots, and ultimately, a strike from Torpey was accidentally helped in by Lim Seon-Joo. Things went from bad to worse for the Korean defender, as after the goal, she was stretchered off the field.
As the game reached its final stages, the Matildas really started to put their foot down. They started to dominate possession and time in the forward half, and as a consequence, the shots started to rack up too.
In the first half, the Australia had three shots on goal, with two of them being on target, while in the second half they had 13, five of which were on target. By comparison, Korea Republic had four shots in the first half with one of them on target, and in the second half they ultimately finished with six shots for the half, but only one of them was on target.
Just as the visitors looked like they were again going to go goalless against Australia, they almost picked up a goal through Ko Yoo-Jin, but an offside call meant it did not count.
This was an extremely positive way to round off the April international window. A strong performance, particularly in the second half, and two clean sheets in a row bring confidence flooding back ahead of the next series at home to Argentina at the end of May.
SOUTH KOREA (4-2-3-1): M. Kim, S.J Lim, N Shin, S. Kim, Y. Choi, S.Y Ji, Mun, Y.J Lee, H.R Kim, H.J Choo, Kang. Substitutes: Choi, E. Lee, K. Kim, Jeong, Bae, Ko, D.J Lee, Jung, M. Kim, Y.R Choe, G.M Lee, Phair.
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