Above: Melbourne Victory during the win over Brisbane Roar. Photo Bec Hartley for Impetus
Melbourne Victory had the perfect tune up for finals on the weekend with a 2-0 win over the Brisbane Roar. Impetus spoke to Jeff Hopkins after the match.
Despite no longer being in contention for the premiership because of what had happened in Perth the night prior, Victory coach Jeff Hopkins said after the match that “there were definitely a few things” that his side wanted to get out of the match.
“Definitely we need to be in form and playing well and confident, and that comes from winning games, and that was our seventh game on the spin winning,” Hopkins said.
“The players are confident, they know they can see games out, they can win games in lots of different ways. So it was really important for us to win the game because of that today.”
Hopkins also said that his side “wanted another clean sheet to get the record for clean sheets” and “in general, a good performance to finish the season here at home at AAMI Park.”
Before Saturday’s match one of the big talking points was the omission of Em Gielnik, with her absence denying her the opportunity to challenge Holly McNamara for the Golden Boot. However, Hopkins had reassuring words for all Victory fans.
“She’s fine, we just wrapped her up in cotton wool today,” Hopkins explained.
“She wanted to play as well, so I got the wrath of Em,” he said with a chuckle. “but yeah, I had to make a decision and I made that decision to look after her for the bigger games and she’ll have to just go with me for this one decision. And to be fair, it’s good that your players want to play and they want putthemselves forward and she’s that type of player.”
Another ultimately minor availability concern was around the goal keeping stocks, with the Victory forced to name young striker Sienna Techera as the back up goal keeper.
But, Hopkins had a simple, reassuring explanation for that rare situation.
“Geo [Candy] was sick yesterday and with it being Good Friday, it was too short notice to get a goalkeeper registered,” Hopkins explained.
“We did have another goalkeeper as our number three already ready to go, but she’s moved on to another club, so we decided to go with an outfield player and Sienna put her hand up, which was great for a young girl.”
The next fortnight provides an interesting challenge for Hopkins and his team, with a week off this coming weekend before a two legged semi final against a yet to be determined opponent. However, Hopkins has a definitive plan for how he and his charges will attack the next few weeks.
We’ve had a few weeks now where we’ve had an international window, so we are kind of used to having a week off and we’ve been very productive of what we’ve done through the season,” Hopkins said.
“We’ve always played on Saturday, we’re on the weekend, we’ve managed the minutes that we play in those games to give us real high intensity but keep the players on their feet for a minimum amount of time.
“We’ll work on position specific work, we’ll work on individual technical work and technical work, and we’ll probably look at some scenarios, some scenario based training where we’ll be able to go up and go down.”
Above: Brisbane Roar vs Melbourne Victory. Photo:Bec Hartley for Impetus
An at times frustrating season for the Brisbane Roar came to an end on the weekend with a 2-0 away loss to the Melbourne Victory. Alyce Collett spoke to the coach after the final whistle.
A reflective Roar coach Alex Smith spoke to the media afterwards, noting that even without finals to fight for anymore, there were still plenty of factors motivating the Roar on the weekend.
“Anytime you put on a club jersey, you need to play with pride,” Smith said.
“We had a couple of retirees as well, so you try and use that as motivation.
“I thought first half we were good value. We had plenty of possession in the final third, just lacked that little bit of composure in class to create those chances.
“Obviously getting hit with a goal just before we have time isn’t ideal, and then the red card is a whole other talking point.”
That red card Smith mentioned was the one given at the hour mark to midfielder Momo Hayashi, which did not have a clear reason in the moment.
“ Apparently, at least what I’ve been told it was contact with the referee,” Smith explained.
“ If anybody knows Momo, she’s the nicest, kindest soul you’ll ever meet and barely speaks English and doesn’t get angry at anybody. I haven’t seen it but I trust someone like Momo with my children and she says it wasn’t much.”
Smith also confirmed that the Roar will be appealing the card, and is feeling ”fairly confident it’ll get overturned on appeal, just because of the player it is.”
The focus for the Roar now turns to the offseason, and reflecting on a season that might have been.
Smith reflected on the challenges his side has faced in the second half of the campaign, noting that “I haven’t had the same starting lineup in 2025, so injuries played a huge part. We lost some key players, we had eight or nine players missed at least six games, something like that.”
“So nothing you can do about that, but I think a lot will go into to recruitment next year and making sure we have the depth so that if something like this happens again, we’re able to cover.
“It’s a slippery slope sometimes when you start playing poorly and you low on confidence and things happen, red cards happen, ball doesn’t go your way. I mean, most of the goals that we’ve conceded, especially this year, have been from sort of our mistakes.
“So that’s something we definitely need to address in the off season, but it makes it really hard to have any sort of consistency when you’re constantly chopping and changing and playing different formations to suit who you have available.”
Recruiting depth ahead of the 2025/26 season will be one of Smith’s key focuses, but he was not giving away too much after the match on Saturday.
“I still need to have some conversations with the club around a few other things, so until that happens, I’m not going to really comment on who I’d like to bring in or who I’d like to keep and all that sort of stuff” he said.
“We’ll go through a process as we always do, and review the season and go over every individual and figure out where we need to improve and hopefully we can do that.”
Above: Barcelona celebrate, their win yesterday sets them up on the stronger foot for the second leg. Photo: FC Barcelona on Twitter.
By Emmanuel Faith (21/04/25)
Claudia Pina’s double sinks the Blues, as Spanish giants attempt to reach their fourth consecutive Champions League Final. Goals from Ewa Pajor and Irene Paredes ensured the team have a huge advantage heading into the second leg.
If anyone had told you the score-line at the beginning of the match, you might not have believed it.
Despite being eliminated by Barcelona for two consecutive reasons, Chelsea was still unbeaten at Barcelona’s turf, as their last two meetings prior to yesterday’s defeat ended in a one nil victory last year, and one all draw in 2023. Barcelona came into the match determined to wipe away that sterling record.
Starting on the front-foot, the reigning European Champions were all over Chelsea, knocking passes across the field with Spanish midfielder Patri Guijarro having an attempt that led to an easy save by Hannah Hampton. Norwegian international Caroline Graham Hansen also had a chance, her ball blocked off by Baltimore, all in the first ten minutes.
More was still to come in the opening quarter of an hour, as VAR awarded a controversial penalty to Barcelona when the ball was assumed to have rolled off Natalie Bjorn’s arms, and Barcelona’s captain Alexia Putellas stepped up to dispatch.
Above: Hannah Hampton, who was solid despite the result. Photo: Chelsea Women on Twitter.
In an expected twist, Chelsea and England’s current number one shot-stopper saved the penalty, ensuring her team didn’t go behind despite the intense pressure.
Hampton however couldn’t prevent a brilliant finish from Ewa Pajor in the 35th minute, as the Polish striker connected with captain Putella’s assist to put the hosts ahead.
Chelsea rallied back into the game with a couple attacking moves, and wonderkid Aggie Beever-Jones hit the target from a freekick in minute 45, the first time Cata Coll had been called to action all evening.
The second half began the way the first ended, with the Spanish giants pinning the English champions back in their own half and Sonia Bompastor made a double sub in the 60th minute. Catarina Macario and a recently fit Guro Reiten were brought on for Weike Kaptein and Aggie Beever-Jones.
Barcelona responded to this substitution by bringing on the competition’s leading goal-scorer Pina, whose impact was immediately felt as she connected with Ona Batlle’s cross to extend the lead.
The away fans looked crestfallen as the Blues struggle became more imminent, but after a few minutes, one of the substitutes, Catarina Macario, held up two Barcelona midfielders to play a beautiful pass across to Baltimore, who fired a rocket shot beyond Coll to half the deficit.
Both teams acted cautiously for the next five minutes as the visitors searched for an equaliser, while simultaneously ensuring their defence was switched on to avoid conceding. Natalie Bjorn’s injury in the 79th minute was a major blow to Chelsea’s defensive structure, as two goals in the last ten minutes from Paredes and Pina ensured the tie was done, and maybe dusted before the second leg.
Above: Pina celebrates. Her performance off the bench was standout for Barcelona. Photo: FC Barcelona on Twitter.
While Chelsea seemed to have it together for some moments in the match, it was Barcelona who showed their class over and over again.
The Blues who lost their playmaker, Lauren James through injury in the last international window, played with a lot of trepidation and this showed in their disjointed display.
No team has ever come back from a 3-0 first-leg deficit in the UWCL, but the blue army came back from a two-nil deficit in the quarter-finals and are optimistic towards the second leg. Do Chelsea have another comeback up their sleeve or will Barcelona’s first half sweep be enough to land them in Lisbon?
Above: Isobel Goodwin and Freya Godfrey celebrate, they were the evident standouts in their teams triumphant win. Photo: London City Lionesses on Twitter.
In the first game of the match week, London City Lionesses put 4 past eight-placed Southampton to edge one step closer to earning promotion to the Super League. It was Isobel Goodwin who was the standout, netting a hat trick to dismiss the Saints at St Mary’s Stadium.
The scoring opened in just minute four. Arsenal loanee Freya Godfrey’s run up the wing outpaced Southampton’s backline, leaving them trailing and a wide open stretch of space. Goodwin made a run into the box, and connected with Godfrey’s cross to send London City one up.
Goodwin’s second goal was impeccable, a right-footed strike into the top right hand corner of goal that was almost identical in nature to the first. Godfrey again had the assist, bursting up the wing and finding Goodwin to double their lead in the 22nd minute.
Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah was responsible for the next goal, with Godfrey and Goodwin orchestrating the build-up. Goodwin’s assist and Boye-Hlorkah’s run into space made the score three to zero with an impressive strike from the edge of the box, sending the ball soaring past Fran Stenson just before the half.
Southampton hit back in the 57th minute, when a moment of excellence from Molly Pike bagged her team’s only goal, a clever hit that Emily Orman was unable to get a glove on. However with their evident dominance in the fixture, it wasn’t long before London City found a fourth. Goodwin completed her hattrick in minute 62, scoring a strong header off a pinpoint cross from Boye-Hlorkah to settle the score.
London City Lionesses currently sit firmly in first at the top of the table, three points clear of second place Birmingham. Their next fixture is at Hayes Lane against Durham, and Southampton face Sheffield United away.
Charlton 1-1 Newcastle United
Above: Jodie Hutton (centre) who scored Charlton’s only goal of the match. Photo: Charlton Athletic.
In what was Charlton’s final home game of the season, an early opener from the Addicks was enough to see out a draw at the Valley, with Newcastle’s equaliser seeing the sides share the points. Both teams have performed well this season, with newly promoted Newcastle on track to finish mid-table.
It was Newcastle who came out from kick off on the stronger foot, with Freya Gregory having an early chance, but Sophie Whitehouse was able to meet her and clear the ball before any real danger struck.
Charlton opened the scoring not long after, with Jodie Hutton finding the bottom corner of the net from outside the box after Ellie Brazil’s initial chance was blocked. The goal remained the only of the half, as the home side held out until half time, going into the break with the advantage.
Newcastle however came back out with a vengeance, piling on the pressure and forcing Whitehouse to make some crucial saves. In the 65th minute, the visitors found themselves with a concrete chance to level the score, and Shania Hayles coolly converted from the spot, earning a point from a difficult fixture.
Charlton do not have a fixture in the next match week, and will play their final game of the season the following week, away to Southampton. Newcastle however are in action, faced with the challenge of tackling Birmingham City on home turf.
Sheffield United 0-0 Blackburn Rovers
Above: The Sheffield United team rally together post match. Photo: Sheffield United Women on Twitter.
Both Sheffield United and Blackburn Rovers battled for a hard-fought goalless draw at Bramall Lane, with a point for United providing hope that the team may be able to escape relegation. The point for Rovers just edges them ahead of Portsmouth, keeping them safe in ninth-place for now.
The match up was a relatively even affair between the two sides. Both had promising chances, a few dangerous looking spells but nothing that was heavy enough to tip the scale and break the stalemate.
Rovers looked most dangerous before the close of the first half when Hannah Luke gained possession in the box, but her strike crashed against the crossbar. United came closest when the final minutes were on the clock, with substitute Monique Robinson’s shot being denied by Alex Brooks.
With keeper Sian Rogers having little work to do, United were able to achieve their first clean sheet of the season, and Rovers were able to successfully navigate the game to keep them still hanging just above the bottom two. With two games left to play, the next two weeks will be nerve-wracking for United. Next week they face Southampton at home, and Rovers are set to face Portsmouth at Fratton Park.
Birmingham City 3-1 Durham
Above: Simone Magill, who scored two crucial goals for her team. Photo: Birmingham City Women FC on Twitter.
Birmingham City confidently put three past Durham after going one nil down at home, turning the game in their favour to keep one foot in the door in the title race. A brace from Simone Magill and a goal from Emily Van Egmond was more than enough to earn City the three points and keep them a foot ahead of Charlton in the table.
With the close of the season in sights, both teams headed into the fixture with a clear aim in mind. Whilst City are fighting for promotion, Durham still have the opportunity to climb the table, not far off third-place. The match opened with each side showing equal fight, Durham opening the scoring.
The goal came from a set piece, and although the initial cross from the corner was pushed out of the crowded 6-yard area, the away side took the lead when Mollie Lambert’s shot hit the target.
City were quick to respond to the early deficit, hitting back just four minutes later when Simone Magill’s header snuck past Rylee Foster.
Durham did well to keep City at bay for the majority of the second half, looking as if the score could remain 1-1 until the end of the 90. However, an unfortunate error for Foster allowed City to finally find the net again after a run of missed chances.
Ava Baker was put through on goal ahead of the Durham backline, forcing Foster off her line to meet her, however the keeper couldn’t get a handle of the ball and Magill snuck up to pounce on the away side’s misfortune.
Australian international Van Egmond secured the final goal of the fixture when Durham’s defence was just unable to clear City’s corner. The ball fell to her on the edge of the box, and she sent it into the bottom left corner to officially secure an incredibly crucial three-points for City.
Next week both sides are away, with City heading North to face Newcastle, and Durham have a difficult task, facing London City Lionesses away.
Portsmouth 1-1 Bristol City
Above: Portsmouth women celebrate their equaliser. Photo: Jason Brown via Portsmouth’s website.
Tenth place Portsmouth’s equaliser in the 20th minute was enough to hold fifth place Bristol City to a draw, earning a pivotal point in their fight to stay in the Championship for another year. For City, their first season back in the league since their relegation from the WSL has been arguably average, however they still sit in the top half of the table.
Ella Powell dampened the mood at Westleigh Park just eight minutes into the fixture, sending Bristol City into the lead, lashing in Mari Ward’s cross and leaving Portsmouth in a difficult position. With relegation rivals Sheffield United having a game in hand over Portsmouth, who now have just one fixture left, a hard-fought battle was needed from Pompey.
They didn’t let the early set back drag them down, and skipper Sophie Barker was the one to hit back at the visitors, leveling the score just over ten minutes later. She was quick to pounce on a poorly taken goal kick, hooking the ball over Fran Bentley and securing an integral point for her side.
Portsmouth’s final game of the season takes place at Fratton Park on Sunday the 27th of April, where they face Blackburn Rovers in what will determine whether they stay clear of the drop zone ahead of Sheffield.
Above: Sara and Karen Holmgaard celebrate after linking up to equalise against Manchester City. Photo: Everton FC
Manchester City were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against a resilient Everton side at the Joie Stadium, as City’s injury-depleted squad struggled to assert themselves, making Champions League hopes look even slimmer.
Manchester City were dominating in possession, but it was a slow start for the blues with no notable chances being created. However, with several key players missing through injury, Kerolin Nicoli’s driving run down the wing helped create the chance for Dutch full-back Kerstin Casparij, whose strong performance was rewarded with the opening goal from close range into the bottom right corner.
Casparij celebrated by holding up a City shirt with Mary Fowler’s name on the back after the Australian international ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament in last week’s FA Cup defeat by Manchester United.
Fowler is the lastest player to join Manchester City’s injury list alongside fellow forwards Vivianne Miedema, Lauren Hemp, Aoba Fujino and Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw who are all currently ruled out.
With half time approaching Everton pushed to find an equaliser, and were rewarded with a goal as the Holmgaard twins linked up in the 33rd minute. Sara Holmgaard crossed the ball into the box, setting up the perfect header for her sister to send it home after keeper Khiara Keating had left her goal line and failed to collect, marking Karen’s first goal of the season.
Above: Casparij celebrating her opening goal. Photo: Manchester City Women on Instagram.
In the 66th minute the Danish twins looked to combine again, but Karen Holmgaard’s header went just inches over the crossbar.
Although still dominating in possession and their best efforts to regain control, City were unable to find a winner as they struggled to push through a strong Everton back-line.
The draw leaves Manchester City in fourth place with 36 points, increasing the gap separating them from third-placed Manchester United. This seven-point difference makes it challenging for City to qualify for the Champions league, as they would need to win all remaining matches and hope for United to lose theirs.
Lineups:
CITY (4-2-3-1): Keating, Casparij, Prior, Knaak, Ouahabi, Aleixandri (Captain), Hasegawa, Coombs, Park, Murphy, Kerolin Nicoli
Above: Manchester City manager Nick Cushing. Photo: @ManCityWomen on X
Manchester City took the decision to let go of Gareth Taylor five days before a League Cup final. Facing a quadruple of matches against Chelsea, City reintroduced Nick Cushing as head coach – with the aim of trying to secure Champions League football next year. So, after this first block of games – was it the right call? What has Cushing changed in his first months in charge?
Just to preface this, there’s a few reasons why these are hard questions to answer. Firstly, given the nature of the midweek games, Cushing has never had more than three or four days between each match with the players and therefore has not been able to implement a completely new style of play, but there are some subtle differences.
Also, four games against a dominant Chelsea side is a signficantly harder stretch than Taylor oversaw and thus the team won’t have been able to show it’s full abilities like it has many times this year against easier opposition. Cushing has also encountered a major injury crisis and as such the team will naturally have played differently in these few weeks as the start of the season with Taylor.
The idea of this is quite ironic because Cushing was apppointed because of his background within the City Group (a global network of clubs owned by the owners of Manchester City) and his knowledge of the ‘City way’ of playing. This is quite a rigid tatctical setup based on controlling the ball, building up slowly and attacking with the entire team.
It was felt that someone who had managed this club using this style would be best to takeover so that the transition was managable for the squad with a very short turnaround time – keeping in mind that the squad had been trained to play in a very specific way. This didn’t mean, however, that it would look the same and as City wished, produce the same results.
Gareth Taylor pushed this slow, possesion based style to the limit, whereby sometimes it felt like the aim was the keep the ball rather than score a goal. This created a contsant stream of backpasses and a very slow paced game.
The ultimate aim of this style was to eventually create a ‘perfect’ goalscoring opportunity that was impossible to miss, through sleek passing in the box. Shooting was therefore discouraged from anywhere outside the box and as such many moves would break down without a shot even being attempted.
The potential shot would go begging because they could not get close enough to the goal for it to be worth shooting, according to the system. This style with the entire team sitting so high obviously meant that City were succeptible to fast counter attacks quite often, and that is where any defensive issues usually arose. Generally, these were all the drawbacks of Taylor’s interpreation of ‘The City Way’ and what Cushing has looked to alter since coming in.
Whilst it is a smaller sample size, the vast difference in the possesion already shows a tweak in the system, and while it is true that four games out of the five being against Chelsea may affect that stat slightly, Taylor-led City did have 63% in their first league meeting this season.
Above: Comparison of possession statistics, Taylor v Cushing
This shows a drastic change, and that Cushing’s side is not only concentrating on keeping the ball, but rather being willing to adapt and try and hit teams on the counter attack when it is necessary, as well as trying to be more direct with the ball and switch it up. This has provided opposition defences with more to think about and forced them to consider different ways to defend. Another change that can be seen is the average distance away from from goal when a shot is taken.
Above: Distance of shots, Taylor vs Cushing
This shows clearly that under Nick Cushing, the team is more encouraged to shoot from further out and “give it a go” rather than focus on creating a perfect chance before being allowed to shoot as they so often were under Taylor.
Whilst it is hard to evaluate after such few games, Cushing has certainly tweaked things tactically and it still remains to be seen whether this was a good decision. One thing that is true is considering the injuries decimating the squad, it is difficult to see how Taylor could have got his team playing much better in those four Chelsea games than Nick Cushing did, and that Brighton result with such a squad should not be sniffed at.
City next play away at Leicester City, and will hoping to buoy their top-three hopes with a strong win against the Foxes. Leicester v Manchester City is on the 27th April at 15:00 UK time.
Above: Daisy McAllister (next to referee’s outstretched arm) shows her joy as Perth SC celebrate their win over Perth RedStar on Saturday. Photo: Rob Lizzi.
It was a truncated round on the Easter weekend with only two matches taking place. Ben Gilbyand Ella McShane report on all the action.
Perth SC 2-1 Perth RedStar
by Ben Gilby
The Azzurri got back to winning ways after conceding a late equaliser last week and recorded a vital victory over the defending champions at Dorrien Gardens thanks to an own goal and a strike from Jess Flannery in a game that saw all three goals scored in an nine minute spell.
RedStar started strongly and created the first two chances. With four minutes played, Abbey Woolley’s throw on the right fell for Jay Coleman who hit an effort over the top. Just over 10 minutes later, Dayle Schroeder produced a superb diving save to deny Lauren Continibali.
Perth SC settled, and as the half approached the quarter hour mark began to assert themselves as an attacking threat.
The Azzurri hit the front with 20 minutes played when Sam Mathers’ corner on the right came in towards the near post and was headed into her own net by Quyen Doan.
Making the most of momentum in matches between these two sides is always vital to the outcome, and crucially, the home side grabbed a second just five minutes later.
The move started with Schroeder rolling the ball out, and Perth advanced up the right for Mathers to lift a ball forward that bounced in the box between RedStar defenders for Flannery to send a first-time strike into the right-hand corner of the net.
Above: Perth SC’s Jess Flannery (azure shirt) battles with Perth RedStar’s Abbey Woolley yesterday. Photo: Rob Lizzi.
RedStar looked to respond, and Schroeder produced another great save to push over Continibali’s lofted shot.
Shortly afterwards, the visitors gained a lifeline as Jayna Ridley’s ball to the near post was met with a piece of great skill from Renee Leota, who lifted a first-time shot into the net.
Ridley was at the heart of everything good about RedStar yesterday. She was busy and enterprising in looking for incisive runs and passes.
The final chance of the half came for the hosts. A cross in from the right produced a spectacular scissors volley from Violet Longmore, but Dal Busco held on.
Longmore was putting in another excellent shift for the Azzurri. For one so young to tidy up so calmly and expertly against such experienced opponents, as well as be an integral part of her side’s offensive play, was extremely impressive.
The second half saw fewer out-and-out goal-scoring opportunities in an increasingly physical battle, which saw RedStar’s Doan and Perth’s Maja Archibald both need spells of lengthy treatment after collisions.
The visitors created two opportunities to equalise for Leota – first, a teasing free kick from Carla Bennett came in from the right which the 14 headed just wide, and then Woolley played a superb ball in which Leota put narrowly the wrong side of the post.
Perth saw out the remaining minutes largely comfortably, marshalled by a strong and well-organised defence. They had one opportunity to add to their lead with nine minutes remaining as Daisy McAllister broke free and hit a shot from the edge of the box that Dal Busco held.
This was a hugely important win earned by a hard-working and skilful Azzurri side who did the key things that you have to do when playing RedStar – strike as often as you can when you have the momentum, and then stay focussed and measured in the face of the pressure that comes.
Above: Perth SC’s Violet Longmore (azure shirt) looks to beat her player yesterday. Photo: Rob Lizzi.
Check out our Instagram feed for more images from Rob Lizzi at Dorrien Gardens – go to @ImpetusFootball
UWA-Nedlands 1-4 Football West Academy
by Ella McShane
Above: Klaudia Houlis (blue shirt), scorer of two of the Football West Academy’s four goals, seen here in action at UWA-Nedlands last season. Photo: Cat Bryant.
The Football West Academy (FWA, formerly Hyundai NTC) extended their 100% start to the NPLW WA season to a fifth week with this come-from-behind win at UWA-Nedlands.
UWA Sports Park was alive as the home side managed to gain a lead at only two minutes in. Following a late challenge inside the box from the NTC’s Lacey Hayes, UWA-Nedlands were granted an early penalty kick.
Chloe Rodrigo strode up from outside the penalty area. Her shot was initially caught by goalkeeper Sofia Borg, but an unlucky slip of the ball meant the rebound fell to the feet of an open Emily Dinsdale, giving the hosts the early advantage.
The pressure of the home side’s advantage had an immediate impact on the talented teenage visitors. They pushed forward, earning them the first of their seven corners in the first half alone.
Forward Theodora Mouithys was an omnipresent threat with her outstanding long balls from the wing, exemplifying the skill that earned her a call-up to the CommBank Junior Matildas training camp in Canberra this coming week.
Although determined, the visitors demonstrated a lack of clinical composure. The young team was caught in the offside position on three occasions within the span of 20 minutes.
The FWA’s increase in intensity was responded to by exceptional goalkeeping, executed by UWA-Nedlands Janina Sauer, who made two composed saves from challenging set pieces in the first half. One being a penalty kick, a result of UWA-Nedlands Rhiannon Short’s shirt pull.
The lively tempo continued into the second half of the game. FWA’s Klaudia Houlis’ pace on the attacking wing being exquisitely swift and proved extremely difficult for UWA’s backline to keep up with.
The visitors deservedly levelled at 62 minutes with Mouithys’ smooth cross from the left wing meeting the net.
The youngsters then stepped on the accelerator, hitting further goals in rapid succession following the equaliser. Houlis was excellently positioned to secure a goal from Cate McAuliffe’s cross from the right wing at 68 minutes.
A successful calm penalty taken by Mouithys following a handball in the box at 73 minutes put the visitors ahead before a great exploitation of space by Houlis determined the ultimate 1-4 score line at 78 minutes.
Despite the outcome, the hosts displayed great composure – and indeed were not caught offside, and all six shots of their shots taken were on target. In comparison, the FWA recorded one offside goal, were caught offside seven times, and of their 30 shots, 14 were on target.
All in all, it a lively Easter Sunday afternoon at UWA Sports Park.
Above: Arsenal rue a missed chance. Photo: Tom Jenkins / The Guardian
Lyon rattled Arsenal at the Emirates in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, emerging 2-1 winners.
On Saturday, Arsenal took on Lyon in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final. The game culminated in a 2-1 loss for the home side who were hoping to use their home advantage to secure a win before they headed abroad for the second leg.
Returning to Arsenal’s squad was Alessia Russo and Chloe Kelly. Russo made her way back to the starting eleven and Manuela Zinsberger remained in goal with Daphne Van Domselaar out with injury.
Lyon’s line up was extremely strong with Chile’s Christiane Endler in goal. Their squad’s manager, Joe Montemurro, is a previous Arsenal boss and returned to the Emirates with the aim of defeating his former side.
Moments into the game, Frida Maanum sent an early shot straight at Endler. Despite this attacking start from Arsenal, at 6 minutes a shot from Lyon’s Selma Bacha was saved by Zinsberger. Lyon’s Danielle van de Donk followed up with a shot which was just wide of this goal. Early in the game tension was building following this scare for the home team.
Following on from these attempts on goal from Lyon, Arsenal maintained possession until Kadi Diani struck the ball into the far corner of Arsenal’s goal. This goal was flagged by the assistant and went to a VAR goal check as it was suspected to be offside. Unfortunately for Arsenal, the VAR check went in Lyon’s favour and the score shifted to 0-1 at 18 minutes.
For the remainder of the first half fans were kept entertained; Maanum hit the ball just wide of the goal, a shot from Melchie Dumornay and header form Alessia Russo hit their respective crossbars and strong play from both teams reminded spectators that they were watching two of Europe’s best clubs.
After the break Arsenal were on the attack. Renee Slegers’ side held possession but struggled to move the ball into the box. Lyon’s play was almost the opposite; the visitors did not dominate possession but once the ball was at their feet their attacking runs were dangerous and swift.
Each attempt on goal from Arsenal elicited groans from the crowd who desperately wanted to see their team get the ball into the back of the net.
At 75 minutes, Arsenal was given a chance to put themselves back into the game. A VAR check occurred as it was believed that Endler had caught Leah Williamson in the box. This penalty was taken willingly by Arsenal who had not appealed for the decision. It was Mariona Caldentey who calmly slipped the ball into the net causing a roar from the crowd who had been waiting for a moment like this.
Now momentum was shifting, Arsenal seemed to be on the rise. A shot from Kelly went over the top of the goal and it seemed like things could go in the right direction for the Gunners. However, soon after, at 82 minutes, Melchie Dumornay scored for Lyon. Arsenal had only held equal for four minutes.
The match ended with a defeated Arsenal who, according to their manager, will “do everything to get the win on Sunday” as it is only half time. To win away next weekend, Arsenal will have to begin strong. They need to move the ball into the box and ultimately into the goal. It’s the London side’s finishing which has been called into question numerous times this season as in many games the team have dominated possession and play but failed to gain points due to a lack of goals.
Above: Beth Mead for Arsenal. Photo: Arsenal.
Post match, Slegers said that her squad felt “so much support from” the 40,045 fans in the stands of the Emirates. Whilst the manager described them as “noisy” there was an air of disappointment and deflation from the supporters who were much quieter than they usually are.
These fans will be hoping that their team can turn things around next weekend to secure their spot in the Champions League final. Lyon, on the other hand, will be proud of their performance and will be taking their win into the second leg where they will not only have a goal advantage, but also the advantage of playing in front of a home crowd.
The French side proved that they are one of the top teams in the world as they capitalised on small moments and made Arsenal uncomfortable in their own stadium. Endler impressed as she delivered stunning saves and kept her team in the game. Lyon’s defenders also provided an added layer of protection as they stopped the ball from reaching Endler on numerous occasions. The stars, however, were the forwards who made excellent runs down the wing and sped past Arsenal defenders who tried to stop them.
The second leg of this Champions League semi-final will occur at Parc Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday 27th April. If the first leg told us anything, it’s that this match will be another entertaining and competitive game of football.
Above: Isabel Dehakiz for Western United. Photo: Western United
An Emma Main equaliser and the crossbar have denied Western United what would have been a vital win. Wellington Phoenix held the finals bound side to a 1-1 draw in Paul Temple’s final game in charge.
Western United arrived in Wellington in need of a win. Kat Smith’s side had guaranteed themselves finals for a third successive season, but a win here would grant them a home final. Wellington had only pride to play for and the desire to send their departing manager (and perhaps Annalie Longo) off on a high note.
It was a tight first half with few clear chances. Sasha Grove looked the most dangerous player on the pitch early on. Her overlapping runs and combinations with Catherine Zimmerman on the left had Wellington’s defence on alert repeatedly.
Chloe Berryhill looked to have opened the scoring with a clinical header but the offside flag was up in a reprieve for the home side.
The second half was characterised by rain, goals and chaos as the match opened up. Following an injury concern to Berryhill, Zimmerman moved central in attack and Aimee Medwin came to the left flank.
Zimmerman’s mobility and willingness to scrap in attack created chances for herself and teammates, but either poor finishing or the official’s flag denied them an opening goal.
Wellington almost took a shock lead when Mebae Tanaka’s cross was directed back across goal, but Grace Jale could not make contact at point blank range.
Western eventually took the lead through the deadly set piece delivery of Grace Maher. Her perfectly struck corner was placed right on the head of Sara Eggesvik. The Philippines international nodded the ball back across goal to leave Carolina Vilao with no chance.
With Wellington now looking to restore parity, Alyssa Whinham’s influence grew. The substitute was dangerous or creative at every opportunity and her ability to beat players with inventive skill was a delight to watch as always.
The goal eventually arrived through the desperation of Main. She slid in at the near post to force the ball beyond Alyssa Dall Oste in the Western goal. The Wellington players paid tribute to a fan in their celebrations.
Western introduced Kiara De Domizio into the match and the super sub almost re-took the lead with a first time effort from range. Unfortunately her shot missed the target.
The final minutes could have seen either side snatch a winner. Wellington thought that they had a goal when a close range effort crashed off the bar, then the home crowd yelled for a handball when Claudia Mihocic appeared to punch the ball clear off the line.
To the disappointment of the Wellington faithful, the whistle had already blown for a foul on the goalkeeper and despite the chaos, the scores remained level.
Western’s last chance came through the right foot of Adriana Taranto. The midfielder’s free kick looked destined to be a spectacular winner but crashed off the woodwork and while Western will play finals, it means they will travel to face Adelaide United.
This match ends Wellington’s season. It was one marked by highs such as Whinham’s goal of the season contender and some encouraging performances but will once again feel like potential wasted. This team feels like one that has to rebuild every season due to player departures or coaching changes and next season will bring the same hopes but provide the same challenges.
Whoever replaces Temple will need to contend with a brutal travel schedule, and need to be creative signing players. Retaining the likes of Whinham, Main and Mackenzie Barry will be important, but so too will replacing Longo if this was her final match.
For the neutrals, this was a fun season to watch The Phoenix, but for fans it might have been understandably frustrating. Still they are a competitive club and will likely be so again in 2025/26.
Western United 4-1-4-1: Dall Oste, Grove, Mihocic, Maher, Sardo, A Taranto, M Taranto, Eggesvik, Zimmerman, Dehakiz, Logarzo. Substitutes: Medwin, Lincoln, De Domizio, Hieda, Ibargüen.
Above: Olympique Lyonnais’ Ellie Carpenter celebrates with her teammates yesterday at The Emirates. Photo: Arsenal Women.
Four Impetus writers – Alice de Koster-Kitto, Alyce Collett, Ella McShane, and Ben Gilby analyse yesterday’s European Champions League Semi-Final First Leg tie between Arsenal and Olympique Lyonnais, focusing on the Australian contingent involved.
What it means for the Australian national side
by Alice de Koster-Kitto
With four Aussies available—three in the starting lineup—Matildas fans were given a valuable glimpse into the club-level form of some of Australia’s most integral players ahead of vital upcoming international windows.
Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley, and Ellie Carpenter have cemented themselves as core members of their respective starting XIs, and this weekend’s clash was no exception. The defensive performances of Catley and Carpenter once again proved their value to the national team, providing much-needed stability at the back during a time when our attack has been unsettled by injury.
Catley’s shift into a center back role at Arsenal has unlocked a new level of creativity that has been crucial on the international stage, arguably pushing her into peak form as she has stepped into captaincy over the past year.
The on-field connection between Foord and Catley, developed at Arsenal, has proven invaluable for the Matildas in recent years. Foord’s ability to put herself on the line in dangerous situations, paired with Catley’s impeccable passing accuracy, and their ability to read each other’s movements was on full display, highlighting a partnership the Matildas must keep nurturing in order to maintain and build the capabilities of the current squad.
Carpenter’s sheer speed and willingness to make risky plays played an important part in Lyon’s victory, much to the dismay of her national teammates on the opposing side. The unique experience of being one of only a handful of Australians to play in the French Arkema PL, along with her deep familiarity with Champions League football, has brought new dimensions to the Matildas’ backline, adding a sense of unpredictability that continues to shake top-tier international opponents.
While the quality of Australian football was on full display over these 90 minutes, Arsenal and Matildas fans alike are left wondering why Kyra Cooney-Cross is left behind on the bench, considering her consistent impact on the pitch at club level, and having proven herself as a necessary part of the current Matildas squad. One could argue that Cooney-Cross’s unmatched passing accuracy and ability to find chances could have swayed the results in Arsenal’s favour, had she played.
Foord’s influence and what might have been for Cooney-Cross
by Ella McShane
Above: Caitlin Foord battles away for Arsenal yesterday. Photo: Arsenal Women.
Caitlin Foord played a pivotal role in the upbeat tempo start for the Gunners. Creatively exploiting space in challenging battles, knowing exactly where she needed to be to successfully complete receives, and providing necessary pace on the wing.
At the 60-minute mark, comes her most notable one-v-one of the match with Matildas teammate Ellie Carpenter. Making a controlled dribble toward the box, Foord unsuspectingly delivered the ball to an open Mariona Caldentey behind her. Seamlessly clipping it with her back heal. A true Caitlin Foord special.
However, some of the challenges completed by Foord, were late, ill-timed, and some would even deem reckless. At 62 minutes, Foord pulled Lyon defender Kadidiatou Diani off the ball by her right shoulder. The Australian was lucky not to be booked for a second time, with the first disciplinary being handed out in the form of a yellow card just three minutes in.
Heading into the second leg of the semi-final, Foord’s creativity in challenges and exploitation of space are vital in the Gunners’ chances of securing the goals required to make it to the final in Lisbon.
Although not gaining any minutes in the N5 on this occasion, Kyra Cooney-Cross is debatably the player Arsenal needed in this game.
Between the 20-minute mark and half-time, Arsenal’s midfield was unable to gain the control necessary to create potentially game-changing chances. It can only be hypothesised what Cooney-Cross’ notorious ability in tight spaces would have been able to achieve for the Gunners in yesterday’s match-up.
Contrasting emotions for Catley and Carpenter
by Alyce Collett
Above: Ellie Carpenter races away to join Melchie Dumornay in celebration yesterday. Photo: OL Feminin
It was not an easy day for Steph Catley, as she certainly had a lot to deal with trying to contain the speed of the Lyon forwards, particularly Kadidiatou Diani and later Melchie Dumornay.
She played the full match, officially playing as a left centre back, but at times playing more like an outside left back as Katie McCabe pushed up and played more like a wing back.
The one thing that really stood out in Catley’s game was her composure in any situation, which showed her experience and how long she has been playing at this level.
It was a type of performance Matildas fans would expect from Catley, and there is nothing to suggest this will change in the second leg. Catley’s main problem for next weekend will be how does she and the rest of the Arsenal defenders tighten up on the Lyon forwards and not give them any width or space to run and create dangerous attacks.
It was a more fun day out for the lively Carpenter, as she was the one Matilda to come away victorious from North London.
She played out at right back as usual, but did at one stage find herself pushing up deep into attack on the right side.
She had a very familiar opponent early, forced to try and contain a very lively Foord in the early exchanges. That was a fascinating battle, but it can be argued that neither party outright won that battle. Both players had their moments.
The jewel in the crown of Carpenter’s performance came fairly early in the first half, as she was the one to provide the assisting through ball to Diani that ultimately saw the Frenchwoman shoot for and record the first goal of the match.
Much like Catley, it was a performance Aussies would expect from Carpenter, and there is nothing to suggest this will change in the second leg. One thing she did not do though, was push up enough to be the crossing threat she so often is at international level, so that might be something extra that observers will see in the second leg.
The view from inside the stadium – Carpenter & Montemurro shine
by Ben Gilby
Above: Arsenal fans showing their support yesterday. Photo: Ben Gilby.
Being based in England, I am lucky to be able to watch many of the Matildas play in the WSL – however, yesterday’s game was an added extra with a rare glimpse of Ellie Carpenter on these shores – and wow, how she shone.
Whilst this game was billed by fans of Aussie women’s football as the battle of four Matildas – there was a fifth Australian who had just as big an influence on this match.
Joe Montemurro is still loved in North London for his work as Arsenal head coach between 2017 and 2021. A WSL title and a Conti Cup win on top of being runners-up in the FA Cup with the Gunners ensured he retained the respect of the massed home fans. It was his tactics and influence on his team that did so much to ensure his side’s win. Something that makes him a favourite among fans to be the next Matildas boss.
Montemurro had his team playing with real nous. There was an intelligent physicality to Lyon which was of a whole different level to what is seen in the WSL. A tug here, a push there, but all done in a way that made it almost impossible for the officials to notice. That isn’t an accident. It broke up the play, leading to countless turnovers of possession to the French side’s advantage.
Lyon’s players utilised their strength and experience of regularly playing at this stage of European football’s biggest club competition to make it count in just about every way.
The specifically targeted runs of Lyon’s danger weapon Diani was absolutely key in everything that Montemurro’s side did. Attacking at pace directly at the home side’s defenders caused danger lights to flash red for the home side at regular intervals, allied with the use of Ellie Carpenter.
Carpenter’s use yesterday was notably different from what we have come to expect from her in a Matildas shirt. The crosses in the box were few and far between from the defender, but that’s largely because of the job Montemurro asked her to do.
The Cowra-born star was overlapping for fun with Diani. If the French attacker’s runs were already causing Arsenal pain, then the double threat posed by the Matilda alongside her was the key to the eventual outcome of this match.
The 16th-minute piece of play between the pair was something on another level entirely. Carpenter’s sublime curled ball into the path of Diani to go on and finish with aplomb was just a piece of footballing magic. An absolute joy to see.
Carpenter’s speed was also killing Arsenal at times – just after the half hour mark, her instant control allowed a searing surge forward with the after burners firing away to get into the box and hit a shot that Manuela Zinsberger held.
Lyon’s attacks were all about pace – and that is something that Arsenal could never match. Too often, their build-ups were slow and ponderous. It allowed Lyon to re-assemble their defence in increasing numbers and keep the home side at arm’s length. This was largely why Caitlin Foord couldn’t quite get the influence on proceedings that she could have had. By the time the ball was played from the midfield to players in her part of the pitch, there was a black shirt or two ready to deal with the danger.
This was a game crying out for the vision, speed, and creativity of Kyra Cooney-Cross. The fact that she never got on the pitch is mystifying.
Arsenal can come back from this – memories of their incredible 5-1 win at Lyon in the past still burn strong – but they need to be more assertive, more brave, and more incisive. This game isn’t over yet.
Above: Arsenal celebrate Mariona Caldentey’s penalty. Photo: Ben Gilby.
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