Above: Bayern Munich v Ajax. Photo: Women’s World Sevens Website.
The inaugural World Sevens competition kicked off this week in Portugal. Impetus’ Catherine MacKenzie and Clare McEwen break down the action from the first day of the tournament.
What is the World 7s competition?
The “World 7s” tournament is a new international seven-a-side women’s football competition. It is being held from May 21 to May 23, 2025, at Estádio António Coimbra da Mota in Estoril, Portugal.
It is normally high scoring, played on a smaller field, with two halves of fifteen minutes and rolling substitutions. The Estoril event marks the beginning of a new international series, with a North American leg planned for later in 2025.
The teams that are involved in Portugal are: Manchester United, Manchester City, Ajax, Benfica, Roma, Paris Saint-Germain, Rosengård, and Bayern Munich. Some teams have taken their full squads, whilst others have left some players at home – particularly those returning from injury (such as Manchester City’s Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood).
All games are broadcast free on DAZN.
Day one – the results
Manchester City 4 – 0 Rosengard
Ajax 2 – 4 Bayern Munich
Roma 2 – 3 Manchester United
PSG 2 – 1 Benfica
Manchester City – Rosengard
Above: Manchester City v Rosengard. Photo: World Sevens Website.
Score: 4-0
Goal scorers:
Manchester City: Fujino 2′, Kerolin 5′, 16, Oyama 25′
Takeaways from the game:
City adapted to the format straight away and stretched the pitch using the lack of offsides to make space. Rosengard failed to adapt and were punished again and again. Kerolin was unplayable with her quick feet and cool finishing. She obviously really enjoys the format. City will be hard to beat if they keep that up. It’d adapt to survive in this fast-paced format.
Bayern: Own goal Van Eijk 6′, Viggosdottir 11′, Hansen 17′, Dallmann 20′
Takeaways from the game:
Ajax were the stronger team in the opening minutes, buoyed by an early goal. Yohannes in midfield looked particularly bright going forward – getting into dangerous spaces and using the smaller pitch to her advantage working in tight spaces. For Ajax, the young American was definitely the most aggressive player.
Ajax had more significant issues defensively. There seemed to be a measure of confusion around the back (perhaps natural due to the unknown format and inexperience on the size of pitch), and individual errors were costly. Once Bayern were level, they dominated most of the possession and capitalised on defensive errors from their opponent. They also made more use of the lack of offside rules.
Roma – Manchester United
Above: Manchester United v Roma. Photo: World Sevens Website.
Score: 2 – 3
Goal scorers:
Manchester United: Bizet 12′, Toone 14′, Clinton 20′
Roma: Giugliano 14′, 18′
Takeaways from the game:
A much more tactical game with more player-to-player marking and less obvious space. Neither team was making much use of stretching the pitch with an offside player like City did in their game. Players were still on the shoulder of the last defender throughout much of the match and will need to adapt as the tournament goes on. Some great technical play, though and Giugliano was terrifying on the break. I think both sides will have learned from that tight opener.
PSG – Benfica
Above: PSG v Benfica. Photo: World Sevens Website.
Score: 2-1
Goal scorers:
PSG: Benera 8′, Dorsin 22′
Benfica: Martins 8′
Takeaways from the game:
The teams will have had the benefit of watching the previous games and this showed in the tactical display. The teams were more evenly matched, both sides had chances and both opted for much more direct play than we saw earlier in the day, when teams like Manchester United tried at times to play out from the back.
Takeaways from the day
The first day of a new competition with a very different setup – a smaller pitch, seven players, rolling substitutions, no offside rule, and so on. Some teams adapted much more quickly than others; teams like Manchester City adapted fairly quickly, whilst teams like Bayern (to an extent) and Manchester United took a bit longer. Tomorrow’s matches will be more interesting as all teams will have a game under their belt in this new format and will play twice – once early afternoon and later in the evening.
Tomorrow’s fixtures include Man City v Ajax, Roma v PSG and Man United v PSG – all live on DAZN.
Above:Bryleeh Henry strides forward against Incheon Red Angels tonight. Photo: Melbourne City.
Melbourne City are through to the final of the AFC Women’s Champions League after a thrilling 1-0 win over Korea Republic’s Incheon Red Angels in tonight’s semi-final.
It was a very even match for much of the match, but a final-second screamer from Shelby McMahon broke the deadlock and sees City move on to face Wuhan Jiangda in Saturday night’s final.
Both sides were finding the space really well early, finding free players and using the wings with relative ease.
However, it was the Red Angels who looked the more likely to score early, with their speedy forwards such as Yuka Toriumi and Kim So-eun able to work their way past the City defenders and get themselves in dangerous positions.
When City did find themselves with back-to-back scoring opportunities, one thing they were not afraid to do was shoot from distance, with Bryleeh Henry and Leticia McKenna both not afraid to put their powerful shots to use.
The defenders were the true stars for both teams, though, with the match playing freely and end to end for much of the half, but resolute defending denied even the closest of shooting attempts.
City, in particular, were certainly spending plenty of time in their attacking third, but just could not find players in enough space or set players up with strong enough passes.
As the half progressed and half time came closer, neither side really looked like they were going to open the scoring.
The Red Angels started the second half more on the front foot than City were, but just could not keep their shots on goal down enough for them to go into the back of the net.
Up the other end, City were trying to free up Holly McNamara and really get her more into the game, but attacking play after attacking play, she was continuously outnumbered by the Red Angels’ defenders.
As the second half progressed, the ball continued to freely flow from one end to the other, but neither side had a realistic chance to open the scoring.
There was a nervy energy at times during the final 10 minutes of the match, and there was this sense that one tiny mistake was all that it was going to take to open up the game and get the scoring started.
The Red Angels went close on a number of occasions, but could not quite find the back of the net.
Just as it was looking like the game was destined for extra time, McMahon backed herself and scored a long bomb with mere seconds left in stoppage time to break the hearts of City’s highly fancied opponents and keep City’s Champions League hopes alive.
They now advance to Sunday’s final to face the Chinese side Wuhan Jiangda, who defeated Hồ Chí Minh City 2-0 in the other semi-final. The Final will be played at Wuhan’s 54,000 capacity Sports Centre stadium.
Above: The Barcelona Femini play at Camp Nou in 1979. Photo: FC Barcelona.
The stage is set for two trailblazers of the women’s game to meet in Lisbon this week, as FC Barcelona and Arsenal face off in the 2024/25 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final.
In the third feature of our countdown to the final, Impetus Football’sElla McShane takes a look at the unsung heroes behind two of the biggest clubs in the women’s game.
The 1987 Arsenal Ladies
In 1987, Aylesbury women’s manager Bob Sayell stepped down to begin a well-earned retirement in Menorca. At the time, Arsenal were looking to replicate fellow London side Millwall Lionesses, by having an affiliated first women’s team. Starry-eyed Arsenal community manager Vic Akers assumed control of the manger-less Aylesbury and ‘Arsenal Ladies’ was born.
The 1980s were a decade characterised by the advanced liberation of women and development of their legal rights. Whilst the sex discrimination act of 1975 made football more accessible to women, deep rooted social prejudice continued to hinder women’s involvement in the sport – from grassroots to the professional level.
As for the Arsenal squad itself, a large majority of the trailblazers involved are unprofiled. With comprehensive and reliable documentation of the women’s game in England only available from the early 2000s onwards.
Thanks to the release of the film Copa 71, Gill Sayell—Player of the Season in 1987—has emerged as one of the most prominent figures from that squad. A talented winger, at the age of fourteen Sayell was part of Harry Batt’s trailblazing British Independents who competed in the unofficial 1971 Women’s World Cup in Mexico. She remains one of the true unsung pioneers of the women’s game.
Above: two members of Arsenal’s 1987 squad. Photo: Arsenal Women on X.
FC Barcelona Femení – Trailblazers under a regime
The genesis of what we now know as Barcelona Femení came almost three decades prior to the Arsenal Ladies.
Despite an official ban on women’s football, the game gained a niche popularity in Spain and Catalonia – particularly in Barcelona – in the 1960s. FC Barcelona fostered this aspect of the community by hosting exhibition games at Camp Nou, however not with continuity in mind.
In 1970, 18-year-old Immaculada Cabeceràn met with FC Barcelona president Agustí Montal to voice her own and women’s football’s potential. The president gave what was then perceived as a generous gesture: FC Barcelona’s backing if Cabeceràn could find enough players.
A call to action was posted in the local newspaper, and Cabeceràn formed the inaugural FC Barcelona Femení side (then known as ‘Seleccio Ciutat de Barcelona’ ‘City of Barcelona Selection’ in English.
The inaugural squad played their first match at Camp Nou on Christmas day 1970, drawing a crowd of 60,000 spectators. Pioneers of the women’s game were making their debuts; Captain Lolita Ortiz and goalkeeper-turned-coach Núria Llansà, and ex-player / manager Antoni Ramallets.
Above: Nuria Llansa. Photo: FC Barcelona.
Although received perceptively well by the Barcelona public, it is important to note that the squad lived under the Francoist dictatorship, a political regime that saw women in Spain lose many of their rights. The focus on women’s rights saw the Seleccio Ciutat de Barcelona actively endure sexist abuse both on and off the pitch.
Despite the barriers they faced, the group continued to play matches that generated large crowds and interest. In 2002 this paid off as FC Barcelona Femení became an official part of FC Barcelona – bringing additional funding and resources to the team.
Both FC Barcelona and Arsenal’s early investment has given them the head start needed to claim the term ‘powerhouse’, but who will come out on top this weekend?
If you missed the previous articles in our countdown to the UWCL final, you can find them below:
The Champions league final between Arsenal and Barcelona will be played in Lisbon, Portugal on Saturday May 24th at 17:00 UK time. It will be broadcast on TNT Sports in the UK and on DAZN elsewhere.
Above: Arsenal’s Champions-League winning squad in 2007. Photo: Arsenal FC.
In the second piece of our week’s countdown to the UWCL final, Impetus Football’s Clare McEwen revisits Arsenal’s history as a trophy-winning machine.
In England during the 1980s and into the 1990s, Doncaster Belles was the team name that even casual followers of the game had heard. Appearing in many FA Cup finals — at the time, the only women’s game shown on TV — they were probably the only team most people could name. They were a successful team, a fairly dominant team. And their dominance was about to be challenged.
In 1987, Vic Akers began his mission to build a successful women’s football team: Arsenal Ladies was born. Akers didn’t want to just put together a team though, he wanted to change how women’s football was built. In a time when it was a completely amateur sport, Akers employed a level of professionalism at Arsenal that other WSL clubs are only reaching now. It was this professional approach that made Arsenal so successful then, and is why they still lead the way now.
Above: Vic Akers with the UEFA Women’s Cup (now known as the Champions League) trophy. Photo: David Price/Arsenal FC.
Aker’s professionalism covered all aspects of the game: his tactics, his scouting and recruitment practices, his training drills, and the way he approached the financial management, even with very limited resources. He often found jobs for the players at the club so they didn’t have to travel for training and could support themselves without leaving the Arsenal environment. He committed himself to his players, both their wellbeing and their football careers, and in return he got a level of professionalism from them that was unrivalled at the time. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Vic Akers revolutionised women’s football in England and set the standard.
He and his players soon began to reap what they’d sown as trophies began to fill the Arsenal cabinet. It should be noted that even at this early stage in the women’s team’s history, they were very much part of the Arsenal family. Unlike other clubs, Arsenal were proud of their women’s team and supported them from the start. The support they received from the men’s team was instrumental in their rise to glory and what helps keep them there today, ahead of the rest in terms of equality.
In 1992, Arsenal Ladies won their first trophy, the Premier League Cup. In the 1992-93 season, they won their first FA Cup beating Doncaster Belles 3-0 at Oxford United’s Manor Ground. During that season they recorded an historic treble, also beating Doncaster Belles to the league title by a single point, before beating Knowsley United (later Liverpool) in the League Cup Final. That League Cup Final also made history as the first women’s cup final to be played at Wembley, when it was the support act for the men’s Third Division play-off final played straight after it.
Above: Arsenal striker Jo Churchman with the 1992 FA WNL trophy. Photo: The FA.
Akers had two spells in charge of Arsenal Women (he left to be Arsenal men’s kit man in between). His first was between 1987 and 1997 and then he was back between 1998 and 2009. During his 22-years in charge, the team won 33 major trophies. In total, he helped them win three trebles, 10 FA Cups, 10 Premier League Cups, and 12 Premier League titles. He also oversaw their historic quadruple winning season when they picked up all possible domestic trophies as well as their first Champions League title (although the tournament was called the UEFA Women’s Cup at the time).
The European competition was only in its sixth season when the Gunners lifted the trophy. During that competition, 43 teams took part. Arsenal were drawn in group B4 alongside Danish side Brøndby, Russian team Rossiyanka, and the Hungarian Femina. They won all three games and comfortably qualified for the quarter-finals. The Gunners drew Icelandic team Breiöablik in the two-legged quarter-final, beating them 5-0 and 4-1. In the semi-final they again faced Brøndby, this time beating them 5-2 on aggregate to progress to the final.
Umeå, the strong Swedish side were their opponents in the final. The team included a young Marta who finished the tournament as second top-scorer (six goals) behind another Umeå player, Hanna Ljungberg (seven). Arsenal had Kelly Smith (third highest with five goals), but it was a tall order to beat the Swedish team.
The final was played over two legs. Despite all the goalscorers in the teams, it was the defence who were the sharpest as it ended as a 1-0 aggregate win for Arsenal. Fittingly it was a defender who scored the winner when Alex Scott found the back of the net during time added on. Arsenal took the 1-0 lead from the away leg and saw out a scoreless draw at home to lift the European trophy. So far, they are the only English team to have done so.
Above: Arsenal with their quadruple of trophies. Photo: @Arsenal on X.
If you need proof of Vic Akers’ prowess when it came to scouting, that Arsenal squad included Faye White, Anita Asante, Mary Phillip, Gilly Flaherty, Katie Chapman, Lianne Sanders, Rachel Yankey, Julie Fleeting, and Karen Carney, as well as Kelly Smith and Alex Scott. It also included Renée Slegers.
That campaign fell within a period of complete dominance by this Arsenal side, the women’s Invincibles. Between 2004 and 2012, The Gunners won nine league titles in a row. During that period, they lost only five games; between 2003 and 2009, they didn’t lose a single league game: 108 games without defeat. A record that is unlikely to ever be broken. They also recorded 51 league wins in a row during this spell.
Since Akers moved on in 2009, the team have had a range of coaches, but the very fabric of Arsenal Women and Vic Akers’ influence remain strong. With increased competition from other teams the trophy cabinet expansions have slowed, but trophies rarely stop flowing in. During their history, Arsenal Women have also made eight prior Champions League quarter-final appearances and six prior semi-final appearances.
Now, already with 52 major trophies to their name, Renée Slegers will hope to add the biggest to their bulging trophy cabinet once more.
If you missed the first article in our countdown to the UWCL final, you can find it here.
The Champions league final between Arsenal and Barcelona will be played in Lisbon, Portugal on Saturday May 24th at 17:00 UK time. It will be broadcast on TNT Sports in the UK and on DAZN elsewhere.
MadisonHadley is the 2024-25 FA Cup Golden Ball winner, scoring 11 goals in four games. Before being presented with the trophy at Wembley, she spoke to Impetus’ Catherine MacKenzie and other journalists.
Hadley is at Wembley Stadium in London ahead of the Women’s FA Cup final between Manchester United and Chelsea. The twenty-four-year-old Preston North End player will be presented the 2025 golden ball – the trophy handed to the tournament’s top goal scorer – by legendary ex-England boss and two-time FA Cup winner Hope Powell.
The award is sponsored by Mitre, who are the original sponsor of the competition on its formation in 1971, presenting an opportunity to shine a light on those teams and players who make up the early rounds of the competition. It is rare that a club from below England’s top two tiers will make it to the later stages of the competiton, meaning lower-league teams get significantly less media coverage and attract smaller fanbases.
Including the qualifying and early rounds of the competition in the Golden Ball race means those players and clubs can get the attention they deserve.
Hadley made the trip to Wembley from Lancashire, where she works full time as an activities co-ordinator for a care home. She plays her football for Preston North End in England’s sixth tier. A world away from the United and Chelsea teams who will face off in London, Preston’s women play their games at Inglewhite Road, the home of Longridge Town FC men, who play in the ninth tier of English men’s football.
Above: Inglewhite Road stadium. Photo: @LongridgeTownFC on X.
Walking onto the pitch at the 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium will be a different experience. Speaking to Hadley, it is clear that being at Wembley – the heart of English football – to be presented with a trophy, is a moment that she will cherish:
“It’s crazy being here today. It’s really kind of like, I can feel it now. I have my suit on. It’s crazy because I’ve never dreamt of this.”
The striker, like many in the world of women’s football, grew up playing football with the boys at school. The boys all played for school teams, but Hadley continued playing with them when she could:
“I was about seven, I grew up playing with the boys at school. They all played for teams, and I thought I’d join in with them, that’s how it started.”
Hadley is from Lancashire, a region of England’s north that has been vital in the development of English women’s football. Its significance comes from strong local football traditions and the local teams that have helped shape the sport.
For example, the Dick, Kerr Ladies were founded in Hadley’s hometown of Preston; pioneers of women’s football, they played their first match on Christmas Day, 1917 in front of 10,000 spectators; eventually drawing crowds of over 50,000.
Founded during the first world war by women working at the Dick, Kerr & Co. munitions factory in Preston, the women were producing ammunition for the war and playing football during break times. In 1920, they became the first women’s team to play an international match, facing a French team in a series of games in both France and England.
They continued to play in the face of the FA’s 1921 ban on women’s football – using non-FA pitches and unofficial methods. Asked about playing football in an area of such historic significance, Hadley was positive:
“It’s getting better and better, with women’s football growing and growing. You can see it in our league and in our team as far as well like with the funds, we’re getting the young girls that are coming as far as to be like this. So it’s nice.”
Before ending our conversation – Hadley wanted to catch up with her mother and make sure she had a good seat – I asked about her favourite current players:
“I love Lauren James. I think she’s just such a good player, like it just looks easy when she plays. The likes of Ella Toone, so we’ve got Arsenal like Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly, all those sorts of players.”
Even if the team from nearby Manchester did not take the trophy back up north, the Golden Ball did make its way to the region – a trophy the players Hadley mentioned above would love to get their own hands on someday.
Above: Arsenal take on Lyon in their home leg on the UWCL final. Photo: @cozphotos.
By Christine Oughton (19/0525)
In the first of a week’s coverage of articles from eleven Impetus Football writers in the build up to this year’s UWCL final, Christine Oughton reviews the financial specifics of the competition.
The UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) final between Arsenal and Barcelona in Lisbon on 24 May 2025 will not only determine which team are crowned champions of Europe, but also the financial spoils. Running in parallel with the allocation of sporting honours in the UWCL, UEFA’s financial allocation model determines how much participating and non-participating clubs receive. This financial allocation will shape the ability of clubs to compete in the forthcoming 2025-26 season.
The winners of the final will walk away with €350,000 and the runners-up €250,000, plus well over a further €1 million each from the fixed payments, group stage and knockout stages. To put that in context, the prize money from the final alone would likely cover a good part of the transfer fee of Jill Roord, Gabi Nunes, Kiera Walsh, Laia Aleixandri, Mariona Caldenty or Emily Fox. In addition, the finalists have gate money from some well attended pre-final matches with crowds of over 30,000 and 40,000. All told, sporting success in the UWCL brings in income that contributes to further success for the top clubs.
In an attempt to promote solidarity and to prevent the UWCL undermining the competitive balance of national leagues, UEFA’s financial model requires “solidarity” payments to be made to non-participating clubs. The question is, are these solidarity payments enough?
Of the total €24 million UWCL revenue to be distributed in the 2024-25 season, €5.6 million has been earmarked for non-participating clubs. This money is distributed to the 50 national associations that have at least one participating club in the competition. Solidarity payments to national leagues are intended to be divided equally across clubs in the top league, and are earmarked for the development of the game. National associations may also choose to distribute the money more widely to lower leagues.
Above: Cata Coll (left) makes a save in the second-leg of the UWCL semi-final, where Chelsea were defeated 4-1 at Stamford Bridge. Photo: @cozphotos.
With 50 participating national leagues and, say, 10 non-participating clubs in a league (the number of clubs varies across national leagues), non-participating clubs will receive around €11,200 each on average if the payments are confined to the top tier. In practice it’s a bit more complicated, as solidarity payments are meritocratically linked to the performance of a league’s participating clubs. Still, on average, non-participating clubs will receive less than 1% of the revenue going to the finalists, which is barely enough to hire one trainer one to two days per week. Progressive distribution to the second tier or beyond will spread the money more thinly with more clubs benefiting, but by a smaller amount – less for training and development in the top league, but more for the second league, though the amounts are low for both leagues.
Women’s football has grown substantially in the last few years. It is an undoubted success story: gates, viewing figures, commercial income and interest are all on the rise and most expect this to continue, but there are signs that the elite UWCL clubs are pulling away from the rest of the clubs in their leagues. The Union of European Clubs has called for greater solidarity payments. There is a need to enhance competitive balance within and across leagues to maximise interest in the game. Closely fought relegation battles and league title races maintain interest in matches throughout the season and generate more revenue. Maintaining and enhancing competitive balance will require more redistribution as the game develops. This can be done against growing revenue streams so all benefit.
Due to the ban from 1921-1971 women’s football was not able to develop, as the men’s game did, in an era of equal division of TV income within and across leagues and gate sharing that helped lower-placed clubs and lower leagues. Those redistribution mechanisms enabled the men’s game to expand across the pyramid. National and regional associations, like The FA and UEFA, are the guardians of the pyramid and they can and should do more to promote the development of the women’s game within and across leagues right down to the grassroots. The prospect of rising revenues offers a golden opportunity for all to benefit. More redistribution earmarked for development, promotes competitive balance, generates fan interest and brings more revenue. It’s a win-win.
Above: The attendance at the Emirates for the semi-final first-leg, where Arsenal saw defeat to Lyon. Photo: @cozphotos on Instagram.
UWCL revenues are set to grow by 57% in 2025-26 from €24 million to €37.7 million but solidarity payments will only increase from €5.6 million to €6.2 million representing a fall in percentage terms from 23% to 16%. This effect will be tempered by the fact that the inaugural UEFA Women’s Europa Cup means there will be more participating clubs, but non-participating clubs will see financial gaps widen.
It’s time for UEFA, The FA and national leagues to rethink the distribution rules to further promote the development of women’s football. This can be used alongside other measures e.g. the spreading of best practice via support and improved licensing to help smaller clubs develop their revenue streams,and greater access to larger stadia. Arsenal has led the way in showing how access to a club’s main stadium can significantly enhance revenue and the fan base. Other clubs can and should follow suit, including via developing new stadia as in the case of Brighton Hove Albion. Such measures will help grow revenue and attract more investment in women’s football.
In November, Izzy Gomez received the biggest call of her career, a maiden Matildas selection. But just days before she was due to join the national team, an untimely injury forced her out. That injury happened in a clash with Melbourne Victory, a detail that would later give her a cinema worthy comeback arc.
Fast forward, Gomez made her return to the pitch in February, once again against Melbourne Victory, and now in May she’s helped the Central Coast Mariners to their first-ever A-League Women’s championship, defeating that very same opponent in a dramatic Grand Final.
“I didn’t really think I’d get to this point,” Gomez said post-match. “Being injured so early and to be able to get back on the right track, to score was a great feeling.”
Her return wasn’t just symbolic. Gomez immediately became pivotal to the Mariners’ title push: scoring the winner in the semi-final, putting her side ahead in the Grand Final, and converting from the spot in the shootout to seal the title. Her performance earned her the title of ‘best-on-ground’.
“That penalty was quite shocking,” she admitted. “But it went in, so a goal’s a goal.”
The championship win capped a season that tested and ultimately showcased Gomez’s resilience both physically and mentally.
“This past week has been amazing,” she said. “To be selected in the Matildas as well, it’s such an honour. So yes, I’m super grateful.”
Her coach, Emily Husband, has witnessed Gomez’s journey up close.
“She’s an incredibly special player. She’s still got a lot more to give. I don’t think she’s even quite 100% yet. I look at our season and wonder what we could have achieved if we’d had her all season.”
“She’s not only just an incredible player with great athletic ability and great technical ability, great decision making, she’s a phenomenal person as well. She’s been an absolute dream to coach. I couldn’t ask for a better player.”
Her progression this season hasn’t gone unnoticed among teammates.
“She’s someone that has definitely flourished this season,” said midfielder Bianca Galic. “She’s battled injuries, she’s come back, she’s made her mark on the league and I think everyone at the club backs her to go on and do great things.”
Jessika Nash added: “She’s such an incredible human off the field. I’ve never really seen anyone like her, to be fair. The way she gets on the ball, you know she’s going to create something. I think for me it’s something special, when a coach tells me to just give someone the ball, I don’t think Em [Husband] says that much.”
Even opposition players took a moment to acknowledge how big the moment was.
“It was kind of special,” said Melbourne Victory’s Emily Gielnik. “I saw Izzy Gomez crying and I gave her a hug and I said, ‘Enjoy that first cap when you wear that green and gold jersey. You deserve it. Embrace it and enjoy every minute because you’ve had a hell of a season.’”
For Gomez, much of her success comes down to the environment she’s found herself in.
“This past season has just been amazing,” she said. “I really felt confident in this type of culture and that’s thanks to Em [Husband] and how she’s brought this team together.”
And while her future remains open, whether another season in the yellow and navy awaits, or a move overseas, she’s taking her time.
“There’s a lot of options,” Gomez said. “Still unsure of where I’m headed.”
From missing a national team debut to lifting a championship trophy just months later, Izzy Gomez has not just returned, she’s made her mark.
Above: Chelsea players celebrate. Photo: Mia Betts for Impetus.
It was yet another battle of Manchester v London on Sunday afternoon as Manchester United faced Chelsea in the final of the women’s FA Cup. The dominant blues came out 3-0 winners, allowing them to celebrate a domestic treble.
On Sunday afternoon, it was red against blue as Manchester United and Chelsea faced off in the final of the women’s FA Cup in London. Chelsea made the short trip off the back of a historic moment, being the first team to go undefeated in a 22-game WSL season. The only blemish for Chelsea this season is their campaign in the Champions League; beaten by European giants Barcelona 8-2 on aggregate, they exited in the semi-finals.
United had a much longer trip to the capital – leaving Manchester with a positive third-place league finish and a third consecutive FA Cup final in hand.
Above: Manchester United traveling fans. Photo: Mia Betts for Impetus.
United were defeated by Arsenal last time out 4-3; an uncharacteristically sloppy defensive showing not helped by injury to Jade Rivere, who has been a revelation this season. The reds trialled a formation change of three-at-the-back, which left wide spaces open for Arsenal to exploit.
Chelsea ended the season with a narrow 1-0 win over Liverpool, getting the win via a last-minute goal from Aggie Beever-Jones. It was hardly a classic game but it saw them claim an unbeaten season ahead of Sunday’s final.
Team news
United fielded a similar team to the one that started against Arsenal – Gabby George came in for Anna Sandberg, and most controversially, electric midfielder Ella Toone was left on the bench. Toone is known as a ‘big game player’ – scoring first in last year’s FA Cup final, as well as in the final of England’s title-winning European Championship in 2022.
The Red Devils did not continue with the back three they had trialled against Arsenal; instead, Gabby George came into the back line, with Dominique Janssen moving into central midfield.
Following the match, United boss Marc Skinner was taken to task on his decision to leave Toone on the bench. He spoke of matching Chelsea’s physicality – especially in the early stages – suggesting that Toone would be used as a game-changer later. He explained:
“She’s a great player, but they try to physically dominate you and I felt that we wouldn’t have a foothold in the game without physically matching them.
“It was about the right opportunity to change the game.”
Chelsea made a couple of major changes to their midfield: German International Sjoke Nusken and Netherlands youngster Wieke Kaptein dropped to the bench in favour of more physicality. Beever-Jones moved back to the wing, as Mayra Ramirez was preferred up front.
The action – the importance of physicality and concentration
United had the better of Chelsea during the opening ten minutes, forcing them into a couple of early corners and successfully pinning them into their own half. From around the twentieth minute onwards, however, United struggled. Before the game, both head coaches had talked about the importance of physicality.
Recognising physicality as a strength of United’s, Chelsea exploited this by forcing the Manchester team into duels – effectively playing them at their own game. This paid off in the final minutes of the first half as Chelsea were awarded a penalty due to a high footed challenge from Bizet on Cuthbert, and Sandy Baltimore sent Phallon Tullis-Joyce the wrong way to get the opener.
This ability to adapt and neutralise an opponent’s strengths has been a key feature of the Bompastor era so far, adjusting to not only a different formation but also being forced to play in a way that the team have not always been comfortable with.
Above: Niamh Charles and Celin Bizet face off. Photo: Mia Betts for Impetus.
At the break, United boss Marc Skinner was forced into an early change by an injury to centre-back Millie Turner, who took a knock mid-way through the first half. Her replacement led to a change in shape for the reds; Janssen dropped back into defence, with Grace Clinton in the engine room and Ella Toone bolstering the attacking midfield.
Although the introduction of Toone did spark some more creativity for United going forward, Chelsea had the better chances. Tullis-Joyce was forced into a couple of saves, and for a long time, it looked like Chelsea would escape with yet another 1-0 win. However, late into the second half, the deadlock was broken as Sandy Baltimore superbly set up Catarina Macario for Chelsea’s second.
At this stage, United fell apart. They seemed to lose every challenge and made risky decisions – passing back to Tullis-Joyce under pressure, passing the ball straight to Chelsea. Following the loss against Arsenal, the discussion amongst fans was about mentality – and why the team seemed to fall apart momentarily after conceding.
If Chelsea’s second goal had come earlier in the second half, it might have been more positive for United – as they would have had longer to get this lapse of concentration out of their system and time to get back into the game.
As it happened, there were barely ten minutes left on the clock, and Chelsea did not ease their press. Baltimore got her second of the afternoon a minute into stoppage time, taking advantage of a United that were at sixes and sevens. The final whistle blew, and Chelsea took the stage as winners of this year’s FA Cup.
Player of the match – Sandy Baltimore
For Chelsea, choosing a player of the match is difficult because not one of the players on the pitch had a bad game. One could argue that Keira Walsh was quiet – under the watchful eye of England manager Sarina Wiegman, Walsh seemed to find herself in the right spaces but looked a bit lost on what to do next. But this would be ignoring her characteristic slinky passes; her connections with her teammates will likely improve with time.
The standout Chelsea player was Sandy Baltimore, who has arguably been one of Chelsea’s players of the season. Arriving last summer from PSG, the 25-year-old Frenchwoman has seven goal involvements in 15 WSL matches this season, alongside three goal involvements in eight Champions League matches.
She was an integral part of all three of Chelsea’s goals on the day, and caused United’s back line a struggle every time she was on the ball.
The bigger picture: contrasting ownerships
Chelsea’s new investor Alexis Ohanian was in the stands alongside wife Serena Williams, and ahead of the game the duo spoke to the BBC about their plans for the club:
“The sky is the limit. You heard our president say this club is unapologetically ambitious – I want to get that tattooed on me.“
“That is what we’re trying to build here – the best team in the world and at the forefront of women’s sport.“
“This will be a billion-dollar franchise one day. I hope my dollars, my pounds, can go towards that and especially back home in America. This is going to be America’s team.”
That Ohanian and Williams were in attendance at Wembley highlighted the contrast to United’s ownership – Sir Jim Ratcliffe made headlines in 2024 for choosing to attend a men’s premier league match in Manchester over the women’s FA Cup final – and failed to make an appearance for the second year in a row.
United’s hierarchy were instead represented by Chief Executive Omar Berrada among others, but the absence of the majority shareholder was striking, particularly since he was in London for United men’s game against Chelsea the previous day.
Post-match, United boss Skinner was asked extensively about this – and what it means for both him and his players:
“I don’t know why Jim wasn’t here so I can’t give you that answer. We were really well represented. Omar [Berrada] was there, then Glazer family and Jason [Wilcox] was as well. Those are the people that I deal with every day.”
Continuing, Skinner used the opportunity to argue that investment in the women’s team would speak louder than visibility at games:
“I’ve just lost a final but our club were well represented and I deal with them every day. They need to see that to look at what we need to do bridge that growing gap in finance.”
Sonia Bompastor was conversely asked about the impact that having Chelsea’s new investor in attendance had on her team:
“For sure it’s a big lift. I think that’s the most important – for people to show that support coming into games. It’s really enjoyable for us to see like all the people coming from the ownership here today. But even more important to feel they were behind the team supporting the team. We had a lot of support coming from them before the game during the week and also on game day.”
“This is my cape of secrets”: Post-match quotes
It can never be easy for a manager to face questions from the media after such a loss. Skinner was asked extensively about team selection, tactics, and the absence of majority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
On the game, Skinner said: “I thought we started well. I felt we matched them physically. We just needed to be a little bit braver and jump.”
He added that it was a “big game, won on set pieces…it was concentration and individual errors – we’ve got work to do. We’ve just got to in the moment, take responsibility. In big moments, we need to make better decisions.”
He was also asked about plans for the summer transfer window. Although typically coy, Skinner did admit that although he “loves my team”, he feels United need more “variance in the forward line.”
A slightly more jubilant Sonia Bompastor entered her post-match press conference wearing a Chelsea flag as a cape. The Chelsea boss joked with the press – “this is my cape of secrets” – as she faced questions about Chelsea’s season.
Above: Sonia Bompastor with her “cape of secrets”. Photo: Catherine MacKenzie for Impetus.
Suggesting she was not fully satisfied, the Chelsea boss commented: “Some of the people there on the pitch were already mentioning ‘we are missing the Champions League’, so that’s who we are, that’s our goal.”
Chelsea forward and scorer of the Blues’ second goal Catarina Macario spoke to BBC Sport: “It’s a very emotional day. It’s a trophy we always wanted to win. We wanted to win a treble. It’s been a hard season for me personally, so it’s a special day to be at Wembley and to win means a lot.”
Speaking about her goal, she said: “I think it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to play at Wembley and to score in a final, in such an important game, it brings a lot of emotion. It was the cherry on the cake for the end of the season.”
Finally, she was asked about winning the treble: “Playing for Chelsea, we want to win everything, every title. It is a lot of pressure any time that you play in a massive game like this but we have this winning mentality. We’ve been here before and we know what we have to do to win and that’s what we did today.”
For Chelsea, it is the end of the season; however United will be whisked off to Portugal in a few days, taking part in the inaugural World 7s competition.
by Isabelle Campbell at AAMI Park for Impetus (18/05/25)
Above: The Mariners following the winning penalty kick. Photo: Tilly McDonald for Impetus
From scratch to silverware, Emily Husband has guided the Central Coast Mariners to a historic championship, just two years after the club’s women’s program was reintroduced. The Mariners’ grand final victory marks not only a huge milestone for the team but a personal and professional triumph for the coach who built the project from the ground up.
“I was definitely overcome with emotion. I’m not a crier, but I cried like a little baby,” Husband said in a post-match press conference.
“I think it’s just emotion. I guess it’s meant so much to this entire group, to the staff, to the club. And so to see the girls get it over the line, it’s just an incredible achievement.”
Reflecting on what made the moment so meaningful, she added, “Nothing beats the feeling of watching other people around you being the happiest that they ever have been. Watching everybody who you care so deeply about, seeing how happy they are, it fills you with more joy than anything else.”
Husband praised her side’s composure and adaptability in a grueling, high-stakes final.
“I think we had the better of them in the first half and I think the momentum then swung their way,” she said.
“We had to change a couple of things, we’ve come off the back of not even a week ago playing 120 minutes, so there’s obviously tired legs out there.”
What makes the Mariners’ championship all the more extraordinary is the timeline: two years ago, there was no senior women’s team.
“Speechless, to be honest with you,” Husband said. “Coming into this job two years ago, I really wasn’t too sure. You know, I’d either sink or swim. I took the help when I needed it and lent on really, really valuable people, my staff especially.”
It was just last year, their first back in the league, that Husband’s team made it to the semi finals before being knocked out by Sydney FC, who would go on to lift the trophy.
“It was never that we settled for what we did last year. It was always that we wanted to be better. And yes, we did that. And it’s the players, it really is. They’ve just been an incredible group.”
Their path to the championship was anything but easy, knocking out league-leaders and unbeaten Melbourne City before going head-to-head with a near perfect Victory side.
“Momentum’s a funny thing. Everyone talked about how well Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City had come into the final series. And it’s great to have momentum in the league, but unfortunately, the final series is a completely different kettle of fish.”
“I truly believe that our girls had more heart and more desire and more, I guess, collective energy between them. They could overcome anyone when they really wanted to. There were quite a few times this season where we went down and there was never ever any lack of belief in the changing room.”
When asked if she thinks the group will stay together, she responded confidently: “I think they’ll bring themselves together. I really do. I think, how close they are as a group and how much they back each other, that’s enough of a selling point than anything else.”
After a season that saw the Mariners rise from a team few expected to dominate to national champions, one thing is clear: Emily Husband hasn’t just built a team. She’s built a belief system, and it’s winning.
With the title now secured, attention naturally turns to what’s next for this fast-rising club. When asked how she plans to top a championship season, Husband didn’t hesitate.
“Winning the league.”
“Doing the double?” came the next question.
“Yep.”
“And then? The treble the year after?”
“Yep.”
Now go to our Instagram page – @ImpetusFootball for EXCLUSIVE photography from the Grand Final from Impetus’ duo of photographers at the game – Beck Hartley and Tilly McDonald
Above: Cate McAuliffe, scorer of a hat-trick for the Football West Academy in their 8-0 win over Fremantle City’s Women’s Division One side. Photo: U18s NPL.
The action began on Friday night at the Sam Kerr Football Centre, where the Football West Academy defeated Fremantle City WD1 8-0. Cate McAuliffe continued her hot form of goalscoring by grabbing a hat-trick, Emily Garnett added a brace, and there were further strikes from Sam Brady, Sakura Leong, and Xuri Dalton.
In the Saturday action, Perth SC beat Perth AFC 4-0 thanks to goals from Jess Flannery, Matilda Boehm, Ruby Marshall, and Grace Warburton.
Mandurah City went down 7-0 at home to Perth RedStar with Jayna Ridley hitting a hat-trick, Kaitlyn Bellanca, Lauren Continibali, Renee Leota, and Caitlin Doeglas on target. RedStar gave a debut to goalkeeper Jess Skinner, who joined after completing the A-League Women season with Perth Glory.
On Sunday, Murdoch University Melville defeated Subiaco WD1 2-1 at Rosalie Park. Two goals from Gabby Saraceni put the visitors into the Quarter-Finals. Subi hit back with a late penalty from Aimee Coghlan, but were unable to force an equaliser.
Fremantle City came away from the UWA Sports Park with a 13-0 win over UWA-Nedlands WD1. Erin Siah hit four goals, and there were braces from Catherine Adams, Janice Kiama, and Sophie Meaden. Goals from Abbey Green, Leyna Wood, and Olivia Trueman completed the scoring.
Subiaco defeated UWA-Nedlands 9-0 in an all-NPLW WA clash at Rosalie Park. So-Yi Kim grabbed a hat-trick with Cass Harvey, Greta Bailey, and Stella Zampogna all scoring twice.
Balcatta Etna clinched their place in the Quarter-Finals thanks to a 5-0 win over Sorrento. Abbey Meakins, Mia Britton, Jamie-Lee Gale, Lucy Jerram, and Zoee Spadano were on target.
Hamersley Rovers were awarded the tie against Queens Park.
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