A dominant display from Arsenal turns North London red

By Rachel Gore at The Emirates Stadium for Impetus (17/2/25)

Above: Leah Williamson and Chloe Kelly celebrate after victory in the North London Derby Photo: Arsenal FC

With over 56,000 fans in the stand, Arsenal shut down Spurs in a dominant display, winning 5-0

How Spurs were silenced by Arsenal

After they had spent the first few minutes holding the ball in the centre of the pitch, Arsenal broke into their attacking half just before the five-minute mark. This initial press set the tone for the remainder of the match, in which Arsenal would dominate.

The Gunners were closely marked by Spurs, and it was not long before a mistake by Arsenal’s captain, Leah Williamson, saw the ball land at Beth England’s feet. England took this opportunity and made a strong attacking run; she’d been left unmarked by Arsenal with no red kit in sight. Defensive play by Arsenal’s Kyra Cooney-Cross, however, saw Arsenal regain possession. Although, Cooney-Cross’ next move came at a price, her shove onto her Matilda’s teammate, Hayley Raso, saw a free kick be given to Spurs.

At 6 minutes, van Domselaar made her first save from this free kick, leading Arsenal to regain possession and start a series of attempts on goal. Throughout the whole game, the home side made 27 shots, 50% of which were on target, a statistic which their manager, Renée Slegers, described as “big” for her team.

It was at 15 minutes, that one of these attempts made it to the back of the net for the first time. A Cooney-Cross assist led Alessia Russo to head the ball towards the goal. What initially appeared to be, and was announced in the stadium as, a goal from Russo was in fact an own goal from Australian Clare Hunt.

It was after these first 15 minutes that Spurs lost their “decision making”, according to their manager, Robert Vilahamn.

This opening goal lit a fire within Arsenal who immediately went on the attack and continued to dominate for the remainder of the first half. Their efforts were rewarded when Mariona Caldentey took the ball from Hunt and flicked it into the back of the net, doubling Arsenal’s lead at 35 minutes.

Just before the break, it looked like a third goal was coming for Arsenal, this time from Caitlin Foord.

After half time, Foord utilised the momentum from her miss to provide a pass at 51 minutes which led Frida Maanum to collect the ball from Hunt and firmly strike it over Kop’s head.

The derby was proving to go against Hunt’s favour as the Matilda opened the score line with an own goal, gave the ball away to Caldentey and Maanum who both scored and, at 47 minutes was given a yellow card for a tackle on Russo.

With a 3-0 scoreline, a growing collection of yellow cards, and Chloe Kelly warming up on the sidelines, it was looking like Spurs’ struggle was only going to grow.

Foord further extended her impact when she offered a clean assist, following a strong run, to Russo at 58 minutes.

It was just moments after this, that Kelly stepped onto the grass in an Arsenal shirt for the first time in 2815 days, her last appearance having come in 2016.

Making her return to North London, the Lioness made her presence known in under ten minutes when she flicked the ball over the net. Each touch Kelly had on the ball was met by cheers from Gooners in the stands, with a particularly loud applause coming when she took a corner from the left-hand side, and another when she slid the ball to Stina Blackstenius moments before the 90-minute mark.

It was then time for Nighswonger’s Emirates debut, at 86 minutes. The American defender made her skillset known as Spurs went on the attack. Tottenham’s efforts, however, went unrewarded as Arsenal pushed the ball away from the visitors’ attacking half.

To Spurs’ dismay, Emily Fox was soon on the counterattack with a beautiful shot from outside of the box, which hit the back of the net at 90 minutes. This stunning goal came from a Kim Little assist and was described by Vilahamn as a display of “brilliant finishing”.

The whistle blew, leaving Arsenal with 5 goals, a clean sheet, and performance to be proud of. Spurs, on the other hand, took to the tunnel disappointed after a match in which they failed to impress.

Has the quality of Spurs declined since last year?

Vilahamn’s dissatisfaction was evident in the post-match media conference as he said, “when you lose in big numbers, it’s tough”.

He described the first 15 minutes of the match as being “really good” for Spurs and praised their second half substitutions for helping his team to “get back in the game”.

One Tottenham player who did impress was goalkeeper, Kop, who Vilahamn described as a signing that he is “happy with”. He has a “strong belief” that Kop can take the team to a higher place in the WSL table.

Prior to today’s North London Derby, Spurs sat in sixth place in the table. Whilst they’ve maintained this position, the gap between themselves and Brighton, who sit above them, is widening.

Vilahamn acknowledged that Arsenal deserved the three points and recognised that “they are one of the best teams in the world and we [Spurs] are not”.

According to Vilahamn, “most teams” will lose against Arsenal away and it is the 5-0 scoreline that is “not good”. He emphasised the power of playing at home and how today’s game being at the Emirates benefited Arsenal.

As well as this, he also noted that the home side have “experience which Tottenham doesn’t have” and praised the “world leading” way in which they bring crowds into their stadiums.

Last year, the aggregate score for Arsenal and Spurs’ WSL face offs was 1-1. however so far this season, the score sits at 8-0 to Arsenal.

Vilahamn said that questions regarding this apparent decline in Tottenham’s form “should come”. Although, these losses are part of his “journey” and he has “strong belief” in his players.

The factors behind Arsenal’s victory, in Slegers words 

There were changes to Arsenal’s squad, including the addition of Kelly on the bench, and the exclusion of Lotte Wubben-Moy. Slegers said that Wubben-Moy suffered a “muscle problem during the week and she’s going to get a scan”.

Speaking on Kelly’s “comeback in an Arsenal shirt”, Slegers described her message to the forward before she stepped out today at the Emirates. She provided “a couple of technical messages and just check[ed] in”. Beyond today’s fixture, Slegers emphasised how Kelly has been “smiling a lot in training and working very hard”, stating that Kelly is “very happy with where she’s at”.

Another forward that Slegers commented on was Russo. The manager described Russo as “very very sharp” saying that “she’s a fantastic footballer” who is “versatile, can play different roles” and “goes well in and out of possession”.

Slegers spoke on Caldentey with similar enthusiasm, describing her as “amazing”. She went on to say that Caledentey “is everything that football is to me” and that “everything she does makes it easier for the other players”.

When asked about Spurs, Slegers highlighted her respect for Vilahamn and “what he wants to build” saying that she wants “to give him credit on the way he wants to work”. She added that Arsenal “had to nullify” Spurs and predicted that the visitors would “go for fast attacks and counter attacks” after seeing their lineup.

As Vilahamn did, Slegers noted the home advantage that Arsenal experienced. She described the “beautiful pitch” that comes with playing at the Emirates and happily stated that the “big crowd” has “been so inspiring for us”.

The six Matildas on the pitch

Six Matildas hit the grass at the Emirates today, showcasing the talent of the Australian national team.

Despite Hunt not performing to the best of her ability, as discussed above, her fellow Matildas offered high quality performances.

For Spurs, Raso played strongly on the left-hand side of the pitch. She caused issues for Arsenal and found herself amongst the action for the majority of the first half. Grant only entered the pitch for the final 10 minutes when she contributed to one of Spurs’ most promising attacking runs.

All three of Arsenal’s Australian players featured in the starting eleven. Foord and Cooney-Cross contributed to goals, getting assists and making passes to forwards throughout the match.

Defensive moves by Steph Catley also stood out and were recognised by Slegers in the post-match media conference. Slegers said: “It’s about the details, Steph Catley is a great example of that, she’s done so many things today in the game which are so helpful”.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Van Domselaar, Fox, Williamson, Catley, Mariona, McCabe, Maanum, Walti, Foord, Russo, Cooney-Cross Substitutes: Codina, Nighswonger, Little ,Kelly, Blackstenius, Reid, Ilestedt, Zinsberger, Mead

Scorers: Hunt (OG) 15’, Caldentey 35’, Maanum 51’, Russo 58’, Fox 90’

Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Kop, Neville, Bartip, Hunt, Nildén, Csiki, Oroz, Vinberg, Raso, Naz, England Substitutes: Grant, Morris, Spence , Holdt, Thomas, Spencer, Rybrink, Bühler, Ahtinen

Referee: Stacey Fullicks.

Attendance: 56,784

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Missed opportunities result in first ever draw between Brisbane Roar & Western United 

Brisbane Roar 0-0 Western United

By Alice de Koster-Kitto 17/2/25

Above: Kahli Johnson in possession for Western United. Photo: Western United

Brisbane Roar and Western United have played out a historic 0-0 draw, in a gripping match at Perry Park. Following a string of missed opportunities, and dangerously close calls, neither side managed to find the back of the net in this drama-filled match, a result that is the first of its kind within this fixture. 

The match was set to be a contentious one from the start, with both sides being in great attacking form this campaign, the physicality on the pitch made for an exciting, and unpredictable game. 

Western United went into the meeting as the favourites to win, and goals were to be expected from the visitors, although in an unexpected turn, it was Brisbane Roar who held the majority of the chances within the first quarter, although Western did hold the possession. 

Tameka Yallop took the first shot of the evening, with a strike from the centre of the box, which was saved in the bottom right corner. The Brisbane captain continued a streak of chances just minutes later, when a shot assisted by Evdokiya Popadinova was just high of the net. 

The 17th minute saw one of many excellent strikes from Aimee Medwin, as she challenged Roar keeper Olivia Sekany inside the box, coming dangerously close to putting Western United in the lead. The gloves of Sekany proved to be a saving grace for the hosts throughout the remainder of the game, with the momentum of Western’s attack building as they began to assert their expected dominance. 

Medwins strike was shortly followed by a shot from distance by Western United captain Chloe Logarzo,  which ended just wide. 

Though a goal seemed imminent from Western United, it was not enough to break through Roar’s defense in the first half. With three minutes of added time, Brisbane Roar managed to regain some of the energy they displayed at the start, dominating the possession during the final few minutes of play. 

Despite both sides continual efforts, neither was able to find the back of the net, leaving the match scoreless at the break. 

A strong effort from Kahli Johnson, put Western United back in favor at the top of the second half, as they searched for the lead. Johnson’s efforts continued throughout the remainder of the game, as she involved herself in several chances, notably yet another incredibly close shot from Aimee Medwin, which was ultimately palmed away by Sekany. Medwin and Johnson’s pairing continued to put Brisbane in danger, causing panic within the defence, and sustained the impeccable campaign the pair have had thus far. 

As stoppage time approached, Western United changed their tactics, allowing Brisbane Roar space in the midfield, in order to prevent them from getting behind their defence. The tactical shift seemed to be of benefit, as Chloe Logarzo found herself a fantastic opportunity within the empty space, allowing her to strike from just outside the box, however a heavy foot allowed the shot to be pushed wide. 

Frustrations began to rise for both Brisbane and Western, as a stalemate seemed increasingly likely, a result that was not predicted considering the scoring history of these sides. 

Western United’s Adriana Taranto proved to be a danger to Brisbane Roar, and a stand out on the pitch, particularly towards the tail end of the match, with two late attempts which were only kept out of the net by the safe hands of Olivia Sekarny. 

Despite Western United’s dominance throughout the match, Brisbane held their own amid adversity in current weeks, with three of their star players, Sharn Freier, Laini Freier, and Momo Hayashi being out with injuries, as well as a last-minute change to the starting line up, when Chelsea Blissett was ruled out ahead kick-off, and replaced by Leia Varley. 

The drama continued for Roar, as Varley was taken off with injury at the 65th minute, making way for Holly McQueen. The unexpected substitution, meant that shuffling of the formation needle to occur, leaving Brisbane with only 10 players momentarily. 

It seemed that the scoring was opened by Brisbane Roars Danelle Tan, during the final minute of added time. Although the goal was originally accepted, and the match was called a 1-0 win toward Brisbane, shortly after the whistle blew, it was concluded that Tan was offside, and the match ended in a 0-0 draw. 

The match proved to be a historic result for these sides, as it marked Brisbane Roars first draw of the season, and the only draw to occur during this fixture in history. Although it is not the result either side was hoping for, it does not leave either of them in a bad position, as they maintain their top 6 places on the ladder. 

Following an international break, round 18 of the Ninja A-League will see Brisbane Roar take on table leaders Melbourne City at home, as they look to regain the edge they had at the top of the season and prove they can still hold their own over such a dominant side. 

The pressure will be on for Western United, as they take on Perth Glory at Sam Kerr football centre. Although they will go into the meeting the favourites, the same had been said for this evening’s match, and they will need to prove that they can still dominate, as they look to continue their so far, wonderful campaign.  

Teams: BRISBANE ROAR (3-4-2-1): Sekany, de la Harpe, Hoyos, Blissett, Pringle, Hecher, Woods, Kruger, Kuilamu, Yallop, Popadinova. Substitutes: Richards, Varley, McQueen, Tan, Morris.

WESTERN UNITED (4-3-3): Lincoln, Sardo, Mihocic, Maher, Grove, Eggesvik, Dehakiz, Logarzo, Medwin, Johnson, A.Taranto. Substitutes: Dall’oste, De Domizio, Prakash, Hieda, Cerne.

Referee: Georgia Ghirardello.

Attendance: 2,356.

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Victory score twice to beat The Mariners

Melbourne Victory 2-0 Central Coast Mariners

By Alyce Collett 17/2/25

Above: Nikki Flannery and Sarah Rowe fight for possession. Photo: Beck Hartley for Impetus

Melbourne Victory have tightened their grip on second spot on the ladder after a 2-0 win over the Central Coast Mariners. 

The match was won in the first half, where Victory led the possession, looked more threatening in attack, and were rewarded with two first half goals to Emily Gielnik. 

For the most part it was a free flowing beginning to the match, but it was the Mainers who got the first dangerous shot on target, with Jade Pennock and Brooke Nunn looking particularly dangerous.

However it was the Victory who struck on the scoreboard first, after Alana Murphy slotted a through ball perfectly to Gielnik, who guided it past Sarah Langman in the Mariners’ net. 

The early goal seemed to give the Victory a boost of confidence, as their possession dominance rose and their defensive pressure also rose, really trapping the Mariners in their defensive half. Alex Chidiac never stopped running, as she seamlessly swivelled to feed Nikki Flannery out on one side and Gielnik on the other. 

Even when the Mariners did get close to their attacking goal, the Victory defence was so tight and compact that the Mariners really struggled to find a free target. 

This was in stark contrast to the Victory, who were really using the wide areas well and able to find the likes of Gielnik and Flannery regularly. Victory were also able to execute the switch with a lot more ease and a lot less passes than their visitors.

The Mariners had a late corner chance that was headed away by the Victory defence and then Gielnik blew a chance to get herself a second goal by skying a penalty, but Gielnik would not have to wait long to make amends for her error. 

Minutes after Gielnik’s missed penalty, Murphy curled a corner kick into the box and ultimately a Chidiac shot was deflected off Gielnik and into the back of the net to double Victory’s lead in first half extra time. 

Shay Evans went within inches of getting one back for the Mariners with seconds left in the half, but ultimately the Mariners went into half time two goals down and with plenty to think about. 

The half time stats told an interesting tale. 

The Victory had about 7.5% more of the possession than the Mariners did, but were less accurate with their passing. However, they had three of their eight shots go on target, compared to the visitors’ one of seven. 

This translated on field in the regards that Victory were able to find specific targets like Gielnik with relative ease, while the Mariners were aiming more for the goal area than specific players in front of it, which worked right into the hands of the Victory defenders. 

Initially in the second it looked like whatever Emily Husband had said to her troops at half time worked, as the game was really free flowing and defensive efforts from the Mariners really lifted and were more at Victory’s level.

However as the half progressed the Mariners continued to rack up the chances, but just could not get them on target. The Mariners had nine shots in the second half – five more than the Victory did – but the stumbling block for the visitors was that despite having the advantage in shot volume, both sides got two of their second half shots on target, so the volume advantage was neutralise and meant that neither side was able to change the half time ledger. 

One positive thing for the Mariners was the return of Izzy Gomez, who was subbed on at the hour mark for her first minutes since going down injured in round four.  

To view Beck Hartley’s set of exclusive images from the match for Impetus, check out our Instagram page – @ImpetusFootball

Teams: MELBOURNE VICTORY (4-3-3): Newbon, Bunge, Murphy, Chidiac, Flannery, D’Appolonia, Gielnik, Morrison, Lowe, Pickett, Curtis. Substitutes: Candy, Sakalis, O’Grady, Furphy, Jančevski.

Scorer: Gielnik 10’, 45+1’

CENTRAL COAST MARINERS (4-2-2-2): Langman, Seaman, Nash, Martin, Pennock, Ray, Rasmussen, Rowe, Quilligan, Nunn, Evans. Substitutions: Carmichael, Gomez, Fuller, Kraszula, Trimis.

Referee: Caitlin Williams

Attendance: 887.

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Perth take the Distance Derby Glory

Perth Glory 2-1 Wellington Phoenix

Report by Ben Gilby – EXCLUSIVE photography from Rob Lizzi at the Sam Kerr Football Centre (16/2/25).

Above: Perth Glory co-captain Onyi Zogg involved in a close-range battle with Wellington Phoenix goalkeeper Carolina Vilão. Photo: Rob Lizzi for Impetus.

Perth Glory gained an excellent three points against Finals hopefuls Wellington Phoenix in the battle between the two most geographically separated teams in any of the globe’s domestic leagues.

With the New Zealand side positioned in the log jam of teams looking to make the top six and Glory only two points above bottom spot going into the encounter, there was clearly a lot to play for.

Perth went into the game with another addition to their injury list, with goalkeeper Casey Dumont ruled out with an Achilles injury, leading to Miranda Templeman starting and her fellow Western Australian, 17-year-old Jess Skinner, an NTC graduate, coming in as substitute goalkeeper. Also ruled out was Izzy Foletta. Phoenix were without their in-form 21-year-old attacker Alyssa Whinham.

There was some positive news though for the home side, with the eagerly awaited return to the starting line-up of long-term injury victims Kelli Brown and Sarah O’Donoghue.

Above: Perth Glory’s hugely influential Sarah O’Donoghue strides forward today against Wellington Phoenix. Photo: Rob Lizzi for Impetus.

The clash was open and full of opportunities from the start. The home side created their first chance with seven minutes on the clock. Templeman’s long clearance took a deflection off a Phoenix midfielder and broke for Caitlin Doeglas to run through unmarked in to lift the ball only just over the top.

O’Donoghue’s absence through injury had a huge impact on the Glory squad as the youngster had been a key part of the team’s creativity and attack. It didn’t take her long to prove her worth yet again.

Shortly after Doeglas’ near miss, O’Donoghue broke through and laid off to Brown outside her on the right-hand side of the box but the former Wellington attacker couldn’t sort her feet out in time to get sufficient power into her shot but still earned a corner.

The Nix showed their attacking prowess with 12 minutes gone as Manaia Elliott broke through to curl a shot from the edge of the box to the right of centre that Templeman kept out with a diving save towards the far post.

Whilst Wellington have looked consistently impressive coming forward this season, they have been prone to errors in possession at the back, and they were caught out again. Brown took advantage on the right to lay off a low pass to Izzy Dalton centrally positioned outside the box to fire in a shot that came crashing off the crossbar with Vilão beaten.

Above: Caitlin Doeglas’ shot cannons back off the bar with Wellington Phoenix goalkeeper Carolina Vilão beaten. Photo: Rob Lizzi for Impetus.

The end-to-end nature of the encounter struck again immediately afterwards as the impressive Annalie Longo played a perfectly weighted ball through for Olivia Fergusson to enter the box with the goal at her mercy, but she placed her shot well wide of the left-hand post. Former Glory attacker Grace Jale also saw a shot hit the side netting.

However, just after the half-hour mark, Perth hit the front, and it was O’Donoghue who showed her worth once more as she laid a low ball across for Dalton to take a touch and then direct the ball into the net.

Seven minutes from the break, the Glory almost doubled their lead. O’Donoghue squared the ball across the box from the right, Dalton in the centre laid it off in turn to Doeglas who saw her shot come off the bar for the second time in the opening half.

However, those narrow margins came back to haunt the home side almost a minute into stoppage time. Another intelligent run and perfectly weighted pass through from Longo took out the Perth defence and allowed Fergusson to slide her shot home.

Longo’s vision produced another golden opportunity with the final shot of the half as she found Elliott superbly only for her effort to hit the bar.

Above: Wellington Phoenix celebrate Olivia Fergusson’s equalising goal. Photo: Rob Lizzi for Impetus.

Wellington had another opportunity to hit the front within 60 seconds of the second-half opening when Templeman’s attempted clearance went straight to Fergusson, but the Perth keeper was able to redeem herself in time.

The visitors continued to dominate the opening stages of the second half, creating several half chances, most notably from a corner with 55 minutes played which came in from the right. It caused an almighty scramble with both Mackenzie Barry and Daisy Brazendale turning the ball goalwards before O’Donoghue cleared the danger for Perth.

Perth then came close themselves from a similar game of penalty box pinball that followed Dalton’s corner from the right. The home side began to get more of a foothold into the battle once more, and they were rewarded for their efforts with just under 20 minutes remaining.

Megan Wynne broke along the right and threaded a low ball into the mix. Under huge pressure from Brown breathing down her neck from behind, Tiana Jaber put the ball into her own net. The Glory haven’t been on the receiving end of much luck this season, but this was a reward for their application and belief.

Above: Megan Wynne, who provided the assist for Perth Glory’s winning goal. Photo: Rob Lizzi for Impetus.

With 12 minutes left, Perth could have wrapped up the win as Brown’s free-kick from the left caused panic in the Wellington defence and Wynne had two bites of the cherry to score, but couldn’t force the ball home.

The Glory managed the remaining time of the match well to record their fourth win of the season and move up to ninth place, with a five-point cushion now between themselves and bottom side Sydney FC.

For Wellington Phoenix, this defeat puts a dent in their top-six hopes, with Paul Temple’s side now four points outside of the Finals spots.

Check out more of Rob Lizzi’s exclusive images across two separate galleries for Impetus from the Sam Kerr Football Centre on our Instagram page now – @ImpetusFootball

Teams: PERTH GLORY (4-3-3): Templeman, McKenna, Zogg, Chinnama, Johnston, Tathem, O’Donoghue, Dalton, Wynne, Brown, Doeglas. Substitutes: Abdul-Massih, Skinner, Roberts, Sunaga, Wainwright.

Scorers: Dalton 31′, Jaber (OG) 71′.

WELLINGTON PHOENIX (4-4-2): Vilão, Jaber, Barry, Kelly, Wall, McCutcheon, Longo, Brazendale, Jale, Elliott, Fergusson. Substitutes: Abbott, Jerez, Main, McMeeken, Neary.

Scorers: Fergusson 45+1′

Referee: Molly Godsell.

Attendance: 880.

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Late Henry strike seals another win for City as Sydney hit rock bottom

Melbourne City 2-1 Sydney FC

by Emma Burke (15/2/25)

Above: Mackenzie Hawkesby gets a shot away for Sydney FC under pressure. Photo: Adrian Geremia for Impetus.

Melbourne City have kept their undefeated streak alive after defeating Sydney FC 2-1 at AAMI Park – a result that sent the mighty Harbour City side to the bottom of the ladder.

Sydney FC took an early lead against the league leaders through Mackenzie Hawkesby. City played themselves into trouble by playing out through the back, leaving Laura Hughes in trouble when three Sydney attackers descended on her at the top of the box.

Hawkesby came out with the ball and was able to put it past the line out of the reach of City keeper Malena Mieres.

It was Venezuelan striker Mariana Speckmaier who brought City back into the game. The game had kicked off for the second half and all of 24 seconds later, Speckmaier had found the back of the net. 

After picking up the ball at the halfway line, she went alone unchallenged before firing from distance and beating a diving Beth Mason-Jones in goal.

City found their winner at the last moment, Lourdes Bosch, released by Leticia McKenna, managed a pass before being brought down at the top of the box to play in Bryleeh Henry.

Out wide, Henry took the shot immediately on a tight angle and successfully rescued all three points for Melbourne City.

Check out Adrian Geremia and Tilly McDonald’s photo galleries for Impetus from AAMI Park on our Instagram page @ImpetusFootball

Teams: MELBOURNE CITY (4-2-2-2): Mieres, Apostolakis, Stott, Otto, Roestbakken, McKenna, Hughes, Bosch, Speckmaier, Pollicina, McNamara. Substitutes: Vlajnic, McMahon, Henry.

Scorers: Speckmaier 46’, Henry 89’.

SYDNEY FC (4-3-3): Mason-Jones, Lemon, Tobin, Thompson, Tumeth, Caspers, Hollman, Dos Santos, Ibini, Hawkesby, Tallon-Henniker. Substitutes: Johnson, Luchtmeijer.

Scorer: Hawkesby 13’.

Referee: Isabella Mossin

Attendance: 1,216.

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Honours even as Adelaide extend record unbeaten run

Adelaide United 1-1 Canberra United

by Jonathon Hagger (15/2/25)

Above: Adelaide United’s Emily Condon (red) is challenged by Sofia Christopherson in today’s game at Coopers Stadium. Photo: Adelaide United.

Chelsie Dawber’s equaliser with just under 20 minutes of normal time remaining ensured that Adelaide United extended their unbeaten run to nine matches at Coopers Stadium today.

The South Australian side’s outstanding form had seen them go into the match in third place. Opponents Canberra United have been improving rapidly and are now unbeaten in five themselves and established in the log jam of clubs trying to secure a top-six place. Perhaps then it was fitting that the points were shared.

Repeat attacking corners for Adelaide in the second minute of play provided the opening action for the match. The Reds’ structure in front of goal was excellent however Sally James, in goal for Canberra, was able to effectively close down the attack.

The home side’s opening sets of play demonstrated effective accuracy in passing, a testament to great skills coaching. Putting clean passes into space for attackers to run into proved to be an effective tactic.

Adelaide kept applying pressure on Canberra with repeated opportunities from corners. The most incredible period of play occurred in the 15th minute as James made numerous shot blocks as Canberra worked hard to clear the ball while Adelaide tried to find a gap in the defensive armour to score. Eventually, the ball was cleared up field alleviating the immense pressure.

Adelaide returned to their play strategy – possession, patience, and precision. Employing these strategies allowed them to dictate the pace of the match.

Canberra’s first real foray into the Adelaide area came in the 22nd minute from a corner. The visitors transferred the ball from one wing to the other, then into the centre of the 18 yard area to an attacker, however two Adelaide defenders were able to use their bodies to clear the ball.

The next attacking opportunity for Canberra came about from an expert pick-pocket move by Emma Robers. Her quick thinking and vision saw the ball travel to an unmarked Sofia Christopherson who then passed the ball right into the middle of the goal area but Beth Gordon’s shot resulted in nil.

The next scoring opportunity presented itself to the Reds in the 37th minute as a cross from out wide by Zoe Tolland, looked innocuous to begin with but soon became dangerous as the ball quietly curled its way extremely closely to the goal, requiring the James to make a very acrobatic diving punch to clear.

Totally against the flow of play, Canberra went ahead two minutes before the break. Their corner was not dealt with by Claudia Jenkins, who punched the ball up into the air and landed perfectly for Darcey Malone, positioned at the back post, to easily nod the ball into the goal.

No doubt frustrated by being behind despite dominated the opening half, Adelaide returned to the pitch after the break full of intent.

The match suddenly sprang into life from the 65th minute as both teams went end to end. Adelaide made an initial breakthrough by linking up clever passing across the pitch, coupled with the positive assertion of Lucia Leon.

That was countered off a fast break by Canberra attacker Aideen Keane, who was unable to get the last pass to link up with Michelle Heyman, and the ball was cleared safely.

Finally Adelaide found the net in the 72nd minute. Dawber found herself unmarked standing central at the top of the 18 yard box, off an assist pass from Fiona Worts, with only the goalkeeper to beat. A well-placed shot flew into the top of the net, just passing the outstretched glove of the James.

Just seven minutes later, Canberra had a chance to level when a turnover of possession deep in the Adelaide half gifted Heyman possession. A well-shaped left-footed chip just cleared the top of the bar.

Shortly afterwards, the capital city side had two great opportunities to retake the lead. An attacking throw-in was chipped to the feet of Keane who unleashed a shot that was blocked but not saved, and the resulting loose ball was collected by midfielder Gordon, and her shot hit the leg of a defender standing on the goal line.

The next few minutes of play saw both sides frantically trying to force a winner with both goalkeepers called upon to shut out repeated half-chances. The one golden chance came a minute into stoppage time.

Adelaide sent a corner into the box, Defender Hayley Taylor-Young had positioned herself at the far post and was able to clear the ball before it crossed the goal line.

Two very good teams shared a point.   

Teams: ADELAIDE UNITED (3-4-2-1): Jenkins, Tolland, McNamara, Tonkin, Leon, Dewey, Morgan, Hodgson, Healy, Condon, Dawber. Substitutes: Grove, Karambasis, Holmes, Worts, Panagaris.

Scorer: Dawber 73′.

CANBERRA UNITED (4-3-3): James, Murray (78’), Ayson, Anton, Taylor-Young, Gordon, Malone (90’), Robers, Heyman, Markovski (58’), Christopherson. Substitutes: Majstorovic, Bertolissio (78’), Keane (58’), Stanic-Floody, Dos Santos (90’).

Scorer: Malone 45′.

Referee: Mikayla Ryan.

Attendance: 2,984.

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Wanderers score four in comeback against the Jets

Western Sydney Wanderers 4-1 Newcastle Jets

By Kieran Yap 15/2/25

Above: Ena Harada celebrates after putting Wanderers 2-1 up. Photo: Western Sydney Wanderers

Despite going behind early, the Western Sydney Wanderers have started off the round with a 4-1 win against the Newcastle Jets.

Things could have started off better for the home side. Young defender Ella Buchanan looked to have suffered an injury in the opening minutes, but to the relief of the stadium and staff, she was able to jog it off.

The evening got even tougher in the seventh minute when Tash Prior opened to scoring for the visitors. The Matildas defender reacted quickest to turn in the rebound following Cass Davis’s excellent volley  on goal.

Following their goal, the Jets looked confident and fast, if not sharp. They pressure The Wanderers and moved the ball quickly. However, despite brief dominance, they struggled to create many more chances on goal. Libby Copus-Brown had an opportunity to double the lead, but her close range header flew over the bar.

Olivia Price’s darting run into the box, had the Jets defence backpedalling and lunging. Although the eventual shot was blocked, it was the first sign of life from the home team’s attack and signalled a shift in momentum.

Young striker Bronte Trew levelled the scores with a terrific individual goal. After racing onto a Danika Matos pass, Trew found her favoured angle and fired across Danielle Krzyzaniak to level the scores. It was the 22 year-olds first A-League Goal and she had scored in some style with power and precision.

An Ena Harada rocket from 20 yards gave the Wanderers the lead in the 39th minute and by half time, Western Sydney had the upper hand not just on the scoreboard but in general play.

Amy Chessari’s influence grew throughout the game and she moved the ball quickly from defence to attack. Sienna Saveska was busy and creative, while Trew and Cushla Rue’s pace was starting to cause problems.

The scores would remain at 2-1 until the 74th minute when Amy Harrison added a third from the penalty spot. Libby Copus-Brown was judged to have fouled Trew in the area, and although contact looked minimal, the referee signally for a spot kick.

Holly Caspers scored a fourth for the home side in the dying stages of the game. She took advantage of more laxed Jets defending to poke home from close range. It was the playmaker’s second of the season since her return from injury.

It feels a strange thing to say, but on the surface, Newcastle were beaten for pace around the ground. The Jets are no slouches themselves, but Western Sydney looked faster or at least more aggressive. It was something that especially stood out in a game of hurried passes and loose balls to be won.

Although they are always fun to watch, The Jets are now five games without a win and second from the bottom. Western Sydney, despite a frustrating season, have climbed to 11th and are still not mathematically out of finals contention.

They have excellent wingers who can create space and deliver pinpoint crosses, but are lacking enough players who can make the most of those balls into the area. Emma Dundas saw her header crash off the woodwork when the game was still salvageable, but they need more players attacking those type of balls.

Next up for the Wanderers is a slightly sterner test. They travel to face The Central Coast mariners who are undefeated in their last five games.

The Jets will host Perth Glory in Round 17 as they look to reverse their struggling form.

Teams: WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS (4-3-3): Khamis, McComanksy, Harrison, Buchanan, Matos, Harada, Price, Chessari, Rue, Trew, Saveska. Substitutes: Bennett, Kapetanellis, Younis, Caspers, Segavcic.

Scorers: Trew 28’, Harada 39’, Harrison 74’, Caspers 88’.

NEWCASTLE JETS (3-4-3): Krzyzaniak, Cicco, Prior, Baumann, Copus-Brown, Davis, Dundas, Adams, J. Allan, Gallagher, Breier. Substitutes: Wilson, L Allan, Hoban Gooch, Robertson.

Scorer: Prior 7’

Referee: Kelly Jones

Attendance: 925.

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The Kerr captaincy discussion is just noise

By Kieran Yap 13/2/25

Above: Sam Kerr. Photo Kris Goman for Impetus.

The continued criticism of Sam Kerr by sections of the media resemble a choir of untrained vuvuzela’s. All in competition to be the loudest while sounding exactly the same.

Here is what Football Australia need to do in the wake of the Sam Kerr not guilty verdict:

-Focus on hiring the best permanent senior Matilda coach

-Find the right candidate for the U20 coach

-Prepare off-field and on-field for the 2026 Asian Cup

Somebody with only a passing interest ( if any) in Australian Football, might be under the impression that the biggest issue facing the game right now is the Matildas captaincy. Sam Kerr was found Not Guilty via a unanimous decision after only four hours of deliberation (minus lunch) but some say that her standing in the game is still under immediate threat.

It is not.

Firstly, because she is not able to play until she recovers from her injury. There is time, both to make a choice or for things to rightfully blow over.

Secondly, when and if a decision is to be made on her position as captain, it should be made internally, and with the best interests of the team in mind.

The last 11 months has seen misinformation leak out and spread about Sam Kerr’s trial. The meme that she called the Police officer a “Stupid White Bastard” escaped Soccer Twitter containment and was taken as fact. The story that she threw up in a cab, kicked in the window, and refused to pay all became folklore months before the trial was set to begin. As we learned, and as a jury decided, none of this is strictly accurate, especially when given the full context.

During this time, when falsehoods spread and agendas started to be set, as memes became fact and comments sections qualified as news,  Kerr maintained a dignified silence to her eternal credit. Even for the media trained public figure, this was extraordinary discipline.

The think-pieces came out rapidly after the verdict was handed down. So quickly in fact that one could be forgiven for thinking that they had been drafted before the jury returned, and the calls for her to be stripped of the armband had been decided by sections of the media with no regard for what the outcome would be.

These articles and videos were numerous, but all said variations of the same thing. That as Matildas captain, she should be held to a higher standard. Kerr had stated under penalty of perjury that she had feared for both her and Kristie Mewis’s lives. This has seemed lost on many of the writers who contributed to the discourse seemingly with minimal knowledge of the events or the court transcripts.

There are better articles than this if you want dive into the flimsy legality of the trial by a former London judge, and of the very real threat that being locked in a taxi poses for two women at night. Please read them if you have not already.

The motivations of the many articles wanting to strip her of the captaincy can be best explained by the most obvious motives. Clicks.

One drew the longest bow imaginable that Kerr was somehow partially responsible for delays in the UK courts.

Another joked that the editor had pushed them into it.

Others were either plagued with inaccuracies betraying only a passing or last minute knowledge of the case, assumed some sponsor pressure when there is still not public evidence of any or incorrectly maintained that she still had a case to answer despite what the jury determined.

Almost all  were behind a paywall or associated with monetized Twitter accounts. Only one of them was from a recognized football writer.

The rest were people chiming in about the sanctity of the Matildas captaincy and brand when they had never shown interest in the game or team before. Suddenly it was the most important thing in the country, and something they had strong feelings about.

Kerr’s name gets clicks, gains readers and shows up on Google searches. She is a shortcut for content to find an audience.

When Sky News says “there are calls” for her to be removed from leadership, who exactly are these calls coming from? It’s not any current players or any fans who snapped up tickets to the upcoming games against South Korea.

If you want to make people fork over the credit card to see behind a paywall, get fired up and say “Kerr”.

This in itself is not necessarily bad, or unusual. Nobody wants to avoid gaining readers and I am not writing this thinking “Gee I hope nobody notices.” But strong, uncompromising opinions on women’s football from people who otherwise ignore it must be taken with a heap of salt.

Based on the history of mainstream media coverage of the game, it is simply too hard to believe that they really care that much about this issue, the team, or their standing with sponsors.

Multiple Australian news agencies had reporters by the courtroom steps as she left. How many will be pitch side at the She Believes Cup, or even applied for accreditation,?

How many report on the A-League Women?

On the other side of things, the most respected, and hard-working voices in Australian football, the ones that are there every week talking to players, talking to coaches, communicating with fans and recording podcasts have been comparatively quiet.

Anybody insisting for a decision right now, before a national team camp is either being disingenuous or foolhardy in pushing an agenda. That’s probably not going to happen. They know this.

The governing body has also shown a commitment to listening to player feedback and if she is removed without their agreement, it could go from bad to worse.

In the end, success attracts more sponsors than care worried about controversy, and a reactionary decision could hamper one while increasing the spotlight on the latter.

Suggestions that Football Australian cannot fathom a future without Sam Kerr are silly. That is a massive disservice to the rest of the team who have sold out stadiums since her injury and the fans who know more than one players name.

That is not to say Kerr must 100% stay captain. It may be time for her to step down both for immediate and long term reasons, she may even want to. But it is not a decision best made by those outside the dressing room.

Football people also understand something that casual opinion columnists and radio jocks do not, that the captaincy is a ceremonial position.

Australia is almost unique in world football where we have a permanent skipper. Many countries rotate the armband based on availability and name a captain for major tournaments.

During a World Cup or Asian Cup, the captain takes on a role more similar to that at club level, where they represent the team by swapping pendants or talking to the media. Outside of those occasions it is an obviously proud honour but often swapped around the dressing room by many football nations. The USWNT only named their captains for the 2023 World Cup weeks out from the first game.

Crucially, IF a decision is to be made on Kerr’s leadership, it needs to be done from a football perspective.

On-field decisions cannot be taken to silence the loudest people on the internet, and The Matildas brand cannot (and has never) cowed to those looking to dictate who they should be.

Those saying what Football Australia “must do” are strangely silent on other urgent or important matters in the women’s game or the sport in general.

It is noise. A choir of vuvezelas all trying to be the loudest while sounding exactly the same.

But we all know that when Kerr steps back out onto the field, it will be drowned out by cheers.

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Kelli Brown: “It was torturous, but we’re there now”

by Ben Gilby (13/2/25)

Above: Kelli Brown speaking today to the media. Image: Perth Glory.

Perth Glory striker Kelli Brown is finally fit and raring to go after being part of the club’s long injury list for so long and is in line to potentially start against her former side Wellington Phoenix in the Distance Derby at the Sam Kerr Football Centre on Sunday.

Whilst there is relief at the return of the Kiwi attacker and Sarah O’Donoghue, it has been tempered by the news that both Gabby Hollar and Georgia Cassidy are now on the sidelines for a considerable amount of time.

Reflecting on her period of rehab, the 23-year-old attacker said: “It was super hard. I do everything (as a player) by being physical…so it was torturous, but we’re there now, so it’s all good.”

Brown received a huge boost as she was within touching distance of returning to A-League Women action by receiving her first call-up to the senior New Zealand national team. The attacker was previously a member of the Young Football Ferns squad that finished third in the 2018 FIFA U17 World Cup in Uruguay.

Above: Kelli Brown pictured in spectacular style for Perth Glory against Newcastle Jets. Photo: Rob Lizzi for Impetus.

The news was a massive boost to her confidence. “It’s pretty exciting. I’ve been working a long time to get to finally be a part of it, it is crazy! It was super unexpected. It was really fulfilling knowing I was still there and I still had it.”

After making her return from injury playing the last 20-odd minutes from the bench at Adelaide United last week, Brown is in line to be considered for the starting line-up for Sunday’s Distance Derby clash with her former club Wellington Phoenix. It’s a prospect that leaves the striker full of smiles.

“It’s obviously a big one – old club, (they are all) my friends from home, so definitely I want to go out there and beat them, and prove that I’m a good enough player to be playing at this level. It’s an important game and a special game.”

In terms of what she expects from the clash between the most geographically separated clubs in a domestic league at 5,200+kms, Brown expects a rumbustious clash.

“I think in New Zealand we play a bit more of a physical game, so I think that’s definitely to be expected and that’s all part of it.”

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Sørensen: “we need to get everything right”

By Alyce Collett (13/02/25)

Above: Everton Manager Brian Sørensen. Photo: Everton FC

The week ahead is a bit of an interesting one for Everton, with the Toffees set to face Chelsea again after only facing them a week ago. This time, the clash is in the League, compared to the last meeting being an FA Cup tie. 

The quirk in the fixture was certainly front of mind for many who had gathered for Everton coach Brian Sørensen’s pre weekend press conference. 

Despite the negative result the Toffees got against Chelsea last week, Sørensen was able to find the positives out of the performance, but it was tinged with some frustrations.

“We were disappointed with the way that they came back into the game.” He explained.

“I think if they hadn’t got that penalty awarded that we would be 1 – 0 up for halftime, and then we can make a plan, and we’re very good at seeing games out. Where it’s 1-1, then we get a bit more aggressive with our pressure, and then the game becomes a bit more open, and they’re very good at that.”

“We also knew that we have to have a result in the first hour or so, because of the bench that they have available. It would be very hard to get back into games against Chelsea. So that really disrupted our plan, but I think until the penalty, they didn’t look to create any big chances, all the shots were from far out.”

“So, disappointed that the game ran away from us that way. I’m not saying that Chelsea weren’t the better team, Chelsea will always be the better team, because it’s what they have available going into a match. But we also need to get the margins on our side, they don’t need that help to win a game, they’re good enough.”

When asked about whether playing the same opponent two matches in a row helps his side at all, Sørensen was not 100% convinced either way. 

“I don’t know if it helps, but I don’t know which side has more advantages.” Sorensen said. 

The Everton boss acknowledged that Chelsea at home is a difficult task and that “they’re in good form,” but also that his side has “things that we know we can do better, we want the best on the ball, so we have to be better at that,”  and this quirk in the fixture gives his side the perfect chance to do that. 

“It’s going to be tough either way, but Chelsea has an amazing squad and we need to get everything right. We can’t make mistakes, like we did with the third goal on that free kick and so on, so we just have to be at our very best to get something out of the game.”

Sørensen has previously spoken about the need for regular matches for his side to build their connection, but with international breaks and other disruptions coming up to the weekly occurrence of matches, that might not be easy to achieve for the side. But, the Everton boss has a plan. 

“We’ll try to play some games behind closed doors when that period comes so we can keep everyone going.” Sorenson said. 

“But we also have to take into consideration that actually after that international break, the Villa game doesn’t come in a good time” the Dand also said, noting that a number of his players will be playing for their national teams during the international break.