Ella Toone the hero as Manchester United stun rivals Manchester City in six-goal thriller

Manchester City 2-4 Manchester United

By Catherine MacKenzie for Impetus (19/01/25).

Above: Manchester United celebrate one of their four goals. Photo: @ManUtdWomen on X

Rudderless Manchester City were taken apart by hattrick hero Ella Toone in an explosive Manchester derby

The race for top three is on

As the game kicked off, the race for a top three finish in the Women’s Super League (and therefore Champions League football next season) was on. In first and second place, Chelsea and Arsenal both won their first league matches of 2025 by large margins; Chelsea dismantling West Ham five-nil, whilst Arsenal won against Crystal Palace by the same scoreline. Heading into the evening’s Manchester derby, this provided an added pressure for both teams, with managers Gareth Taylor and Marc Skinner both needing valuable points to stay in the race.

Injury-plagued City needed a leader

Manchester City have been plagued by long-term injuries this season, and captain Alex Greenwood, Lauren Hemp and top scorer Khadija Shaw were all missing for this game. United were relatively healthy, with a minor knock relegating Grace Clinton to the bench for most of the game. However, City had been active in the transfer market – such as bringing in Vivianne Miedema – and whilst you will always miss players like Hemp, Greenwood and Fowler, it is arguable that they were still favourites to win the game.

Instead, their major fallback seemed to be based on leadership. As United stormed to a fiery start (scoring three goals in quick succession), City looked completely broken down, and nobody appeared to want to step up and lead the team. They were rudderless, missing Greenwood’s direction – either shouting orders or playing key passes through the midfield.

Above: Manchester City commiserate following the final whistle. Photo: @ManCityWomen on X

Individual mistakes changed the game

City had most of the possession and created many chances. They did not look bad going forward; Miedema looked energetic and Roord also had a few chances. However, defensively it was a horror show. In goal, Khiara Keating had an extremely unfortunate time, making two major mistakes that cost City goals. Her confidence looked shaken after United’s second goal, and it is here that City were missing Greenwood’s leadership – someone to pick up Keating and give her a word of confidence. 

United picked up on this lack of confidence plaguing City’s back line and took every chance they could. They seemed to win every duel, went after every ball and there was a sense that United wanted the win more. Riviere dealt with Mary Fowler effectively, and the midfield trio of Toone, Miyazawa, and Janssen protected United’s back line well. In contrast, although they were impressive in an attacking sense, City’s midfield looked lost, with wayward passes and lazy interceptions (Fujino was the exemption to this).

One question that should perhaps be asked of Gareth Taylor is his lack of substitutes – two were made, and these came relatively late, on 76’ and 85’ minutes. City were fatigued by this point, and their frustration showed in some less-than-stellar decision-making.

Above: Ella Toone with her hattrick ball. Photo: @ManUtdWomen on X

Ella Toone, Hattrick Hero

Ella Toone has had a difficult start to the season and succumbed to injury in late 2024. Her return in the FA Cup match against West Brom was sealed with a goal, and during that game it looked like she was playing with a renewed sense of freedom. That feeling continued into the derby, and she was ferocious in her quest for goals. 

A word also needs to be reserved for the unselfishness of Elisabeth Terland. Terland was in a position to shoot more than once, preferring an unselfish pass to a teammate (often Toone). Bizet had a lot of luck producing crosses from the left and put in a huge shift defensively. Tullis-Joyce produced some very good saves and dealt with set pieces and corners well. 

United were not reliant on Toone, and this was the first time this season that they performed well as an entire team, with not one weak element.

What this means for both teams

City do not have to wait long for a chance at revenge, as they visit Leigh Sports Village on Wednesday to play United in the League Cup. However, tonight’s game was definitely the more important of the two meetings; United missed out on Champions League football this season and have to aim for a top three finish. With Chelsea still unbeaten and Arsenal gaining momentum under new manager Renee Slegers, it looks like the final spot will come down to a battle between the Manchester clubs, making these three points all the more valuable.

Teams: MANCHESTER CITY (4-1-3-2): Keating, Casparij, Aleixandri, Knaak, Ouahabi, Hasegawa, Fujino, Roord, Fowler, Miedema, Park. Substitutes:  Blindkilde-Brown (for Miedema 77’), Murphy (for Park 85’), Yamashita, Annets, Davies, Prior, Coombs, Oyama.

Scorers: Miedema 40’, Knaak 45+3’

MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): Tullis-Joyce, George, Turner, Le Tissier, Riviere, Janssen, Miyazawa, Bizet, Toone, Galton, Terland. Substitutes: Middleton-Patel, Sandberg (for George 65’), Malard (for Terland 65’), Clinton (for Toone 77’), Williams (for Bizet 85’), Mannion, Awujo.

Scorers: Toone 14’, 36’, 46’, Galton 21’

Referee: Lisa Benn

Attendance: 43,615.

Everton snatch a last-minute goal to earn a point

Everton 1-1 Aston Villa

by Alyce Collett (18/01/25)

Above: Veatriki Sarri being congratulated after scoring the equaliser in yesterday’s game against Aston Villa. Photo: Everton website

Everton managed to rescue a draw from the jaws of defeat, drawing 1-1 with Aston Villa at Walton Hall Park. Aston Villa dominated much of the game and it was rewarded with a first-half goal from Rachel Daly but Everton improved in the second half and found a 90th-minute goal from Veatriki Sarri.

Early in proceedings, Aston Villa dominated possession and time in the attacking half. The Villains also looked a lot more settled moving the ball forward towards the Everton goal than Everton did and had several positive chances on goal, but thanks to some excellent goalkeeping from Courtney Brosnan, those shots came to no avail. 

Everton found themselves getting outnumbered on numerous occasions when moving into attack, and the midfield did not push up alongside the strikers quickly enough, leaving Toni Payne and to a lesser extent, Katja Snoeijs to take on four defenders and Villa goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo by themselves. 

Another issue for the Toffees was their inability to contain the influence of Adriana Leon, with the Canadian able to switch from the right side to the left and back again and create a lot of headaches for Everton without any close marking. 

Everton did have several chances on goal in the first half to varying degrees of accuracy, but ultimately they were not particularly difficult shots, and D’Angelo was able to defend them all with ease. 

Just as things were starting to even out possession-wise, Daly was able to give Aston Villa the lead on the half-hour mark, managing to sneak a header past Brosnan and into the bottom corner.

As the half progressed, the same issues continued to plague Everton in attack. The Toffees were playing a low block in defence, meaning when they did go into attack they did not have the numbers to navigate past the Aston Villa defence successfully, and a lot of the time they were trying to move the ball with pace but were not doing so calmly and in a composed manner, and Villa were pouncing on the chaos. 

The best player for the home side in the opening half was Brosnan. Her ability to keep out several tricky shots from Aston Villa meant that the score was only 1-0 at halftime. 

Aston Villa continued to be on the attack early, seeming to continue where they had left off before halftime. 

It did not take long for Everton to make their first set of changes, with Emma Watson, Kelly Gago and Melissa Lawley replacing Snoeijs, Toni Payne and Justine Vanhevermaet respectively after only nine minutes of the second-half action. This move seemed to have some positive effects straight away, with Gago lifting the energy of the attack on her debut. 

These changes rejigged the shape of Everton’s formations, and the positive effects were clear to see straight away. 

Everton were creating more dangerous chances in attack, and in defence the Toffees were also defending better, not letting the Villa midfielders have free reign that they had in the first half. 

Someone who was starting to make an influence for Everton as the match progressed was Hayley Ladd, who had been a starter on her debut but as the game progressed she was being an important pivot point in the centre of the park for her side. 

As the second half progressed, both sides continued to rack up the chances, but as full-time grew closer it was unclear if the scoreline was going to change. 

However, this story was ultimately not quite done. 

With 70 seconds left in regular time, Sarri – who had only come on just over 15 minutes prior – let a rocket of a shot go from the top of the box, which sailed past D’Angelo and into the back of the net for the equaliser.

Both sides continued to push for the winner in additional time, but it ultimately never came. 

Teams: EVERTON (4-4-2): Brosnan, Fernandez, Hayashi, Wheeler, Vanhaevermaet, T.Payne, Ladd, Hope, H.Payne, Finnigan, Snoeijs Substitutes: Ramsey, Bissell, Lawley, Ribadeira, Watson, Sarri, Gago, Thomas, Olesen.

Scorer: Sarri 89’

ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): D’Angelo, Maritz, Patten, Turner, Nobbs, Baijings, Leon, Daly, Salmon, Nunes. Substitutes: Poor, Mayling, Pacheco, Parker, Taylor, Hanson, Robinson, Grant.

Scorer: Daly 31’

Referee: Stacey Fullicks

Attendance: TBD

Phoenix rise from 2-0 down to cement Top Six berth

Wellington Phoenix 3-2 Newcastle Jets

by Alyce Collett (19/1/25)

Above: Wellington Phoenix celebrate a goal in their win over Newcastle Jets today. Photo: Wellington Phoenix.

Wellington Phoenix has pulled off a remarkable come-from-behind win over the Newcastle Jets who were 2-0 ahead at half-time thanks to a brace from Sheridan Gallagher.

The Phoenix never gave up and thanks to goals from second-half substitute Manaia Elliott and captain Annalie Longo, pulled off the win.

It was a really free-flowing start to the match, with play flowing from one end to the other easily and both sides getting shots away early.

Newcastle did not take long to get on the board, when Gallagher pounced on a deflection to chip it into the back of the net merely three minutes into the match.

Interestingly though the early goal did not shake the confidence of the home side, who continued to pile on the attacking play, with Mabae Tanaka and milestone girl Alyssa Winham, making her 50th A-League Women appearance particularly dangerous.

However some well-positioned defending from Natasha Prior ensured that Wellington could not reap the ultimate benefit from any of its attacking moments.

For much of the early part of the first half, proceedings felt very even. Maya McCutcheon went within inches of getting an equaliser about 20 minutes after Gallagher’s opener, but her and Olivia Ferguson’s follow-up shot were both denied thanks to some brilliant saves from Danielle Krzyzaniak and a clearance off the line from Prior.

Gallagher picked up her second just minutes from halftime after going for a run and then skirting a shot around Carolina Vilao in the Phoenix net.

Interestingly, despite being two goals behind at half time the hosts were leading many of the key stats at the major break and by a fair gap too. These included time in possession, passing accuracy, and shots on goal.

Phoenix coach Paul Temple was not afraid to swing the changes at the start of the second half, bringing on Elliott and Emma Main straight away.

Elliott did not take long to make an impact on the match, heading in a well-placed Longo cross to peg one back for the home side. She almost had a second minutes later but found herself on the wrong side of an offside call. Main was also creating things in attack and things were looking more positive for those in yellow.

Elliott and Longo then swapped roles for Wellington’s second goal, as Elliott’s initial shot was punched away before Longo pounced and slotted the ball into the back of the net.

The Phoenix definitely had the momentum, but still needed to find one more goal if they wanted to take the maximum points away from this match.

Things got harder for the Jets when Deven Jackson – who had been at times lively for the visitors – was forced from the field after a heavy collision.

Both sides kept pushing to find the match-winner as the second half progressed, but Wellington racked up a lot more chances than their visitors did.

Just as regular time progressed and the eight minutes of extra time started to tick down, it was looking like the match may just end in a draw. But Elliott was not done with her score involvements for the afternoon, as she scored an absolutely brilliant Olympico to finish off the fightback and get the three points for the home side.

Teams: WELLINGTON PHOENIX (4-4-2): Vialo, Jaber, Barry, Kelly, McCutcheon, Jale, Fergusson, Whinham, Tanaka, Longo, Wall. Substitutes: Danieli, MacMeeken, Elliott, Brazendale, Main.

Scorers: Longo 59’. Elliott 50’, 90+8’.

NEWCASTLE JETS (4-2-3-1): Krzyzaniak, Cicco, Prior, Davis, Dundas, Copus-Brown, Jackson, Hoban, Baumann, Gooch. Substitutes: Wilson, Allan, Robertson, Adams, Collins.

Scorers: Gallagher 3’, 43’.

Referee: Sarah Jones.

Attendance: 915.

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Adelaide beat Brisbane to climb to third

Brisbane Roar 1 Adelaide United 3

By Joe Rosedon (19/1/25)

Above: Chelsie Dawber is congratulated by her teammates after her goal. Photo: Adelaide United

An impressive Adelaide United secured 3-2 victory away from home against Brisbane Roar. A brace from Chelsie Dawber and a tremendous individual goal from Erin Healy gave the South Australian side the win. 

As typical with top of the table clashes, the opening stages between Brisbane and Adelaide were cagey and tight. Adrian Stenta’s side were dominant in possession but without a cutting edge. The home team looked to punish in transitions but Adelaide were defensively solid. 

Chances were few and far between but if any team looked like breaking the deadlock, it was Adelaide. Dawber thought she had a clear sight of goal, but the defensive intervention of Holly McQueen kept the scores level. The following corner saw Matilda McNamara rise highest but could not direct the ball goalward. 

Unsurprisingly, Brisbane’s first attacking threat came from the Freier sisters. Laini Freier was able to put in a dangerous cross to the opposite flank to Sharn Freier. Her looping header gave Claudia Jenkins all sorts of problems for the Adelaide goalkeeper who did just enough to divert the ball away from Evdokiya Popadinova after spilling initially. 

Adelaide were brutal in punishing Brisbane’s inefficacy. A slick counterattack was concluded when Emily Condon squared the ball to Dawber.

Dawber took a touch and with her second lifted the ball past an outstretched Olivia Sekany into the top right corner from the edge of the penalty area. 

The visitors lead only lasted a matter of minutes. A free kick into the box by Chelsea Blissett was not sufficiently cleared and Alicia Woods picked up the pieces. The ball fell kindly to the midfielder who curled home. 

Another twist was to take place moments after the beginning of the second half and it came from a moment of individual brilliance from Erin Healy. Healy was able to isolate Holly McQueen and skip past her into the box. Healy remained composed and hammered past Sekany at the near post to restore Adelaide’s lead. 

In response, Brisbane ramped up the pressure. Sharn Freierdrove into the box with real conviction and purpose but was met by Jenkins who saved with her legs from a tight angle. The next goal in the game would be crucial. 

It was Adelaide who found it. An excellent corner from Condon was headed back into a dangerous area by McNamara towards Dawber who instinctively flicked the ball past Sekanyto grab her second of the game. 

Tameka Yallop did pull a goal back in the dying embers of the game for Brisbane. Mariel Hecher’s cross was headed home at close range by the Brisbane captain after a lengthy period of Brisbane pressure. The goal was merely a consolation as Adelaide held on for a crucial three points. 

Teams: BRISBANE ROAR (3-2-4-1) Sekany, Varley, McQueen, Blissett, Hayashi, Yallop, L.Freier, Woods, De la Harpe, S.Freier, Popadinova. Substitutes: Richards, Hecher, Kruger, Pringle, Kuilamu.

Scorers: Woods 45’, Yallop 90+3’.

ADELAIDE UNITED (4-3-3): Jenkins, Hodgson, McNamara, Tonkin, Tolland, Morgan, Condon, Sasaki, Dawber, León, Healy Substitutes: Grove, Karambasis, Bowler, Dewey, Panagaris  

Scorers: Dawber 42’, 72’ Healy 47’.

Referee: Page Malau-Aduli.

Attendance: 3,712.

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Sydney and Mariners play out tense goalless draw

Sydney FC 0-0 Central Coast Mariners

by Isabelle Campbell (19/1/25)

Above: Sydney FC’s Indiana Dos Santos (right) tussles with Bianca Galic of Central Coast Mariners today. Photo: Sydney FC.

Sydney picked up their third successive draw (with the outcome of their midweek game against Canberra United still to be decided) in a hard-fought battle with Central Coast Mariners at Leichhardt Oval today.

That midweek frustration, where the Sky Blues had built a 2-0 lead before torrential rain and storms intervened saw them come into this encounter looking to claim the three points. Central Coast Mariners were eager to make their mark and climb into a top-six position.

Both sides opted for consistency, naming unchanged starting XIs from their previous fixtures – something which could have given the Mariners an edge after they arrived with fresher legs and plenty of preparation time.

Sydney FC suffered a shaky start, with the Mariners seizing early momentum. Annalise Rasmussen tested the home defence within minutes, firing a shot that goalkeeper Brianna Edwards managed to block.

However, her parry fell straight back to Rasmussen, whose follow-up attempt was also clumsily cleared by Edwards. The Mariners controlled much of the opening 15 minutes, dominating possession and applying consistent pressure.

Sydney’s first chance came from a free-kick in a dangerous position, awarded after Tess Quilligan fouled Faye Bryson. Indiana Dos Santos stepped up, but her delivery failed to find its target. The situation took a turn when Quilligan collided heavily with the post during the set piece. Despite attempting to continue, she eventually succumbed to the injury and was substituted for Greta Kraszula.

Tori Tumeth provided the Sky Blues’ first real opportunity from open play, unleashing a powerful strike that rattled the woodwork but stayed out. Meanwhile, Brooke Nunn was a standout for the Mariners, persistently driving forward in search of the opening goal but unable to convert her chances.

Tensions ran high as both sides battled for an opening goal. Rasmussen fouled Margaux Chauvet, gifting Sydney another free-kick in a promising area. Dos Santos again took the set piece, but the effort went off target, allowing the Mariners to remain unscathed.

In the final moments of the half, it was Central Coast’s turn to capitalize on a set piece. Bryson fouled Bianca Galic, giving them a free-kick in a dangerous position, but the chance went begging.

Despite their dominance, the visitors couldn’t capitalize on their opportunities, heading into the break with six shots on target to Sydney’s two. The scoreline remained unchanged at halftime, with the hosts needing to regroup to match the intensity of their opponents.

The Mariners picked up where they left off, piling pressure on Sydney’s defence. Edwards remained a key figure, as the goalkeeper faced unrelenting shots from the visitors.

Much of the home side’s attacking play was ignited by Caley Tallon-Henniker, whose pace down the left flank tested the Mariners’ backline. Though her runs created promising openings, the final touch of the home side remained unconvincing.

The game grew increasingly physical, with fouls disrupting the flow and yellow cards handed out to both sides.

In the final five minutes of regular time, Amber Luchtmeijer fired a strike from outside the box. However, the effort sailed off target, allowing Langman to gather comfortably.

Sydney’s best opportunity of the game came in the dying moments of extra time. Abbey Lemon unleashed a well-struck shot that seemed destined for the net, but Langman was equal to it, making a final save to preserve the clean sheet. Moments later, the referee’s whistle confirmed a 0-0 draw, leaving both sides frustrated by their inability to convert chances.

Next week, Sydney FC will travel to AAMI Park to take on the current second-place Melbourne Victory. Central Coast Mariners return to Woy Woy Oval to host Wellington Phoenix, still searching for the three points needed to push themselves into the top six.

Teams: SYDNEY FC (4-1-4-1): Edwards, Tumeth, Tobin, Thompson, Bryson, Chauvet, Johnson, Caspers, Dos Santos, Ibini, Tallon-Henniker. Substitutes: Franco, Connors, Lemon, Hawkesby, Luchtmeijer.

CENTRAL COAST MARINERS (3-2-4-1): Langman, Nash, Martin, Pennock, Galic, Ray, Rasmussen, Rowe, Quilligan, Nunn, Evans. Substitutes: Carmichael, Fuller, Kraszula, Trimis, McMahon.

Referee: Kelly Jones

Attendance: 2,109.

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‘I want to learn and grow as a player all the time’: How Sarah Rowe became a Mariner

By Isabelle Campbell (18/1/25)

Above: Sarah Rowe for Central Coast Mariners. Photo: Central Coast Mariners.

Sarah Rowe talks to Impetus about transitioning between two elite sports, why she chose the Mariners and how she prepared to return to football.

After spending seven seasons with Collingwood in the AFLW, Sarah Rowe is embracing a new chapter in her career, trading Melbourne for Sydney and AFL for football.

Now signed with the Central Coast Mariners for the remainder of the 24/25 season, The former Ireland international, who can play both on a wing or at fullback, is ready to immerse herself in a new environment and make her mark in the A-League Women.

The transition has been exciting, and while the change is significant, Rowe is motivated by the opportunity to grow both as both a player and as a person.

“It’s been so good. It’s been such a refreshing change for me,” Rowe told Impetus.

“I think it’s a big move from Melbourne to Sydney, but obviously being from Ireland is a big move in itself as well just because I probably had the chance at this time of the year to go home and maybe play in Ireland or go home to family.

“But I love the thought of moving to Sydney and challenging myself in a new environment and kind of seeing what life up here had to offer,” 

For Rowe, the move to Sydney was more than just a change of scenery—it was a chance to push herself in a new direction. Joining a young, ambitious team excited her, and she quickly saw how the opportunity to play for the Mariners could offer a chance for growth.

“I really liked what Emily Husband was about and I just felt they were a young group and an up-and-coming team.

“I was like, yeah. If I get an opportunity here, why not take it?”

Joining the Mariners at a time when women’s football in Australia is experiencing a rapid rise in popularity, thanks to the Women’s World Cup, Rowe has noticed an undeniable shift since her last season in the A-League with Melbourne Victory.

“Definitely, there seems to be more fans at the games. Is probably something I’ve noticed. We have a very loyal fan base at Mariners, and I’ve definitely noticed that.” 

But it’s not just the atmosphere that drew Rowe to the Mariners. When she spoke with the club’s coach, Emily Husband, she immediately felt a connection.

“I had a call with Emily and just felt, I suppose, connected with her straight away. She just seemed like a really understanding coach, and I’d heard that she was one of the best coaches in the league.

“I could understand why because she’s a very understanding person, but also has really high standards of herself and others, which I always gravitate towards.

“I really want to be pushed, and I want to learn and grow as a player all the time.

“I just don’t think you can do that on your own as a player, and we rely so heavily on our coaches to get us better.”

Rowe’s transition from AFL to football has been made smoother by the help of some familiar faces, particularly Caitlin Friend, the founder of Elite Female Football.

Friend, who played a crucial role in Rowe’s initial switch from AFL to soccer in 2023, has been instrumental in guiding her once again.

“Elite Female Football, that was great,” says Rowe.

“Caitlin Friend was the skills coach at Victory when I first went across, and I did so much work with her when I was at Victory.

“She was really influential in my transition from AFL to soccer.

“At the time, I used to arrive to training half an hour or an hour early and just do 1-on-1 stuff with Caitlin. So when I was transitioning again, I needed to talk to her.

“I kind of got her opinion on what she thinks of the league in general, what Mariners are like, what the coach is like, you always look for, I suppose, references on all those stuff.

“She was a real trusted voice for me.”

As part of her preparation before joining the Mariners, Rowe also sought extra training to make sure she wasn’t starting from scratch.

“I think it was every Friday/Saturday morning for about three or four weeks, I went and trained with Caitlin Friend, which really helped me in my transition.

“So it wasn’t just coming flying up to Mariners and just being really raw.”

Rowe is fully immersed in her current role with the Mariners, prioritizing her development and team success over any thoughts of a return to the international stage.

Despite after only a brief six-month return to football and landing a spot as a standby player for the World Cup, Rowe is keeping her focus on getting back to her footballing best with the Mariners.

“I think no matter what, as a sports person, you always have aspirations to play at the highest level. And, of course, if opportunities came your way, you wouldn’t say no.

“But I think for me, it’s just getting back to my best, performing with Mariners, and also winning games. So that feels like purely my focus.”

Finally, Rowe offered her admiration for the Matildas’ impact on women’s sport globally, “I would be a massive fan of what the Matildas have done and are doing just globally for female sports.

“It’s incredible to see what they’re doing. They really are at the pinnacle of female sports when you think about why the game is growing, a lot of it comes down to the Matildas. They’re an incredible bunch and a really admirable bunch.”

Rowe’s arrival at the Mariners marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in her career, and her journey is one that football fans will want to follow closely. With her impressive background across both AFL and football, Rowe has proven herself to be a force in the sporting world.

Her versatility, determination, and hunger for success make her a player to watch, and as she continues to settle into her new role, it’s clear that she has the potential to make a big impact with the Mariners.

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Renée Slegers: Why interim became permanent

Above: Renée Slegers applauds Arsenal’s traveling following 2-0 victory over West Ham Photo: Arsenal FC

by Joe Rosedon (18/1/25)

Renée Slegers put Arsenal in a position where she was the only possible choice as the next manager.

The former Dutch international has been able to not only produce an impressive run of form but crucially restore fan positivity towards the club which had been severely lacking towards the back end of Jonas Eidevall’s tenure as manager.

The relationship with Arsenal and Eidevall began to disintegrate over the summer. The controversial departure of Vivianne Miedema to Manchester City raised concerns within large sections of the fanbase coupled with an inauspicious start to the season had put the Swede under serious pressure. Things came to a head in early October. Arsenal suffered a disastrous week, losing comprehensively to Bayern Munich 5-2 followed by a defeat to Chelsea at the Emirates.

With the WSL title drifting out of view for another season, Eidevall knew his race was run and resigned from the position. Ironically it was Slegers who initially replaced Eidevall at FC Rosengård and she would do it again at Arsenal

In Slegers’ interim period Arsenal have notched up ten wins from eleven in all competitions. This run earned Slegers the Women’s Super League manager of the month for December having not lost since the 12th October 2-1 defeat to Chelsea. Arsenal’s attacking output has been transformed under Slegers, scoring 31 goals.

In particular, the improved form of Alessia Russo has been one of Slegers’ most important achievements. The Lioness has endured a difficult start to the season, only finding the goal once in nine occasions as Arsenal’s attacks were typified by an overall stodginess. Yet under Slegers, Russo is a player reborn, scoring ten goals in eleven games and beginning to deliver on her endless potential.

It is not only in attack where Arsenal have improved. The initially surprising central defence pairing between Steph Catley and Leah Williamson has developed into a fruitful partnership. Catley in particular has shined in her new role as the left sided centre back, keeping both Laia Codina and Arsenal 2023/24 player of the season Lotte Wubben-Moy out of the side. It would be fair to suggest that not many Arsenal fans would have predicted that at the start of the season, but Slegers has made it work to great effect.

Yet Slegers principal achievement has been to restore the faith of the fans. Arsenal have a passionate and loyal fanbase that trek up and down the country and abroad to watch their team. Despite this loyalty, fans had grown frustrated with Eidevall over the past few seasons. The fans saw one the most talented squads in the league fail to live up that billing and patience was wearing thin. Slegers has enthused and reinvigorated a weary fanbase, which for any new manager is paramount.

When signing her permanent deal, Slegers said to Arsenal’s in-house media “It has meant the world to me to feel the closeness and passion of our supporters during this process” If Slegers is able to continue along this path, that passion will carry Slegers and the team to great successes soon.

Canberra United climb to fifth with win over the Wanderers

Canberra United 1-0 Western Sydney Wanderers

By Kieran Yap 18/1/24

Above: Canberra United celebrate going ahead. Photo: Canberra United

Canberra United have reestablished their finals credentials with a 1-0 win over The Western Sydney Wanderers.

The big news prior to kick off were that both Michelle Heyman and Sophie Harding were out of the lineups. The reigning Dolan Medallist was on the Wanderers bench, while Heyman was withdrawn from the game after initially being named to start.

Maja Markovski started in place of the Canberra United captain, while Western Sydney entrusted Sienna Saveska as the side’s sole recognized spearhead.

Both young strikers were involved early, with Markovski narrowly missing a chance to score and Saveska being denied by Sally James from a typical long-range effort.

Hayley Taylor-Young continued her impressive form on the right with a couple of storming runs and dangerous crosses, while Danika Matos looked lively for the visitors. Sophia Christopherson created perhaps the best of the early chances, but her low ball across the face of goal was not turned in.

Ena Harada got on the end of a Wanderers attack, but Liz Anton provided just enough pressure to ensure that the strike flew over the bar.

Canberra shook off that close call and went into the break 1-0 ahead. A well worked corner finished with a Christopherson header which bounced off the woodwork and then off Sham Khamis before crossing the line. Officially it will go down as an own goal, but Christopherson has every right to claim it.

Not content to sit on the lead, Canberra added Jynaya dos Santos to the second-half side. Her movement and presence created a few openings, but the scores stayed level.

As the afternoon wore on, Canberra United control over midfield became more obvious. Mary Stanic-Floody continued her impressive form, knitting passes together and creating chances. The absence of Amy Chessari was obvious for the visitors, and it left space for Stanic-Floody to operate with space and time.

Despite bringing on Harding, the Wanderers could not find an equaliser. Despite Canberra United’s relative control of the game, Western Sydney looked to be an improved side from the previous two losses. They did not sit as deep and tried to attack when the opportunity arose, but there were still gaps in the back, especially on the counterattack, and a more clinical side than Canberra would have likely scored more.

Canberra United are firming as a genuine finals chance, and they should expect to be there. Markovski was impressive as the centre forward, despite not featuring in the role this season, and although she looks limited by the knee bandage, her work rate and pressing game remained.

While Canberra are still not one of the very top teams in this league, they are one without any glaring weaknesses, they have quality on every line, two in-form full-backs in Taylor-Young and Teagan Bertolissio, and an outstanding playmaker in Stanic-Floody.

Darcey Malone provides depth, support and class in midfield and while the attack still relies heavily on Heyman, Christopherson, Markovski and Dos Santos are difficult to contain.

The focus now will be on maintaining that momentum. Canberra will face the Newcastle Jets in Round 13, while Western Sydney host league leaders Melbourne City.

Teams: CANBERRA UNITED (4-5-1): James, Taylor-Young, Murray, Anton, Bertolissio, Stanic-Floody, Robers, Malone, Gordon, Christopherson, Markovski. Substitutes: Galic, J dos Santos, Miro, Nathan, Majstorovic.

Scorers: Khamis 45’ (OG).

WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS (3-4-3): Khamis, Bennett, Harrison, Lobo, Matos, Price, Harada, Buchanan, Saveska, Rue, Younis. Substitutes: Ferris, Harding, Kapetanellis, Cassar, Hall.

Referee: Mikayla Ryan.

Attendance: 1,468.

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Victory find the quality to edge tough battle with Perth

Melbourne Victory 1-0 Perth Glory

by Ben Gilby with EXCLUSIVE photography from Adrian Geremia at The Home of the Matildas (18/1/25)

Above: Perth Glory (light-coloured shirts) put the Melbourne Victory defence under pressure during the first half today. Photo: Adrian Geremia for Impetus.

Melbourne Victory marked their talismanic midfielder Alex Chidiac’s 100th A-League Women appearance with a hard-earned win over Perth Glory at The Home of the Matildas this afternoon.

Whilst the Glory gave the hosts a lot to think about despite being hampered by two further injuries to key midfielders as well as Tijan McKenna’s sending off, Jeff Hopkins’ charges ran out winners thanks to a quality strike from Kayla Morrison just after the half-hour mark.

The encounter saw a host of players taking on their former clubs, including both goalkeepers, Nat Tathem, Alana Jancevksi, and Sofia Sakalis adding a little bit more spice to the clash.

Caitlin Doeglas’ influence in the Glory front line was evident from the start with the constant pressing from herself and the Perth midfield putting the Victory back line under real pressure when trying to play out from the back, forcing mistakes on several occasions.

The first 20 minutes were harum-scarum stuff with regular transitions in play as both sides looked to force the pace, with the ultimate consequence that neither side had the time to create sustained opportunities in front of goal.

Above: Alex Chidiac (dark blue shirt) looks to escape from Perth Glory’s Grace Johnston (left) and Nat Tathem on her 100th A-League Women appearance. Photo: Adrian Geremia for Impetus.

Overall, it was the visitors who had more of the territory in this period, focusing their attack along the left-hand flank and earning regular opportunities for Megan Wynne to propel her long throws into the mix. Defensively, Perth were harrying the Victory and successfully denying their key weapons of Nikki Flannery, Emily Gielnik, and Rachel Lowe of possession.

Gielnik gained her first opportunity when she was fed through on the far right-hand side on the counter-attack to fire in a shot from an acute angle that only just went over the top, although Casey Dumont looked to have it covered in the Glory goal.

Perth’s command of territory was broken by the drinks break midway through the half, a pause that also coincided with the influential Georgia Cassidy having to leave action after receiving a blow to the head earlier in the game.

The short break allowed the Victory to have a re-set. They re-emerged looking to play into space to find their runners which had the double benefit of reducing the amount of transitional play and giving them time to bring their key offensive weapons into the game.

Within moments, that change to their approach had its impact. Victory earned a free kick around 25 yards outside the box on the right after a tussle between Claudia Bunge and Wynne. The ball was floated in towards the back post where Kayla Morrison was unmarked. Tathem’s attempted clearing header fell for the defender to lift the ball into the top of the net.

As the clock ticked into stoppage time at the end of the opening 45, Lowe and Gielnik combined magnificently to break through, only to be denied by Dumont who came out to meet them.

Above: Melbourne Victory celebrate after Kayla Morrison’s winning goal. Photo: Adrian Geremia for Impetus.

The second half opened with a bang as McKenna fired in a rocket for Perth from just outside the box that narrowly flew over the top.

As the action edged towards the hour mark, Chidiac’s influence on the game grew. Flying along the right-hand side, she squared a low ball across for Flannery to direct goalwards at the back post, but Dumont denied the former Canberra United attacker.

This set the tone for a busy couple of minutes as immediately afterwards, Hollar advanced towards goal for the visitors and from just outside the box she curled a powerful effort that forced Courtney Newbon in the Victory goal to push away at full stretch.

Then, just moments later, things took a backward step for the visitors as McKenna was sent off for her second yellow card in four minutes, both for fouls on Chidiac. To add insult to injury, Perth boss Stephen Peters had just made a double substitution to switch things up, which reduced his options to make the necessary re-jig after the loss of his midfielder.

The visitors rallied in the face of adversity, looking to exploit the left-hand side of the park. They later also had to overcome another hurdle after losing substitute Charli Wainwright, who was having a promising performance, to a knock. The Western Australians can ill afford more injury woe and will be keeping everything crossed to ensure that neither Cassidy nor Wainwright becomes the latest member of their long-term injured list.

This was an encounter that was, at times cagey between two sides who failed to fire at maximum consistently. Despite this, it was always an engaging tactical battle.

Whilst Perth forced more corners and shots on goal, ultimately it was Victory who had that extra bit of quality when it mattered. They had the strength in depth and experience to get over the line and earn another three points in their pursuit of rivals Melbourne City at the top of the ladder.

To view Adrian Geremia’s gallery of images for Impetus from the game, check out our Instagram account – @ImpetusFootball.

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

Scorers: Morrison 33′.

PERTH GLORY (4-3-3): Dumont, Johnston, Chinnama, Zogg, Tathem, McKenna, Cassidy, Hollar, Wynne, Doeglas, Sunaga. Substitutes: Dalton, Lala, Templeman, Valletta, Wainwright.

Referee: Racheal Mitchenson.

Attendance: 1,014.

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Late equaliser against Western extends City’s unbeaten streak

Western United 1 – 1 Melbourne City 

By Alice de Koster-Kitto 18/1/24

Above: Leticia McKenna on the ball. Photo: Melbourne City

Melbourne City have extended their unbeaten streak to 12 matches, in a hard-fought draw with Western United at Ironbark Fields. 

It was Melbourne City who entered the match with the upper hand, having not lost a game this season, and sitting at the top of the ladder on 25 points, whereas the host side, Western United sit at 8th on 14 points. 

Although they went into the match with well-earned confidence, it may have been this confidence that was ultimately a disadvantage in the first half, as Western played with an unwavering urgency, searching for a goal early on. 

The first 30 minutes saw both sides play quite frantically, however, there was no real opportunity until Kahli Johnson’s strike from distance in the 34th minute, which ended up just wide of the goal.

The strike caused a shift in momentum for the rest of the first half, as a Western United goal seemed imminent, while they held their own against the table leaders. 

Melbourne City continued to dominate the possession, despite not getting many chances to score. Their strong defense kept the match scoreless until Kahli Johnson opened the scoring in the 45th minute, putting Western United in the lead at home. 

The goal caused some contention on the pitch, and between match officials and fans, as  it was unclear as to whether the tap in crossed the line, before it was deflected by Melbourne City keeper, Malena Mieres. 

Western United was awarded the goal by match officials, although there was some debate as to whether it was Melbourne City’s own goal. The goal was ultimately awarded to Kahli Johnson, assisted by Catherine Zimmerman’s cross, marking Johnson’s 7th goal of the Ninja A-League Season, and leaving the hosts in the lead at halftime.  

Holly McNamara opened the action for Melbourne City, making an excellent run with the ball, however, was not able to get the power behind it to create a real chance for the visitors. McNamara quickly took another opportunity, furthering City’s chances to defend their undefeated streak, however, the ball was shot directly into Western’s Alyssa Dall’Oste and deflected. 

Western United reclaimed possession as the second half continued, however, Melbourne City continued to jump on opportunities more than in the first half, keeping the match exciting and intense, as it shifted into a much closer match-up. 

A very close shot on target from captain Chloe Logarzo, almost continued their lead but was ultimately bounced from the keeper. 

A remarkable series of shots from Kahli Johnson, made for a dangerous Western United attack, as it seemed quite likely that they would keep their lead. Notably, a slate strike came incredibly close, before bouncing off the head of Zimmerman, inside the box. 

The match kept its momentum as stoppage time approached, with both sides desperately seeking a late goal. Western United remained in the lead until the 83rd minute, with a wonderful right-footed shot from Holly McNamara equalised the scoring. 

After six minutes of added time, and a well-fought battle to the end, there was no further scoring, and the match ended in a draw. The result extends Melbourne City’s undefeated streak this season, marking their 12th game without a loss, leaving them at the top of the table. 

Round 13 of the Ninja A-League will see Melbourne City head on the road to face Western Sydney Wanderers at Wanderers Football Park, while Western United will take on Adelaide United at Marden Sports Complex.  

To view Beck Hartley’s gallery of images for Impetus from the game, check out our Instagram account – @ImpetusFootball.

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

Scorers: Johnson 45’. 

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

Scorers: McNamara 83′.

Referee: Caitlin Williams.

Attendance: 847.

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