Arsenal hit third after dominating Villa 

Arsenal 4-0 Aston Villa

By Rachel Gore for Impetus with EXCLUSIVE photography by Lauren Kelly at The Emirates Stadium (8/12/24).

Above: Arsenal celebrate one of their four goals. Photo: Lauren Kelly for Impetus

Arsenal made a statement at The Emirates as they secured a 4-0 victory over Aston Villa to claim a top-three spot in the WSL table. 

What were the keys to their success?

For the full 90 minutes, Renee Slegers’ Arsenal dominated Aston Villa as they proved their drive to secure victory and gain three points in the WSL. 

At 10 minutes a set of clean passes between Mariona Caldentey and Caitlin Foord led to a save from Sabrina D’Angelo. Arsenal immediately fought back from this with Beth Mead making a run that was declared offside to the dismay of the Gunners in the stands. This initial attack set a precedent for the remainder of the match in which Arsenal continued to press. 

Undeterred by this early offside call, Alessia Russo opening up the scoring at 17 minutes. This set the tone for the remainder of the game and highlighted Arsenal’s attacking intent.

The second goal of the match was a tap-in from Mead following a shot from Frida L. Maanum which had hit the crossbar. This goal was evidence of the resilience seen by Arsenal throughout the match; on numerous occasions, the Arsenal players continued to take shots on goal until the ball had been cleared out of the box or made it into the goal.

Russo shone as she played confidently on the ball. One particularly strong drive forward saw her win a one v one against D’Angelo and place the ball comfortably in the net, however this goal was declared offside.

Despite this, Russo still managed to score a brace; her second goal was a shot from the right-hand side which hit the top corner. This consolidated a solid performance for the striker and showed why Slegers kept her on the pitch for the full ninety minutes. Prior to this, Katie McCabe provided an assist for substitute Stina Blackstenius.

Arsenal’s squad depth and versatility was shown by their bench. In total the side made five substitutions which Slegers labelled “energy injections” in the post-match media conference. These changes not only freshened up the team but also allowed Arsenal to change their strategy as players moved into different positions.

At half time, Lotte Wubben-Moy took the position of left back with Steph Catley moving towards the centre of the pitch and McCabe playing as right back. At 75 minutes, Laura Wienroither was bought on and she took over as right back causing McCabe to move over to the left-hand side. These tactical shifts increased the pressure on Villa as they had to readjust multiple times to their opposition’s formation.

Whilst Arsenal’s performance was strong overall, there was potential for the score line to be even larger; the home team took 17 shots, nine of which were on target, and only four of which hit the back of the net.

Above: Alessia Russo ready to attack against Aston Villa. Photo: Lauren Kelly for Impetus.

What went wrong for Aston Villa?

Arsenal dominated Aston Villa for the full 90 minutes as the away team failed to gain control of the match. 

While possession was evenly split, Villa made rushed decisions. This lack of composure nearly caused the away team to score an own goal as an aim to head the ball away from the goal resulted in it flying just over the crossbar.

Throughout both halves, Villa’s keeper D’Angelo made numerous saves which minimised the damage. She was also well utilised by outfielders who passed backward to her to retain possession and eventually bring the ball forward into their attacking half.

One player who made these passes to D’Angelo was Jordan Nobbs, who made a return to The Emirates to face her old club on her birthday. During the match, Nobbs strived to gain possession in the midfield and made some strong defensive efforts, however, like many of her teammates, she failed to make a significant impact on the game. 

Arsenal managed to nullify Rachel Daly, Villa’s captain. Speaking about her performance, Robert de Pauw said that“sometimes she drops too far.” He added that “she should not drop further than our defensive midfielders.” Perhaps keeping Daly further up the pitch would have allowed for a stronger attack from Villa and potentially goals.

Speaking on the performance as a whole de Pauw described it as showing “where we are at the moment,” saying that the team “have to be honest and critical” with themselves.

Above: Lucy Staniforth on the ball for Aston Villa. Photo: Lauren Kelly for Impetus

Arsenal’s Australians step up to the plate

Three of the players in Arsenal’s starting eleven were Australian internationals Catley, Foord, and Cooney-Cross.

Cooney-Cross’ start, which had been highly requested by fans, was her ninth WSL start, and seventh this season. She proved that she had earned her place with what Slegers described as a “world class” performance. 

The young midfielder was heavily involved in Arsenal’s set pieces; it was the Matildas star’s gorgeous shot from a set piece that acted as an assist for Russo’s goal. This set-piece shot also showcased her growing influence at the club.

Cooney-Cross was not the only Australian international who made an impact. Catley played a large role in defence and made key blocks that ensured a clean sheet was kept by Arsenal. Additionally, Foord has had a brilliant start to the season and made a couple of attempts on goal in this fixture. She played strongly down the wing, making clever passes and delivering the ball into the box.

Above: Caitlin Foord on the ball for Arsenal at The Emirates. Photo: Lauren Kelly for Impetus.

What does this result mean for the WSL?

Prior to kick off, Arsenal and Villa sat in fifth and eighth place in the WSL table respectively.

The result led Arsenal to advance into third place but caused Villa to drop down to ninth.

Arsenal’s move into the top three is the result of a series of undefeated games. When asked post-match whether Arsenal can take on City and Chelsea for the title, Slegers said: “I think so, we have to believe that.”

For Villa, the fall in position is threatening; the team are now three points ahead of Crystal Palace who are at the bottom of the table. In order to stay out of the relegation battle and hold onto their spot in the WSL, de Pauw will be pushing for wins from his side. This idea was emphasised by the Villa boss in the post-match media conference when he said that “every game is a big game”. He added to this saying that “everything is close in the league”.

Teams: ARSENAL: Van Domselaar, Fox, Williamson, Catley, Caldentey, Mead, McCabe, L. Maanum, Foord, Russo, Cooney-Cross. Substitutes: Wubben-Moy (for Fox 46’), Blackstenius (for Maanum 60’), Wienroither (for Catley 75’), Hurtig (for Foord 75’), Kuhl (for Cooney-Cross 83’).

Scorers: Russo 17’, Mead 38’, Blackstenius 70’, Russo 90+4’.

ASTON VILLA: D’Angelo, Mayling, Tomas, Patten, Staniforth, Nobbs, Daly, Turner, Salmon, Hanson, Grant. Substitutes: Nunes (for Salmon 62’), Maritz (for Mayling 62’), Dali (for Hanson 62’), Robinson (for Grant 79’), Taylor (for Nobbs 79’).

Referee: Abi Byrne.

Attendance: 29,515.

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Teagan Micah: She’s Been Here the Whole Time

Above: Teagan Micah warming up pre-match against Iran. Photo: Cat Bryant for Impetus.

by Genevieve Henry (6/12/24).

After an impressive performance by Teagan Micah between the sticks for the Matildas in the latest international window, many new fans are shocked at the competence of the current second-choice goalie.

And it’s easy to see why—she’s been absent from the starting eleven pretty much the entire time the Matildas have had an exponentially growing fanbase. She hadn’t started in almost 12 months previous to her start against Brazil. But, no, she didn’t just appear out of nowhere. This wasn’t a fluke. Teagan Micah has been here. 

In fact, the 27-year old has been in and around senior Matildas camps since 2017. She was even included in the 2019 Women’s World Cup squad. After five years in the squad, Micah finally debuted in June 2021 against Sweden, right before the Olympics. The match ended in an impressive 0-0 tie with the team that would just weeks later prove to be one of their toughest opponents. This score was largely due to Micah’s commanding performance. 

In the lead-up to the 2021 Olympics, and many many years prior, Australia’s number one goalkeeper was Lydia Williams. The goalie most beloved by new Matildas fans, Mackenzie Arnold, wasn’t even included in the initial 18-player squad for the Olympics. In the first group stage match against New Zealand, Williams put in a sub-par performance, opening the door for Micah. She took the opportunity and ran.

Micah had a breakout tournament in Toyko. Making only her second appearance for her country, coincidentally against the same opponent as her debut, she stood tall and proved her worth in a chaotic 4-2 loss against Sweden. Micah was even more instrumental in the deciding group game against the USA. In a 0-0 draw that really could have been a win, Micah kept a clean sheet against the toughest opponents in the world. She tended the net with confidence and brilliance, sending her team to the quarterfinals.

Australia v Great Britain would go down in Matildas history as one of the most exciting wins of all time. And really, we have Micah to thank. From going up in the 35th minute thanks to Alanna Kennedy to nearly falling to a brace – that would later turn into a hattrick – by Ellen White, the famous 4-3 win was a goal fest. As a goalie, that generally doesn’t indicate a positive performance.

But, anyone who saw this match would know just how instrumental Micah was. Possibly her best moment in green and gold, she stood up confidently against Caroline Weir, known to be one of the best penalty-takers in the world, and defiantly shut her out, keeping the score at 2-2 in extra time. The team used this rush of adrenaline, Mary Fowler scoring a wonder goal to put the team ahead the next minute. But, it wasn’t only the penalty save. Micah faced 10 shots on goal, making an incredible seven saves, almost all of which defied gravity and logic. 

Above: Micah celebrates during the game v Great Britain. Image: Player Instagram

Micah put in similarly impressive performances in tough losses to Sweden and the USA in the semi-final and third-place match at the Olympics. Although the fourth-place finish was heartbreaking, Australia and Micah especially had a lot to be proud of.

Unfortunately for Micah, her time as Australia’s number-one goalie would be short-lived. Over the past few years, her career has been stunted by a myriad of injuries; concussions that lasted months, ankle tears, and ligament injuries. These sidelined her for both the 2023 Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics, allowing Arnold to come up from third choice to first. But, could Teagan Micah be number one again?

“One thing I’ve learned over the course of my years in the Matildas is that the number one is never really set,” she said in the post-Brazil match press conference. “It’s always in and out. It’s always about your most recent performance. So for me, it’s just one game at a time.”

One factor to consider is playing time at club level. If Micah continues her trend of starting for Liverpool as she did over the weekend against Manchester United, the story could change massively. Frankly, Micah doesn’t get enough minutes at Liverpool, at least for now. But, neither does Arnold at Portland Thorns.

The Matildas keepers actually playing for their clubs are the uncapped ones: Chloe Lincoln, Morgan Aquino, and Jada Whyman. Micah is in a high-achieving, competitive environment that pits her against some of the best forwards in the world when she dons the gloves for Liverpool. Although she is second choice to Rachel Laws, she is still improving and gaining experience. If Micah eventually steps up to be starting for the Reds, it’s hard to see a world where she shouldn’t start for the Matildas, as well. 

Micah has some differences and some similarities to Arnold. While both can pull off amazing saves, Micah is a more typical shot-stopper. She is always on the stretch, doing everything within her ability to keep the ball out of the back of the net. She is, like Arnold, a great penalty stopper. Their distribution is remarkably similar, with close average length of pass and goal kick, as well as their successful passing rate.

Above: Micah distributing against Brazil. Image: Player Instagram.

In comparison to Arnold, Micah has conceded only 29 goals in 67 games spanning her entire career, where Arnold has let in 183 in 116. Although Arnold has played almost twice as many games as Micah, she only kept one more clean sheet, with 20 to 19. 28.4 of the games Micah has played have been clean sheets, where 17.2 of Arnold’s matches were kept goalless.

In terms of more advanced stats, Micah’s Post-Shot Expected Goals minus Goals Allowed per 90 is +.23 while Arnolds is -.16. This metric quantifies expected goals based on the likelihood of the keeper saving it, with higher numbers indicating a more positive performance. Ultimately, Micah has still played far fewer games than Arnold, so their statistics are vastly different and hard to accurately compare. 

One unique aspect about Micah’s career is her time in the US College system with the UCLA Bruins. She was on a full scholarship. She had one of the most incredible college careers, getting awards and setting records almost constantly. In her freshman year in 2016, she became the first freshman to start in goal on opening day since 2004.

She continued to prove herself, making 5 or more saves in over half of the games she played, making 93 total, the second-most in UCLA history. She recorded 9 clean sheets throughout the 22-game season, a feat that earned her a spot on the Top Drawer Soccer Best Freshman XI.

Micah continued this form into her sophomore year, playing all 25 games and leading the entire nation in goalkeeper minutes. She equaled nine clean sheets and made an average of five saves per game. Her junior year was similarly excellent, racking up 45 saves. Senior year, Micah set a PAC-12 record for most career honors, with multiple Goalkeeper of the Week and Academic Honor Roll awards. She ended her college career with 248 saves, second of all time at UCLA. All this just shows how truly skilled a keeper Micah is, thriving in a system that only the very best can hack.

Micah has played for four clubs in the A-League Women, Brisbane Roar before her time at UCLA, Western Sydney Wanderers, Melbourne Victory, and Melbourne City after. But, these weren’t the clubs that really formed her, making few appearances at each before making an impact in Norway at Arna-Bjørnar in between playing for the Melbourne clubs. She played for another Norwegian club, Sandviken before signing for Rosengård, where she played an important role in two successful seasons with the Swedish stalwart club. 

Her impressive performances throughout her career for club and country earned her a contract at Liverpool, in the English Women’s Super League. Although she hasn’t featured regularly as of yet, she is gaining valuable experience in a system and league that greatly benefits her. 

If Micah actually gets the opportunity to start for club and country, she could easily be one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

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Bompastor continues the unbeaten streak

Chelsea 4-2 Brighton and Hove Albion

by Aimee-Lou Caldecourt at Kingsmeadow for Impetus 9/12/24.

Above: Millie Bright (left) and Aggie Beever-Jones (right) celebrate Sjoke Nusken’s (middle) goal. Photo: ChelseaFCW on X.

Chelsea ran out winners in a fascinating tactical battle at Kingsmeadow against Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon.

It was the visitors who were technically the better team in the opening 10 minutes. The Seagulls came out to prove a point. They pressed with high intensity and drove up the pitch to win early corners.

Johanna Rytting Kaneryd showed she had the pace on the right side to beat Jorelyn Caribali to the ball and cross in a beautiful pass, which was shot safely into the hands of Sophie Baggaley.

Chelsea’s attempt at a short corner fell to the feet of Lucy Bronze just outside the penalty area, and her powerful shot was deflected by the Brighton defence and sent clear over the crossbar.

The Blues grew into the game and became more composed. They controlled the possession in Brighton’s half, pushing the Seagulls to defend in their own box.

Brighton were able to drive through the Chelsea midfield a fair amount thanks to Kiko Seike but were unable to challenge Hannah Hampton in the opening 25 minutes.

Rachel McLaughan’s technical ability shone in the first half. The way she kept calm to win battles against the Chelsea defenders was crucial to the Seagulls staying competitive in this game.

A lapse in concentration for Brighton allowed Chelsea to capitalise on the breakdown of the backline. A heavy touch from the former Chelsea player Jelena Čanković led to an attempted goal-line clearance from Guro Bergsvand, but the ball had already crossed the line, and Sjoeke Nüsken got Chelsea going in the game.

The Chelsea press in the first half was difficult to break down. Baggaley attempted to play out from the back, but it was intercepted by Aggie Beever-Jones, who doubled the home side’s lead five minutes before halftime.

Čanković found a pocket of space in the Chelsea defence after she received the ball from Nikita Parris and halved the deficit in added time.

Brighton changed their shape with the introduction of Michelle Agyemang, but ultimately it would have no impact on the outcome of the game.

Chelsea hunted to regain a two-goal advantage, and got their reward when an in-swinging ball from substitute Macario met Bronze in the box who was denied by Baggaley, only for the loose ball to meet the feet of Rytting Kaneryd who tapped it home.

Above: Chelsea’s squad rallies around Johanna Rytting-Kaneryd to celebrate her goal. Photo: ChelseaFCW on X.

Rytting Kaneryd is a force in the WSL this season but is still arguably underrated. Her positioning out on the wing is always perfect, and she has the pace to match making her an all-round outstanding player. The Swede’s ability in the box is just as good as outside the box and she has already equalled her goal tally for last season.

It was a poor clearance from Hampton in goal which allowed three Brighton players to be left unmarked in the box. The Lionesses goalkeeper’s pass ricocheted off Agyemang, into the feet of Seike who poked it in to give the Sussex side an extra push forward in the closing 15 minutes. A rare mistake from Chelsea.

In added time, Nüsken headed home from a corner. She was left unmarked as she drifted towards the near post.

It is understandable why Sonia Bompastor has broken records with this team. She is now nine games unbeaten in the WSL and her charges have only conceded five times in the league. This Chelsea team under her is incredibly difficult to break down. Bompastor, joking around, said, “Someone told me you are really dominating the league, and it was not good for the league. Today I feel we showed we have a competitive league… Brighton is a good team.”

This does not mean that Dario Vidosic’s side were not on the same level it was a hard-fought battle against the champions. There will be a sense of pride in these Brighton players. Vidosic said he was: “Really, really proud after a short period [of training].”

Nüsken’s brace and incredible contributions from Rytting Kaneryd and Beever-Jones highlighted the real attacking threat of Chelsea as a whole. Brighton showed high levels of resilience throughout and never gave up.

Teams: CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Hampton, Bright, Nüsken, Cuthbert, Reiten, Lawrence, Bjorn, Kaptein, Rytting Kaneryd, Bronze, Beever-Jones. Substitutes: Musovic (GK), Ramirez, Macario, Perisset, Charles, Hamano, Mpome, Jean-Francois, Bernabe.

Scorers: Nüsken 35′, Beever-Jones 40′, Rytting Kaneryd 51′, Bright 90+1′.

BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION (4-3-1-2): Baggaley, Pattinson, Bergsvand, Losada, Bremer, Parris, Čanković, Seike, Carabali, Olislagers, McLauchlan. Substitutes: Loeck (GK), Rayner, Vilamala, Milner, Heron, Agyemang, Pegram, Balmer, Johnson.

Scorers: Čanković 43′, Seike 71′.

Referee: Stacey Pearson.

Attendance: 3,765.

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Longo’s goals win it for Wellington

Wellington Phoenix 2-1 Brisbane Roar

By Kieran Yap 8/12/24

Above: Wellington Phoenix celebrate Annalie Longo’s first half goal. Photo: Official Media

A brace from Annalie Longo against Brisbane Roar delivered Wellington Phoenix their second win of the season.

Although this fixture was missing some star power, there was more than enough talent on the park at Jerry Collins Stadium.

Brisbane Roar travelled to New Zealand in strong form but without Tameka Yallop and Sharn Freier. The attacking pair both scored for Australia on Saturday night and would prove hard to replace, although Emily Pringle did a very good job of trying.

Wellington welcomed the visitors looking to build on last round’s win against Adelaide. Their first of the season snapped a run of consecutive losses and if that game gave the fans hope, this one should give them confidence.

Things looked bright for Brisbane early on. Evdokiya Popadinova looked certain to score but missed the target and Emily Pringle was thwarted by Carolina Vilao after bursting clear. The Portuguese goalkeeper struggled to adapt in her first three A-League games, but after two match-winning performances in a row looks to be one of the better imports in the competition.

It was Wellington who opened the scoring. It was not exactly against the run of play, but felt like a surprise nonetheless.

A short corner can be frustrating for fans, but a short goal kick can be heart-stopping. Wellington intercepted the ball at the second pass out from the back and Longo tucked away the eventual chance despite a hint of offside.

Pringle levelled things up for Roar with a terrific solo goal. She burst through the centre and cut wide. After holding off challenges from two phoenix defenders including the rapid Zoe McMeeken she finished low at the near post for one of the best goals of the round.

Alyssa Whinham tried to respond for Wellington. But after wriggling between a pair of Roar players she curled her shot agonisingly wide.

The task became harder for the visitors when striker Popadonva was withdrawn early in the second half. It appeared to be a hamstring injury and she joins other star signing Danelle Tan on the sidelines.

Wellington retook the lead in the 69th minute. Longo’s effort from distance squirmed under Olivia Sekany to make it 2-1 to the hosts.

She almost had a third late in the game but her clipped effort skimmed over the bar.

Wellington travel next round to face an in-form Melbourne Victory. On paper, Victory look to be the favourites, but Wellington will be confident having just ended a three match winning streak by Brisbane.

The Roar will face the Central Coast in what is shaping up to be one of the games of the round. The Mariners are one of only two undefeated sides left after five rounds and will be a strong challenge to face when trying to rebound from a loss.

Teams: WELLINGTON PHOENIX (4-4-2): Vilao, McMeeken, Barry, Jaber, Wall, Tanaka, McCutcheon, Longo, Whinham, Ferguson, Brazendale. Substitutes: Main, Jale, Elliot, Kelly, Neary.

Scorers: Longo 34’, 69’.

BRISBANE ROAR (4-4-1-1): Sekany, Blissett, McQueen, Varley, De La Harpe, Hayashi, Woods, Pringle, Hecher, Levin, Popadoniva. Substitutes: Kuilamu, Kruger, L. Freier, Richards, Hoyos.

Scorer: Pringle 45’,

Referee: Rachael Mitchenson.

Attendance: 503.

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Adelaide United move to fourth on the ladder

Adelaide United 2-0 Newcastle Jets 

by Jonathon Hagger (8/12/2024).

Above: Adelaide United celebrate with The Red Army Photo: Adelaide United

Pre-season encouragement for supporters of Adelaide United to ‘Dare to Dream’ were proven to be correct as their team took down the Newcastle Jets 2-0 in a well contested match.

Adelaide’s first home win for the season sees them now sitting third on the A-League Women’s points table and running wild while the Newcastle Jets’ hot and cold form sees them in ninth. Despite dominating possession, shots on goal, and corners, the Jets were unable to do what counts – score goals. 

Both teams started the match playing cautious football as each team took time to assess each others strengths and weaknesses. A corner by the Jets and taken by Copus-Brown in the eighth minute was the first real action of the match, however the play was not executed well with Adelaide quickly closing down play.

In true A-League style, immediately following the Jets offensive push, Adelaide made a convincing effort towards the visitors goal, built off precision passing spanning the entire width of the pitch. Leon’s well-weighted pass into the path of Healy in the centre of the field was dealt with defensively through excellent use of the body by Jets defender Claudia Cicco. 

A needless foul by Jets forward Gallagher in the 11th minute turned into a brilliant opportunity for her side to score following their winning a corner. A lovely corner kick from Copus-Brown found the feet of Baumann but Adelaide’s defense stood firm and the ball was cleared off the line by an outstretched leg. A second corner kick was skied over the top of the Adelaide goal.

Momentum in the match really swung towards the Jets for long periods of time. Repeated corners, free kicks and offensive pushes kept Adelaide on the back foot however Newcastle were unable to beat the keeper and score. A fantastic punching right in front of goal by Adelaide’s Jenkins in the 23rd minute kept the Jets scoreless.

In the 28th minute, Gallagher crossed into the Adelaide goal area finding Allan, however the keeper was once again able to diffuse the danger. 

Suddenly, in the 30th minute, a massive momentum shift occurred. Adelaide create holes in the Jets defensive structure, with the wing Healy, winning a one v one battle to find herself open enough to take a shot. Unfortunately for Adelaide the angle was too acute and the shot went wide. Would this be a signed things to come? 

The remainder of the first half played out in the same pattern and rhythm as described up until this point. Each team made strong forays into the other’s goal area but neither could execute on their chances. Until…. the 42nd minute.

The awarding of a yellow card against Jets keeper Krzyzaniak who handled the ball standing outside her goal area gave Adelaide the free-kick. McNamara got the ball over the line and Adelaide were in front. 

The closing minutes of the first half went in the home side’s favour as they applied pressure on the Jets forcing Krzyzniak to make repeated saves, although none of the attempts to score looked overly dangerous. 

The Jets team came into the second half showing desperation and a desire to score. Striker Gallagher, immediately turned up the energy. Adelaide on the other hand looked composed and not content to just sit back and defend. 

The middle of the pitch opened up for Adelaide in the 49th minute as Leon sliced the Jets open to find Worts on the charge to thread a wonderful pass into the path of Healy, only three feet out from goal. A bobble of the ball made for a nervous moment for Krzyzniak, but she was able to collect the ball on a second effort. 

Fast forward to the 63rd minute and a decisive pass into the middle of the area from Leon, found the boot of Worts who cleanly slotted the ball into the net putting Adelaide up 2-0. 

The hosts could have gone 3-0 up with just under 15 minutes remaining when Dewey’s free-kick required a strong punch away from the Krzyzniak to save the day. 

With 10 minutes remaining, there were two opportunities for the Jets. First, Copus-Brown’s header was safely deflected away by Jenkins. Then Vicari was denied an excellent opportunity. 

The return of Adelaide star player Chelsie Dawber in the 85th minute was a highlight of the match. Dawber makes her way back into top-level football after having time off for surgery and rehabilitation. 

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

Scorers: McNamara 44’, Worts 63’.

NEWCASTLE JETS (3-4-2-1): Krzyzniak, Baumann, Davis, Cicco, Allan, Copus-Brown, Jackson, Wilson, Hoban, Allan, Gallagher. Substitutes: Dundas, Breier, Vicari, Robertson, Rolley. 

Referee: Beth Rattray. 

Attendance: 1,019. 

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Murphy rocket seals the Victory

Perth Glory 0-1 Melbourne Victory

Report by Ben Gilby with EXCLUSIVE photography from Rob Lizzi at the Sam Kerr Football Centre (8/12/24).

Above: Melbourne Victory celebrate Alana Murphy’s late winner at Perth Glory today. Photo: Rob Lizzi for Impetus.

A stunning long-range strike from Alana Murphy three minutes into stoppage time at the end of 90 minutes sealed all three points for Melbourne Victory in Perth today.

In a match that saw both defences largely on top for the duration, a moment of individual brilliance from Murphy sealed the deal for Jeff Hopkins’ side as the ball was laid off to her almost 25 yards outside the box to fire home.

Earlier the visitors saw a penalty saved comfortably by Perth’s Casey Dumont. Victory had the bulk of the possession, but struggled to make it pay without the experience and guile of Em Gielnik and Alex Chidiac, who were on Matildas duty the previous day in Geelong. They brought back former Perth favourites Courtney Newbon, Alana Jancevski, and Sofia Sakalis to Western Australia to face their former club. Conversely, Glory’s Dumont and Nat Tathem renewed acquaintances with their former side.

Glory head coach Stephen Peters gave Dumont her 150th W-/A-League Women appearance – becoming the first goalkeeper to achieve this milestone in the process. He was also able to bring Izzy Foletta into his squad for the first time this season, with another locally produced youngster Charli Wainwright, a technically gifted midfielder, also on the bench aiming to get her first-ever start in the A-League Women. Tijan McKenna was back from spending the international window with Croatia.

Whilst the visitors had the best of the opening exchanges, particularly focusing their attacks along the right flank, with the battle between Nikki Flannery and Grace Johnston particularly crucial. Whilst the former Canberra attacker had plenty of possession, the Glory defence was largely able to hold Jeff Hopkins’ side at arm’s length. Victory consistently couldn’t quite find the telling final ball.

Perth’s best early opportunities came through the burgeoning partnership between Georgia Cassidy and Kelli Brown. Cassidy was able to use her accurate expansive ball-playing skills to release Brown along the left flank where she had the better of Ellie Wilson in the process.

Largely though, the home side were not able to connect the dots between Impetus A-League Women Young Player of the Month Sarah O’Donoghue and her fellow attackers. Consequently, clear-cut chances were few and far between at either end.

Above: Sarah O’Donoghue on the ball for Perth Glory today. Photo: Rob Lizzi for Impetus.

The best chance of the half came with 26 minutes gone as Cymru international Megan Wynne’s growing influence on matters saw her get free along the right to pull a low cross for captain Izzy Dalton coming in at the near post to lift a shot over the top.

Moments later, Jancevski used twinkle-toed footwork to drive past Zogg on the right and hit an effort with the outside of her foot which Dumont held. The visitors held the upper hand for the remainder of the half but failed to trouble Dumont further. It remained goalless at the break.

Victory continued to ramp up the pressure at the start of the second half, maximising possession along the right-hand side, with Jancevski and McKenna’s tussle a key part of the play. Brown was dropping deep to give the Glory a potential outlet – but the visitors were able to nullify anything the home side could create.

Perth just couldn’t get their key creative players on the ball and this in turn impacted their sharpness up front.

With 52 minutes gone, there was a real shot across Glory bows as Flannery escaped from Tathem along the right to fire a powerful shot into the side netting.

Then, with 68 minutes on the clock, Jancevski’s corner curled in from the right. Referee Mackie ruled that it had hit Zogg on the arm and pointed to the spot. But cometh the hour, cometh Dumont. Rachel Lowe took one step and hit a high shot that was comfortably saved.

That was effectively that. Until Alana Murphy stepped up to seal the win with a stunning long ranger in the depths of stoppage time. The ball was laid off outside the box for her to drive a brilliantly angled shot into the net from outside the box. Perth’s wait for a home win against Jeff Hopkins’ side now stretches to a seventh year.

Defensively, the Glory are well organised and strong. It’s at the other end of the field that needs to be developed. They have other options in their attacking armory to be trialled – it may well be that now is the time to give them a go.

For Rob Lizzi’s two photo galleries from the game, check out our Instagram page @ImpetusFootball.

Teams: PERTH GLORY (4-2-3-1): Dumont, Tathem, Zogg, Chinnama, Johnston, Cassidy, McKenna, Wynne, Dalton, Brown, O’Donoghue. Substitutes: Abdul-Massih, Foletta, Hollar, Templeman (GK), Wainwright.

MELBOURNE VICTORY (4-1-4-1): Newbon, Wilson, Bunge, Morrison, Goad, Murphy, Flannery, Lowe, D’Appolonia, Jancevski, O’Grady. Substitutes: Briedis, Candy, Curtis, Pickett, Sakalis.

Scorers: Murphy 90+3.

Referee: Bec Mackie.

Attendance: 971.

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Late de Domizo strike stuns Sydney

Western United 2-1 Sydney FC

by Joe Rosedon (8/12/24)

Above: Kiara de Domizio (facing camera) celebrates her late winner with Western United teammates Alana Cortellino (19) and Emily Roach (2). Photo: Beck Hartley for Impetus.

Kiara de Domizio’s late winner gave Western United a dramatic second victory of the season against reigning champions Sydney FC.

A competitive first half saw both teams spurn opportunities to take the lead.

The away side had the first real chance of opening the scoring. Mackenzie Hawkesby’s corner was met by a rising Nat Tobin who headed the ball down to Tori Tunmeth. Tunmeth composed herself in the box and fired towards goal but was denied instinctively by newly capped Matilda Chole Lincoln who remarkably slotted back into the starting eleven less than twenty-four hours after making her international debut.

Western United responded well. Amy Medwin was given ample space to drive down the right-hand side with devastating effect and pick out Keiwa Hieda. Hieda’s first-time strike seemed destined for the net until Tahlia Franco intervened with a stunning save. Hieda could not believe she had not put Western into the lead.

Sydney’s front-footed pressure nearly resulted in the opener. Maddie Caspers secured the ball in a dangerous position, capitalising on a heavy touch from Alana Cerne. Caspers then played a delicate through ball to Shea Connors. Connors had Lincoln beaten but could not locate the top right corner.

The second half started brightly for Western. Kahli Johnson received the ball on the edge of the box and evaded her marker with ease. Her eventual scuffed attempt at goal was saved by Franco who did enough to keep the scores level.

Johnson was soon to have her goal against her former team, and it came in brilliant fashion. Receiving the ball with her back to goal, Johnson shrugged off Shay Hollman in the vein of an archetypal centre forward. Her next touch evaded the tackle of Tobin, creating space on the edge of the box and unleashing an unsavable shot into the bottom right corner. Based on the balance of play at the start of the second half, the goal was well deserved.

Yet Sydney were back in the game only three minutes later and only Western had themselves to blame. A poor pass back to Cerne put the defender under unnecessary pressure. Second-half substitute Amber Luchtmeijer was quick to pounce. The NPLW NSW golden boot winner muscled Cerne off the ball and squeezed the ball under Lincoln to equalise, scoring her first goal for Sydney.

It seemed as if both teams would have to be content with a point. After Sydney’s leveller, neither team could control the game or fashion a clear-cut chance.

This changed drastically in the 88th minute. With her first touch after coming on, de Domizio headed home tremendously at the near post from Melissa Taranto to win the game in sensational style.

Check out Impetus’ Beck Hartley’s photo gallery from the match on our Instagram page @ImpetusFootball now!

Teams: WESTERN UNITED (4-4-2): Lincoln, Grove, Maher, Cerne, Sardo, Medwin, Eggesvik, Prakash, Taranto, Johnson, Hieda. Substitutes: Dall’Oste, Dehakiz, Roach, de Domizio, Cortellino.

Scorers: Johnson 55’, de Domizio 88’.

SYDNEY FC: (4-3-3): Franco, Tunmeth, Tobin, Lemon, Thompson, Hollman, Hawkesby, Caspers, Connors, Ibini, Dos Santos. Substitutes: Edwards, Bryson, Chauvet, Luchtmeijer, Tallon-Henniker.

Scorers: Luchtmeijer 58’.

Referee: Molly Godsell

Attendance: 515.

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The Republic of Ireland: Where to now ?

Above: Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan after Ireland’s qualifier loss to Cymru. Photo: Ireland Football

by Alyce Collett (7/12/24)

This week saw absolute heartbreak for the Republic of Ireland women’s national team, who failed to navigate past Cymru and qualify for the 2025 Euros, much to the heartbreak of the players.

It is a real setback for a side that has made significant progress in the past few years, and after having qualified for last year’s World Cup, was hoping to make it two major tournaments in a row.

However, it was not to be and now the question of where to go from here lingers over all involved with the team.

Despite some tough results over the last 12 months for the Girls in Green, the scorelines do not always represent what goes on in their matches and how competitive they truly are. It is often just momentary lapses of concentration that bring them unstuck.

Despite this, they find themselves in a loop of being too powerful for League B in UEFA’s Nations League, but also unable to bank the results to stay up in League A.

No matter what happens moving forward, the Irish must break out of this loop and find a way to maintain their spot in League A. This is the only way that the momentum they have built over the past few years can be maintained and built on.

Narrowing in on the specifics, there are a few key areas that the Irish Federation and those that run the national team can focus on to get the team back on track, and back onto the path of growth.

Do not change the manager of the national team

This point is pretty self explanatory – make sure manager Eileen Gleeson’s contract gets renewed and that a long term deal is reached for her.

Yes her tenure so far has not quite delivered the results anyone would have wanted, but the picture is much bigger than that.

Towards the end of former manager Vera Pauw’s tenure, it was clear that the playing group was almost lifeless. Yes she got the team to its first ever major tournament, but her alleged tactics and coaching method meant that the joy and flare was not there. Fast forward to now, and Gleeson has not only maintained the solidness in defence that Pauw set up, but the team is now playing happier, more free flowing football and has attacking flare that Pauw never managed to get.

Not only has Gleeson got them playing better tactically, but changing managers again so soon after removing the last one just disrupts team flow and momentum. And with there being higher ranked national teams still needing to find a coach, there’s no guarantee the kind of high quality calibre needed would apply for a job like the Irish one, when they can apply to coach a team like Australia.

Do not be afraid to change the line-up and adapt to in-game situations

As much as Gleeson has really improved things on-field, there is one area that can still be improved.

Even before Gleeson took charge, there has been a bit of a reluctance to deviate from a set starting line up, and instead play others that may in fact be a better fit to how this team operates. Now that is less of an issue in defence and midfield, but is a bit of an issue in attack.

Ireland looks at its most dangerous with a pair of fast strikers, and although bringing in Julie-Ann Russell has been a massive boost, the persistence of playing Kyra Carusa as the other starting striker needs to be looked at. She does not have the speed and has not produced enough goals on a regular enough basis to warrant having that starting striker role.

It would be interesting to see what kind of impact partnering someone like a Leanne Kiernan or an Abbie Larkin with Russell would have.

Get more national team members playing in better competitions domestically

One thing that most if not all of the top teams in the world have in common is that all their players play in the best domestic competitions in the world, playing against the world’s best week in and week out. Not necessarily the domestic league of their home countries, but if you look at the likes of the United States, England, and even Australia, just about all of their regular first-choice players are playing in a league like England’s WSL or the USA’s NWSL.

Now contrast that with Ireland, where a large percentage of the squad plays in the Women’s Championship; the second division of the English system. Some play in the WSL and in the NWSL, but a large chunk of those regular starters are at a handful of Championship clubs. There used to be more in the WSL, and the promotion of Crystal Palace this season has helped, but a number moved clubs a few years ago, with several dropping down to the Championship.

Secure big friendlies against highly ranked teams

One of the most important things for this team to do moving forward is to secure big friendlies against higher-ranked teams.

Ireland’s relegation back to League B is not an insignificant setback, as it deprives the Girls in Green of the opportunities to play high-quality opponents that is necessary for the improvement of the team. The past precedence of the 2023 Nations League season combined with the current rankings of Ireland’s upcoming opponents, sets a scene of expected easy victories for the Irish and will not provide much of a guide as to where the team is truly at.

The last time Ireland was in League B, the Irish had no trouble accounting for Hungary, Northern Ireland and Albania, not dropping a point on their way to topping their group with a goal difference of positive 18. That goal difference was the best of any team across all four groups in League B.

This time the world number 24; Ireland are in a group with 40th ranked Slovenia, 58th placed Türkiye and world number 61 Greece.

With the way the UEFA Nations League works these days, there really are not a lot of windows of opportunity to make these friendlies happen, but there are opportunities there, like the back end of 2025. This assumes things go as expected and the Irish top their group in League B again.

Getting games against the likes of the USA and Australia may be difficult, but there are always teams like Canada, Brazil, and Japan.

Development of pathways within Ireland

The long term future of football in Ireland is just as important as the short term goals of making major tournaments.

The pathway system in Ireland is underfunded and underdeveloped, and needs to be redeveloped in order to keep up with those at the top of the world pecking order.

Now it is unclear what the FAI spends on its high performance programs as the annual reports do not specify, but the organisation’s financial issues have been well reported.

On a more practical sense, the pathway program is incomplete in Ireland. There are national teams up to under 19s, but Ireland does not have an under 23s national team, which the top countries do.

This has been a much talked about issue for some time. Most recently after this week’s game when Ruesha Littlejohn called it out in a post match chat with Irish broadcast network RTÉ, and it is not something the Federation can afford to ignore for much longer.

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Matildas win in dominant style to close out 2024

Australia 6-0 Chinese Taipei

By Emma Burke at GMHBA Stadium for Impetus (7/12/24).

Above: Sharn Freier after scoring Australia’s sixth goal. Photo: Football Australia.

The Matildas have cruised to a 6-0 win against Chinese Taipei for their final international fixture of 2024, in front of a crowd of 30,097 in Geelong.

In a much more cohesive performance than we’ve seen in this window, the Matildas made easy work of their opponents, utilising a three-back defence with fast-paced wing-backs to break down and open up Chinese Taipei.

Less than 15 minutes into the game the Matildas found themselves with a 2-0 lead over the visitors, with a debut goal for Leah Davidson scored with her head and assisted by Emily van Egmond, followed by an exceptional solo effort from Tameka Yallop who picked off a poor pass from the goalkeeper and fired back on her.

A third goal for the first half came late to Emily Gielnik, assisted on a silver platter by Yallop, who finally found the back of the net after multiple opportunities sent either skyward or into the side netting.

The Matildas came out wanting more in the second half, and got exactly what they came for when substitute Remy Siemsen took it on herself to drag the ball through the box past multiple defenders and set up Michelle Heyman for an easy finish in front of goal.

Already up by four goals, Australia found a fifth after a free kick delivered by van Egmond met the head of Tash Prior who came careening through a crowd of defenders to score her second goal in as many international games.

The final goal was scored by Sharn Freier who had spent the game looking very threatening on goal. A long ball was played perfectly for Freier to run on to by Wini Heatley, who only had to beat her defender to the ball, and finish clinically at the near post.

In between being a goal-fest, this game also saw the final exit of legendary Matildas defender Clare Polkinghorne, who left the pitch to a standing ovation. Polkinghorne ends her international career with a win and 169 appearances to her name.

The final whistle tonight closed the 2024 campaign for the Matildas, with players now returning to club football. The next challenge for the team now comes in the form of finding a permanent head coach before competing in the SheBelieves Cup in the United States in February early next year.

To view Impetus’ Adrian Geremia’s EXCLUSIVE pitchside photography from the game go to our Instagram page @ImpetusFootball.

Teams: AUSTRALIA (5-3-2): Arnold, Heatley, Polkinghorne, Van Egmond, Yallop, Gielnik, Freier, Heyman, Henry, Davidson, Prior. Substitutes used: Siemsen, Chidiac, Nash, Lincoln, Røstbakken, Hughes.

Scorers: Davidson 6’, Yallop 11’, Gielnik 40’, Heyman 56’, Prior 73’, Freier 78’.

CHINESE TAIPEI (4-5-1): Wang Yu-Ting, Chang Chi-Lan, Teng Pei-Lin, Li Yi-Wen, Pu Hsin-Hui, Wu Kai-Ching, Ting Chia-Ying, Chen Ying-Hui, Lin Ya-Hsuan, Tseng Yun-Ya, Huang Ke-Sin. Substitutes used: Hsu Yi-Yun, Su Yu-Hsuan, Chan Pi-Han, Chen Jin-Wen, Lin Hsin-Hui, Su Sin-Yun

Referee: Azusa Sugino.
Attendance: 30,097.

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Dumont: “I think it’s quite unique”

by Ben Gilby (5/12/24)

Above: Casey Dumont talking to the media this week. Image: Perth Glory.

Perth Glory’s Casey Dumont is preparing to make history this weekend, when she becomes the first goalkeeper to play 150 games in the history of the W/A-League Women.

The 32-year-old has been part of the league since its inaugural season in 2008, and has played for Brisbane Roar, Sydney FC, Western Sydney Wanderers, Melbourne Victory and Central Coast Mariners prior to moving to Western Australia for this season.

It’s fitting that her milestone appearance will come against a Melbourne Victory side that she played over a third of those games for, winning two Premierships in the process.

Reflecting on her achievement, Dumont said: “I think I will be the first goalkeeper to hit that milestone, and that makes me very proud…to have that moment will be awesome. I think I will have that breather and actually accept it once the game has finished because we have a job and that job is to match (Melbourne) Victory and come away with the points.

“It’s really nice to know that the young 15-year-old Casey who started out many years ago is finally hitting one of the biggest milestones that will ever happen in women’s football in Australia.”

Dumont has been one of a select handful of players who played in the first season of the competition and is still going strong. In terms of the differences from the very first campaign 16 years ago to now, the Matildas capped keeper said: “It’s chalk and cheese.

Above: Casey Dumont (blue shirt) in action during the league’s early days with Brisbane Roar. Photo: Brisbane Roar.

“It’s a massive difference. I think back then we were still classed as amateurs. We had contracts, but they weren’t really classed as contracts as you were playing because you loved it. There was no salary, if you couldn’t make training because you had work, it was understandable.

“Also, the very first season was only 10 games, then you had two Finals. That was it. Twelve games in total compared to now, we’re up to 23 which is huge…there’s still a lot more growing to happen and it needs to happen very quickly because other codes have started to overtake massively.

“From the beginning to now, I’m very thankful that I’ve been able to watch the people come through and retire, but also these young ones having that experience and have that dream of ‘I can be a professional soccer player and I can be in my home rather than going international.’

“Now we have clubs saying ‘we’re doing this’ and other clubs are, like, ‘ooh, we need to step up now’.”

Dumont’s 150th match will coincide with just her second game for Perth Glory. Having signed in pre-season, the goalkeeper was unable to join up with the Western Australian side until the recent Unite Round due to her AFLW (women’s Australian Rules Football) commitments with Hawthorn, who went two weeks into Finals football. This led to a rather ‘in the deep end’ baptism to life at the Glory, as she revealed with a smile

“So I flew in on the Thursday, trained the Friday and Saturday, and then flew with the team (to Sydney) on Saturday and played on Sunday.”

Above: Casey Dumont claims a save on her Perth Glory debut against Canberra United the week before last. Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus.

“I think it’s quite unique, there’s not many people who have to deal with this scenario, of Hawthorn and Perth, and then (I had) the experience with Central Coast (last season), so I knew what I had to do to make sure I wasn’t rusty, as well as Hawthorn are awesome…and that my body was maintained well and I was able to do both codes. I’m very lucky in being a goalkeeper, it helps with AFL with the hand and eye coordination.”

It meant that the Sydney-born shot-stopper was still coming up to speed with the identity of her new teammates – and it came with some comic moments. “I do the homework beforehand – making sure I matched the faces to the names, but things like the nicknames were hard – when people are saying the nicknames, or the last names, I’m, like, ‘who…is…that…?!'”

Perth go into Sunday’s game, their first at their new home of the Sam Kerr Football Centre on the back of a positive performance against Canberra United. They have, though, only recorded one win this season, and will have to be at their best against a Victory side who have taken seven points from a possible 12 so far.

Looking ahead to the game, Dumont said: “We just need to focus on our game plan. If we do that, then we’ll be very pleased with our performance…we’ve had glimpses (so far this season) when it’s been amazing and had moments where we’ve just switched off a little, or go passive. If we stick to what we’ve been told to do, then we’ll come away with what we need to come away with.

“We need to make sure we’re switched on and ready for them because they are a bit of a surprise package. They come up with combinations that you didn’t think they were planning for…rest defence is going to be important, but I think our attacks can be lethal when we have all our attackers working in trios…it can be anyone’s game.”

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