Riley equaliser earns Ferns a draw in Costa Rica

Costa Rica 1-1 New Zealand

by Jonathon Hagger (23/2/25)

Above: New Zealand captain Annalie Longo (right) battles for possession in Costa Rica last night. Photo: NZ Football.

A goal from Crystal Palace’s Indiah-Paige Riley just before the break ensured that New Zealand took a draw from the first of two encounters with Costa Rica during this international window.

Costa Rica assembled a confident and talented team to play two international friendly fixtures against the higher-ranked team of New Zealand. While a lot of the players may not have seen before outside of Central America, they impressed with their speed and precision.

A refreshed squad of players for the New Zealand Football Ferns was assembled for these two games in Costa Rica, giving a group of up and coming players a chance to test themselves. The end result of a draw was fair to both teams.

It was the Football Ferns who went on the attack in the early stages with Costa Rica patiently absorbing the pressure.  New Zealand looked very confident on the ball and maintained possession well for long periods. That wasn’t to last though as a well-drilled Costa Rican team soon showed what they are capable of.

The first of many breakthrough runs by the hosts occurred in the 11th minute after an uncleared corner landed at their feet. With a completely clear pitch in front of them, Herrera made it all the way to just outside the goal area where she unleashed a shot. The Ferns goalkeeper Victoria Esson made the first of her numerous great saves in the match. In the next three minutes, the shot-stopper was called on again and again as Costa Rica searched for their opening goal.

The first goal of the match was scored by Central American hosts at a time when the match felt like a stalemate. A swift throw-in and speed through the middle of the pitch into open space, found Priscilla Chinchilla in a one-on-one against the goalkeeper. A lovely shot off the outside of the attacker’s boot rolled easily into the bottom right-hand corner of the net. Advantage Costa Rica.

Above: New Zealand midfield talent, Macey Fraser surges through the Costa Rica midfield. Photo: NZ Football.

The Ferns immediately re-engaged their attacking strategy and set about attempting to score. While New Zealand had a good amount of possession they were unable to make their passes stick when needed down inside the Costa Rica half. The Ferns employed a tactic of attacking far more directly, attempting to shoot before the opposition had an opportunity to set themselves.

When they did have time to set themselves, Costa Rica exhibited excellent structure in defence, quickly transitioning into a 4-5-1 formation, reminiscent of the best teams in the world.

Esson demonstrated why she is the Ferns’ number one goalkeeper when one of the Costa Rican midfielders played a beautiful pass directly into the path of her quickly advancing striker moving at pace, just right of the goal in the 28th minute. A well placed knee by Esson deflected the ball away, denying a goal. 

Kelli Brown really threw herself into the action for New Zealand throughout first half, making a strong showing that she has more than earned her first international call-up.

New Zealand levelled matters in the 45th minute. It began from Kitching’s free-kick which ended up hitting the bar, and in the immediate follow-up play, Indiah-Paige Riley, launched a magnificent shot on goal from wide out on the right hand wing that sailed past the goalkeeper.

The second half started in favour of Costa Rica as they repeatedly beat the defensive efforts of the Ferns, creating wide open space for the attacks to launch. Of concern for the visitors was the inability of their defenders to turn and get back into position. Playing with three defenders requires the midfield to be able to turn and go but the speed of the midfield players was unable to compete with against speedy opposition.

At the front of the field, Hand reasserted the reason why she is a go to selection. Her excellent shot in the 53rd minute required the Central American’s goalkeeper, Salera, to act quickly and responsively.

The next major talking point came in the 68th minute as the Ferns defenders needlessly coughed up possession just outside the goal area. A shot on goal by Costa Rica was unable to finished off as the goalkeeper, Esson, once again managed to get her fingers on the ball and guided it away safely.

Above: Indiah-Paige Riley (20) on the break for the Football Ferns last night. Photo: NZ Football.

The substitution change with Hahn making her debut for the Ferns in the 66th minute, added spark the visitors’ midfield. Her ability to both stand strong as well as twist into space, bamboozled the defenders. Far more creative play came through as her ability to slip into open spaces came to the fore, giving more time for Riley and Hand to setup to shoot.

With full time approaching, neither team were happy to settle for a draw and both teams increased the intensity in the closing stages of regular time. True to the rest of the match, while the Ferns dominated field position, Costa Rica’s defensive structure was well able to shut down the New Zealand attacks.

An acknowledgment of the referee Astrid Garmajo of Guatemala, who did an excellent job. The calls made for and against both teams were fair and equal.

Key observations:

Costa Rica are a very good in transition. They are fast and have the ability to control the ball while moving at pace, repeatedly catching the opposition off guard. Their defensive style is very sound.

The Football Ferns looked great at the front, average in the midfield and shaky at the back when countering Costa Rica’s attacks from broken play. All the Ferns wing players were impressive but the team lacked the ability to break down the Costa Rican midfield in the second half, resorting to the old habit of going long and hoping the attacking upfield player can make use of the ball.

Teams: COSTA RICA (3-4-2-1): Solera, Guillen, Bianco, Benavides, Coto, Pinell (80’), Chinchilla, Alvarado, Barrientos (84’), Chinchilla, Salas. Substitutes used: Barahona (84’), Morales (80’), Estrada (84’), Barahona (46’).

Scorer: Chinchilla (20’)

NEW ZEALAND (4-3-3): Esson, Bunge (66’), Taylor, Fraser (79’), Longo, Anton, Riley, Blake (45’), Foster (66’), Kitching, Brown (45’). Substitutes used: Hand (45’), Neville (45’), Hahn (66’), Moore (66’), Elliot (79’).

Scorer: Riley 45’.

Referee: Astrid Garmajo (GUA).

Follow Impetus on social media –

Twitter (X): @impetusfootball TikTok: @impetusfootball 
Instagram: @impetusfootball 

Young Matildas win again and welcome the region at Parliament House

By Kieran Yap 22/2/25

Above: The Young Matildas and Solomon Island players enjoy festivities at Parliament House. Photo: Tiff Williams for Football Australia

The Young Matildas have beaten The Solomon Islands 12-0 in the second game of the Four Nations Tournament in Canberra.

The Australian Under 20’s rotated heavily for this match after winning the first game 9-0 against Vanuatu, Melbourne City star, Shelby McMahon scored the first two goals, with Peta Trimis and Alex Collins all hit the back of the net to give the Aussies a 4-0 lead at half time.

Avaani Prakash pulled the strings in midfield for the Australians, while India Breier and Talia Younis were menacing down the flanks. Central Coast Mariners attacker Trimis was dangerous early on, whether whipping in crosses or finding space in the crowded penalty area.

The Solomon Islands sat deep, tried to limit the clear chances Australia could create, but the sheer number of opportunities that The Young Matildas forged meant that goals were inevitable, even if good goalkeeping frustrated them early on.

Trimis added her second after half time, after her first and second shots were saved in quick success, she buried the third effort to bring up her brace.

The floodgates were well and truly open. Collins scored her second when she finishes a move started by Josie Allan and Caley Tallon-Henniker.

The Solomon Islands were not without their threats, they relied on the counter attack and in the 52nd minute it nearly paid off after a high interception ended with Jemina David’s shot hitting the post.

Tallon-Henniker made it seven with a thunderous shot from 20 yards, and Trimis brought up her hatrick with an effort of equal quality on her left foot from a slight angle.

Collins had her third just minutes later, nodding on Mary Stanic-Floody’s curling cross from point blank range. Maya Lobo made it 10 with an absolute rocket from the edge of the area with the type of strike few centre backs are capable of.

Sienna Saveska entered the game in the later stages on a mission to add to her two goals from the opening match. After some trademark efforts from distance, she scored Australia’s 11th with a close range finish in the 88th minute.

As they did against Vanuatu, Australia scored with the final kick of the game. It was another wonder strike, this time from Tallon-Henniker after Saveska’s layoff to the edge of the box.

Trimis, Saveska and Vatu reflect

Hatrick hero and U20 World Cup veteran Peta Trimis spoke after the game

“I thought in the first half that we could have been better,” She told the media.

“Although we were getting the goals we spoke about tidying stuff up and I think we really came out in the second half and delivered.

“The crowd were really lively, and it was a really good experience, they pushed us to keep going.”

The Young Matildas have one match left and face Thailand’s U20 side on Tuesday.

“We’re really excited for that match,” said Trimis.

“It’s a really big challenge but we’ve been training well getting gelling well in the last few games, so we’re hoping to come away with a good win.”

Peta Trimis. Photo by Tiff Williams for Football Australia

It was a sentiment echoed by striker Sienna Saveska.

“They’re a strong side and a challenge for us,” said Saveska.

“Hopefully we can get the win over them and just play some good football. They’ll probably really test out and see how we’re going against a stronger side that plays more technical and tactical football. It should be a good game.”

Saveska notched up a goal and an assist in under 10 minutes of game time, but she was quick to praise the atmosphere created by the tournament and team.

“Just getting on the field in the Aus jersey is an amazing thing. We’re all here with a new group of girls and it’s just good to be out there and have fun with each other.

“Getting a goal and assist is just a bonus.”

Trimis also spoke of the closeness of the squad. The majority of the U20 team are A-League Women players, most get regular game time, and the rivalry has been put aside once they arrive in camp.

“On the pitch In the A-League we are very competitive,” said Trimis

“But off the pitch we’re such good friends and get along really well. We also really enjoy coming into camp and playing together.

“I really like coming down to Canberra, I scored my first A-League goal here so it’s a pretty special place to me. All the people sare always so nice and always come out and show up to games so that means a lot to us.”

For Claudia Vatu of the Solomon Islands, the result was hard to swallow, but the overwhelming feeling was pride that they gave it their all.

“W did our best, we gave our all on the field,” said Vatu

“It has been an emotional one for us since we had our family supporters who came out today. But I believe we all worked so hard and gave our best.

“We appreciate each and everyone who came out today, they gave us the confidence to fight until the end. We never gave up and gave our best in the field.

“It was quite emotional to see them come out and cheer for us from the first whistle.

A Parliament House full of V.I.P’s

On the Thursday before the game, all four teams met up for a dinner at Parliament House. Zara Kruger said that it was a valuable and enjoyable night for The Young Matildas as hosts.

“It’s been really nice to get to know some of the girls from the other teams, said Kruger.

“To learn off them through their footballing experiences and off the pitch as well.

“It was really nice to learn some of their language and teach them some of ours as well. The language barriers are hard, but a few of the girls could speak rerally good English so it was good to intertact with them.

“There’s a lot of mingling going on, a few AUS girls on each table, so everyone is just enjoying themselves.”

Thailand Under 20 Captain Madison Casteen said that the youth teams bonded over “Gen Z” things like Tik Tok, university, school and soccer.

“It’s been really welcoming from the Australian side of things,” Casteen told the media.  

“It’s been really cool to see all the teams interacting and mingling together. In the past tournaments we’ve been to it’s never been this combined.

“The different cultures are really cool to see. My friend, she had a potato earlier and she didn’t like it and the Australian’s were like ‘oh my gosh, do you not like potatoes?”

Photo by Tiff Williams for Football Australia

The Four Nations Tournament has been Casteen’s first trip to Australia, and so far it has been a success. She has not seen a kangaroo in the wild yet so there are some ambitions left unfulfilled and she is looking forward to playing Australia even more now that the teams have met each other socially.

“The first thing I thought was the weather was really good, in America its snowing and in Thailand it’s hot,” she said of her first impressions.

Photo By Tiff Williams for Football Australia

Vanuatu’s High Commissioner to Austeralia Samson Vivil Fare said that the event at Parliament House was an important one for the Pacific Island teams.

“I think what I’m observing tonight is an amazing moment,” said Fare.

“Especially when you are bringing all the women and girls from the Pacific to come here and play football.

“it’s an amazing opportunity for them to not only open up and discover different opportunities that may be out there but also to play and showcase their talent in Australia.

“We’re very grateful to the Australian Government and also Football Australia to bring them across.

“It sends a very powerful message to young girls and young boys as well. It’s a message of inspiration.

“You can be good at something, and that particular something you can showcase it elsewhere.”

Follow Impetus on social media –

Twitter (X): @impetusfootball TikTok: @impetusfootball

Instagram: @impetusfootball

Girls in Green left with plenty to ponder after Nations League opener

Above: Ireland celebrate their goal. Photo: FAIreland on X


By Alyce Collett

Ireland have gotten their 2025 Nations League campaign off to a positive start, defeating Turkiye 1-0 thanks to a goal from Kyra Carusa. 

Despite emerging from the match with the full three points, it was not the most impressive performance from the Irish, with the dominant and ruthless Irish side of past League B campaigns nowhere to be found. 

Although the underdog, Turkiye did not make things easy for Ireland from the get go, with plenty of pressure in both attack and defence from the opening passages. In scenes reminiscent of matches in the past against sides like Georgia, it was clear even from the opening minutes that Ireland was really going to have to work hard for any goal they got in this encounter, as Turkiye deployed a low block. 

However, Ireland proved they were willing to be patient to achieve their goal, not afraid to work the ball back to defence and reset on a number of occasions. 

Denise O’Sullivan and Ruesha Littlejohn were particularly hard workers for Ireland, with the latter not afraid to let several shots on goal rip from distance. 

As the half progressed, Ireland continued to pelter the Turkish goal, but just could not get past a well drilled Turkish defencelead by the likes of İlayda Civelek. Ireland’s passing choices were at times questionable, but in full credit to the Turkish defence they did not give the Irish attackers much room to work in. 

Finally Ireland managed to get the breakthrough in stoppage time of the first half when Carusa headed the ball over the Turkish keeper and into the back of the net.

This saw Ireland take a 1-0 lead into half time, but there was plenty for both sides to chat about at the main break. 

Just like in the first half, Ireland had more of the attacking play early in the second half, but was unable to add to their lead after getting caught wide on the right hand side with very little room to work with on a number of occasions. 

Marissa Sheva was someone who really started to become influential on the match in the second half, combining well with the likes of O’Sullivan and Littlejohn to create a lot of energy and potential chances for the home side. 

For all the strong defensive work Turkiye was showing, they could not show similar strength in attack, with the likes of Elif Keskin and Melike Pekel regularly outnumbered every time they went into attack. 

Turkiye continued to frustrate Ireland in the second half, andwent inches away from getting an equaliser in the stoppage time of the second half. 

But in the end the full time scoreline was ultimately the same as the half time one, and although Ireland did emerge victorious, the Girls in Green have plenty to think about and work on ahead of the second match of the window against Slovenia. 

Teams: IRELAND (4-2-1-3): Brosnan, McCabe, Campbell, Patten, Mannion, Littlejohn, O’Sullivan, Sheva, Quinn, Carusa, Payne. Substitutes: Moloney, Whitehouse, Stapeleton, Hayes, Connolly, Barrett, Toland, Filis, Larkin, Murphy, Atkinson.

SCORERS: Kyra Carusa 45+3’

TURKIYE (4-2-3-1): Selda, Civelek, Abrahamsson, Hiz, Sakar, Cal, Topcu, Seker, Tukoglu, Keskin, Pekel. SUBSTITUTUES: Goksu, Karagenc, Karatas, Cin, Karabulut, Hancar, Caglar, Ozturk, Arhan, Tag, Icinozbebek, Nur Yaman. 

Attendance: 8,071

Referee: Réka Molnar

Follow Impetus on social media –

Twitter (X): @impetusfootball TikTok: @impetusfootball

Instagram: @impetusfootball

Tillies tumble back to earth in SheBelieves opener

By Alyce Collett 21/2/25

Above: Mary Fowler is swarmed by Japan’s press. Photo: Genevieve Henry for Impetus

It has been a disastrous start to the 2025 SheBelieves Cup for Australia, who lost to Japan 4-0 this morning in what was Japan’s biggest win over The Matildas.

Japan showed why they are the leading team in Asia as slick passing, strong defensive work and goals from Mina Tanaka, Maika Hamano and Moeka Minami left Australia a shell of its usual self, and no match for Japan. 

Although it was the Matildas who got the first look at goal, Japan were the ones to take true control of possession first, with the likes of Yui Hasegawa, Aoba Fujino and Saki Kumagai very busy early. 

It was not long before Japan’s pressure was rewarded, with Mina Tanaka able to trickle a shot into the back of the net. The defensive efforts from the Matildas were poor, with no one really putting in much effort to try and stop the shot. 

The goal just encapsulated how far on the back foot the Matildas were in the early parts of the match.

The Matildas really struggled to get the ball out of their defensive half as the Japanese press and defensive system looked strong, which was in stark contrast to the Matildas’ defence that was shaky and unconfident at best. 

Australia finally got a decent look on goal just before the half hour mark, but unfortunately for the Matildas Caitlin Foord was judged to have been offside. 

Another moment of non existent confidence in the Matildas defence saw Tanaka able to add a second goal to her tally just after the half an hour mark, and something had to drastically change with the Matildas or things were going to go downhill even further fast. 

As much as the likes of Caitlin Foord and Ellie Carpenter were trying their hardest to keep their side in the game, everyone else could not overpower their Japanese opponents. 

In a sign of how drastically in control Japan were in the first half, the Japanese recorded seven shots (with three being on target), compared to Australia’s zero. Japan also had 64% of possession compared to Australia’s 36%.

The Matildas had a bit more of a spring in their system to start the second half, and quickly had some positive attacking play that just didn’t happen in the second half, thanks to some hard work from Carpenter and Hayley Raso. 

However it wasn’t long before Japan got back in control, and have a third on the board with Tanaka setting up Hamano who slotted one easily past Mackenzie Arnold. 

Despite being so far on the back foot, the Matildas did not make any substitutions until just over the hour mark, and although making plenty all at once, some of the choices would have left some fans scratching their head in confusion. 

Japan was not done scoring, as Minami headed the ball in and converted a well placed corner. 

Australia did have a few attacking plays in the second half, but the Japanese defence was far too strong, and was quick to neutralise any threat that came their way. This was in stark contrast to the Matildas, who continued to be shaky, unconfident and easily exploitable. 

Despite just about everything going against them, the Matildas finally recorded a shot on goal in the 87th minute, as Charli Grant almost lobbed in a goal but was denied by the woodwork. 

However that final whistle could not have come soon enough for the Matildas, who now have plenty to think about head of the next game against the USA. 

Check out Genevieve Henry’s EXCLUSIVE photos for Impetus from the match on our Instagram page @ImpetusFootball

Teams: JAPAN (4-3-3): Yamashita, Takahashi, Koga, Minami, Kitagawa, Hasagewa, Kumagai, Nagano, Hamano, Tanaka, Fujino. SUBSTITUTES: Takarafa, Miyazawa, Matsukubo, Ueki, Hirao, Tanikawa, Hayashi, Chiba, Miura, Moriya, Momiki, Okuma.

Scorers: Tanaka 6’, 32’, Hamano 52’, Minami 75’, 

AUSTRALIA (4-2-3-1): Arnold, Catley, Hunt, Kennedy, Carpenter, Cooney-Cross, Gorry, Yallop, Fowler, Raso, Foord. SUBSTITUTES: Heyman, Heatley, Prior, Murphy, Torpey, van Egmond, Micah, Galic, McNamara, Lincoln, Freier, Grant. 

Ireland set to face new challenges in Nations League

By Alyce Collett (20/2/25)

Above: Katie McCabe (right) and Megan Campbell (left) in training. Image: FAIreland on X.

It is the dawn of a new era for the Republic of Ireland’s women’s national team, as they prepare to get their next Nations League campaign started tomorrow with matches against Turkey and Slovenia. 

After spending last Nations League campaign in League A, getting relegated then missing out on qualification for this year’s Euros, it’s back to League B and in many ways back to square one. It is also the dawn of a new era personnel wise, with a new manager and three legends of the team – Diane Caldwell, Niamh Fahey and Julie-Ann Russell – putting their feet up and enjoying international retirement. 

But, this team cannot afford to think of this as a return to square one or a push backwards down the ladder of progression. They need to ignore the heartache of the 2024 calendar year, and think of this year as a chance to take a new path towards the goal of matching with the best in the continent. 

But if the past 18 months or so since the World Cup has shown, lower teams are a blessing in disguise for this team. 

There is no doubt that the confidence will be rocked after what happened against Wales, but this League B is a chance to reset, get those goal scoring boots back on and regain the confidence ahead of what should be a return to League A next campaign. 

The question will be can the team repeat the ruthlessness shown last League B campaign, or will the confidence be too rocked from the Wales matches and they will regress even further?

That is not the only question facing the team this window. With three massive retirements over recent months, some big holes in the starting line up need to be filled. 

Two of those are in the centre of defence, with Niamh Fahey and Diane Caldwell both among the trio of retirements. 

Luckily for the Girls in Green this has been an area that has really been strengthened since the World Cup campaign, and although Louise Quinn is still missing, Aoife Mannion, Anna Patten and Caitlin Hayes can confidently fill the role and have shown that in previous campaigns. 

The bigger question will be in attack, where the retirement of Julie-Ann Russell will prove trickier to navigate. The team looks better with a bit of speed in attack and with multiple forwards on the park, as opposed to having just Kyra Carusa as the lone striker. 

With Saoirse Noonan also not being named in the squad but in the circle of a potential recall, this gives players like Quinn and Kiernan extra motivation to really put on a good performance this window. Perhaps even Marissa Sheva could fill the role, with the nifty midfielder already proven to be able to play a similar role but in midfield. 

The Republic of Ireland will face Turkey on Friday night, before heading across to Slovenia to face them on Tuesday. 

Both matches will be shown on RTE2, but fans outside the Republic may need a strong VPN to be able to tune into RTE’s coverage. 

Republic of Ireland Squad for February International Window 

Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan, Grace Moloney, Sophie Whitehouse

Defenders: Katie McCabe, Aoife Mannion, Heather Payne, Anna Patten, Jessie Stapleton, Caitlin Hayes, Megan Campbell

Midfielders: Ruesha Littlejohn, Denise O’Sullivan, Marissa Sheva, Tyler Toland, Megan Connolly, Mel Filis

Forwards: Lucy Quinn, Izzy Atkinson, Leanne Kiernan, Abbie Larkin, Kyra Carusa, Amber Barrett, Emily Murphy

Follow Impetus on social media –

Twitter (X): @impetusfootball TikTok: @impetusfootball

Instagram: @impetusfootball

Tom Sermanni MD-1 Press Conference: “Everything so far has run smoothly.”

By Genevieve Henry in Houston for Impetus (19/2/25).

Above: Tom Sermanni addresses the press from Houston, Texas. Image: Genevieve Henry for Impetus.

After MD-1 Training ahead of the opening match of the SheBelieves Cup against Japan, Matildas interim head coach Tom Sermanni spoke to the media at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. He emphasised the importance of these games in preparation for the Asian Cup as well as his role in the preparation and discussions of captaincy. 

All players will be available for selection tomorrow, with Mary Fowler who had a brief worry with her hamstring fit and ready to go. “Everybody is healthy and the team has been in good spirits.”

Sermanni spoke briefly about his plan to get every member of the squad on the pitch at some point throughout this tournament, saying, “it’s our intent to make sure that everybody that’s in our squad gets some game time during this tournament and also that we send the players back to their clubs in a healthy state.”

“Obviously, we want to put a very strong team out to start this tournament against Japan. But, particularly in this tournament, when there’s a short turnaround (between) the games and travel involved, it’s very important for us to utilize the whole squad.”

“First, it’s everybody’s aim to try and win the tournament. Secondly, for us, our performances are important. It’s really important that we put on good performances to keep the team going forward and keeping the confidence behind the team. The third thing to look at, is that we’ve got some younger, inexperienced players for this tournament, and it’s looking to give them an opportunity against a real quality opposition.”

With most players only arriving later in the day on Monday, there has not been much time to prepare for this opening match, but Sermanni and the team have made it work. “We’ve had two good, quite intense training sessions…Everything so far has run smoothly.”

With a few new names in the squad, some of the best talents in the A-League Women will be getting their first taste of international football this window. Sermanni said, “they’ve all fitted in very well, but again, with the way everybody flew in, we only had a session on Tuesday and a light session today, so it’s not like we have had an awful lot of time together.” 

“They’ve come into the environment and haven’t looked out of place.”

Above: Fowler in training ahead of the SheBelieves Cup clash against Japan. Photo: Genevieve Henry for Impetus.

Fowler especially is coming into camp in red-hot form. Sermanni is looking to get the best out of her, saying, “we want to be an attacking team, an aggressive team, a team that goes forward. Like Manchester City, we’ve got some really pacey, important strikers in our team. So, we’ve got a team that Mary will fit into very well and hopefully be able to show the same form that she’s showing from City.”

After taking a well-deserved rest during the last international window, Fowler’s inclusion in the squad could be reinvigorating for Australia. “It’s great to have her back in the squad and she’s had two really impactful days of training so far, so I’m looking forward to seeing her tomorrow night.”

Although Sermanni is only in the head coach role in the interim capacity, he is intent on preparing the team for the upcoming continental tournament.

“All the games between now and March 2026 are preparation for the Asian Cup. There are a couple of things involved. That could all change very quickly when I exit from the role, but from my experience in being an international manager and with having a tournament like the Asian Cup coming up: All your preparation is going towards that.”

“Part of it is looking at what you think might end up being the preferred formation, and part of it is looking ahead to what actually might be the starting team come March 2026.”

Facing their toughest competition in Asia in this friendly tournament is massively helpful in preparing the Matildas for the threats Japan will bring next year. Sermanni expects that Japan will stick to their usual style, saying, “I don’t see a lot of difference between how Japan has been playing and how they will play tomorrow. How they play is very successful, so I don’t think there’ll be too many changes.

“At some stage, I would suggest between now, and the middle of the year, there will be someone else in the hot seat.” Sermanni said of his uncertain future with the national team, telling the media that he said to the players, “I’m coming into this to try and do the job as if I was going to be the coach.”

With Sam Kerr hopefully nearing return, the question on everyone’s mind is about her captaincy and her role within the national team. Sermanni said, “the most important part is that we get Sam healthy as quickly and as safely as possible and get her back on the field.”

Sermanni has played a very important role in Kerr’s career, giving her debut in 2009 as a 15-year-old. Sermanni said regarding his contact with Kerr, “we’ve checked in…It’s been a pretty long couple of weeks with Sam, so the last thing she needs is people badgering her at this time…But, the lines of communication are very much open.”

“The captaincy issue is quite irrelevant because by the time she comes back into the team I might not be here…Who knows what’s going to happen. Steph Catley stepped in as captain and has done a fantastic job.” 

Above: The Matildas in training in Houston earlier. Photo: Genevieve Henry for Impetus.

See more photos of MD-1 training on Impetus’ socials.

Follow Impetus on social media –

Twitter (X): @impetusfootball TikTok: @impetusfootball 
Instagram: @impetusfootball

Young Matildas score nine to open Four Nations Tournament

By Kieran Yap 20/2/25

Above: Grace Kuilamu (8) battles for possession. Photo: Football Australia

The Young Matildas began the Four Nations Tournament with an emphatic 9-0 win over Vanuatu’s senior team at Viking Park.

The match marked the first outing that this group of players have had together, and begins the new cycle for Australia’s Under 20 team.

Sienna Saveska was the major threat in the opening half. The A-League golden boot contender opened the scoring with a shot on the turn, added another just minutes later and set up captain Grace Kuilamu for Australia’s third after her shot hit the crossbar.

Australia dominated possession, and for the most part stayed patient with the ball despite Vanuatu’s deep and compact defence. Before half time, they added another two to their tally. Josie Allan scored to make it four, and Maddie Caspers finished off a flowing move, prodding home after Saveska’s pass.

The second half saw heavy rotation, but that did not interrupt Australia’s momentum of chemistry. India Breier scored with an Olimpico just five minutes after the break. Maya Lobo struck a low effort from long range that beat the Vanuatu goalkeeper.

Mary Stanic-Floody added the final touches on an enjoyable afternoon for Aussie fans. The Canberra United maestro finished off another team move, slamming home from inside the 18 yard box to make it eight.

She then scored the best goal of the day with the final kick of the afternoon. After receiving the ball in midfield, Stanic-Floody launched a missile from around 30 yards that found the back of the net with rare ferocity.

The scorer of the winning goal at the 2022 U18 AFF Cup Final added to her growing list of national team highlights and gave the Viking Park crowd something the remember.

It was great to get out there after a few days training and see how the girls put  into  practice what we’ve been working on.

 Young Matildas interim coach Kory Babington was pleased with the result, but also said tere was room for improvement.

“It’s a good start for the girls,” Babington told the media.

“It’s the first time together as a team for this two year cycle so we will be looking at being a bit tidier with things in the next match.

He highlighted the ability of the platers to absorb information quickly from training and put it into practise and some of their combination play as things to be particularly happy with.

“Playing against those tight, compact defences is something you have to do in world football

“There were some good moments, but just some of that consistency of when and where to go forward quickly or when to combine.

“Against a team that plays so compact, the spaces are limited.

“Space and time on the ball is minimised and it’s difficult to play there. We will work on that and try to be better in the next match.”

Australia made a host of changes throughout the game, and Babbington was pleased but not surprised that at the easy transition between one lineup and another. It bodes well for the depth of this and future squads.

“The girls have adapted and worked well together. They’re a good bunch who’ve known each other in youth development programs for quite a long time.

“They’re quite friendly with each other. It’s easy for them to play because they enjoy each other’s company and just love the game.”

With entry free to all of the Four Nations Tournament games, Babington encouraged fans to come along. They will  not only be seeing the best U20 player in Australia right now, but also  some of the best players in the A-League Women in action.

“The more that come down, it’s better for the girls.

“Everyone likes playing in front of a crowd. The played some entertaining football today and hopefully the n the weekend it can be better again.”

Vanuatu captain Rita Solomon was philosophical after the loss. This was an opportunity to learn from a very good side and a rare chance to meet a team outside of Oceania.

“It’s a tough one,” she told the media.  

“But like a said earlier it’s a privilege. It’s also my first time playing A-League players so it’s a good start for the tournament and the girls as well.

“Now we know where we’re at, like our level. We know our mistakes and we’ll work on that for the next game.

 “Playing Australia for our first game is good because then we can work on our mistakes and come back stronger for the Solomon Islands.

Australia’s next game is against The Solomon Islands on Saturday at 6:30pm. Vanuatu will meet Thailand’s U20 side at 3pm. Both games will be at Viking Park.

Follow Impetus on social media –

Twitter (X): @impetusfootball TikTok: @impetusfootball 
Instagram: @impetusfootball

Winonah Heatley: “I’ve always quietly known that I would get here.”

by Genevieve Henry (19/2/25)

Above: Winonah Heatley taking part in training with the national team. Photo: Football Australia.

Matildas defender Winonah Heatley is one of the most exciting new faces in recent times. Heatley spoke to the press about her confidence going into the SheBelieves Cup, her role in the squad, and her thriving club career. 

Heatley is still taking it easy and patiently putting the work in, saying, “I’ve been looking to try and establish my role in the squad for the last (few years), and this is just another opportunity to do so. I’m not going to put any pressure on myself for any sort of outcome personally within this window.”

The defender may have been around for a while, but she has only ever been in squads for friendly matches. Although it may technically be a “friendly tournament”, the SheBelieves Cup will be her first games with something on the line. Heatley is taking it in her stride, saying, “I’ve been in the squad for some pretty big games but the US, Japan, and Colombia are all incredible teams. I’m really looking forward to the challenge…I’m going to try to perform the best I can and be the best player I can be.”

Thriving overseas, Heatley’s confidence is transferring from club to country. “I’ve been in Denmark for just over two and half years now. It’s feeling like home. The competition in the country is really good and the type of football is good. I’m loving it.” 

Heatley captains the successful Nordsjælland, leading them to a championship last year. “It’s huge for my confidence to be having a big part at my club. The captaincy is positive towards my development as a leader on the pitch and having that extra responsibility is always going to add to your game. Being able to perform under that extra pressure of having some leadership has been really useful.”

Above: Heatley walks out with the Matildas squad. Image: Football Australia.


With all the noise surrounding the team since the World Cup on home soil, especially regarding the Matildas players’ off-field activities, Heatley confirmed that no matter what the public sees, the experience and leadership of the heavily scrutinized stars is invaluable. “We’ve got such a wealth of experience with the older players in the Matildas squad. Whatever happens off the field, I think the value of all the older players is incredible and they’re all really good role models.”

“It’s been really cool to watch the growth of the women’s game, especially in Australia. The exposure and the added media attention is just something we’re all adapting to.”

With the growth of the women’s game, Heatley is confident that Australia is keeping up with the rest of the world. “We can look at all the girls that have come through the A-League and made their debuts for the Matildas in the last couple of years and how they have risen to the occasion. I think we can see that when given the opportunity, we have so much talent coming through the ranks and it’s talent that’s meeting the level of international football.”

“I’m always going to be an advocate for the more you invest, the more you get out of it. We as a country should continue to push the women’s game.” Heatley said, favoring investment in growing Football Australia’s support towards the women’s game. 

Heatley has been a part of the programs that prepare the next generation of talent for the big stage. “When you’re playing in those Young and Junior Matildas squads you get the first time exposure to playing international opponents and the travel involved in that as well. It’s a really valuable experience and when I was coming through with the under 17s and 19s, it gives you that extra bit of fight to want to progress to the ultimate stage and play for the Matildas.”

Above: Heatley celebrates her first cap. Image: Football Australia.


As Heatley has risen through the ranks, performing at the youth level and in the A-League Women, she has patiently awaited her destiny. “I’ve always quietly known that I would get here and I’ve always aimed for this from the moment I started kicking a football. I’ve always wanted to be where I’m sitting now. In my eyes, it was a matter of time if I continued to do the right things.”

With Tom Sermanni as the interim coach, some fans are worried about the preparations for the upcoming Asian Cup on home soil. Heatley assuaged those fears, saying, “One of the things Tom said when he came in as the interim coach was that he was going to start preparing us for the Asian Cup, no matter whether he was the interim coach or not.”

This tournament is great preparation for the squad to play tough football while still bringing in new talent. “Having quality games in the lead-up is so important for us, especially having Japan in the group that we’re going to face possibly in the Asian Cup. That is so valuable.”

Follow Impetus on social media –

Twitter (X): @impetusfootball TikTok: @impetusfootball 
Instagram: @impetusfootball

Connecting people together – the This Girl’s Ability story

by Jonathon Hagger (19/2/25)

Above: Three players, one from each of the This Girls Ability hubs, warming up on Tournament Day. Photo: Danni Fairbairn.

“I look forward to my football sessions, we are all friends and a team, we all support each other in the sessions and I am more confident and happy, it is somewhere where I can be myself and am accepted, it’s one of my happy places to be.”

The power of football to bring people together and unite them as a family is proven in the work done by This Girl’s Ability, an East London-based non-profit organisation encourages and supports girls and young women to engage in physical and social activities through the mode of football. With 70 members being involved in the football program, football is proving to be a success.

The original intent was to involve girls with disabilities to participate in a range of activities such as swimming, football, multi-sports, and pop culture. However, football has clearly won out as the favourite activity for all. This is more than just a sporting activity as they develop their football abilities across three different locations — it’s a family.

Nichola Fairbairn (Nikki), the director of This Girl’s Ability, began her path into Disability Sport at the conclusion of studying for her Sports Science degree in 2019. The topic of inclusion really grabbed her heart. It was through investigating what activities were available to young people that were offered by the local council, that introduced her to the world of disability sport. 

“When you’ve worked with young people, you don’t want to do anything else. It touches my heart, and you know you’re making a positive impact.”

Above: The director of This Girl’s Ability, Nikki Fairbarin. Photo: Lauren Milligan.

Following her volunteer work with the Council, Nikki worked for a local charity. The charity’s sports offerings were very popular with boys but not with girls. Asking the question, ‘Why aren’t girls coming to these sessions?’ was the catalyst for the This Girl’s Ability initiative. It was important to recognise that girls face the challenges of adolescence differently from boys.

“At their age girls are really self-conscious about their appearance, they often drop out of sport and add into that the barriers of disabilities, it’s a lot.”

Fast forward to September 2023 and the non-profit organisation This Girl’s Ability was formed as a charitable entity. Nikki can’t pinpoint the spark that became the name, but she talks about “everyone has their abilities, it’s not what we can’t do – it’s what we can do!”, and so every new player who joins begins by asking them ‘what can you do?’

The first session, or gathering of players, was held in January 2023. When working with players with disabilities there needs to be some flexibility including adaptations, in terms of the drills and skills being practised, but every session still has a core focus. What makes the sessions unique is that the players themselves lead the training under the oversight of the conveners.

“Our success to date in keeping and retaining our members is that it’s their session. If they are going to be playing their way, then they are going to be engaged in sport. A lot of the time they don’t think ‘I’m doing physical activity’ because they are having so much fun.”

Volunteer development and progression are other key areas of success. Three of the This Girl’s Ability volunteers have completed the FA Introduction to Coaching Football course which gives them increased confidence and the ability to coach their peers. One highlight for these volunteers was having the opportunity to run a training session for Women’s Championship team, Charlton Athletic. 

“I enjoy supporting our members and coming up with fun activities and drills for them to take part in. I love leading the activities and making our members laugh, it shows that they are having fun and having a good time. I also enjoy the other opportunities we have had, such as holding a coaching session for Charlton Athletic Women,” said one of the volunteers.

An interesting twist to the story is that a lot of the members of This Girl’s Ability often aren’t fans of football before they get involved. Everyone is encouraged to try one session to get a feel for how it works, and the success rate of keeping players is extraordinarily high.

Not only does this result in player numbers increasing, but the players themselves have evolved into supporters of women’s football. With a lot of the players living in and around the area of West Ham United, there is a strong supporter base coming through. With the connection to Charlton Athletic, players have had the opportunity to be involved in match-day experiences such as being team mascots. 

“One of our members came to a match, she had never been to a football match before, she hadn’t even seen the match yet, and came out of the shop with a pair of gloves with the team written on them! She’s since bought clothing items and kit as well.”

Football is contagious

Becoming a football coach was never in Nikki’s plans. Before starting the non-profit organisation, she wasn’t even a fan of the sport, in large part due to the way football would dominate conversations among her male colleagues. Now, she recognises how valuable football is for building community and bringing people together. Meeting other supporters and making friends is something special that the players have also experienced.

Leading and running This Girl’s Ability is a lot of work and Nikki doesn’t do it alone. Her daughters Danni and Zoe also support it, so it’s a family affair.

A parent of a player shared: “I can’t express enough gratitude for my daughter being around her kind of people. I also get support as a parent by meeting parents in similar situations.”

The participating girls can’t wait to be given their This Girl’s Ability football shirt. Some players often wear their shirts to sessions that aren’t football practices. The sense of belonging is special to each person. 

Above: Walking out with West Ham United player Amber Tysiak. Photo: Danni Fairbairn.

What happens in a session?

Each week a football session runs for around an hour. Like football everywhere, it includes a warm-up and skills and drills. There is a session plan for the coaches but these are used as an indicative direction rather than for specific tasks. Everyone is invited to contribute an idea for an activity as the time is for the players. Even though each session is built on fun, each week a match finishes off the hour.

“Some of our players are quite young and the week after we went and watched West Ham Women, at the week’s session the players went all in. The players put their hands in before the start, both teams lined up and went through and shook hands and now that happens every week. It’s very serious!”

Above: Tournament Day with players from two of the three hubs competing to be the best. Photo: Danni Fairbairn.

The age range of participants is very broad starting at 10-years-old and spanning through to 25. As participant numbers have grown, the decision has been made to keep the players all in one group rather than separating by age. For specific skills and drills, older and younger players will work together with everyone coming together again for the final match.

Having expanded to three hubs has created a new dynamic of competition and relationships as each hub can come together and hold tournaments. 

What is the future of This Girl’s Ability?

Growing and expanding is a great idea, but not at the cost of losing the ethos of This Girl’s Ability. Nikki’s desire is to ensure that the non-profit organisation retains its personal touch. The volunteers and players alike genuinely care about each other and all the families. 

“While we are an hour-a-week football session, it means so much to the girls coming together, and we do so much more than just that one-hour session. The girls have really fallen in love with football.”

Above: The girls at The Valley, Charlton Athletic’s home stadium on match day. Photo: Danni Fairbairn.

Highlights and Achievements
  • All members have a This Girl’s Ability football shirt on joining the team to create a sense of belonging.
  • Nine players have been involved as mascots for West Ham United FC.
  • A relationship with West Ham United Women as a sister club has been established. Six tickets are given out for each home match funded by Neil Taylor and The Hammers For Work Support Group.
  • Members were supported to attend an opening training for West Ham United in 2024.
  • Two tours of the Chigwell Construction Stadium, home of West Ham United Women and Dagenham & Redbridge FC have been attended. The girls created a video for social media and many were inspired by the West Ham United Women’s team players.
  • Sixteen players and 30 family and friends attended a Charlton Athletic Women match and were mascots and flag bearers.
  • On International Day of Persons with Disabilities, members and coaches joined in a development session with the Charlton Athletic FC women’s team: https://youtu.be/4LnI_FwCRyA?si=JbrAhQn5foYU5O–
  • Two football tournaments have been held so far, one at West Ham Women’s Training Ground and the other at Dagenham.
  • West Ham United players Amber Tysiak and Jess Ziu have attended football training sessions in Havering.
  • A creative player engagement initiative was run to support the 2023 Women’s World Cup, including putting a design on a ball and shirts.

To find out more, visit https://www.thisgirlsability.co.uk/

Follow Impetus on social media –

Twitter (X): @impetusfootball TikTok: @impetusfootball 
Instagram: @impetusfootball