Flying Kiwis – September 8
Rebekah Stott – Brighton & Hove Albion (English Super League)
If you thought that Flying Kiwis Transfer Season was just gonna be a one week thing then, mate, you were sorely mistaken. Rebekah Stott’s move was a work in progress already. She’d gotten the big farewell from Melbourne City and had flown to England to sort something out... it was just a matter of where. Best case scenario would have been Chelsea or Man City and a gig in the Champions League but let’s be honest that was less than likely – there aren’t a lot of places to go around in those club. But while Brighton might not be the sparkliest of WSL clubs... this is a pretty great fit for Stotty.
Hope Powell, BHA manager: “We’re delighted to bring Rebekah to the club. She has vast experience, both internationally and at club level, and was keen to come to England and make her mark in the WSL. She was born in a seaside town in New Zealand so I’m sure she will enjoy being in Brighton. She is a top-class defender who will give us more competition for places in that area of the squad. She arrived at the start of the week and has already fitted in really well with the rest of the group and we hope she will enjoy her football with us and help us progress.”
Brighton finished ninth last season, not their best but they steered clear of the drop zone throughout. They’re also still in the FA Cup, which they’re gonna run back from the unfinished quarterfinals early in the new season to get a winner. This is a team that only got into the top flight two seasons ago but they’ve got ambition and they’ve invested pretty well in this squad. Their manager is former England boss Hope Powell. It’s also a team where she should get to play every week (unlike when Ali Riley went to Chelsea). Top stuff.
Rebekah Stott to ESPN: “I'm so excited. I can't wait to get there, meet the team and get back into football. I've had a little bit of a break which was good for me physically and mentally. Now I'm trying to get fit and work on a few things to improve my game. I was looking to get into the English league because I think it's one of the best leagues in the world at the moment. I was in Brighton last year with our national team and thought it was an amazing place, so I'm stoked to be going there.”
And it wasn’t long before she got to get that (excellent) jersey dirty. Brighton faced Birmingham in their opening WSL game of the season and Stott was right there in the heart of defence as they started off with a quality three points. Two goals in three minutes in the second half were the winning of that one. No less than they deserved, they’d rattled crossbars and drawn last-ditch saves all through the first half – including one chance which began from a trademark Rebekah Stott dribble out of defence, already showing what she’s got to offer. Finally Megan Connolly broke through with a brilliant strike from range in the 59th minute and no sooner had she done that than she’d set up Inessa Kaagman for the second goal. Stott playing a little role in that set up as she fed the ball wide to Connolly. Get them highlights on the FA Player.
Up Next: Man City vs Brighton, Monday at 1am (NZT)
Marko Stamenic – FC Kobenhavn (Danish Superliga)
Back in those innocent times before that pesky global pandemic took hold, Marko Stamenic was over in Denmark trialling for a contract with FC Copenhagen. In fact he had to abort that trial to come back to Aotearoa when the lockdowns started. Everything got put on hold but now, several months later, he’s back and he’s put the ol’ signature on the dotted line.
FCK: “The talent department has signed 18-year-old Marko Stamenic, who is a central midfielder from New Zealand and will be part of our U19 squad. Marko comes from Western Suburbs FC and has also represented New Zealand on youth national teams, and in March he was also selected for two training matches with New Zealand's A national team, which was unfortunately cancelled due to Covid-19. Marko has previously been with us on a training stay. We are happy that we have been able to attract such an exciting and talented player and we welcome Marko to F.C. Copenhagen.”
Stamenic has been one of the standout players at age group level for New Zealand in the past couple years. He was a key player at the last U17 World Cup and for Western Suburbs at club level (he’s an Ole Academy fella), as well as some impressive cameos for Team Wellington in the last Premiership season. He’s 18 years old and a serious talent... it was only a matter of time. Interesting point in that blurb too that he was gonna be in the All Whites squad for the cancelled friendlies against Oman and Bahrain, that squad was never publically revealed with the games called off before that was due to happen.
Copenhagen were champions of Denmark in 2018-19. They were well adrift in second last season as FC Midtjylland ran away with the title by 14 points after the Championship Round... Midtjylland obviously being the former club of a certain Winston Reid. The connections go deeper than that too, this is the same division that Marco Rojas played at with SønderjyskE and which Nikko Boxall, in his time at Viborg, was trying to get promoted to. After winning the league in 2019, Copenhagen went into the Champions League qualifiers where they knocked out Greg Draper’s TNS, ending up in the Europa League where they made it through their group and knocked out Celtic before falling 1-0 in extra time to Manchester United in the quarters. The new Superliga season starts next week and Copenhagen will also be playing IFK Göteborg (Sweden) in Europa League qualifying soon after... although this is all background info because Stamenic has gotta go through the proper channels first, placed in the U19s squad to work his way up from.
Up Next: Trust The Process
Callum McCowatt - FC Helsingør (Danish Division 1)
And another one. Callum McCowatt has signed with FC Helsingør in Denmark to link up with a couple old mates from Ole Academy and also the starting lineup of the 2018-19 Premiership grand final with Eastern Suburbs... Elijah Just and Dalton Wilkins. Those two fellas played increasingly prominent roles with Helsingør as the last season went along and the club earned promotion to the second tier in the nation. Now there’s a third kiwi fella to keep them even more company.
FC Helsingør is a very interesting case study. The club was bought by American businessmen in March 2019 as a venture (in part, at least) to help bring American players into European football... not too dissimilar to what Ole Academy themselves have done at Torslanda in Sweden (although Ole have way more of a focus on also promoting a modern, attractive style of play).
In fact the Ole x Torslanda thing was a touchstone for the Helsingør ownership and it was apparently through those communication lines that Just and Wilkins ended up at the club in the first place a little before the last U20 World Cup. Callum McCowatt was also in that conversation, even training with the club, though ultimately he chose to have a season with the Wellington Phoenix instead. Since then FC Helsingør have been relegated and then promoted again and McCowatt now, whose Welly Nix contract expired at the end of August, is back in town just in time for the start of the new season.
Brian Gellert, FCH Sports Manager: “We have had Callum at the top of our list for a long time, and we would have liked to have him on contract already last year. He comes to us through the network we have between our American owners and the Olé Football Academy in New Zealand, through which we also picked up Dalton Wilkins and Elijah Just. We have kept a watchful eye on Callum during his time in Wellington, as he is a player from a shelf we cannot normally pick up players from. When he then both had contract expiration, and even wanted to come to Europe, things fit together for both him and us. With a player of his class, it was a no-brainer to strike. Callum is one of the greatest talents to come to Europe from Australian football for many years, and he is a player we expect a lot from.”
Callum McCowatt: “It felt like the right time for me to come to Europe, and try myself outside of New Zealand and Australia. FC Helsingør and I have been in dialogue for a long time, and it naturally draws up that they have been interested in picking me up for a long time. I have talked to Dalton and Eli, and they both warmly recommended FC Helsingør, and then it is nice that they are here to help me fall into the squad, and get used to playing in Denmark. Now I have only been here a few days, but I think you can feel that both the squad and the club have moved since I was last year. There are better training facilities now, and the squad seems stronger both in terms of football and in the team. I'm really looking forward to getting started.”
McCowatt will wear the number 8 jersey. Wilkins wore 25 and Just wore 27 last season. None of the trio were involved as Helsingør lost 3-2 to Bispebjerg in the first round of the Danish Cup last Thursday, with FCH seemingly using the game as an opportunity to play a bunch of U19 players, with two in the starting team and the bench entirely full of academy dudes. A few of their new signings got a run out too. The first round of the Danish First Division happens this weekend.
Up Next: FC Helsingør vs Silkeborg at 5am on Saturday (NZT)
Betsy Hassett - Stjarnan (Icelandic Úrvalsdeild kvenna)
It’s been a spell since we last got a Betsy Hassett goal, right? Okay, well here you go then...
22 seconds it took. Shameeku Fishley with the initial shot and Betsy on the follow up. Fishley then set up another goal after only ten minutes with Aníta Ýr Þorvaldsdóttir finishing from in close and Stjarnan were somewhat unexpectedly up 2-0 already against a more favoured team in Selfoss. That lead was cut down in the 36th minute when Selfoss scrambled one in from a deep free kick into the box which caught the Stjarnan keeper out wandering – Stjarnan’s keeper is Erin McLeod, Canadian international on loan from Ali Riley’s Orlando City.
But Shameeku Fishley was on some sort of buzz on this day and she slipped one inside the far post three minutes later (assist from Betsy Hassett, naturally) to restore that two goal advantage. Selfoss scored another in the second half but Stjarnan held on for a 3-2 win despite spending the bulk of the second half in defence amidst the wind and rain... though not really having too much to worry about in terms of shots on goal. Selfoss’ second didn’t come until the ninetieth minute. The win here lifts Stjarnan to 14 points and into that cushioned mid-table range. That was Hassett’s third goal of the season in 12 matches. Catch the goals midway through this vid…
Up Next: Away to Breidablik at 7.15am on Thursday (NZT)
Michael Boxall & James Musa – Minnesota United (American Major League Soccer)
Some frantic fixture congestion means a bit of rotation is a necessity this year in the MLS and that’s all good for us because it means we get situations like this one... where Michael Boxall wore the captain’s armband for Minny Utd and started in the centre of defence next to none other than James Musa in their game against Houston Dynamo. The Moose’s first start for the Loons after a handful of spots off the bench so far. Love it.
There were a few rotations elsewhere too though and Houston steadily grew more and more dominant in this one, putting pressure on the Loons’ midfield that they simply couldn’t handle. Eventually that tolled in the 28th minute when Darwin Quintero, formerly of their own parish, slammed in the opener. Boxall had been beaten by a chop back inside by Memo Rodríguez but recovered enough to drive him sideways only to see his left back to marking the same dude as Musa and leaving Quintero open on the far side to shoot and score (also beating the keeper from a slightly tricky angle).
Then Ariel Lassiter scored a couple second half goals and Minnesota United just never really got going. Houston Dynamo were comfortably the better team and they constantly made it difficult for Boxall and Musa at the back, winning it 3-0 in the end. Boxall picked up a yellow card in the middle of it all. Not the best day at the office.
But later in the week they faced Real Salt Lake – a team in the news for bad reasons lately on account of a bit of a racist owner – and absolutely trounced them. Where the previous game went wrong, this one went right for a 4-0 victory.
Uruguayan defender José Aja was back in the starting line-up for this one so James Musa returned to his familiar spot on the bench, though Michael Boxall logged another full game. It was actually still scoreless at the break with the game curiously poised until a blistering second half from the Loons.
The game almost went the opposite way in the first half as RSL had a shot parried by the Minny goalie and almost carried over the line in regathering it but the officials let it slide, then soon after they scored one from a free kick whipped into the box and yet the VAR took it off them for a maaaarginal offside. You know the ones. But Chase Gasper gave them the lead in the 53rd minute on the overlap and the pressure didn’t let up. Robin Lod waltzed through on the break in the 62nd minute to score and then, after Michael Boxall had cleared a rare RSL effort off the line with some sharp positioning, some brilliantly cocky attacking football saw Jacori Hayes put the last touch on a third goal in the 75th and then Loddy got himself a second near the end. A 4-0 Minnesota win. Just what they needed after three straight losses since the regular season resumed.
Up Next: Minny vs FC Dallas on Thursday at midday (NZT)
Ria Percival – Tottenham Hotspur (English Super League)
Ria keeping some decent company there on the Tottenham kit launch.
She was also in the midfield as Spurs began their new WSL season with a 1-1 draw against her old mates at West Ham. Tottenham started fast and hit the crossbar through a Kit Graham header and then Graham was equally unlucky three minutes later when she struck one from outside the box and it hit the crossbar once more. Bit of a rough day for her. Angela Addison would have an effort through on goal saved wide by the WHU keeper after the break but Spurs finally got the breakthrough from the resulting corner kick with an own goal from Grace Fisk. However West Ham scored a brilliant equaliser through Adriana Leon, who cut in from the left on the counter and struck into the top corner before Percival could get across from her CDM position. And from there it was West Ham who pressed forward looking most likely for a winner... though it ended 1-1 which was probably about fair.
Up Next: Everton vs Spurs at midnight on Sunday/Monday (NZT)
Erin Nayler – Reading FC (English Super League)
Annoyingly, Erin Nayler was on the bench for Reading in their first game of the new season. Dunno if that’s one of those easing in as a new signings things or if she’ll have to work her way off the bench. Too soon to tell. Potentially the latter though as Grace Moloney is the established keeper for the Royals, a Republic of Ireland international who has played more than 150 times for the club and who signed a new contract back in April of 2019. Moloney has the number 1 jersey while Nayler has the number 16 on her back.
Then again, after Grace Moloney conceded six goals against Arsenal on Monday morning maybe not. The Gunners played some sizzling football, with Jill Roord scoring a hatty as well as two goals from Vivienne Miedema and another from Kim Little. Reading did pull one back at the end thanks, ironically, to a goalkeeping error. That meant they only lost 6-1.
Up Next: Reading vs Aston Villa at 1am on Monday (NZT)
Ryan De Vries – Sligo Rovers (League of Ireland Premier Division)
Sneaking this one in under the radar, this very morning Ryan De Vries bagged himself his second of the season as Sligo Rovers won 3-1 against Finn Harps. Keeping that excellent form going for both club and player... Rovers are up to third place in the League of Ireland now.
Up Next: St Patricks’s Athletic vs Sligo Rovers, Sunday at 4am (NZYT)
Michael Woud – Almere City (Dutch Eerste Divisie)
Hey now. Team of the Week for his debut Eerste Divisie game, that’s the way we do it. Woud didn’t have a huge amount to do in that game (which we covered last week) but he made a couple important saves, particularly that one on one in the fifth minute. Got that clean sheet and the recognition is already flowing.
Granted, he might not get the same recognition this week, not after letting in four goals against Excelsior. But you know what? They still won. Somehow. There are some absolutely crazy games that make their way into Flying Kiwis through the weeks and this is one of the craziest. Almere City were 1-0 up after three minutes. After barely four minutes it was 1-1. Woud beaten through his legs after an attacker had turned two defenders in the box... pretty sloppy from all defensive parties. Woud was then beaten again by a hard shot to his near post on quarter of an hour and he had no chance for a tap in at the far post on 17 minutes that left Almere City down 3-1... remember that they still went on to win this game.
It was a header from a corner in the 24th minute that closed the gap and then within a minute of that it was 3-3 when a defensive giveaway was pummelled home. Only the 25th minute of the bloody game, mate! And by half-time Almere were 4-3 up, a shot off the post was headed in on the rebound. It then stayed that way for ages until Almere bundled one in from close range with just five minutes left. They thought they’d sealed it with that... except Excelsior immediately made it 5-4 with a strong header from close range at the far post. Yet in the 88th minute Almere slammed in a sixth to finally – FINALLY – complete the scoring. 6-4 was the final result, three points on the board for Almere City. End scene.
Up Next: Almere vs FC Oss on Weds at 4.45am (NZT)
Niko Kirwan – Reggiana (Italian Serie B)
Seems like as good a time as any to check in on how Mr Kirwan’s going. Reggiana were promoted through the playoffs last season, battling through that most ruthless of circumstances to crack the second tier of Italian footy. Which was amazing... but you also wonder sometimes whether that leap in divisions might not be the best thing for whichever Flying Kiwi is involved as squads are reshuffled for the higher standard and all that. But it’s good news on this front because Niko’s been very much a part of Reggiana’s preseason efforts so far...
The preseason game in question was a 5-1 win over Chievo Primavera two weeks ago... with Kirwan even getting one of the goals. It was against an age-grade opposition (primavera = youth team) but signs were that the team is well poised to carry on from where they left off in getting promoted even with a few incoming transfers. Since then the team has just finished up a preseason retreat with Kirwan amongst them. The Serie B season begins at the end of the month.
While we’re hanging in Italy, gotta chuck this one up as well because there’s another more lowkey fella out there and he’s been on the move. Luca Scimia is 21 years old these days, he’s bounced around a few different clubs over recent years, mostly with Pescara’s youth teams though he’s also had loans to Fano and Rende. It was with Rende that he spent last season, playing relatively often for them in Serie C – scoring 3 goals in 17 games. Plus two more games in the relegation playoffs... which they lost and were dropped. And then Scimia’s contract at his parent club ran down. But all goods because he’s staying in Serie C having signed on with Alma Juventus Fano 1906 – linking up with his old loan team only this time on a permanent basis.
Up Next: New season starts in three weeks
Joel Stevens & Francis De Vries – IFK Värnamo (Swedish Ettan Södra)
Still grinding out the wins, although away to Karlskrona midweek they probably shouldn’t have. The Varnies took the lead in the first half after Edvin Becirovic put one away after a corner kick routine and they were pretty good value for the lead when they got it too, all going to plan against the bottom team on the ladder. But they didn’t add a second and Karslkrona had these two absolutely golden chances in the second half that they somehow bottled. Like, we’re talking missed sitters here. Two of them. Joel Stevens, who started on the bench (bit of a rarity for him), came on and almost set up a second goal with a gorgeous splitting pass but the fella’s subsequent shot was saved. No dramas. It ended 1-0 to Varnamo and the highlights are right here. Francis de Vries with the full game in defence.
Ah but a few days later the goals returned with abundance and look who got amongst it all...
It was a pretty scintillating performance from Stevens who nearly scored in the ninth minute only for his close range effort to be blocked on the line, then he should’ve got two assists but the first one a fella hit the post after Stevens had charged to the line and squared it (Benjamin Lindblad then scored on the rebound to make it 1-0) and the second one his mate dragged it wide. Fast forward to the second half and they were ruing that second miss as opponents Karlskrona (they played the same team back to back – it’s the exact halfway point of the season) levelled up after 65 minutes when Jacob Gillen diverted a teammate’s shot in.
Ah but then a five minute double banger as Joel Stevens gassed between two defenders on the left and smashed in a cross that Michael Kargbo headed in and soon after Kargbo fed Stevens on the left and the dude cut back inside and lashed a shot inside the far post for his second goal of the season. Edvin Becirovic scored another one at the end and it was a 4-1 win for Värnamo... who are now 11 points clear at the top of the Southern Conference after 16/30 gameweeks. Shout out to Francis De Vries too. Another solid performance from him... just a bit overshadowed by his compatriot.
Over on the other side of the division it’s the opposite story. IFK Berga were beaten 5-0 by Brommapojkarna in the midweek, having gone 3-0 down inside 25 mins. They were better a few days later against Team TG FF but still lost 1-0 thanks to a first half penalty. Ninety mins for Jesse Edge in both games. Matt Conroy came off the bench for the first game for a dozen minutes but was an unused sub the next one.
Up Next: Sunday at midday away to Tvååkers (NZT)
Ali Riley – FC Rosengård vs Hannah Wilkinson – Djurgården IF (Swedish Damallsvenskan)
Big old Flying Kiwis derby over here... even if the two lasses involved didn’t actually share the pitch together. Ali Riley started for the very in-form Rosengård while Hannah Wilkinson was on the bench as the Rosies lived up to that recent form with a blistering start. Somehow they failed to score in the opening 45 despite going close several times... including one shot that hit the underside of the crossbar, came down on the goalline, then bounced clear into the keeper’s hands. Utter madness, that was.
But while they didn’t make their dominance count in the first half, it only took them two and a half minutes from the second half kickoff to do exactly that. Anna Anvegård got the goal there at the second attempt and eight minutes later Anam Imo doubled the lead with a great finish on the turn. Ali Riley was subbed off after 66 minutes so she wasn’t out there as her fellow defender Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir headed in a third from a corner kick in the 84th minute. Just as she wasn’t out there in the 88th minute when Hannah Wilkinson got on for a couple minutes at the end. Rosengård won 3-0 and they remain three points clear at the top of the ladder. Highlights right here.
Up Next: Rosengård are away to KIF Örebro on Monday at 2am while Djurgården kick off against Kopparbergs/Göteborg an hour earlier (NZT)
Elliot Collier – Chicago Fire (American Major League Soccer)
The half hour of action off the bench is becoming a regular thing for Elliot Collier and the Chicago Fire lately. That’s what he got in a 0-0 draw with FC Cincinnati, chucked on with his team struggling for answers against a side they sorta expected to beat. Fair play to Collier too because he was probably their most effective player in the time that he was out there. He was immediately looking to run at defenders and make things happen and after 69 minutes he did, setting up Ignacio Aliseda for what they thought was the big breakthrough... only his goal was disallowed after it was ruled he pushed his defender off. Collier kept toiling away on that right wing and deep into stoppage time he lined up a volley from distance after bringing the ball down on his chest on the run... but he couldn’t get it on target. Chicago unable to find a way through, although in a sluggish performance at least Collier was able to provide a bit of energy.
Despite all that he didn’t get half an hour of action off the bench against New England Revolution in their next match. Nope, he certainly didn’t... because he was named to start instead. Up front no less, taking the place of misfiring import striker Robert Beric who is on a bit of a goal drought. Collier’s first MLS start since July 2018, get in!
Literally the first thing he had to do was get up for a long ball header but as we here disciples know that’s not really his game, he’s a skilful winger. So pretty fascinating to see how he’d fare... unfortunately though the battlers in his defence gave the ball away cheaply and conceded in just the third minute of the match. Collier nearly bailed them out in the 12th minute with a strong header but it drew and equally strong save. Half a metre either side and it would have been a goal. Damn.
Fabian Herbers tied the game up in the 22nd minute, the ball fired at his feet accidentally and he tapped it home having just stayed onside. EC was close enough to hold his hand as he did it. Back on level terms and what this game needed was a Collier goal... but it didn’t happen that way. He did well from the first phase of the second half as he held off two defenders only he couldn’t hit the target off balance with his left foot. Chicago maintained a decent spell of attack after that... but then in the 54th minute they leaked a fluke of a goal, one of those crosses that float into the top corner (maybe he meant it?). Collier was subbed off for the last twenty minutes. Great to see him demanding more and more opportunities (remember he had to trial for his place in this squad at all in preseason) though he didn’t quite take full advantage with a few of those chances he wasn’t able to convert. Chicago went on to lose 2-1.
CF coach Raphael Vicky: “It was a matter of rotation, I wanted Elliot in there. No, nothing else, I mean Robert had his five stitches on his head from Cincinnati, but I just decided to go for Elliot. I think Elliot had a really good performance. Obviously, he missed two or three big chances, but he created, he was dangerous every time. So that's the reason.”
Up Next: Sunday at 11.30am against Columbus Crew (NZT)
Bill Tuiloma – Portland Timbers (American Major League Soccer)
Bit of rotation for the midweek game and not only did Billy T start against the LA Galaxy but fourth string CB Julio Cascante also started alongside him. In fact there were alterations all over the park so probably not the most unexpected thing that they didn’t play so great. LA Galaxy scored a lovely goal in the 15th minute. Portland went close to an equaliser a couple times, including a Tuiloma header that snuck wide from a corner, but the Galaxy doubled the lead in the 49th minute. 66 mins in and Felipe Mora snuck a goal to get them back in it but LAG responded soon after (another belter of a goal). Diego Valeri scored a late one off the bench and it finished in a 3-2 defeat.
They were back to more or less full strength a few days later for the grudge match against Seattle though... and they won, sweet as. Eryk Williamson scored early, Kelvin Leerdam equalised before the half, and Felipe Mora won it in the 83rd minute. Some decent drama there. Bill Tuiloma was subbed on in the 88th minute to come in and close things out. Mission accomplished for that objective.
Up Next: LAFC vs Portland, Monday at 3pm (NZT)
Abby Erceg – North Carolina Courage (American National Women’s Soccer League)
Good news: There’s a NWSL Fall Series competition starting up.
Bad news: There’s a very limited Flying Kiwis presence involved.
Abby Erceg is one of a number of players for her North Carolina Courage who have opted out of taking part in this second incarnation of a 2020 competition, one which doesn’t have a centralised bubble thing going on though with mini-pod things instead to “minimise travel”. It was either this or nothing but it’s obviously fair enough if players don’t feel safe in competing. Ali Riley is also away on loan in Sweden so she won’t be playing in this one. Still got Katie Bowen and Rosie White though, they’ll presumably be playing. Rosie White will be first in action next week of OL Reign.
Up Next: It’s all a bit of a mess at the moment, tbh
Winston Reid - Sporting Kansas City (American Major League Soccer)
Oh okay then. Reid had limped off in the first half of SKC’s previous game so no surprises there, really. The official word was either cramp or a groin complaint depending on who you listen to, nothing too serious either way thankfully. Just a precautionary change... although starting him in three straight games after two and a half years without that kind of consistent football was stupid from the get go. SKC went on to draw 1-1 with FC Dallas in that match.
Then on Sunday they face another Texas team, Houston Dynamo. This time... he also didn’t start. But he did come off the bench in the 77th minute as Sporting KC tried to steady things at 1-1 for the closing stages. Not that it worked.
Sporting KC had taken the lead after half an hour as Erik Hurtado popped in a rebound in stride but on the hour mark they lost that lead. Alberth Elis tapping in from a cutback not even two minutes after he’d come off the bench, the cheeky bugger. That fired Houston up and Reid slipped into a back three when he came on, trying to stem the tide, only for a ball to be lobbed in over his head and Mauro Manotas, another sub, leapt over his marker to head in the winner with five mins to go. Ah well, maybe next week.
Up Next: Sporting KC vs Minnesota Utd, Monday at 12.30pm (NZT)
Vic Esson – Avaldsnes IL (Norwegian Toppserien)
Vic Esson quietly takes care of business every week and this week was no exception as Avaldsnes bagged yet another win as a couple second half goals took them past Arna-Bjørnar. That makes it four wins and a draw in their last five matches, not too shabby at all. Robyn Decker (54’) and Elise Hove Thorsnes (58’) with the goals. A fifth clean sheet in eleven games for Esson too, tally ‘em up. That win has them tied for second on the ladder... just four points behind Vålerenga who also had a 2-0 win this week and guess who they happen to be playing next week? That game could be even bigger too as it could be the club debut for CJ Bott, who was on the bench for Vålerenga for the third game straight as an unused sub on her journey back to full fitness.
Up Next: Avaldsnes vs Vålerenga at 1am on Monday (NZT)
Tommy Smith – Colchester United (English League Two)
It’s true that Tommy Smith could probably have gotten a gig at a club a bit higher up the pecking order than League Two... but every time you read/hear something that Colchester boss Steve Ball has to say about Smithy it becomes more and more obvious why he chose this lot. It helps that it’s close to his home in Ipswich for sure but this dude seems to be absolutely beloved by his new manager already. Always nice to be appreciated in the workplace.
CUFC gaffer Steve Ball: “In the modern game, it’s a short career for footballers as we all know. Quite often you’ll find with players that a huge slant to that is a financial element. That’s obviously very important to Tommy and his family but Tommy's drive was to come and sign for the football club. He understands the project that we’re working towards and it was so refreshing to have dialogue with a senior pro like Tommy who’s obviously played in World Cups and captained his country to have that mindset, for a guy who’s still got a really good amount of time left in his career and really experienced.
He’s really, really putting football first so to speak and that’s so refreshing. Every day in training, I can honestly say that he’s pulling the young ones to the side and talking through pitch situations. It’s invaluable to have somebody like that as well as us coaches and head coaches, to have experienced, quality players guiding our young ones. As I’ve always said, it’s really important to this football club to have senior boys who are of the right character to understand how we go about things which is a little bit different, which is obviously great. It’s so important that our senior pros have got the right make up and he absolutely ticks that box.”
Smithy also set up a goal in a 2-1 friendly win over Wealdstone this week. Nodding a corner kick back across goal to his fellow centre-back Tom Eastman. So he was getting it done at both ends already ahead of his first proper game for the club: a League Cup first rounder against Reading... tough draw, that. Reading are a Championship club so plenty of competitive distance between the two and sure enough Reading got themselves a 3-1 win.
Colchester took the lead in the 37th minute through a beautiful Jevani Brown goal. It started with Smithy pushing forward out of defence and feeding a ball through down the wing and then Brown hacked in the low cross behind his standing leg. But then they conceded in first half stoppage time and twice more in the second half. The third one was sneaky as hell, the fella rolling the ball under his foot to change direction and sending Smithy and the rest of the Colchester defence running past him. A full game for Smith though, his second debut for the club (can you have two debuts? If not then his first CU appearance since April 2011 when he was previously on loan there). So that’s cool. This game was always gonna be a bit of a loosener... the real deal stuff starts in the coming days.
Up Next: Portsmouth vs Colchester, Football League Trophy, Weds at 6am (NZT)
Meikayla Moore – Liverpool (English Championship)
Looks chilly. As were Liverpool as they began their quest to get promoted back to the WSL with a slightly disappointing result, only able to draw 1-1 with Durham. They took the lead through Rachel Furness in the 39th minute but were unable to add a second and then conceded with only three minutes left on the clock. Probably because they were lacking the services of Meikayla Moore, not in the squad as she acclimatises to her new club. She only signed two weeks ago after all. Elsewhere it was an empty cupboard in the Championship this week because Katie Rood’s Lewes also had a bye first up. They begin their campaign next week... which is useful for Roodie who missed a good chunk of preseason with a little ankle injury.
Up Next: London Bees vs Liverpool at 1am on Monday (NZT)
Andre De Jong – AmaZulu FC (South African Premier Soccer League)
Celebrations in the changing sheds afterwards despite conceding an 88th minute equaliser in their final PSL game, against Highlands Park. They scored early but couldn’t quite hold on down the stretch. Andre De Jong didn’t even play either... but no dramas. The important thing was that this point combined with other results ensured that AmaZulu remain in the top flight for next season. They managed to only lose one of six games after the restart and finished in 13th on the ladder... only one point clear of the relegation playoff. ADJ played 11 times, 6 starts and 5 as a sub... missing a large chunk of the campaign with a broken foot picked up on international duty.
Elsewhere Dan Morgan was also out of the team as Maritzburg rotated things around with nothing to play for in their last clash. They lost 3-1 to Bloemfontein Celtic to finish in seventh place. Unlike AmaZulu’s recovery, Maritzburg didn’t wit win a single game after the restart. Dan Morgan played 20 times this season with all but one of them starts, getting three assists and three yellow cards along the way.
Up Next: The next PSL season is expected to start in early October... not much of a turnaround
Liberato Cacace – Sint-Truiden (Belgian Pro League)
It’s just a friendly game, in which he played the second half, but he’s fast on his way.
Up Next: STVV vs Antwerp, Monday at 2am (NZT)
Moses Dyer – Valour FC (Canadian Premier League)
Look who got in on the goals for his new Canadian club this week... Moses Dyer with a smooth header to give his team a 2-1 lead against Forge FC after they’d fallen behind early. They ended up conceding again in the second half to draw 2-2 but that’s football. This was Valour’s seventh game of the season with 23 year old Dyer making his sixth appearance and his first 90 minute spell.
This CPL thing, they’ve pretty much playing every third or fourth day so the games have been coming thick and fast with plenty of rotation needed. But not any more because that seventh game was also their last game – Valour missed the playoffs in this brief pando-shortened campaign. Valour had injuries along the way and there’s zero margin for error in a seven-game season anyway... now it’s four months before the next season which it sounds like means Moses might be looking for a plane ticket back to Europe for a new club in the meantime.
Moses Dyer: “Some teams gel earlier and sooner than others. You can see that our team our team is really together and we’re building on something for next year, something special... Here in Canada having four months off is way too long. It’s so disappointing that it’s finished now but I can’t do anything about it so I have to look for something.”
Up Next: Dunno
Chris Wood - Burnley FC (English Premier League)
A couple more preseason goals in there.
Up Next: Leicester City vs Burnley on 20 September at 2am begins their new Premier League campaign (NZT)
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