Flying Kiwis – November 9
Marko Stamenic - FK Crvena Zvezda (Serbian SuperLiga)
Back to regularly scheduled programming with the Flying Kiwis, let’s get at it. This one will combine the last two weeks of overseas kiwi footballer action – although note that the women had an international break last week - which means that we must begin by reaching all the way back to the very start of that catchment timeframe when the brother Marko Stamenic did this...
Nothing short of a legendary moment in kiwi football right there. Stamenic was already just the fifth NZer to play in the Champions League and now he’s only the second of those dudes to have scored. Of course, Wynton Rufer shared the golden boot in his lone UCL campaign - splitting it with Ronald Koeman who was at Barcelona at the time (each with eight goals).
Stamenic had been teasing this goal for a long time. From as soon as he joined them in preseason he’s been showing hints of that attacking aspect to his game, though he hasn’t had as many chances to show it since the real stuff started. Red Star have mixed up their formations quite a lot and Stamenic has usually been a defensive midfielder. Lately they’ve been trying a 3-5-2 and with three CMs that allowed him to operate higher up where he can get into the area with those decisive late runs (as he did for this UCL goal). He’s had a fair few close calls with long shots and blocked efforts during the domestic fixtures. He also had that goal against Qatar for the All Whites ultimately wiped off his record when that game was abandoned. Safe to say it was all worth it for that moment in Leipzig though.
Unfortunately the goal did not save his team from defeat. Away to RB Leipzig, they were 2-0 down at the time and while this one did give them some hope... it didn’t last. Leipzig scored again soon after Stamenic had been subbed off for another forward. The gamble didn’t work but they did give it a good crack against a very good side. For much of the evening it looked like they were going to get destroyed, with RBL having 72% of possession in the first half and almost all of the relevant chances. The second goal felt inevitable long before Xavi Simons finally scored it just before the hour. But the fightback was encouraging and the goal for Stamenic will have a legacy long beyond the game itself.
Next up it was back to the Serbian Superliga for a meeting away against fellow Belgraders IMT. Five changes were made from the Leipzig match but most of those were in the attacking spots so Marko Stamenic retained his place in the midfield. And tell ya what, he very nearly opened the scoring with an absolutely wicked long shot after 16 minutes that crashed off the post. He’s got that goal-scoring addiction now, watch out.
He didn’t end up on the scoresheet of this game but Jean-Philippe Krasso (22’) and Peter Olayinka (26’) did as Red Star took control of the game after a slow ten minutes or so out of the gates. They then withstood a decent start to the second half from the home side, although failed to push on and conceded with twenty to go. Stamenic smacked a shot on target on 55’ that was saved but then converted by a teammate who turned out to be in an offside position so it didn’t count. Eventually they saw it through for the 2-1 win. Ninety minutes for Stamenic, completing 39/46 passes and battling away in his midfield duels.
But that’s where this tale gets kinda murky. A crucial fixture against third-placed TSC followed in which Stamenic was subbed off after 66 minutes in what ended up as a 1-1 draw. An annoying game because, like so many of their matches, Red Star were well on top from the outset yet they don’t seem to be able to capitalise on those phases. Stam did nearly set up a goal early in the second half but that one ended up over the bar hence it remained 0-0 when Stamenic took a seat as part of a triple change... and we haven’t seen him since.
After the substitutions, Red Star were eventually able to take an 84th minute lead. Only problem was that they couldn’t hold it. Injury time equaliser. Disappointing. Thus for their next game there were changes made with Guelor Kanga recalled to the midfield and Marko Stamenic left on the bench for only the second time since he joined the club. He’d end up enduring his first unused sub experience at the club in a 3-1 win. Then he similarly couldn’t get off the bench in a 2-1 home loss against RB Leipzig in the next Champions League fixture. It’s not an injury. Coach just felt they needed something different in the midfield so Stamenic got dropped. No doubt he’ll be back before long. Bit of extra motivation doesn’t go astray.
Up Next: 6am on Sunday against Železničar Pančevo away (NZT)
Ryan Thomas – PEC Zwolle (Dutch Eredivisie)
Defensive maestro Ryan Thomas, go on son. This was all part of his steady return to match fitness after yet more injury issues in the preseason. The previous FKs dug into his season debut, a small cameo in a 4-2 win over Excelsior. Next game was this draw with Vitesse in which he had a much bigger role. On for the last 25 minutes where he got a bunch more touches and even managed a couple of shots (one on target) to go with that crucial goal-line clearance.
PEC Zwolle were up against it for most of this game after taking the lead midway through the first half. Barely had a third of possession and all the chances were down the other end. Thomas was the first sub summoned and they didn’t make another until the 84th minute. They weren’t able to hold on for the defiant victory, with Vitesse bagging an 88th minute leveller, but they had no right to even claim a point after having faced 30 shots with 11 of them on target so they’ll take it. Great battling point for a 1-1 draw.
After that they had a cup game in which they chose the common strategy of picking a reserve team... and got knocked out by a lower tier opponent. Okay, alright. No repeat of the 2014 KNVB Cup triumph. But the following weekend came another fine milestone for Ryan Thomas as he was elevated to the starting line-up to face Fortuna Sittard and this time it was Zwolle who were the dictators on the way to a 2-0 win. What’s more is that Ryan Thomas lasted 52 minutes before his scheduled replacement, doubling what he managed last time. 57 touches with 81.3% passing success. Several of those passes pushing things into the attacking third for his team. His sub appearances had seen him used as a winger or advanced midfielder. This was a bit more like what we saw last season where he was a tempo-defining deep midfield passer.
So we’ve gone from 5 minutes to 25 minutes to 52 minutes across the last three games. Ramping things up relatively quickly. We saw Zwolle take their time with him last season but that was after a much longer injury lay-off... this was just a couple months out after he’d been available for almost all of preseason.
Thomas started most games after he returned to availability last season but of course that was in the second tier. The Zwolle lads have since been promoted so that meant this was was first Eredivisie start since 2021. Back before one long-term injury too many ended his PSV Eindhoven career. By the way, guess who they play next? It’s the PSV homecoming, mate. Expect a very warm ovation for the fella.
Up Next: PSV vs PEC Zwolle at 12.15am on Monday (NZT)
Dublin Boon - Roda JC (Dutch Eerste Divisie)
While we’re still hanging out in the Netherlands, check out the bench for Roda JC last week for their KNVB Cup match. Dublin Boon is an 18 year old New Zealand goalkeeper who joined Roda’s U21 team this season after coming through Nomads in Christchurch. Not much else to this story. Roda lost 5-3 to NEC Nijmegen so they’re out of the cup... but they’re also first in the Eerste Divisie with a good shot at promotion if they can maintain their form. Boon’s unlikely to get many more first team shots in the short term but the fact he’s already made a matchday squad, even just for a cup game, is pretty good sign.
Meanwhile Matt Garbett’s NAC Breda are back in the midtable after a 1-1 draw with Helmond Sport and a 1-0 loss to De Graafshcap since the last edition of this article. Plus they did the same thing as Zwolle by picking a youth team for the KNVB Cup and getting bounced against a lower tier opponent. Garbett started the two league games but yeah nah not much doing there.
Up Next: See how it goes with Roda U21s for the next wee while
Chris Wood - Nottingham Forest (English Premier League)
Everything was golden a fortnight ago. Chris Wood had just gotten another start in Taiwo Awoniyi’s ongoing absence in which he’d scored a brace in a 2-2 draw against Luton Town. They should have won that game but the bit we care about is that Woodsy had an excellent afternoon full of attacking involvements and a couple of tidy goals to get the fans onside. Things have turned in the other direction since then. Awoniyi has regained his fitness while Chris Wood has lost his. Ruled out with a hamstring issue suffered in training.
Steve Cooper: “Woody unfortunately picked up a hamstring injury and is going to be out for a little while. We have no recognised striker in the starting XI and it’s not ideal in terms of attacking options.”
Without Wood in the squad, Nottm Forest lost 3-0 to a rampant Liverpool side... but that was probably going to happen either way. However with Taiwo Awoniyi back in the starting line-up a week later they did pull off an excellent 2-0 upset win over Aston Villa so that was nice. Don’t want to get sucked into another relegation battle.
There hasn’t been a full diagnosis or timeline for Wood’s injury but, prior to the Villa game, Steve Cooper did once again confirm that a hamstring was the issue and that: “I don’t think we’ll see him before the international break”. However Darren Bazeley still picked him (and the also-injured Sarpreet Singh) for the upcoming All Whites tour so that suggests he’s not far away. Still gotta see what happens there because Forest might yet put their foot down by claiming a setback – we’ve heard that story many times before. But at least that does all suggest that we’re only talking about weeks not months with this particular injury niggle. Fingers crossed we see him for the national team in Athens and Dublin.
Up Next: Rehabilitation... then All Whites
CJ Bott - Leicester City (English Super League)
Second defeat in a row, bugger. The 1-0 loss to Man City before the break was nothing to worry about, in fact they defended superbly for most of it and even had a chance or two to sneak a point. Great performance there. But going down 2-1 to Liverpool was kinda disappointing, especially when they’ve got Arsenal and Chelsea to play within the next three matches. CJ Bott did get another ninety minutes though and after a slow start to the campaign she’s once again looking like a first eleven player for the Foxes.
Goalie Janina Leitzig was wonderful in the first half as Leicester City withstood what the Reds had for them. She couldn’t do much when Melissa Lawley smashed one into the top near corner three minutes into the second half... however a cracking equaliser from Missy Goodwin had then back on track ten minutes later. Alas, Bott overhelped and lost her marker in the 84th minute allowing Mia Enderby to cut the ball back for Marie-Therese Hobinger whose shot had just enough power that Leitzig wasn’t able to keep it out.
2-1 to Liverpool. A fair enough result given the subpar performance from the Foxes. Bott had the most touches of any player on her team (71) but it’s probably not ideal for your right back to be doing that ahead of the more centralised players (although CJB does spend a lot of time in midfield areas in this style of play, doing the inverted fullback thing). Again, just not a great performance from Leicester City. You’ll get those with any team from time to time.
Up Next: LCFC vs Arsenal, 7.45am on Monday (NZT)
Callum McCowatt - Silkeborg IF (Danish Superliga)
Right on, there ya go. This was in a 5-1 win against Hvidovre who are a fellow Superliga club so it’s not like he was beating up on the underdogs or anything. McCowatt scored the first two goals in that hiding, getting his work done so quickly that they were able to sub him off at half-time... bit rude given he was on a hatty but then he did also have a yellow card and also a league game to play on the weekend. The bigger picture overrules.
That league game didn’t go so well as this time it was SIF who conceded two early-ish goals on the way to a 2-1 loss to Viborg. McCowatt started but again was subbed at half-time, this time for tactical reasons. They didn’t get their goal until the 90th minute when it was a little too late for a comeback. A frustrating evening. McCowatt’s mostly done great for them since signing. Silkeborg themselves have done great, fantastic even, although this defeat did drop them from second to fourth on the ladder. They drew the one beforehand too so got to be careful this doesn’t begin a tumble back down into more expected areas.
Also, they drew FC Copenhagen in the Danish Cup quarter-final. That’s a two-legged match-up which will take place in December. FCK are once again leading the Superliga as they seek another championship – and they just beat Manchester United in the Champions League. Literally the worst draw they could have gotten but hey it’s not like HBK has Marko Stamenic to hold things down these days.
Up Next: Saturday at 7am against Randers (NZT)
Elijah Just - AC Horsens (Danish Division 1)
Obviously if Callum McCowatt’s going alright then Elijah Just will be too. Those guys have been on parallel journeys ever since they met as youngsters. So sure enough they both seem to be having their best ever seasons in Denmark at the same time... even though they’re no longer teammates (except at international level of course).
Horsens played HB Køge on the weekend and they smoked them. It was a 4-1 victory away from home and it was Eli Just who got them started in the seventh minute with a brilliant goal angling in from the right wing and beating several defenders along the way as he played a one-two to get into the area and score. Superb. His third goal of the term to go with a couple of assists... the second of which came later on in this same game.
A lovely finish from Aron Sigurðarson made it 2-0 after 18 minutes before HBK pulled one back right before the break. But then Just flipped a pass back to Marinus Larsen on the hour which Larsen blasted into the net from distance with the help of a very large deflection. Take ‘em how they come. Still counts as an assist for Eli.
That third goal was massive because the game was actually in the balance at that stage. HBK had a goal disallowed soon after the one they did score and about a minute before Horsens made it three there’d been a reaching save by their keeper to only barely flip an HBK shot around the post. But the third one made it comfortable again. Just was replaced in the 83rd minute by Anders Jacobsen who then added a fourth goal at the end.
They needed that win pretty badly after losing three in a row. Aalborg and SønderjyskE have pulled away in the top two spots whereas ACH have dipped into the bottom half with only three more games until the winter break sets in and the Danish clubs take a two-and-a-half month leave of competitive activities. Further work is to be done.
Up Next: 7am on Saturday against Fredericia (NZT)
Marley Leuluai - Burnley (English Premier League)
The rule is that you can’t sign on professional terms until you turn seventeen. Marley Leuluai joined the Manchester City Academy as a Primary Schooler and he stuck around all the way up until the stage where they begin to bottleneck their scholars towards those pro terms. City do this thing where they give out final scholarship deals at age sixteen with the best of those players going on to sign pro contracts one year later (it’s a large academy, as you might have guessed). Leuluai didn’t make the cut for those ones hence he left and found himself a few miles up the road at Burnley instead.
And he’s gone absolutely brilliantly at Burnley. They’ve turned him from a central defender into a midfielder (note that NZF listed him as a midfielder for the upcoming U17 World Cup) and he’s instantly become a regular for their U18s side... in fact despite his youth he’s also already featured for the U21s on a couple of occasions. He’s loving it. They love him. So the Clarets didn’t waste a damn second in offering him a full contract on the day of seventeenth birthday, the first possible chance that they could. He wasn’t even six months into a two-year scholarship deal. Now he’s signed on professional terms until 2026. If you didn’t already realise that this bloke is one of Aotearoa’s very best prospects then now you do.
Marley Leuluai: “It’s a dream come true to sign my first professional contract. That’s it really, I can’t say much more, it’s a dream. I think it’s been the perfect transition to be honest, joining Burnley’s Academy. The style of play we’re trying to play; I’ve been playing that all my life, so it’s been a really good transition and I’m loving every minute. It’s been really good so far.”
Check out that ulafala around his neck as well. Letting the Samoan heritage shine.
Up Next: With the Burnley stuff sorted, now attention turns towards the U17 World Cup where Leuluai will captain the NZ team with their first game kicking off at 10pm on Sunday against Venezuela (NZT)
Ben Waine – Plymouth Argyle (English Championship)
PAFC coach Steven Schumacher: “It's over to him [Waine]. We won't just give him a run of games because he hasn't had one. He has got to earn it, and he understands that. The training sessions that he does through the week have to be top standard. He has got to be on it all the time. He has got to work hard and he has got to try to see his performances improve every game. That's what it's about. Hopefully he gets a run of games. If he stakes his claim then it's up to the other two when they are fit to try to get back in the team, and that's how any good squad should be.”
Words of high expectations from Ben Waine’s manager there. Nothing is supposed to come easy at this level but there is a small window for him right now after the two striker’s ahead of him in the Pilgrims squad both went off injured with muscle twinges in a 3-2 loss to Ipswich Town. Ryan Hardie and Mustapha Bundu have each been diagnosed with grade two hamstring strains. Bundu might be back after the international break. Hardie seems like he may have longer to wait. One plus one equals two... with Ben Waine being the only fit striker in the squad right now he might finally get that extended chance he’s been waiting for since signing with Plymouth Argyle ten months ago.
That window of opportunity began with a 3-3 draw against Middlesbrough – only Waine’s third league start for the club. Exciting game that went back and forth with Argyle claiming a share of the points thanks to a 77th minute goal (having been 1-0 down then 2-1 up then 3-2 down). Boro had more of the chances but Argyle were clinical with what they had.
Didn’t get a whole heap of Waineo in there. He was subbed as part of a double change and tactical switch after 65 minutes, straight after Boro had retaken the lead with their third goal. He only made nine touches in that time with no shots however he was an active presence off the ball. His coach was encouraging. They’ve got one more game before the break so he should get at least that start before the others return.
More Schumacher: “I thought he did okay, especially first half. He didn't have loads of touches of the ball but he was occupying both Middlesbrough centre-backs and he was working hard off the ball. Anything he did have in and around (the penalty area) I thought he was neat and tidy enough with. When you play that lone striker role it can be tough, it's hard work, but I thought he did alright.”
Up Next: Leeds vs Plymouth, 4am on Sunday (NZT)
Joe Bell – Viking FK (Norwegian Eliteserien)
So... you know how Viking were in a title race a few weeks ago? Yeah well now they’re not. They’d gone top with a 10-game winning streak (with Joe Bell rejoining the club towards the end of that run), which soon became a 13-game unbeaten streak. Then they lost 4-0 to Molde and the wheels didn’t just fall off they were vaporised into non-existence. There are no more wheels.
Thirteen games without a loss have been followed by a loss, draw, loss, loss, and loss. Joe Bell had to play off the bench for two of those and was subbed off at half-time of the Molde capitulation (by the way, Molde have lost four in a row since then). He did get ninety minutes in their most recent match... a 3-0 defeat away to HamKam. Dunno how much that is to brag about though. Things were going fine at 0-0 after an hour but just like their season it fell apart in the last third.
What is all means is that Bodø/Glimt have almost clinched the Eliteserien title. They’re nine points clear at the top with three rounds remaining. Viking have dropped all the way down to fourth... but such was their previous advantage that they’re still only three points behind second. The top three teams qualify for European action so while they’ve blown their best chance to compete for the Norwegian title in decades they can still salvage plenty out of this campaign if they can find some semblance of form the rest of the way. We shall pray for them.
Up Next: Viking vs Sarpsborg at 5am on Monday (NZT)
Meikayla Moore – Glasgow City (Scottish Premier League)
Back from the international break and back to domestic efforts after their 6-0 aggregate defeat against Brann of Norway in the Champions League group stage playoffs. Also back to action for Meikayla Moore who missed the second leg of that tie with injury.
It was not back to winning ways though, as GC got held 0-0 away to Hearts. Hearts were the best of the rest last season so this was always going to be a tricky fixture but it does mean that Glasgow City are the first of the big three to drop points against a club other than each other. One of those ones where they dominated throughout yet had trouble breaking down a stoic defence, and yeah sure there were a couple of moments where they were vulnerable on the break as well. Ninety minutes for Moore, at least. Ninety minutes that, despite the result, were still good enough for some of this...
SWPL: “While the Glasgow City attack had a frustrating afternoon against Hearts, the defensive line were rarely troubled, with Meikayla Moore impressing once again. The centre back won 71% of her duels, made 18 recoveries of the ball, and registered a pass accuracy of 86%, with 13 of those passes being made into the final third."
Unfortunately Glasgow City have already lost to Celtic and drawn with Rangers so they’re slipping behind. Rangers won 3-1 against Spartans this weekend to maintain their lead at the top. Alas, Vic Esson was on the bench again for that game. Esson missed the start of the season after returning late from the World Cup. She then got three SWPL starts in the first half of September but has since been an unused substitute for the last five league matches in a row. Maybe the League Cup quarter will be her turn.
Up Next: Saturday at 7.45am it’s Celtic vs GC in the League Cup quarter-final (NZT)
Myer Bevan - Cavalry FC (Canadian Premier League)
Cavalry won the league phase of the CPL but the league phase isn’t the whole meal. Playoffs would decide the overall Canadian Premier League champion, with Myer Bevan hoping to add a gold medal to his golden boot. A 2-1 defeat against Forge, despite having plenty more shots and possession, in the preliminary final meant they’d had to go through an elimination final to progress. They got the job done there with a 2-1 victory against Pacific in which they led most of the way. Did what they needed to do, and that took us to the grand final...
A rematch against Forge. This one was closer in terms of chances and possession but the goals did not follow. As is so often the case in finals, there was an element of caution from both teams with very little for either goalkeeper to worry about in the first half. Bevan did lash one high and wide from the right edge of the area, reminiscent of a goal he once scored at an U20 World Cup, but it flew miles off target. Second half was better after Cavalry raised the temperature. Bevan had one chance where he almost got on the end of a low cross. Plus a cross of his own that was headed on target but saved.
Still nothing to split them so it was off to extra time. Cavalry had definitely created the better stuff and they’d also forced the tougher saves. So when Ali Musse scored an absolute blinder for them ten minutes into extras it absolutely felt like they were on course for the championship. Except that they were not. Forge had no choice but to go for it and a curling cross/shot sailed top corner in stoppage time before they won it with a goal directly from a corner kick five minutes into the second spell of extra time. Yes, directly from a corner. Olimpico for the championship. Forge took the title with a 2-1 extra time win in the final.
That’s going to sting. Best team all throughout the year only to fall short in a grand final in which they held the lead during extra time. Myer Bevan scored 11 goals in 26 games (including being 5/5 from the penalty spot) but he didn’t score in any of the three playoff games. He did have a big role in their grand final goal though, hitting the deck under contact in the box but quickly getting back to his feet to keep the play alive. He also got a yellow card in that final. Next season there’ll be Concacaf Champions League available to him.
Up Next: The long, painful, motivating offseason
Niko Kirwan – Calcio Padova (Italian Serie C)
Niko Kirwan was only a substitute against Giana Erminio. Didn’t even seen the pitch until the 88th minute, brought on soon after Padova had retaken the lead and almost immediately after Giana had copped a red card. It was a short cameo for the kiwi fullback who usually starts more often then he doesn’t for this team - although lately seems to have lost his first eleven status despite being named as vice captain. But this was a memorable cameo as his goal sealed a scrappy victory and provided him with his first scoresheet listing since March 2022. It was his first goal since that serious knee injury. You really do love to see it.
Niko Kirwan: “A few days after getting injured, when I was sitting on the sofa and couldn't even move, I thought about this moment, telling myself that when I scored the first goal at home I would sprint away and take off my shirt. There is no more beautiful feeling, it was crazy. Favale put in a perfect ball for me, I arrived with the right power to score, and at that moment all thoughts left my head.”
Padova needed this one after a few too many draws of late. They are still undefeated, with seven wins and five draws from 12 games to sit third in their conference as things stand. Three points behind Mantova... remember that only the top team in each conference gets automatic promotion. The rest of the contenders have to do indulge in the madness of the Serie C playoffs.
Up Next: Away to Albinoleffe on Sunday at 8.45am (NZT)
Michael Woud – Ventforet Kofu (Japanese J-League 2)
Defeat in game three of the AFC Champions League. After consecutive clean sheets, in a win and a draw, Michael Woud was finally beaten as Kofu met Zhejiang FC of China and were dropped 2-0. A header from a corner that might’ve taken a slight deflection in the ninth minute, then a brilliant dinked finish as he rushed out on 58’. It was a one-sided game and VF were fortunate not to lose by more... with Woud making a couple of saves in amongst.
Melbourne City won 2-0 away to Buriram United in the other game so at the halfway stage of the group Kofu still sat second in the group on 4 points. City on 7 points. The other two on 3 points. Two of VF’s three remaining games were at home so they remained in a good spot to quality. And since this is a double banger Flying Kiwis they’ve also since played their next match and how about this, folks...
Didn’t get the clean sheet because of a second half penalty but by that time Kofu were already two goals up in the return match against Zhejiang of China. By no means were they expected to win this, especially after losing the previous match. However they caused absolute havoc running in behind the high defensive line of their opponents with a 17th minute goal eventually upheld after an offside check. The VAR/referee then stitched them up royally in denying a stonewall penalty for handball where a Zhejiang defender had fallen over and must’ve handled the thing four times in the space of a few seconds including blocking a shot but they inexplicably declined it after a check. No matter, because Kofu scored again in first half stoppage time.
The second half began with a more determined Zhejiang team and Woud should’ve done better as he parried away a long shot straight to an attacker. He then conceded a penalty from the resulting scramble... which was very clearly a dive, the dude pushing his leg backwards to draw contact. But since there was contact the decision was upheld and Woud was beaten from the spot.
That made it 2-1 after 50 minutes. Luckily Ventforet Kofu steadied things and scored twice more including a runaway in the closing minutes for a famous ACL victory. 4-1 final score. Melbourne City lost 1-0 to Buriram in the other game so that late goal means that Ventforet Kofu have now gone first in the group, ahead of MCY on goals scored. Buriram are close behind them on six points with Zhejiang on three. Two matchdays remain.
Up Next: Wednesday at 11pm, Ventforet Kofu vs Zhejiang (NZT)
Malia Steinmetz – FC Nordsjælland (Danish Kvindeliga)
Look who’s gone top of the Kvindeliga again. It was Nordsjælland vs AGF, which meant Malia Steinmetz against Ally Green. Both of them were named to start. FCN got it going with a slightly fortunate penalty in the 16th minute converted by Emilia Ásgeirsdóttir... but they didn’t have it all their own way from there. FCN were the better side but AGF were never without a sneaky threat, with Ally Green getting up the wings and swinging in the odd cross amongst it all. Nordsjælland have been defensively excellent this year though. Steinmetz has helped lock things down in the midfield. They clung onto that narrow lead deep into the game... and then Steinmetz set up the clincher for Clara La Cour in the 90th minute.
Yeah go on. 2-0 to FCN was the way it ended. Full game for Steinmetz. 73 mins for Green in opposition.
As for the others in Denmark... ‘twas not a great week for the football club of Køge. Already saw what Elijah Just did to their men’s team. Well, the ladies lost too. Beaten 2-0 by title rivals Brøndby... but that’s probably because neither of their New Zealanders took part. Daisy Cleverley went off injured in the previous game so she’s probably still working through whatever that was. Claudia Bunge... dunno. She’s been an instant regular for this team so gotta assume she’s picked up a knock as well. Whatever the deal was, they lost and have dropped back to second.... behind Steinmetz and FCN.
Up Next: Hopefully those Køge girls are good to go because it’s HBK vs FCN at 3am on Sunday (NZT)
Corban Piper - Wexford (League of Ireland First Division)
It didn’t happen for them in the promotion playoffs. A 1-0 loss at home to Cobh Ramblers in the first leg was followed by a 1-1 draw away for a 2-1 aggregate defeat. Close but not quite. The winning goal in the tie came in the 73rd minute of that second leg. Corban Piper was only on the bench for that game, a rare one in which he didn’t start (or even play at all) though he did start the first match. All up he made 31 appearances for Wexford, picking up three yellow cards. Didn’t score a goal but he went bloody close in the first leg of the playoff. Not bad for his first season as a pro... now we await what comes next.
You know what else? The same is probably true of Nando Pijanker. He’s off contract with Sligo Rovers who polished off their own season with yet another loss. They only took one point from their last five games... though by then they’d done juuuust enough to avoid the relegation playoff. They were eighth out of ten teams. Bad season. Max Mata’s goals carried them at the start but then he left and nobody else stepped up. Pijnaker lost his starting spot down the stretch, partly due to their captain returning from a long term injury but also very likely down to his probable upcoming departure (and a slight injury along the way).
Remember that Pijnaker was rumoured in that Mata to Shrewsbury Town transfer. Didn’t happen then but then why would it when he only had a few more months left on his contract? Having said that, there were nine players listed by the club as having left at the conclusion of the season and Pijnaker was not one of them so we’ll see how it goes. He might have an option for another year on his deal that hasn’t been made public yet.
Up Next: Maybe they stay, maybe they don’t
Zac Jones – Haverfordwest County (Welsh/Cymru Premier)
Never waste a chance to get some Zac Jones highlights out there. Now, you might not get this impression from the tweet there but Hwest actually won 5-0 against Colwyn Bay... but there were still a few nice saves in there from Jonesy. Check ‘em out. Good win against the bottom team to buy them some breathing room ahead of the bottom third of the ladder.
Up Next: Welsh Cup on Sunday at 3am against Ammanford (NZT)
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