Ria Percival – Tottenham Hotspur (English Super League)

Picture the scene... the North London Derby, Tottenham vs Arsenal at a stacked out Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. 38,262 people were in attendance to watch these two teams compete for the first time since Arsenal hammered Spurs 10-0 in an FA Cup game a couple years ago. But times have changes since then and you only need to look at this new record WSL attendance to know that. Smashing the previous record for the Manchester Derby at the Etihad in the opening weekend of this season by more than 7000 fans. (The record prior to this season was 5265).

Following on from the English women’s national team selling out Wembley Stadium the week prior, that’s incredible momentum for this league and for female footy players all over... of which there’ll be a majority in this Flying Kiwis seeing as it’s an international week and all that. And Ria Percival got a cheeky old ninety minutes in front of all them folks (that crowd is about 16000 more than the capacity at Turf Moor where Chris Wood regularly scores his goals).

So that’s cool. Would have been even cooler if Percy had scored a ninetieth minute winner but that wasn’t to be the case as Arsenal earned a tough but convincing enough 2-0 win. Second half goals scored by Kim Little (66th min) and Vivianne Miedema (82nd min). Spurs had started slowly but they began to throw a few punches after withstanding those early stages and Kit Graham really had the best chance of the half after a wonderful turn got her through on goal but she couldn’t beat the keeper. Percival was playing on the right of a midfield four and that meant plenty of opportunities to get forward... but eventually Spurs were made to pay for not taking those chances as Kim Little scored an excellent goal before Miedema took advantage of a defensive giveaway in the box to wrap it up.

Those highlights are a bit biased, to be fair. Arsenal were the dominant side in the second forty-five for sure and they deserved to win. But compared to the difference between the two teams the last time they played it just shows how far Tottenham have come... sign another Football Fern or two and they might even win the league.

Up Next: Away to Chelsea in the WSL Cup group stage, Thursday at 8am (NZT)

Olivia Chance – Bristol City (English Super League)

No start for Olivia Chance as BCFC travelled to face Reading, but she did come off the bench in the middle of a dramatic comeback. Reading were 3-1 up early in the second half. Quickfire goals from Remi Allen and Brooke Chaplen in the 17th and 18th minutes had been answered by Charlie Wellings before the break but then Angharad James headed in from a corner in the 47th and it looked like Reading were off to the races. But almost immediately Yana Daniels pulled one back and Chancey was chucked on soon after. Eventually Ebony Salmon scored with seven minutes remaining and there it was. 3-3 the final score.

Up Next: Arsenal vs Bristol City, Friday at 8.30am, WSL Cup (NZT)

Hannah Wilkinson - Sporting CP (Portuguese 1a Divisão)

Ah look, two more goals for Wilkie. She didn’t even start this game but she came off the bench and delivered a couple big ones in a comprehensive second half for Sporting away to Cadima. It was only 1-0 at the break but it didn’t stay close much longer. Wilkinson’s goals were both headers, the first a towering leap above a defender and the second she got in behind the defence to guide one in off the noggin. Two more for the season tally and another big win for Sporting as they remain in second place.

Up Next: Home against CF Benfica on Monday at 3am (NZT)

Katie Rood - Lewes FC (English Championship)

It was a 2-1 loss against Sheffield United for Lewes, first half goals for Jade Pennock and Veatriki Sarri doing the damage for the visitors, although a 60th minute strike from Katie Rood (that’s goals in back to back games now) did make it interesting in the second half. Apparently a bit of a stunner too, at least according to the Sussex Express. A full ninety for Roodie too, backing up from Footy Ferns action.

Unfortunately that does mean another notch in their losing streak but they have improved in recent games, with Katie Rood’s goals being a big part of that. Also... this looks like such an incredible community-minded club to be a part of, with actual non-commercial values and all that. Look ‘em up, it’s an impressive outfit. Although note the irony of the fella with the Roodie Can’t Fail sign holding it backwards and upside-down...

Up Next: West Ham vs Lewes, Thursday at 8.30am in the WSL Cup group stage (NZT)

Annalie Longo – Melbourne Victory (Australian W-League)

There we go, another W-League season has begun and while we’re still a way off getting that Wellington Phoenix side in there that they talk about sometimes (which would be soooooo helpful for women’s footy in this country, just gotta convince the Aussies first – the Nix are definitely keen), we do at least have one New Zealander scrapping away there. Annalie Longo was named on the bench as Melbourne Victory played away to Sydney FC in the first game of their season – as part of a double header with the two respective A-League clubs going at it afterwards – though she was first off the bench, introduced in place of Amy Jackson ten minutes into the second half.

Problem was they were already 2-0 down by that point and had been since the 22nd minute of the game. Remy Siemsen scored an early brace for Sydney. Pretty concerning how easy those two goals seemed to be, with that stand-offish defence. Longo made a little bit of a difference, getting a sighter on target within minutes of coming on. But the Victory weren’t able to find that goal to get them back in the game and conceded late in stoppage time to rub it in. Shadeene Evans with the goal. There were chances at both ends but Sydney were the sharper team and Melly Vick paid the price for a slow start.

Up Next: Quick turnaround away to Brisbane Roar on Thursday at 9.30pm... and it’s live on Sky Sport if you’re keen (NZT)

Nik Tzanev – AFC Wimbledon (English League One)

Getting first team football is always tricky for goalkeepers. Nik Tzanev finally got a taste of it for the Dons early this season when loanee starter Nathan Trott was injured but once the West Ham fella came back to full fitness it was back to the bench for Nikky and that’s where he’s stayed since. The 22 year old started the first two League One games and then has sat on the bench for the next 14. He’s also played two cup games throughout this season. So yeah, a month and a half playing down a couple divisions ain’t a terrible idea.

Lead Professional Phase Coach and Loans Manager Mark Robinson (whatever the hell that means): “We would have liked to get Nik out earlier in the season, but he was heavily involved in the first team at the beginning. Once he was available for loan, teams of the required level had settled squads. We had some interest, but with the help of ‘Bayzo’, analyst Mike O'Brien and Michael Cook at the academy, we put together an excellent package to highlight Nik’s attributes. He now has an excellent loan opportunity to show his talent as well as develop further.”

Goalkeeping Coach Ashley Bayes: “I’m delighted he's going out to get senior, first team football. It will benefit him and us as a football club going forward. He's had a taste of first team action this season and he is hungry to play more competitive games. This loan is a step up from his previous experience and great for his development, so that hopefully Nik will challenge for the position when he returns to the club.”

Sutton United are struggling down near the bottom of the National League, the division below League Two, but maybe they’ve found their lucky charm because Tzanev has already played his first game for the club and it was a 2-1 win away at Torquay which snapped a run of nine games in all comps without a win prior to his arrival. There you go then. Only thing missing was a clean sheet but can’t have everything at once, where’s the fun in that?

Up Next: Sutton Utd vs Bromley, Sunday at 4am (NZT)

Nicole Stratford – USV Jena (German Bundesliga)

Peep that mean sliding challenge in the last pic, aye? It wasn’t the glorious cup result that Jena would have liked, they were pretty thoroughly outclassed by Hoffenheim in a 6-1 round of 16 defeat, but it was a first ever start for Nicole Stratford at the club. Strattie played 65 minutes, seemingly at right back, and was replaced with the score at 4-0. Elsewhere in the DFB-Pokal R16s, Ali Riley was an unused sub as Bayern Munich were knocked out 3-0 by Wolfsburg, while SC Sand progressed to the quarters with a 2-0 win over Werder Bremen but Paige Satchell was also an unused sub in that one. Next week it’s back into the league stuff... where Jena and Sand go head to head.

Up Next: Sunday at 1am, USV Jena vs SC Sand (NZT)

Erin Nayler – Girondins Bordeaux (French Division 1 Féminine)

Another big win and another clean sheet. Just a pity that Erin Nayler didn’t actually play... though coming off two games in the international break and against a team that is yet to win a game this season if ever there was a chance to get their second choice keeper a go then this was it. Nayler had started every game prior to this one.

Bordeaux have been pretty excellent in most games this season and once again, away to Metz, they just had too much firepower. They took the lead in fortuitous circumstances as Ines Jauréna’s shot came back off the underside of the crossbar and went in off the keeper’s back having already committed herself to the save. Bottom-placed Metz were able to survive at 1-0 until half-time but after that it all got funky, as Khadija Shaw followed up on a Claire Lavogez run to tap in for the second early in that second stanza. Bordeaux were their own worst enemies in not adding to the score sooner but Shaw repaid the favour to set up Lavogez in the 78th minute and then got another of her own in the 84th with a cheeky header. And there it was.

Up Next: Away to Paris FC on Sunday at 2.30am (NZT)

Steven Old – Morecambe (English League Two)

Bossed in basically all of the stat categories, with only 55% pass accuracy as an entire team, comfortably outplayed for long stretches of the game away from home... but an 81st minute equaliser from Cole Stockton salvaged a point for the Shrimps away at Crawley Town. They’d gone behind to a penalty from Beryly Lubala late in the first half – not Steve’s fault, don’t worry – and the Old Man had been subbed off a few minutes before the leveller, sacrificed as they switched from a back three to something more attacking as they chased the game. That’s two positive results in a row now for Morecambe, perhaps things are starting to turn around?

Up Next: Away to Crewe at 4am on Sunday (NZT)

Chris Wood - Burnley FC (English Premier League)

Didn’t see that one coming but okay. Burnley Football Club serving us up the good All Whites takes. The Haymaker was in town to watch Burnley vs West Ham prior to the international break, if you were wondering. Doing some of the rounds and catching up with some senior players ahead of the games.

Up Next: Watford vs Burnley, 4am on Sunday (NZT)

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