Flying Kiwis – October 13

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Winston Reid - Sporting Kansas City (American Major League Soccer)

That’s so good it needs another angle..

It’s been a stuttering time for Winnie at Sporting KC but no better way to announce yourself truly than to score a match-winning goal. For all his defensive excellence at West Ham he’s still best known for the goal he scored to beat Man United in the final game at Upton Park. His most famous moment for the All Whites was that last-second equaliser against Slovakia at the World Cup. Not a winner but it might as well have been. Now he’s given SKC a bit of the old what for.

SKC were up against Chicago Fire (with Elliot Collier on the bench) and you wouldn’t have guessed the outcome based on the first minute. Literally just 22 seconds on the clock and SKC keeper Tim Melia passed the ball directly to a Fire striker (Fabian Herbers) and then chopped him down to concede a penalty. But then he made up for that by saving Robert Beric’s spottie.

After that it was all Sporting for most of the rest of the half, with numerous fellas chopping back inside and shooting... though the closest thing to a goal was when Winston got beaten to a heavy sliding fifty-fifty challenge, after an absolute hospital ball from a teammate, and the ball ended up being chipped off the crossbar by Djordje Mihailovic. It looked like Reid might have been injured in the tackle but he was back up on his feet by the time the ball was recovered. The Fire’s two best chances coming from SKC giveaways.

Reid would eventually decide this game with that goal but before that we got another glimpse of his fiery side as he absolutely munted Robert Beric in a challenge a little outside the box and then stood over his still-warm corpse and gave him a few words of advice. Unsurprisingly he was booked for the incident.

Five minutes later he scored the winning goal. The only real dramatic moment of a tight second half and Sporting KC’s closed out what was a very strong defensive performance outside of a couple self-inflicted wounds. 1-0 to SKC. Elliot Collier came on for about the last eleven minutes and he did have one chance where he sliced inside from the left wing and unleashed a shot... but it was straight at the keeper. This was Winston’s day, after all.

MLS Man of the Match: “Winston Reid. The New Zealand center back got the crucial opening goal, showing his nous with a clever run to lose his marker and then head in powerfully at the back post. But he was also an imposing figure at the back for SKC, showing the full weight of his experience with a game-high seven interceptions.”

Not only Man of the Match but also Team of the Week...

More where that came from too... sort of. Didn’t bag a winner but another start for Reidy as SKC took on Nashville. Here we go.

Terrible start from SKC. They almost went behind after a minute as a shot was pushed into the crossbar by keeper Tim Melia, only just keeping out the second phase shot after Reid had flicked the initial cross away. But on fourteen minutes Melia couldn’t repeat the heroics as Walker Zimmerman’s strong noggin provided the opening goal with Melia parrying it but unable to keep it from crossing the line.

Sporting haven’t been shut out in any game this year and after a while they started to get it toasting. It took until the second half to actually break them down but when they did it was worth the wait, some excellent work down the by-line by Johnny Russell offering up the simplest of tap-ins for Gerso Fernandes. And then, 54 minutes gone, another boost as Alistair Johnston was sent off for a second yellow card and Nashville were down to ten men.

Erik Hurtado had a few chances to win it. One hit the crossbar. The next he brilliantly volleyed into the top corner. A good old fashioned worldie after 78 minutes to win the thing for SKC with Winnie completing three straight ninety minute games for the first time this year. For a couple years in fact. He took a few knocks in this one too so not exactly a stroll in the park. This win keeps SKC just one point off top in the West.

Up Next: FC Dallas vs Sporting KC, Thursday at 1.30pm (NZT)

Ria Percival – Tottenham Hotspur (English Super League)

The FA.com: “It took 12 minutes for Tottenham to open the scoring when Rosella Ayane's low cross was pushed out by London City goalkeeper Shae Yanez into the path of Ria Percival, who lashed into the roof of the net.”

There are many wonderful happenings that make their way into Flying Kiwis each week but Ria Percival goals are not usually one of them. In fact not only was this one her first for Tottenham Hotspur but it’s her first in all English professional club football, in any competition. Percy picks up the odd assist but she didn’t score at all for West Ham either. Gotta go back to her time with FC Basel in Switzerland for the last banger. ‘Twas only ever a matter of time though.

This was some midweeks Continental Cup group stage action with Spurs hosting second tier club London City Lionesses in a game they very much expected to win... and probably needed to after a few demoralising defeats against the bigger clubs in the WSL. London City nearly went and equalised soon after Percy’s goal with a shot from distance but nah this one went about as expected. Aussie international Alanna Kennedy scored from a free kick (which Percival had won) on half an hour and then on 35 minutes Rosella Ayane got a goal for herself with Spurs up three and in complete control going into half-time. Which meant subs. Four of them. Percival was amongst the quartet who came off at the half (Kennedy too) to preserve them for the weekend considering this one was already as good as done. Angela Addison scored a late one and Spurs wrapped it up 4-0 for maximum points. Go to the FA Player for the highlights.

Don’t really need to watch the highlights for their WSL game a couple days afterwards though. Up against Manchester United and for the first time the Red Devils had both Tobin Heath and Christen Press in the starting line-up and while Spurs held them out for quite a while, with keeper Becky Spencer having a blinder... eventually they fell achingly short.

Ria Percival played the whole thing on the right side of the midfield and was thus tasked with shutting down Tobin Heath – one of the trickiest wingers on the planet. Which in fairness she did a decent job of, despite clips like this...

Meh, she didn’t even go anywhere. No danger there.

Not like when Heath went through one on one and couldn’t beat Spencer earlier in the half. Rosella Ayane had already had a slightly trickier one for Spurs by then, a misplaced backpass (after pressure from Percival) leading to a giveaway that she slid wide... but even while they struggled to break down a well organised Spurs defence it was Man Utd who otherwise had all the best chances.

Spencer tipped one over from Katie Zelem to keep it even at the break and 66 minutes into the contest it was still a scoreless game. Spurs will have been starting to see the finish line of a very useful result but then, after Spencer pulled off another fine stop to deny Alessia Russo, Millie Turner headed in a looper at the far post from a Tobin Heath corner kick and United were in front. Tottenham did have one chance to snatch a draw late on after Ria Percival won a free kick outside the area but Siri Worm’s curler was off target. 1-0 to Man United the final score.

If you do wanna see those highlights anyway, here they are...

And here’s the league table after four weeks...

Up Next: North London Derby away to Arsenal on Monday at 2.30am (NZT)

Rebekah Stott – Brighton & Hove Albion (English Super League)

Crazy game of Conti Cup footy for Brighton in the midweek, they fell behind in the first half against West Ham but hit back just before the break and went on to take the lead with half an hour remaining... only to concede in the final ten minutes and end up drawing 2-2. Which in the Conti Cup means a share of the points with a penalty shootout for a bonus point... that West Ham won. However gotta breeze through it because Rebekah Stott was an unused sub in a rotated team as the gaffer clearly had an eye on the match with Arsenal on the weekend. Erin Nayler was also an unused sub for Reading (in the midweek and the weekend both), still yet to make her debut there with the existing number one Grace Moloney in some sizzling form.

Sure enough Stotty was back amongst the starters for the game against the Gunners. In there at centre back which means the small task of marking Vivienne Miedema and the rest of that Arsenal attack. No pressure then.

Brighton started strong to be fair, with Denise O’Sullivan shooting just past the post early on... but then Miedema shimmied outside the box and pumped one low inside the post which the Brighton keeper couldn’t quite deal with as it swerved away and Arsenal were ahead after ten minutes.

Having said that, they weren’t exactly running away with it at that stage. Brighton kept peppering the Gunners’ goal with O’Sullivan (an Irish international who is on loan from Abby Erceg’s North Carolina Courage) usually involved. Problem was they didn’t make any of them count and then Danielle van de Donk doubled the lead ten minutes before the half and it was a different story after that. Jennifer Beattie scored a header from a corner two minutes into the second spell and then Lotte Wubben-Moy and Miedema each scored late goals to cap a 5-0 win. Not really reflective of the performance but Arsenal have scored 23 goals in four league games, this is what they do.

Up Next: Away to Everton on Monday at 1am (NZT)

Michael Boxall & James Musa – Minnesota United (American Major League Soccer)

Not too much to say about a 0-0 draw away to Nashville SC. Michael Boxall wore the captain’s armband again as they rotated a few fellas for the midweek clash and the Loons were below their best, it has to be said. In a game they would have hoped to win they were lucky not to go behind inside five mins when a near-post touch was pushed just wide and they were stretched a few times at the back throughout the first half. But they mostly defended pretty well and their keeper had their back... just needed a bit more go forward.

Into the second half and they seemed to find it through Emmanuel Reynoso and it was a cross from that fella out on the left that almost led to Michael Boxall popping one in. He’d already challenged for one in the first half off a corner which ended with him and the keeper having a few angry words. This time the opportunistic snapshot was a little too awkward to beat the keeper with at the near post. That led to their strongest spell of the game, with Ethan Finlay also going close, but time and time again those shots ended up straight at the keeper. Not quite the level of finishing required... still, a draw away is alright. Another point on the board. No sign of James Musa who was an unused sub but with another ninety minutes here Michael Boxall remained one of only seven players in the MLS to have played every minute this season.

Aaaand that was it for the week because they were supposed to play FC Dallas but then that game got postponed after two unnamed Minnesota Utd players tested positive for coronavirus. That means instant quarantine for the rest of the team until they can pass some tests and that in turn means no training or games in the meantime. Not the first kiwi to get swept up in that either, Deklan Wynne might be a ghost for the Colorado Rapids but even if he was getting starter’s reps then he still wouldn’t be playing because they’ve postponed four games in a row after a covid outbreak in the group. Very much an evolving story here.

Up Next: If it goes ahead then they’re meant to play Chicago Fire on Thursday at 1pm (NZT)

Hannah Wilkinson – Djurgården IF (Swedish Damallsvenskan)

Gotta love those cup games when the players who haven’t been getting much room to do their thing suddenly get a chance. Hannah Wilkinson’s goal here, a 76th minute effort to cap a 3-1 win over AIK, was her first for Djurgården in her thirteenth match... though to be fair it was also just her second start. Most of her league games have been short cameos off the bench. So it goes, you’ve gotta work your way in at a new club... but a rare start here and she delivered with a goal. That’s the way to do it. Against a local rival too, no less.

And here she is having a chat about it...

HW: “Yeah it definitely gave me a lot of confidence. Like I said it was just such a fun game to play and I was really having so much fun out there with the girls. Finally getting a start and the opportunity to go out there and show what I can do. It was a perfect, perfect corner. I was wondering when was one of these gonna hit my head and thankfully I was in a good position, just had to compete with the goalie and managed to get my big fat head on it.“

Didn’t get the immediate rewards for that, however. A few days later Djurgården played away at KIF Örebro and Wilkie was back on the bench and only subbed on for the last quarter of an hour with the game tied. In that remaining time Karin Lundin scored a brace for the other ones and KIF Örebro won it 2-0. Leaves them still needing another result or two to confirm their safety with four games left and four points separating them from the relegation zone.

Up Next: Djurgården vs Linköping, 2am on Sunday (NZT)

Ali Riley – FC Rosengård (Swedish Damallsvenskan)

FCR are also through to the next round of the Swedish Cup as they bagged a 3-2 win against Eskilsminne which also provided Ali Riley with her first full ninety minute game since playing for the Football Ferns back in March. Always been either subbed on or subbed off for the Rosies in the league. But yeah, full game in the cup and FCR got the win (Eskilsminne’s second goal came in the last five minutes, not quite as close as it sounds).

But then they lost 2-1 to Kristianstad in the league. Eveliina Summanen mashed one in from miles out after only 95 seconds and that was a bad omen that they never quite recovered from. Kristianstad can still catch Rosengård for a top two placing and clearly they weren’t giving up that dream, they also hit the crossbar with another long ranger soon after. Rosengård began to build into the game after that slow start but couldn’t put anything away and then early on in the second half they leaked another one to Anna Welin from a rebound off a corner kick and that spelled big trouble.

Ali Riley started on the bench and two goals down, 66 minutes gone, she was summoned. Then almost immediately she set up a goal. Caroline Seger whacking in the cut back. Ah but they’d already dug too much of a whole for themselves and despite throwing the damn kitchen sink at that Kristianstad goal the rest of the way it wasn’t to be. Defeat here combined with Göteborg putting three unanswered past Uppsala means that FCR are now four points off top with four games left. That’s what happens with three straight league games without a win, losing all momentum at the wrong time.

Full highlights here.

Up Next: Away to Vittsjö at 1am on Sunday (NZT)

Joel Stevens & Francis De Vries – IFK Värnamo (Swedish Ettan Södra)

The Varnies played twice this week, the first a come from behind 2-1 win over Linkoping City in which Michael Kargbo scored the winner with 15 minutes left and then the second a come from behind 2-1 win over Qivding in which... well, you know the rest. Francis de Vries played all of both games though Joel Stevens appears to have missed the earlier one and only came off the bench in the second. Maybe carrying an injury or something? Dunno but with these two wins Värnamo remain comfortably clear at the top of the Southern conference as they seek automatic promotion to the second tier. Seven games left and seven points clear... though Landskrona do have a game in hand.

Up Next: 2am on Sunday away to Torns (NZT)

Bill Tuiloma – Portland Timbers (American Major League Soccer)

Didn’t get a glimpse of him as Portland won a 6-3 shootout against LA Galaxy in the midweek. The Timbers went as close to full strength as they could with Dario Zuparic and Larrys Mabiala starting at CB. But on the weekend they faced San Jose Earthquakes and this time Tui was out there from the start, he and Zuparic at CB where they had a solid enough game in a quiet first half and then a quiet game in the solid second half. Two quick goals for Jaro Niezgoda in the opening seven mins of the second spell put Portland well in control - the first came just 35 seconds after the restart. SJE mostly resorted to shots from distance although they did score one with twenty minutes remaining which mighta set up a grandstand finish... but it was disallowed and then Felipe Mora nodded in a simple one with five minutes left for a 3-0 Timbers win. Full game and a clean sheet for Tui, not bad.

Up Next: 2.30pm on Thursday away to Real Salt Lake (NZT)

Elliot Collier – Chicago Fire (American Major League Soccer)

Already covered one EC cameo within Winston Reid’s segment, now here’s the other. Quarter of an hour off the bench against DC United. Things had been going sweet as with Chicago scoring right at the start and then right at the end of the first half for a fairly commanding lead but they were put under the pump in that second stanza, really just scrambling to hold on after conceding when Collier stepped into the fray. That did mean plenty of room to counter attack into though and one of the first things EC did was to get on the end of a direct ball on the break and cut inside his marker after running into the box... however his shot was lashed across goal. But all goods, Chicago held on for a 2-1 victory.

Up Next: Michael Boxall and Minnesota United on Thursday at 1pm (NZT)

Meikayla Moore – Liverpool (English Championship)

Now there’s a result. Not only because Liverpool and Man United are such traditional rivals but also Liverpool are a division below them this season so it was a Champo team beating a Super League team.

Meikayla Moore was on the bench for most of it as United took a first half lead through Abbie McManus’ bullet header but a handball in the box allowed Rachel Furness to level from the spot midway through the same stanza. In a pretty competitive midweek League Cup clash, both teams went dashing around for the lead and with twenty minutes remaining Jess Clarke was chopped down in the box and Liverpool had another penalty. This time it was sub Rinsola Babajide who stepped up and she buried it. Just before that goal Meikayla Moore had been subbed on for defensive cover however the Reds hardly even needed it as they rode that wave having taken the lead and killed it off in the 82nd minute with Furness’ second of the day. Liverpool have already started strong in the Championship but Manchester United are one of the better clubs in the top flight and this was a strong Utd line-up that they dropped too. Huge 3-1 win.

But there might have been a hangover from that one because the Reds came back on the weekend and suffered their first loss of the season, going down 2-1 against Leicester City. It was a sloppy start and they found themselves two goals down after 56 minutes... however a goalkeeping error allowed them back into the game just two minutes after Leicester’s second and from there this one transformed into a frantically exciting match as Liverpool surged forward to try and get that equaliser and Leicester were always ready on the break. All that was missing was either team scoring another goal. Meikayla Moore was subbed on in the 64th minute in a holding midfield role, making that four games in a row that she’s been subbed on since her debut. Liverpool now drop to third on the Champo ladder (albeit very early days yet) as that promotion scrap looks like it’ll be a crowded one.

Up Next: Lewes vs Liverpool but not ‘til 2 November (NZT)

Tommy Smith – Colchester United (English League Two)

A first half Callum Harriott goal (23 mins) got them started but CU couldn’t hold on as Elijah Adebayo equalised in the 53rd minute and to be honest they maybe shoulda lost with Dean Gerken having to make a close range save to keep it even. Colchester dropping off after the break and having to kinda hold on. But they didn’t lose, the 1-1 draw is their fourth from five league games which at least keeps them undefeated. Full game for Smithy who put in another commanding performance, again wearing the captain’s armband with regular skipper Harry Pell missing the last few games with injury.

Halstead Gazette, Player Ratings: “TOMMY SMITH 8/10 - U's man of the match. Stand-in skipper relished his tussle with Adebayo and headed and cleared everything”

Up Next: Sunday at 3am away to Carlisle (NZT)

Nik Tzanev – AFC Wimbledon (English League One)

Looks like Tzanev is at that ‘plays the cup games’ level of backup keeper these days. He got another start in the EFL Trophy away to Leyton Orient, a game which they lost 2-0 but whatever, still good to see him getting first team minutes. First goal was a penalty which he dove the wrong way for, no fault there, but the second was a bad look as he was caught well off his line by a long ball over the top and then he was chipped on the volley as he tried to backtrack. He made one very good low save at 1-0 though, tipping a shot past the post. The Dons then bounced back with a 1-0 win away to Swindon Town in League One, scoring in the first half with their only shot on target all game and holding on for the victory, with Tzanev on the bench.

Up Next: The Dons play Shrewsbury on Sunday at 3am (NZT)

Olivia Chance – Sheffield United (English Championship)

There ya go. Lots of firsts this week and this was a first start for Olivia Chance at Sheffield United. They lost 1-0 to Aston Villa, a first half Jodie Hutton penalty the difference with Chance playing about 50 minutes before she was replaced... which is the most she’s played for more than six months when the Footy Ferns were last in action. The Blades then cruised to a 3-0 win over Championship strugglers Coventry on the weekend with manager Neil Redfearn making only one chance to the starting team... however that one change was Liv Chance dropping to the bench where she was an unused sub.

Up Next: Sheff Utd vs Lewes at 1am on Monday (NZT)

Katie Rood - Lewes FC (English Championship)

A sneaky 1-0 win for Lewes this week who are making a habit of that. This was their third straight 1-0 win in the Championship, beating Blackburn thanks to a 79th minute Simran Jhamat strike. Jhamat had actually replaced Katie Rood two thirds of the way through the game. Lewes also had a Conti Cup game in the midweek which they lost 2-1 to Crystal Palace with Rood playing a little under half an hour off the bench in that one.

Up Next: Sheff Utd vs Lewes at 1am on Monday (NZT)

Rosie White – OL Reign (American National Women’s Soccer League)

Last minute sub in a 2-1 defeat to Portland. Christine Sinclair with two penalties with Amber Brooks scoring for the Reign in between. The winner came in the 73rd minute.

Up Next: OL Reign vs Utah Royals, Sunday at 1pm (NZT)

Greg Draper – The New Saints (Welsh Premier League)

He’s not slowing down. After a five-banger last week to become TNS’s all time leading goal scorer Drapes added a couple more in a 4-0 win away to Penybont. There was also a 2-0 win over Newtown in between that where he only played the last quarter of an hour off the bench and didn’t score. The hit rate is relentless.

Up Next: TNS vs Connah’s Quay on Weds at 7.45am (NZT)

Callan Elliot - Xanthi (Greek Super League 2)

Bit of confirmation there.

Up Next: New season starts on 26 October away to Apollon Larissa (NZT)

Ollie Whyte - Istanbulspor (Turkish 1. Lig)

Up Next: More where that came from

The USL Crew

It’s playoff time in the USL Championship. A scene which has often had a high kiwi proportion of players though which these days has mostly had to be shielded out for a goal kick with such a heavy presence of Flying Kiwis in the MLS overshadowing it in this column. The restrictions on travel and all that meant we didn’t get those MLS guys dropping down to this level short of being loaned out (Adams + Billingsley) which also limited a bit of participation... but we still got five fellas doing their thing. Here are some combined stats (with no attacking shots because between them they literally had two shots on target entirely... it was just a bunch of zeros so no point). Click the pic to enlarge it...

There were a lot of defeats for these fellas, so it goes. Kyle Adams didn’t join RGV again until after the MLS Is Back Tournament and he wasn’t able to arrest their form slump as they took only 9 points from 14 games for one of the worst records of any team. Noah Billingsley only really played half a season for Las Vegas after being loaned out and they were pretty bad too. Last in their group. Interesting to see if those two are able to link back up with their MLS teams again now. Sam Brotherton was a regular for North Carolina and they had their moments but fell a couple wins short of making the playoffs in their group.

The other two fellas both made the playoffs however these were the two dudes who played the least. Hunter Ashworth’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Oscar Ramsey’s Charlotte Independence both made the playoffs and both spent far more time this season sitting on the bench than playing. Ramsey has only played 12 minutes in total while Ashworth hasn’t played for three months.

As to those playoffs? Pittsburgh lost 2-0 to Louisville City with Hunter Ashworth nowhere to be seen while Charlotte Independence were dropped 2-1 by Charleston Battery after extra time. Oscar Ramsay was an unused sub. So... that’s all folks.

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